Heather’s Bookshelf: Author Interview with Sheri Spencer
Book Title: The Other Side of Wonderland
Released: 03/01/25
Genre: YA Coming of Age Fantasy
Interview by Heather L. Barksdale
What inspired you to write “The Other Side of Wonderland”?
Spencer: I was sitting in math class one day, bored out of my mind, and then had the thought: What if Goldilocks and Red Riding Hood were the same person? By the end of that class period, I had the first thousand or so words. I have changed many things since then, such as the story being in Wonderland. I honestly have no idea how or why I was inspired to set it there, but I was!
How did you come up with the names of your main characters?
Spencer: Our leads, along with a few of the first characters, were all chosen with a few "popular baby names" searches per the country of their respective fairytale. There were others with more interesting origins, such as Perri, who I named after looking at a thesaurus and seeing parry, and instantly wanted a character to which it could be said "Good parry, Perri!". Liam and his sister's names were chosen by reversing words, but it is up to the readers to find out what those words were.
Is there anything that you want readers to know about you, your writing process, or your book?
Spencer: Writing a book takes more consistency than I would have ever realized. Also, trying to publish your book as a minor is hard. I tried going through more traditional means and received many kind words of rejection, but I wouldn't have traded the experience for anything. Although I have already improved vastly in my writing since publication, I am immensely proud that I was able to do so at 16.
If "The Other Side of Wonderland" was adapted into a movie, who would you like to see cast to play your lead characters?
Spencer: Oooh. I live under a rock when it comes to stuff like this, I'm afraid, and I don't think a few Google searches are going to be of much help here. If it was ever adapted, though, all I could ask for the actors to be true to their characters.
When you encounter writer’s block, what do you do to break yourself out of it?
Spencer: It depends on the day. The first plan is always to change the playlist. If that doesn't manage to help, I'll rewrite a previous scene, work on another project, or even write myself into a conversation with a particularly tricky character.
Are there any tips that you would like to share with other aspiring authors?
Spencer: One, remember that art is only art because someone has poured their soul into it and you can see them through their work. It's utterly terrifying, to know that those you know can now see deeper into you, but it can also be such a wonderful thing.
Two, make sure to utilize all aspects of your book. Not every genre needs to use every single detail and have noticable arcs for every character, but they all have great potential to make your story so much more rich and vibrant. (I say this because this something I really want to get better at .)
What is your favorite book, genre, and/or author?
Spencer: My favorite genre is fantasy, but you can say I'm slowly falling for some romance too. A favorite book is hard, but a well-loved childhood influence on this book was The Land of Stories by Christ Colder. A favorite author would have to be Brandon Sanderson, and I one day hope to be able to write just as big (and good) of books as him!
What are you working on next?
Spencer: I have been working on the sequel to The Other Side of Wonderland, called A Legacy of Fire. An exact timeframe isn't quite set, but I hope to have it out this summer!
I also have a few more stories in various stages of development. Some are the replacing of the Greek Gods, the curse of protecting a million dreams, and a flower princess with illegal (and sneezy) fire magic, and many others I cannot wait to share with you all in the coming years!
Interested in checking out The Other Side of Wonderland for yourself?
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