Please welcome my special guest, DL Reynolds. Reynolds is the author of YA Christian Fantasy, Darla Jade and the Balance of the Universe, the first book in his new series for fans of fantasy and adventure fiction. I hope you enjoy the interview!

Congratulations on the publication of your young adult novel, Darla Jade and the Balance of the Universe. What are you passionate about writing for children?

The media have strayed too far from good values ​​and moral ethics. Most of the popular stories today abandon strong values ​​and instead emphasize bad messages and bad decisions by dressing them up to look funny.

In part, the Christian marketplace has caused some of this by not providing the stories kids want to read. Unless we capture their interest, they won’t read our books.

I hope to bridge that gap with Guardians, bringing the same kind of darkness and fantastical adventure to my stories that are popular today. Then I sprinkle it with light and goodness as a message that we need to hear.

Let’s work together to bring back good values ​​that our children can carry with them for the rest of their lives.

We can make a difference!

Are you a fantasy author or do you also dabble in other genres?

I’m a jack of all trades…

• I am an award-winning poet.

• I am an award-winning writer of short stories and other types.

• I have a children’s picture book in publication that should be out in early 2012 (Map Time, book one in the Sidewalk Chalk series).

• I am a screenwriter and actor along with other areas of the film industry.

Tell us about your leading lady, Darla Jade. What kind of girl is she and why do you think young readers will love her?

Darla is a typical teenager. Although she is in heaven, she is still the same person as she was before. Darla struggles with the same issues that she faces and she feels all adolescent, like kids and up. However, in Heaven she doesn’t get her way, Demerits! She has to accept her sins and correct them or suffer the consequences. This is the get out of jail card we can all use. Do things right by doing good and facing your wrong doing. So the slate is clean again!

Although sometimes things may seem too scary or impossible to do, Darla Jade has tenacity and faith in herself, her friends, and God. Darla Jade and the Guardians are a bunch of underdogs, whose capabilities are substantially below their needs. But they stick together “no matter what.” The reader will see himself in this adventure as a Guardian, a personal member of the team. They will face insurmountable obstacles together with the Guardians. In doing so, they will see that life’s challenges can be overcome through hard work, kindness, and faith. Take on the challenge with your fellow Guardians and the mountain turns to a pebble on your path to victory!

Also tell us about the bad guys!

There are some interesting twists on the bad guys in this adventure and in the upcoming novels. Can you say… I didn’t see it coming?

Johnny was pulled from the grave the same night as Darla Jade and he is the mastermind behind taking over the Balance of the Universe. As you well know, most demons aren’t very smart, but Johnny has a brain. He forms alliances with some very powerful demons and some not so powerful ones and his scheme is launched by an evil team that clashes with the Guardians every chance they get.

What is the most challenging aspect of fantasy writing?

For me, the most challenging part is staying focused on finishing a single adventure. I have so many ideas that it’s hard to work on “just one”. That has its advantages though, 4 of the novels in the series have been fully outlined. This is important, because it allows me to foreshadow significant plots and twists in future books, while also closing out one adventure per novel. There are foreshadowings in book one that will play out in the final novel, Darla Jade and the Daily Prophet.

I also have trouble finding the time to write and deciding when it’s “good enough” to stop editing.

How long did it take you to write the novel?

About a year ago, the first draft was 130,000 words. After focus group readings, comments, and my editing, I ended up with about 85,000 words. Yes… it was difficult to put out a complete novel, but I prefer to have a good story. It’s important to test your work outside of your family and listen to what people suggest.

My novel was stuck for two years waiting for a publisher at Simon and Schuster to publish it. They never arrived so I returned it and went elsewhere. That means this novel has been in the making for almost four years.

Do you do school visits? Do you have an event coming up?

My book is hot off the press (November 11), so I’m still setting up a lot of things. I will speak in schools, churches and other places. I will hold book signings and stock the book in many bookstores. I also have several friends around the world, who will launch the book in their countries and start the word of mouth publicity.

What is your writing schedule like? Are you disciplined?

My schedule is tough. I spend 8-12 hours a day on a computer for my job and then write after I get off work. This is hard on my eyes… and pulling. However, I work weekends (when I’m not making movies) and use the holidays to write. In fact, I am currently on vacation writing a new novel. However, he could be more disciplined.

What do you do when the words ‘just won’t come out’? Do you stay and force it until something starts happening on the page?

No, I write schematics and various supporting documents in parallel when I write. I always go back and forth between them and the story, as I write. It’s quite unusual for me not to find the words. On the rare occasions when that happens, I go back and edit the earlier writing, and then go back to the story. You’re more likely to want to start a new story…and then the old one goes on the back shelf!

Do you have any advice for aspiring children’s authors?

Yes, do your first revision as a draft and resist the urge to edit until you’re done. Stick to the “core concept” of your story, but test it with unfamiliar readers. If several say the same thing, listen to them. I didn’t do everything they suggested, but I did pay more attention, and when multiple readers said the same thing, in many cases I implemented their suggestions.

Is there anything else you want to share with my readers?

This is not going to be easy, but you can see your book published. More than anything “don’t give up”. You have to push hard “every step of the way”, no one else will do it for you. Accept nothing but the best from yourself and everyone involved in the process.

Some points to remember:

Every writer begins with a first word.

Every writer thinks that their writing is not good enough.

Every writer thinks the task is too big.

The published writer takes it one word at a time.

Then the next thing you know… people are reading your book and they like it!

Note: Darla Jade and the Balance of the Universe is available from physical bookstores and online retailers.