Today, Olivia from YA-Mag sat down with James Bartholomeusz, to talk about the final book in his trilogy, THE GREY STAR!
The Cult is thwarted and Nexus is destroyed, but the Apollonians must find the remaining Shards of the Risa Star. Jack Lawson and the others face unexpected challenges: a desert fortress more inhabited than it first appeared, a once prosperous city-state slipping into totalitarianism, and old enemies rising from the shadows to leave their fatal marks.
Meanwhile, something stirs on the edge of sight. The pieces move into place, the trap is laid, and Jack must confront a truth that will tear the world apart.
Olivia with YA-Mag: James, welcome to the Young Adult Magazine! We’re here today talking about the conclusion to your Seven Stars series, THE GREY STAR! Thanks for joining me!
YA:Let’s talk about Jack Lawson. How did you two first meet? What makes Jack the perfect character to tell this story vs. any other character?
James Bartholomeusz: Jack was always there in some form, right from the beginning. I think what makes him work is that he acts as a bridge into a fantastical world for readers living in this one; I think a lot of readers, particular teenage ones, are able to relate to him. He’s not rich, he’s not popular or particularly strong at anything, but he’s fundamentally a good person.
YA: What sets Jack’s story apart from other YA fantasy epics, like THE DARK IS RISING series by Susan Cooper or Phillip Pullman’s HIS DARK MATERIALS saga? What will readers find that isn’t anywhere else?
JB: Philip Pullman has certainly been a major influence – His Dark Materials are some of my favourite young adult novels. I think what Pullman did, which definitely stirred people up at the time, was to prove very publicly that teenage fiction can be deeply politically and philosophically engaged as well as highly entertaining. It’s that ethos which I’ve really taken on, but (without giving too much away!) I’ve taken it in a different direction. For one thing, Pullman is responding to Christianity and organised religion via Milton; I’m more concerned with using fantastical conventions to discuss social power structures.
YA: What non-book influences (films, television shows, music, plays, etc) helped spark this story?
JB: Where to begin! Tolkien, from a young age (that should be fairly obvious), but also J. K. Rowling, Neil Gaiman, Angela Carter, Friedrich Nietzsche… Quite a strange blend, but then I suppose it’s the same for everyone.
YA:When you were a teen, what was your favorite book (YA or otherwise)? Now that you’re an author for teens, what is your favorite contemporary YA?
JB: At the time it would have to be either His Dark Materials, which I’ve already mentioned, or The Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud. More recently, I’ve been really impressed by the work of Rick Riordan. I’m a shameless mythology geek and classicist, so it’s great to see these stories revived yet again for a new generation.
YA: What is story on the title THE GREY STAR?
JB: The Grey Star and The Black Rose, once decided, just stuck, because they followed logically from The White Fox. It was the first one which took me ages to get right. I was at one point going to name it directly after Inari (the name of that very white fox) but I settled for something more accessible. I think it can be quite a big put-off for prospective readers if they can’t actually understand a book’s title.
YA: This is the final book in the SEVEN STARS series. How have the stakes been raised in this last installment? Why is this a good novel for new fans to jump in on, to get to know you and your world?
JB: Actually (and this is probably not what I’m meant to say!) I would really recommend going and reading the first two parts of the trilogy before The Grey Star. The stakes have been raised a lot, and I think a new reader would get a lot more out of the third book if they’ve read The White Fox and The Black Rose.
YA: You published the first book in this series, THE WHITE FOX, when you were a teenager as part of your publisher’s “Young Adults writing YA” series. How has being a teen author compared to your initial expectations?
JB: I don’t really know how to answer this because I don’t know what I was expecting. Nothing too much has changed. The main thing is that I have a few friends who insist on bringing it up every time we meet someone new, which can be a bit tiring! I always have to repeat the same spiel.
YA: What was the best part of publishing young for you? What has been the most difficult part? Do you find people hold you to higher or lower standards than you would want them to?
JB: I’ve been fortunate to work with a great publisher and some great editors. The bit I think I get the most excited about are the covers – I just give some vague ideas and the art department comes back with these incredible designs. In terms of difficulties, they have actually been very few. I’ve had some mediocre or bad reviews (and one particularly bad one which was verging on a personal attack) but it’s all part of the process. I’m firmly of the opinion that failure is necessary and healthy.
YA: What is the most important advice that you would give to a teen who is currently writing and considering seeking publication for their manuscript?
JB: This is always a tough one. Obviously publishing is a big plus, but I’d say if you really love writing then you should carry on and enjoy it regardless of whether you manage to get published or not. The real value is in the art, not in the sales. Having said that, you should continue to try and publish if you want to – after all, there’s also real value in other people enjoying your work!
YA: If you could cast the Dream Film of THE GREY STAR, who would you cast?
JB: Now that would be telling! Though I will say that the voice for Inari would be very important to get right. I’d want someone who sounded almost stereotypically English, very dapper and witty. I’ve just seen Ralph Fiennes in The Grand Budapest Hotel…
YA: What’s up next for you in YA land? Any pet projects you can tease us about?
JB: I’m taking a break from YA for the time being to do some writing for adults. There are plenty of ideas, but nothing fully formed enough to mention I’m afraid! Though the fantastical element definitely isn’t disappearing – there’s likely to be continuity in that respect at least.
YA: All right, last one! If you could spend one day with Jack, Lucy and the rest, what would you do together? What would advice would you give to Jack about his past or future?
JB: I think some sort of adventure would be in order – if you could travel to anywhere in space incredibly quickly, why stay at home? Though the likelihood would be that some sorcerer or tyrant would be screwing people over, in which case that would probably have to be sorted out first. As for advice to Jack, there’s not much I could give – he’s definitely got his head screwed on right. Just to keep at it and keep to his principles.
YA:Thank you very much, James! And again, from YA Mag, congratulations on THE GREY STAR!
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Readers, be sure to check out James Bartholomeusz at his website JamesBartholomeusz.tumblr.com. Or follow him on Twitter @ThoughtFox11.
THE GREY STAR, published by Medallion Press, is now available at your favorite retailers and local independent bookstores!
Olivia Hennis is a transplanted New England girl dropped by a tornado into the magical Land of Jersey. For more info, follow her on Twitter.