Today we are very excited to share an interview with Author Chris Grine (Secrets of Camp Whatever Vol. 2: The Doors to Nowhere)
Meet Chris Grine:
About the Book: Secrets of Camp Whatever Vol. 2: The Doors to Nowhere
When twelve-year-old Willow went to her weird new town’s even weirder summer camp, she didn’t expect to get caught up in an ancient mystery involving forest-dwelling vampires, living garden gnomes, and other completely bonkers creatures most people would never believe exist. Now she’s not only involved, she’s marked—too close to the heart of an ages-old quest for power and control than she should be, and too concerned about her new friends and the dangers they face to let them go it alone. With the help of a spell book and her scrappy crew of camp friends, Willow is about to step through a doorway to magic and discovery that will change her world forever.
~Author Chat~
YABC: Who is your favorite character in the book?
My favorite character in this book is Grumblesnuff the bridge troll. I just loved writing his dialogue and showing that looks can be deceiving.
YABC: Which came first, the title or the novel?
The novel always comes first for me. I typically have an idea of what a good title might be, but I like to let the story unfold as much as I can before I make a decision. Most of the time I come up with a much better title doing it that way.
YABC: What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why?
Without spoiling anything, there’s a scene early on where Willow finds herself in a museum in the middle of the night and in danger from evil smoke creatures. I like that scene because I let the tension build mostly for the sake of a good joke. I love releasing pressure with jokes.
YABC: Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now?
The thing I’ve learned over the years is that there will always be people who don’t like what you’re doing but you can’t let them dictate what you choose to write or how you write it to appease them. For every person who dislikes your story, there are dozens of others who love it. Those voices just aren’t as loud unfortunately.
YABC: What’s up next for you?
After this book is released there will be another Animorphs graphic novel, followed by the third and final book in this series.
YABC: Which was the most difficult or emotional scene to narrate?
If I’m being honest, any emotional scene is difficult, and not just the dialogue because with graphic novels, sometimes there is no dialogue and the scene has to be carried by the art and expressions on the faces of the characters. I enjoy those scenes the most because they are a challenge, but I always worry if I did them justice in retrospect
YABC: What would you say is your superpower?
I would have to say my superpower is being able to turn out two graphic novels a year.
YABC: What advice do you have for new writers?
Going back to what I was saying about what I’ve learned over the years about writing, the main thing is to just write! It doesn’t matter if anyone else likes what you’re doing, just get to it because the more you write, the better you’ll get at it, even if it’s just for your own personal enjoyment.
Title: Secrets of Camp Whatever Vol. 2: The Doors to Nowhere
Author: Chris Grine
Publisher: Oni Press
Release date: June 7, 2022
