BooksChatter: ℚ Shadow People: The Shadow People Chronicles [2]

Today we have the pleasure of meeting up with author Alec John Belle to talk about Shadow People (14 December 2015, Booktrope Editions, 214 pages), a Young Adult Paranormal, book two of The Shadow People Chronicles series.

Author Q&A | Synopsis | Teaser | The Series | About the Author | Tour Stops

Hello Alec; welcome back to BooksChatter.

What compelled you to write Shadow People?

"I’ve had the idea for this series in my head for a very long time. Over the course of a few years, other storylines and things came to mind and a lot of that is incorporated in this second book."

How much of yourself is reflected in this book, and how?

"Hayden is a lot like myself and deals with a lot of personal issues at the beginning of the book. As the book goes on and things get a little more supernatural in his world, the story gets pushed to the side, but will definitely come to the surface again soon."

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating this book?

"That I apparently love death in my writing. I’m seeing a trend."

The first thing that draws me to a book is its cover. Can you tell us about your cover for Shadow People - why you chose that concept and who the artist is.

"The cover actually took a bit longer than anticipated because the original idea we had was rejected. The cover designer is Jessica Anhalt and she did an amazing job. Unfortunately, I don’t think she will be working on the future covers, but it was good to have her around for the first two."

Why should we read Shadow People and what sets it apart from the rest? What makes your book unique?

"I believe I said this in a previous interview with you, but something that really sets my series apart from others is the use of real teenage issues in this paranormal world. The Darkness feeds off of all the negative energy in the world, like depression, anxiety, mental illness, etc. It gives me a way to incorporate real issues into the world I’ve created and I really enjoy doing that."

Can you tell us something quirky about Shadow People, its story and characters?

"Philip is actually based off of a guy I knew years back. Granted, that guy was about 23 and Philip is only 17 or 18. But still."

Who would you recommend Shadow People to and what should readers be aware of (any warnings or disclaimers)?

"I would recommend this to any dark paranormal lovers. As far as disclaimers, there may be a few things that could trigger some memories for people if they’ve ever had to deal with some mental health issues."

If you could / wished to turn Shadow People and the The Shadow People Chronicles series into a movie, who would be your dream team?

"I actually get asked this a lot, and to be honest, if it were turned into a movie or TV series, I would definitely want new actors. I would want to be the show that brings new people into the industry. I wouldn’t want famous people attached to it (I know, it’s strange)."

What has been your greatest challenge as a writer?

"Definitely trying to write longer books. I cannot write a long book for the life of me."

What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

"I think the toughest criticism I get is actually not because of my stories, but the editing. Editing is difficult and even editors miss things. At least they’re not things that affect the story. Just minor typos and things. We’re working on that, though. The greatest compliment is one that I actually got recently on another book I just wrote, where I got compared to Jay Asher who wrote 13 Reasons Why."

What is in store next?

"I’m currently working on the third book in the series, titled Fiery Passion, and it’s definitely the darkest of the three so far. They’re recovering from a certain event that happens in Shadow People, and there are three character POVs this time. And there’s definitely a twist fans will not see coming that I’ve been trying to keep to myself over the last year. I can’t wait for readers to finally find out."