Interview with Shannon and Edward, Co-Authors of The Chimera Snare Series

In this exclusive interview, we sit down with Shannon and Edward, the talented co-authors behind the captivating dark fantasy series, The Chimera Snare. They provide intriguing insights into the inspiration and creative process behind their first book, Fragments, and offer a glimpse into the richly imagined worlds and themes that form the foundation of their series. Additionally, they share their collaborative writing process and offer valuable advice for aspiring dark fantasy authors. Join us as we delve into the minds and creative synergy of these exceptional authors.

But First, who are Shannon and Edward?

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Books:

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• What inspired the creation of The Chimera Snare series, and how did the idea for Fragments come about?

Shannon: The earliest fundamental development of what The Chimera Snare series has become today started when I was around 11. Back then, I started writing various short stories and was particularly fascinated by how vivid and cinematic my dreams were.

The base of the TCS universe was something that I toyed with during my senior year in high school, but it was left behind during all the chaos of graduation and work until a dream reignited it a couple of years later. During an early morning, sleep-deprived commute into San Francisco for work, I was listening to Agalloch’s The Mantle and had an epic dream to the first 2 tracks, “A Celebration For the Death of Man” and “In the Shadow of Our Pale Companion.” The experience created the first-ever depth for the two characters, Von and Navaryn, portraying their love for one another and the lengths they went through in order to be together despite their forbidden relationship.

From there, I wrote the first iteration of Fragments, self-published in 2015, with the intention of bringing the otherworldly characters to life through the obscurity of dreams and memory fragments, like my experience. While working on book 2, my husband joined in on the writing journey. We then went back to Fragments and rewrote it as a team since the universe we created together had grown into something so much fuller than initially conceived.

• The book is set between two contrasting worlds—our reality and a magical realm. What was your approach to developing these distinct settings?

Edward: To be more accurate, Fragments is set between numerous mystical realms and our own. We wanted to illustrate a set of worlds that are, in part, painted with our own personal takes on bits of our own folklore and mythology. For instance, beings from Celestine resemble what we may perceive as “Angels,” and beings from Daeva resemble what we may perceive as “Demons.” Thus, there is somewhat of an “Angels vs. Demons” thing going on, but absent of any religious connotation to them in Fragments.

Shannon: And part of my approach was brought out by a longing for something to exist deep out past our stars and what it might be like for worlds to collide—how others would see Earth as a first impression.

• What role does magic play in Fragments, and how did you go about designing the magic system in the book?

Edward: Magic essentially is the crux of how many events outlining the overall crisis occur in Fragments. We also illustrate how our “realm” or “reality” is devoid of mystical magic – by our own doing. However, we intend for the reader to find that we go far beyond simple spells and charms to the point that the word “magic” isn’t a strong enough term to describe the power of “The Order of Existence.”

As far as the design of the magic system goes, we flesh out our own takes and different approaches to what we might call witchcraft. That the use of magic is somewhat of a balancing act, a partnership, and that mystical beings themselves have varying levels of receptivity to it – meaning some are more gifted than others. We felt it important to represent the presence of magical ability in virtually every facet of the mystical beings’ lives. Yet, it’s something that is continually evolving and rife with new discoveries – much like our own human practice and approach to the sciences.

Shannon: We also took care in building the connection and respect of our magic system. To give it a deeper meaning in connection with the earth, like a symbiotic relationship, similar to concepts that tie into green magic—a topic pretty close to my heart and one that we will discover more of as the series continues.

• Were there any particular books, films, or other works of fiction that influenced The Chimera Snare series?

Shannon: We tried very hard to keep it as organic as we could and let the music that we listened to light the way as we traversed our minds, building the plot line and the universe.

Edward: Music essentially created the heart and soul of The Chimera Snare, providing a seemingly endless well of inspiration from which we continuously pull from. We’ve dedicated Fragments in part to a list of artists and bands that you’ll find in the front of the book, and a couple are even referenced throughout the story.

Shannon: Some of my childhood and early adult influences definitely lent some inspiration from elements I’ve always been fascinated with. For example, I’m big into Graphic Novels, Anime, and Manga, so some folks might recognize the similar theme of sensing energy, and a few other character quirks that harken to some of the classics, like Dragon Ball Z and Poison Elves, for example.

Edward: From a literary standpoint, I’m a fan of Gillian Flynn’s works like Sharp Objects, Dark Places, and, of course, Gone Girl. She knows how to effectively create mood and has a great way of writing reveals with lots of tension that make your jaw drop. I would love to talk shop with her someday. I’m also a bit of a gamer, and there’s a handful of video games with great narratives that, on some levels, have influenced how I approach writing, conveying emotion, generating description, etc., that I channeled into The Chimera Snare. The Hellblade series, in particular, is simply lush with wondrous and elegantly framed language and storytelling. Some moments can be wistful and somber, filled with tragedy; others are more heartwarming and vibrant and feel like a blissful embrace; and others are more visceral and terrifying and cut like a knife.

• What themes do you hope readers will take away from Fragments, and why are these themes important to you?

Edward: Wonderful question. One important underlying theme that we have woven throughout Fragments is memory. Particularly how powerful, precious, and fragile they can be. They shape who we are, teach us valuable lessons, and guide us through our ultimately ephemeral existence. Inner strength, confidence, and belief in oneself are also important. These are significant to us because, at the end of the day, the one person you can rely 100% on is yourself. And while it may take digging for some, the power and fortitude that can come from within is unmatched.

Shannon: …and to add just a bit more from me, a few others: to believe your dreams, trust your instincts, and not be afraid to do what speaks to you. To look past indoctrination and think with your own mind, and to keep a connection with the pulse of the earth.

• What were some of the most significant challenges you encountered while writing Fragments, and how did you overcome them?

Edward: There were some occasions when we had disagreements when it came to making changes to the book. Some were about specific plot points, the use of preferred language, etc. But over some lengthy (and sometimes loud) talks over a few beers, we reach an understanding of where the other was coming from and ultimately come to a greater outcome in the end.

Shannon: For me, at the very beginning of Fragments, the most challenging part was just starting—writing that first sentence and turning it into a first paragraph and then a chapter. To craft all of what was built up in my mind into a full-fledged novel. The key is to take the plunge and write and maintain confidence and passion while doing it.

• With such a rich world, what are your plans for expanding the series beyond Fragments? Can you give us a hint of what’s to come?

Shannon: Absolutely. Fragments is the first in the series, and you will learn more about the feuding realms of Celestine and Daeva and others and how they are connected. Our reviewer was left wanting precisely what we’ll be diving into in the next book, which thrilled us to have pointed their attention exactly where we wanted it to be.

Edward: We have book two already in the chamber which is currently in the early-ish stages of the editing process, titled Reflections. We’re going the non-linear narrative route with our series, so Reflections will be a prequel to the events of Fragments that will delve into expanded world-building and further exploration of themes related to the title, similar to what we did with Fragments. Appropriately, we incorporated a strong theme of duality into Reflections. We explore further into the dual nature of our characters’ beings, as well as the transformations they undergo—mental, physical, and metaphysical. We can promise that Reflections will, in some ways, “up the ante” from Fragments. Expect it to be darker, more mature, twisted, and visceral – but also more vibrant, powerful, and expansive.

• How do you and your co-author collaborate on writing? What is your process for sharing ideas and responsibilities?

Edward: With a whole lot of talking and a whole lot of beer! (Hahaha).

Shannon: Which, in my opinion, helps enhance our already top-notch, natural collaboration.

Edward: At first, we tried having one of us on a computer while the other spouts off ideas and sentence passages, kind of like taking dictation. That didn’t work at all.

Shannon: Oh my… no, it did not. So we had to think of something else.

Edward: We then began working on our respective computers/laptops but tried working on the same chapter together.

Shannon: Which didn’t always work.

Edward: Ultimately, we learned that we both have our own unique approaches to writing. Shannon often began by painting the scene with description, substance, and movement before moving on to writing dialogue.

Shannon: A cinematic approach by immersing myself into the scene I’m building.

Edward: Whereas I would do the opposite—I take a more “script-like” approach and begin with dialogue before fleshing out the rest. That eventually led us to assign chapters to each other to write independently, which I would say spoke to the level of trust that formed between us. We kept each other accountable to get the job done. So, in a pretty perfect way, we found ourselves to be the “yin” to the other’s “yang,” so to speak. Meanwhile, in between writing sessions, we would brainstorm constantly. At times, over drinks, during long car rides, set changes at concerts – basically carving out patches of time to delve into our imaginations.

• For readers new to The Chimera Snare series, what would you say to encourage them to dive into this world?

Edward: For one thing, I would tell readers that they’re in for an entertaining and engaging ride with Fragments. As fantastical and otherworldly as The Chimera Snare universe may be, it has a lot of relatable elements at the same time and certainly has a little something for everyone. And though Fragments may fall under the “dark fantasy” category, it’s not without some bits of (crude) humor.

Shannon: And from me, simply put, allow yourself to be immersed. This is not a speed-read type of book.

• For Aspiring Dark Fantasy Authors, what is one advice you can give that you think has worked wonders for you?

Shannon: Writing is for everyone, so don’t let any self-doubt discourage you. Do your best to look ahead during world-building and keep notes to refer back to. Create character profiles and keep notes on important topics to prevent plot holes in future writing. And never be afraid of changing things for the better. This was one of my biggest struggles because so many old concepts for the TCS universe still hung on for dear life after Edward and I partnered up. It was hard to let some of them go and replace them with better ones. Take your time and think things through. You might end up ruining your story if you hold onto things just for the sake of familiarity or pride.

Edward: Be honest with yourself and your writing. Write from the heart and take your time to give your work the respect and attention you know it deserves. Ideas come and go, but it is important to take the time to get them all out. Regardless of how you do it, whether it’s taking notes or shouting them unto the ether, hang onto the ones that both make sense and ring true. And don’t be afraid to ask for help or guidance.