The Grimoire: Lichgates, By S. M. Boyce

I’m thrilled to interview S. M. Boyce today. Boyce earned a B.A. in Creative Writing, and writes fantasy, paranormal fiction, contemporary fiction, and comedy. One reviewer said of her novel, The Grimoire, “Boyce’s storytelling is so rich and deftly executed that I found myself bouncing between pure amazement, unadulterated enjoyment, and absolute, perverse envy. She is that good.” Join me now as Boyce and I discuss The Grimoire and her approach to crafting her stories.

Silverberry: I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours! I’m dying to know, are S. M. your real initials, and what do they stand for?

Boyce: Haha! Yes, those are my real initials. My first name is Sarah, and the middle initial will just have to be secret for all of time. Mwuahahahahaha.

Silverberry: I’ll reveal all at the end. Tell us about yourself and how you developed into a writer.

Boyce: Oh, you know—the typical “I’ve been writing since in the womb” story. Writing is my outlet. When I don’t write, I get all grumpy and scare my husband a little. When he stuffs my laptop beneath my nose, it’s a not-so-subtle hint. Haha.

Seriously, though, writing is magic. I can discover new worlds and learn more about the world I live in, all through writing, listening, and exploring. It’s fantastic.

Silverberry: What gave you the idea for The Grimoire series?

Boyce: This has actually been in development since 2006. I made these spell caster things out of clay in my aunt’s basement one summer and asked myself the question, “what if wizards weren’t using these?” My imagination took off and I haven’t been able to slow down since. I cut the spell casters from the story, of course, but they were the inspiration for my series.

Silverberry: What’s the story about?

Boyce: The Grimoire Trilogy follows two main characters. The first is Kara, a girl who stumbles across a hidden world called Ourea while hiking. It’s a beautiful place filled with terrifying creatures, and Kara can’t escape it—she can either become a pawn or do whatever it takes to survive.

The second character is Braeden, a native to this crazy world Kara discovers. He’s lived a lie, and it won’t be long before that catches up to him. He’s one of the first people Kara meets in this new world. Even though he promises to help her, he has an agenda of his own.

Silverberry: Who is the book written for?

Boyce: This is YA, so it’s appropriate for all ages 14+. However, I wrote the Grimoire Trilogy for anyone who just enjoys a fast-paced adventure with a little bit of love and a lot of magic. My focus was to make it a riveting story, but there’s more beneath the surface if you care to look.

Silverberry: How did you develop the characters?

Boyce: A lot of characters were based on people I knew and then branched off into different directions as the story developed. There’s a large cast, and they all play a different part in the story.

Silverberry: What was your approach to crafting the plot?

Boyce: I write in outlines, and even my outlines have drafts. That way, I can write a concise plot with focused direction and still add in easter eggs and details you won’t catch on your first read.

Silverberry: What was your approach to creating the world of Ourea?

Boyce: Ourea is based on Earth because—well—it is Earth (the part we forgot about). I wanted to show readers how beautiful our world still is by allowing them to rediscover it through my descriptions of Ourea. Some bits of it—like the castle on a cloud or the city underwater—are, um, slightly fabricated.

Silverberry: What writers have influenced you the most, and why?

Boyce: Neil Gaiman, Tolkien, and C. S. Lewis are probably my largest influences. Each has such a unique voice that I find myself sucked into their works. I love to lose myself in a good book, and these masters have shown me how that can be done.

Silverberry: What advice would you give to developing writers?

Boyce: I have two tidbits, actually.

One: don’t stop. You’ll come across haters, low ratings, and even fellow writers who either tell you that you suck or try to lead you astray. There are a plethora of reasons, but you most fail as a writer only if you quit.

Two: develop thick skin for all the reasons I mentioned in #1. Accepting constructive criticism (and learning to side step destructive criticism) will be your hardest lesson to learn, but you have to learn it or you won’t get very far.

Silverberry: What’s ahead for you?

Boyce: The Grimoire Trilogy! Book two, Treason, should be out this fall. My goal is to finish the trilogy and publish the companion novellas by the end of 2014. It’s a tall order, but people keep knocking and asking when I’ll finish it. I’m working hard, promise! I just want to make sure it’s the very best I can give you all.

Thanks for having me!

Silverberry: Thank you! Readers, you can find Boyce’s website and purchase The Grimoire: Lichgates at the links below. And enter now for a chance to win her book in Silverberry’s Young Adult Book Contest!

S. M. Boyce’s Website

Purchase The Grimoire on Amazon

Follow S. M. Boyce on Twitter

S. M. Boyce, Author of The Grimoire: Lichgates