Andrew Sharp is the author of The Guaridian of Magic. This is Andrew’s first novel that he has written. The book follows the character of Beth as her inner strength and resilience shines through ensuring she’s never the victim. YEM was able to speak with Andrew about his inspiration for The Guardian of Magic. His favorite part of writing for the character of Beth was shared as well. He also shared the first book that made him love literature.
Young Entertainment Mag: What made you want to become an author?
Andrew Sharp: One of the punishments in my school days was to write an essay of several thousand words on a strange topic picked by the teacher. I not only enjoyed doing that but often exceeded the required word count.
YEM: What is your first book The Guardian of Magic about?
Andrew: Beth is the exception to the norm, she has no magic, and the story is the climb from downtrodden to powerful without losing herself to that power.
YEM: Where did the inspiration for The Guardian of Magic come from?
Andrew: In this instance I wanted to build a world with a mode of travel that entailed walking through mist. As I built the world the story developed in my mind to fit the world. So, the inspiration came from the world building exercise. Normally I have a story and fit the world to that, this time both came in parallel.
YEM: The Guardian of Magic is said to be the first in a spellbinding new epic fantasy novel series. What can you tell us about what is to come for the rest of the series?
Andrew: The series is proposed to be three novels. In the second the stones become stained by a darker magic and the current magic starts to have unfortunate side effects. The third book sees the culmination of all the different magics coming together to decide dominance.
YEM: What is some advice you might have for others who are wanting to become authors?
Andrew: Write, keep writing, learn by reading or having you work professionally assessed when you can. However, in the end it’s your style and although you may have to follow grammatical and format rules the way you write is your own so develop your style.
YEM: With this being your first book, what is something valuable you learned that you would take with you as you continue to write?
Andrew: The cover is important, that’s the first impression people see and are drawn to. No matter the quality of the words inside the cover you need to get the reader’s attention from the first glance.
YEM: Is there a particular lesson or feeling that you hope to leave your readers with after they read your books?
Andrew: Change is inevitable, so do something rather than do nothing. Adversity is not your enemy but a means by which to grow and develop. There will be good times too.
YEM: Which authors have inspired you over the years?
Andrew: Of course, Tolkien, but his work is unique and not to be copied. Then Isaac Asimov in my younger days. Now I am reading Jo Abercrombie and RJ Barker and Jonathan French.
YEM: What is your favourite part about writing for the character of Beth?
Andrew: Although there is sadness, there is also joy. I liked letting her grow through both. Although I had ultimate control, the character developed in such a way she told me how she would react to any given situation.
YEM: Who is the one person who always reads your work first?
Andrew: I tried family and friends, but they were not overly critical and at times wanted to rewrite to the outcomes they preferred against my own storyline. Then I had one book go through a manuscript assessment, some good feedback but I did not entirely agree. So now the first person, other than me, is the copyeditor.
YEM: What was the first book that made you love literature?
Andrew: It was the western book series Edge by George G Gilman. The Edge series was started in the ’70s to capitalize on the popularity of the Spaghetti Western movies that were coming out of Italy at the time. Like many of those movies, these books are mean, ultra-violent, nihilistic, and filled with all manner of vicious and deplorable characters (including our anti-hero, Edge).
YEM: Are there other book genres that you hope to explore in the future?
Andrew: My next book due out in October 2021 is a science fiction fantasy as is the first of the third series I am writing. I have set myself a goal of nine books, three series of three by the end of 2023. After that who knows.
