Today we’re excited to chat with Wade Albert White,
author of The Adventurer’s Guide To Successful Escapes!
Below you’ll find more about Wade, his book, plus a giveaway!
YABC: What gave you the inspiration to write this book?
It was a combination of several things. First, there were so many great adventure stories I enjoyed growing up (Indiana Jones, The Goonies) and I wanted to write one of my own. Second, I love books with a quirky sense of humour, especially anything British (Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchett). Finally, I had this desire to write a story that mashed together fantasy and science fiction, although it took me a while to figure out how to do it. Should the world consist of both science and magick? How did it get this way? And what kind of people would live there? Eventually it all came together.
YABC: Which came first, the title or the novel?
In this case the novel came first. It took us a while to settle on a title, because we needed something that would both convey how fun the story was and also set up the book as volume one of an ongoing series. This is how we eventually decided on the title: Each chapter in the book begins with a brief excerpt, and these are often ascribed to some imaginary book or source. Originally, one of those imaginary books was called The Orphan’s Guide to Successful Escapes. Also, when we were pitching around possible titles, one suggestion I had made was The Adventurer’s Guide to something or other. So my editor combined the two and came back with The Adventurer’s Guide to Successful Escapes, and we all loved it.
YABC: Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now?
The most important thing I’ve learned is the willingness to cut good material from a story in order to make it great. It’s not hard to cut bad material from an early draft when you’re revising your manuscript, but cutting material that you feel is good, or that you love, can be really, really hard, and I remember struggling with this especially back when I first started writing. The question I’ve learned to ask myself is: Does the scene or chapter serve the overall needs of the story? Regardless of how well it might be written or how much I like it, if the answer to that question is no, the material has to go.
YABC: What do you like most about the cover of the book?
I love how dynamic it is, conveying a sense of both action and adventure. It draws the viewer’s eye from one side to the other and back again, and is filled with lots of little details and characters that are already captivating and will have even more meaning once readers have finished the book. Also, the color scheme is brilliant and really catches the eye.
YABC: What new release book are you looking most forward to in 2016?
Wow, that’s a hard choice because I’ve been reading so many excellent debut books this year. If I had to pick, I’d go with the middle grade mystery/detective novel Howard Wallace, P.I., by fellow Canadian author Casey Lyall. Think the Maltese Falcon for middle grade readers and you have the right idea. It’s not just a mystery novel, it’s film noir written for kids and has all the familiar trappings: The main character uses an old abandoned desk behind the school as his office, gets shaken down by the neighborhood bullies, and does stakeouts from the janitor’s closet. The voice is pitch perfect and the story is a lot of fun.
YABC: What was your favorite book in 2015?
Again, so many great books to choose from. One of my favorites was definitely The Jumbies, by Tracey Baptiste. It’s the story of a young girl, Corinne La Mer, who must rally her friends to fight together to save their island home from ancient malevolent beings. The story draws upon Caribbean folklore and contains all sorts of fascinating people and creatures. It’s frightening at times, but all the better for it. A great book to read while hiding under the sheets with a flashlight.
YABC: What’s up next for you?
I’m currently working on the next book in my series. It’s called The Adventurer’s Guide to Dragons (and Why They Keep Biting Me) and picks up where the first book left off.
YABC: Which part of the writing process do you enjoy more: Drafting or Revising?
I find that both have their appeal. I enjoy the initial drafting stage because I can just sit and write whatever comes into my head and not worry about making it perfect. Although I do typically work from an outline, I keep it quite loose, and I always reserve the right to go off-script if that’s where the story takes me. But revising is a lot of fun too, because that’s when you take the rough stone you’ve created and then cut and polish it until you reveal the gem hiding inside.
YABC: What would you say is your superpower?
I usually have a good sense of how long it will take to travel from one place to another, often down to the minute, even if it’s somewhere I’ve never been before. I say “usually,” though, because every once in a while, I get it drastically wrong.
YABC: Is there an organization or cause that is close to your heart?
Local food banks. There are many wonderful organizations that do great work all across the globe, and those are vital, but I think it’s important not to overlook people who might be in need in our own communities and neighborhoods as well.
Meet The Adventurer’s Guide To Successful Escapes!!
A thrilling debut novel where fantasy and science fiction meet, dragons aren’t as innocent as they look, and nothing is quite what it seems. Anne has spent most of her thirteen years dreaming of the day she and her best friend Penelope will finally leave Saint Lupin’s Institute for Perpetually Wicked and Hideously Unattractive Children. When the big day arrives, a series of very curious happenings lead to Anne being charged with an epic quest. Anne, Penelope, and new questing partner Hiro have only days to travel to strange new locales, solve myriad riddles, and triumph over monstrous foes–or face the horrible consequences. Packed with action, humor, and endless heart, this debut novel marks the first volume in an irresistible and original fantasy series.
Amazon * B & N * Indiebound
Meet Wade Albert White!
Wade Albert White hails from Nova Scotia, Canada. In addition to writing, White teaches part-time, dabbles in animation and filmmaking, and is a stay-at-home dad. He lives in Canada with his wife, sons, and cat. The Adventurer’s Guide to Successful Escapes is his debut novel and thei first in a series. Please visit him online at www.WadeAlbertWhite.ca or follow him on Twitter @WadeAlbertWhite.
The Adventurer’s Guide To Successful Escapes
By: Wade Albert White
Release Date: September 13, 2016
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
*GIVEAWAY DETAILS*
Great interview! Awesome advice on cutting parts! I got to read an ARC of The Adventurer’s Guide to Successful Escapes for review and I absolutely loved it! It was amazingly funny and heartwarming! These are characters that will stick with you for life! I would love to win a copy to finally get to see the final artwork and read it along with my daughter(I homeschool her) It really is an amazing book. I love the cover because there are so many things on it that I loved in the story! Thanks for the opportunity!
I love how this cover shows multiple scenes from the book, like a trailer but in one picture that sums it all up. The symposis seems kind of like Percy Jackson meets this other book I forget the title, but I had read it on Wattpad awhile ago with a touch of Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children.
The cover really draws in my eyes. There are so many places to look. I like the way it would appeal to both boys and girls. The synopsis makes me think that my son would like it, which is nice. It’s hard for me to find engaging books for him that will also be interesting for my daughter.
I love the cover and this book sounds so exciting with deception, mysteries, puzzles and dragons!
The cover and synopsis are very intriguing.
I like all of the images and colors in the book cover. This sounds like a fun adventure with characters that I will like.