Mirror, Mirror... FrAcTuReD FaIrY tAlEs Interview with Matt Dewar

​Happy Spring! For those that have been following me, you would also be familiar with the Just-Us-League.

WHO'S THAT?

For those that don't know- I collaborate with amazing authors around the world. We've been releasing anthologies for a few years now, and JLA is about the release it's SEVENTH EDITION: Fractured Ever After. JLA has released fairy tale re-tellings in the past; however, this volume shatters the norm!

Today, I'm lucky to guest interview Matt Dewar, one such author in Fractured Ever After:
​(And don't stop scrolling- we have a GIVEAWAY at the end!!!)

JE: We've worked together in Scrib for a while- and you've published multiple works over the years. Is there a particular project you're working on now? 

Matt: It’s an absolute pleasure working with you, and I just want to take a moment to tell you how obsessed I am with your book, The Aeonians! Okay, back to the interview now. 
I’m currently working on a few things. I’m working on a sequel to my Nightmare Stories which I published a few years ago. There’s also another anthology coming out at the end of the year. I can’t say anything about the theme yet, but I’m quite excited about this magical one. I’m also finishing up a Novella that I’ll hopefully publish at the end of the yea, and my young adult fantasy novel is ready to be published, I’m just waiting to find the right agent. So, it looks like a busy year for me!  

JE: [Blushing profusely] Aw, thanks! You've always been an incredible supporter when I was writing that novel!!! And that sounds like a busy year for sure- I will keep an eye for all four of those! And since you mentioned another JLA anthology, can you tell us how many anthologies you have participated in , and which one was your favorite to work on?

Matt: This is my sixth anthology with the Just-Us League. My favourite? That’s a tough question. My first, "The Female Warrior", will always hold a special place in my heart. Plus given it was our first there was so much excitement about the whole process. Don’t get me wrong, the process is still exciting, and we’ve ironed out a few kinks, but you always remember your first.

JE: That's very true. Writing is a dedicated art- fun yet torturous at times. When you get frustrated or overwhelmed in the middle of writing or editing, what do you like to do?

Matt: Most of the time I find getting out into nature is a welcome distraction. Taking the dogs for a walk along the beach, or losing myself on a forest trail usually gives me enough distance from my writing. Other times I’ll just have a nice hot bath and try and switch my brain off for a little while – easier said than done!  

JE: I, too, love getting some fresh air. New England is finally thawing, so I look forward to my walks! Now, here's an important question: Tea or coffee or other writing beverage of choice?

Matt: I have to have a coffee first thing in the morning, and then I switch to tea in the afternoon. My favourite writing beverages are those sickly sweet, over-the-top, indulgent frappes that are not coffee and basically diabetes in a cup, but I rarely have them. I write a lot after the caffeine and sugar kicks in though!

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JE: I hear you there! Now let's get to your story in Fractured Ever After, "True Reflections": Fractured fairy tales usually tell the original tale from another character's point-of-view--(e.g. a villain, side kick) OR modified the story in such a way as to make us laugh at an unexpected characterization, plot development or contrary point of view. You managed to do both in "True Reflections" What inspired your approach in a fractured tale of Snow White?

Matt: Snow White, and a lot of the female fairy tale characters, are quite underdeveloped and helpless in the classics. I wanted to have strong good and evil characters. I also wanted "True Reflections" to be a reflection on modern day society and how toxic social media can be.

JE: When brainstorming "True Reflections", which came first: your characters and their personalities OR the plotline?

Matt: TV is saturated with reality shows at the moment, and I thought what if Snow White was competing in a kind of contest? From there, the personalities started to come out. What if the evil queen wasn’t actually evil, and her side of the story was twisted? What if Snow White’s character buckled under the pressure, and she became the evil one? What if a princess’s identity didn’t match with society’s opinion of what it should be? The plot kind of evolved from there.  

JE: "True Reflections" has strong themes that are truly inspiring (I felt like I was given a pep talk and now I'm ready to stand up to being me!)- and I think there needs to be more stories like that- what do you hope readers will walk away with after reading it?

Matt: I hope that readers will be able to reflect on their social media use after reading this story. I hate seeing people so caught up in getting likes by people they don’t care about that they end up hurting themselves, and I hate how much stock people put into the opinions of complete strangers. The real life people around you, your family and friends, those are the people who matter. Whether you have 1 like on your post or 10,000, you are equally as valid and as important. 

Some readers will see a bit of themselves in Eva. They might recognize that they are being turned into a jealous person, so I hope they recognize that before it’s too late. And other readers might see themselves in Isabella. Maybe not the asexuality part, but I hope that they can see that there’s no point in hurting yourself or being ashamed of a part of you that you cannot change. ​

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You can follow Matt and his writing journey with these links below! 

facebook

twitter

webpage

goodreads

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AUTHOR BIO:
Matthew lives in Perth, Australia, where he usually wakes up before the sun has risen to work on his many writing projects. During the day, he works as a physiotherapist and group fitness instructor. Matthew enjoys travelling and hopes that one day his writing career will allow him to work around the world.

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RAFFLECOPTER LINK TO OUR GIVEAWAY

DATES: April 6th - April 30th

Grand Prize (US only): Two Paperbacks (Fractured Ever After and Encircled), book cozy + shoe ornament, 3D-printed bookmark (pick one design), set of four signed illustration prints

First Prize (US only): Two Paperbacks (Fractured Ever After and Encircled), charm bracelet, 3D-printed bookmark (pick one design), set of four signed illustration prints

Second Prize (International): Two Ebooks (Fractured Ever After and Encircled), 3D-printed bookmark (pick one design), set of four signed illustration prints
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Third Prize (International): Two Ebooks (Fractured Ever After and Encircled), choice of 3D-printed bookmark (pick one design) OR set of four signed illustration prints