An interview with Renee Scattergood

Interview by Fergus McCartan

Today I have had the pleasure of interviewing author Renee Scattergood as part of her Pro-Blitz Tour for Shadow Stalker: The Delohi-Saqu’s Fate. Renee Scattergood lives in Australia with her husband, Nathan, their daughter, Taiya, and their four furry friends.

In this interview – which will form part of our How Stories Connect Us series – I will delve a little deeper into the books that have influenced Renee and hopefully add a few items to my own reading list.

Which book do you own that puts a smile on your face and makes you happy just by holding it in your hand?

Well it’s actually my tablet, and a series of books that are on my Kindle app, called The Emperor’s Edge by Lindsay Buroker. It’s an awesome series.

Which book or series do you read that makes you feel nostalgic, remembering the period in your life you first read it?

Well the new Hobbit movies have been making me think back to when I first read The Hobbit. I was about 11 or 12 when I read it. I had a hard time with reading when I was a kid, but then I was encouraged to read for a contest one summer. I ended up winning, and in the process improved my reading skills. I’ve loved reading ever since then and The Hobbit was the first “big” book that I ever read.

Which book or series do you read that makes your blood pump and your palms sweaty?

The Sword of Truth series, by Terry Goodkind.

Which book or series is your guilty pleasure? The one you read when no one else is watching? Maybe it’s The Great book of Dirty Limericks with the dust jacket of War and Peace?

I really don’t have anything like this that I have read. My main interest has always been Fantasy and I very rarely stray to any other genre.

Which book or series do you think you could implant one of your own characters? Would you want them to thrive or want them to burn it all down?

I think it would be interesting to see my character, Kado, against Sicarius from The Emperor’s Edge. A shadow stalker with phenomenal otherworldly abilities against an elite assassin.

Do you remember the first time your lead character came alive for you, and at what moment did you stopped referring to them as a fictional entity and more like a person or friend?

Well even though I’ve been working on the Shadow Stalker stories for about 7 years now, my character Auren, who is now the main character, is only about 3 years old. Auren came about because an author friend suggested I change my main character to a female. At first she was based on my male character, but within months she took on a life of her own. Now she is nothing like him. I think she became “real” to me when her personality started developing through scenarios that played out in my mind.

Do you remember the first critique of your work; was this a positive or negative experience?

The first critique was great. It led to an entire rewrite of the story, but believe it or not, it was a positive experience. I am so much happier with the story now compared to the original version.

Is there any story you read and reread that totally befuddles your mind, in the best possible way?

Hmmm… I can’t say there is. Usually if I find a book too hard to follow or confusing, I can’t finish it. To be honest, if it doesn’t grab me by the end of chapter 1, I generally won’t finish it.

Which book (good or bad) removed you from the world around you so that it took walking into the preverbal lamppost to make you look up?

I have read a lot of books that have done this to me. Most recently it was The Emperor’s Edge series by Lindsay Buroker.

Do you have any books you are waiting to be read but you have been put off for one reason or another.  The conclusion to a series you do not want to end, a new series infringing on the love of an old favourite?

I have about 50 books on my “to read” list, but the only thing that is keeping me from reading them is time and lack of funds to buy them. Also, I keep finding other books I want to read more.

A great thanks to Renee for taking time to answer my questions. You can also find a further interview with Renee at smashwords, where you will also be able to purchase her latest work.

You can also visit Renee at Renee Writes.