Q&A with children's author, Shelby Matheson!

---

Debut author Shelby Matheson is already making waves with her first children's fantasy novel ELSEWHERE (published by Wombat Books). Thank you to Shelby for stopping by my blog to chat all about her debut author journey, the importance of patience, and why she didn't let rejection stop her achieving her dreams! 

What prompted you to write your debut fantasy middle-grade novel ELSEWHERE? How did you get the idea and what was the planning and writing (and rewriting!) process like?

Elsewhere was inspired by my love of classic children’s literature. I adore the beauty and childhood innocence found in stories like Winnie the Pooh, The Little Prince, The Secret Garden, and Anne of Green Gables.

I wanted to write a children’s story that felt just like those old stories but with more modern attitudes. It was while watching the live action Christopher Robin movie that I fell in love with the idea of an endless magical forest as a safe haven for lost children.

By the end of the day, I had the setting, some characters and the general concept envisioned. It was a while before I really understood the story, what the conflict would be, how they would solve it and where it would go from there, but I’m really proud of how it all came together in the end.

Your beautiful Author's Note in the back of the book is so inspiring to all creatives: you mention ELSEWHERE had years of rejections from seventy publishers. What made you keep going? How did you not lose faith? Or, if you did lose faith, how did you allow yourself to keep trying and putting one foot in front of the other? How did you maintain belief in yourself and in your book? 

I recently hit one hundred queries total across six different books. Out of all those queries, I’ve only ever received ONE full manuscript request (which didn’t work out) and the book contract with Wombat Books. It’s been so incredibly hard to keep going, but chasing this dream is the only thing I really believe in. I wanted it more than anything else in the world.

So when one book didn’t work out and I felt crushed, I took a break, then I sat down and wrote another book. I kept writing and educating myself on the industry and how to write the best query pitch. I’ve even worked with editors who’ve helped me to perfect my query package.

At this point, I’m willing to try anything! I have a lot of faith in my stories and I truly believe they deserve to be published. And now that Elsewhere is out in the world, it gives me hope that I can do it again if I just keep trying.

How did ELSEWHERE eventually come to find a home with Wombat Books and what was the publication experience like for you? 

I keep a list of every agent or publisher I’ve sent my books to. Wombat Books was the eighth outlet I sent Elsewhere to and when I didn’t hear back after months, I assumed it had been rejected.

Nine months later, they asked for a synopsis of the book. I sent it through and forgot all about it until three months later when I received an email, asking if I’d like any feedback on the novel. I know now that feedback is a sign of interest but at the time I had no idea what that meant! I took the feedback and worked with it, edited Elsewhere down to a more reasonable word count and sent it back.

It was another year before Wombat Books finally offered me a contract. I lost hope many times in that year, almost gave up completely.

Fortunately, the contract came right when I needed it and now I’m more determined than ever to keep going!

What have you learnt about the experience of publishing and being a debut author that surprised you, challenged you and excited you the most? 

I think the biggest lesson publishing has taught me is to have patience. Traditional publishing especially is a long, slow process and for someone like me, it can be agonising. But having patience and trusting the process is a good habit to build.

And you can always use that time to prepare for marketing your book or even write more books! The best part though has been seeing my book in print for the first time, seeing it on shelves in bookstores, and hearing people’s thoughts on it.

​Before Elsewhere’s release, only people my age or older had read my books so it was really wonderful to hear that Elsewhere’s target audience (ages 8-14) are reading my book and really enjoying it. I no longer feel uncomfortable about the thought of people reading my work and I can’t wait to get more books out into the world!

Do you have a typical writing process? And what is your writing space like?

My writing space is really just my bed and my laptop! Nothing special. My typical writing process is that I will sit on an idea until it starts to take shape in my mind.

I make notes of scene ideas or dialogue or plot lines and characters, until I begin to really see the story.

I let those notes build up over time until I think I have enough to get started.
When I’ve decided I’m ready to begin, I go through all my notes and order them into their chapters so I have a proper outline of the book.

Then it’s time to write!

What is in the pipeline? Can you share anything you are working on next?

I’ve always got lots going on in terms of writing – it’s getting it out into the world that is the hardest part! Elsewhere’s sequel is coming next year so I’ve been working on edits for it and for the third book too. I’m currently seeking representation for a YA fantasy series that I’m super excited about, so fingers crossed! And I’ve just started a middle grade fantasy standalone that I’m having a lot of fun with.

Anything else you would like to add, at all? 

Thank you for the great questions! :D
​

ELSEWHERE by Shelby Matheson (published by Wombat Books) is available now. 

---