Madeline J. Reynolds, author of ILLUSIONS, on putting “kill your darlings” into practice

by Jocelyn Rish

We’re pleased to have Madeline J. Reynolds join us to chat about her debut novel, ILLUSIONS.

Madeline, what is your favorite thing about ILLUSIONS?

This is a really tough question because there truly are so many different elements of ILLUSIONS that I love – this really is the book of my heart. I loved telling the narrative through the epistolary format. I love the opposites attract love story. I love the magic woven into a historical time era. But I would have to say my favorite thing about the book is how Thomas uses the world of stage magicians and illusions to hide his magic in plain sight.

What scene was really hard for you to write and why, and is that the one of which you are most proud? Or is there another scene you particularly love?

I can’t really talk about the scene that was hardest for me to write without giving too much away, but I will say that writing the scenes where Thomas and Sav were physically intimate was something that I didn’t necessarily struggle with but rather, stressed over because I wanted to be sure I captured their romance well and did it justice. As far as scenes that I loved to write, I have particular soft spot in my heart for the scenes where Thomas embraces his magical abilities and uses them to create beautiful things. There is one scene where he creates an image of a tiny galaxy and another where he turns an empty bookstore into an enchanted garden of paper flowers. Those scenes were particularly fun to write.

What book or books would most resonate with readers who love your book–or visa versa?

When people ask me about what my book is about, one of the first things I ask them is if they’ve seen the film, The Prestige. I ask this because I feel it would give them a good sense for what ILLUSIONS will be like with rival stage magicians in Victorian Era London, especially since one of the main characters has a pivotal secret. The film is of course based off of a novel by Christopher Priest. I would also say that fans of THE NIGHT CIRCUS would enjoy ILLUSIONS if they love magic and stage magicians woven into a historical setting.

How long did you work on ILLUSIONS?

The initial draft took about 8 months but the editing process has been much longer (over a year).

What did this book teach you about writing or about yourself?

As a writer, you’re always told to kill your darlings but I think with this book, especially going through the publishing process, I really learned to put that into practice without being afraid of the outcome. I will say that there are many elements of the book that are not the same now as they were in the original draft, including the ending, and I genuinely believe that the book is stronger for it.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Illusions
by Madeline J. Reynolds
Paperback
Entangled: Teen
Released 11/6/2018

Thomas Pendelton was born into wealth and prestige. He has a sensitive heart and wants nothing more than to write poetry. Instead, he is apprenticing for Neville Wighton the Great, an aging magician who has become somewhat crazed over the years in his pursuit of fame. With Thomas’ help, Wighton is about to premiere the greatest illusion seen by man, for Thomas possesses something no other illusionist has: real magic.

Many in the theatrical world are desperate to learn Wighton’s big secret. One such magician is Paolo il Magnifico. His apprentice, Saverio Moretti, is also seeking the answer. He has a scheme to get close to Wighton by seducing Thomas but seduction turns to real feelings. Now the young men must struggle to keep the secret of their romance, as well as the secret of Thomas’ magic, as both of these things could cost Thomas his life.

Through journal entries, posters, letters, and other documents, ILLUSIONS is a story of love, betrayal, and of course, magic.

Purchase Illusions at Amazon
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View Illusions on Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Madeline (Maddie) Reynolds is a writer based out of Chicago. Originally born and raised in Minnesota, she relocated to Chicago to pursue a career in writing and fell in love with the city.

She began attending Columbia College Chicago, where she majored in Journalism with a focus in magazine writing & editing. She gained experience writing for various blogs and online magazines as a music journalist; covering live shows around the city, reviewing albums, interviewing artists, etc. but her true passion was always in storytelling.

Ever since rediscovering her love of fiction writing, she has been very active in Chicago’s literary community, taking various classes and workshops at StoryStudio in the Ravenswood neighborhood, volunteering at StoryStudio, joining a fantastic writing group centered around speculative fiction, attending the Chicago Writers Conference, etc.

When she isn’t writing, she loves going out to explore the city, spending time with her loving and supportive boyfriend, seeing live music, devouring Thai food, and marathoning the Lord of the Rings films. She is represented by Whitley Abell of The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency in New York.

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Have you had a chance to read ILLUSIONS yet? Do you worry about doing romantic scenes justice? Do you feel your writing gets stronger when you kill your darlings? Share your thoughts about the interview in the comments!

Happy Reading,

Jocelyn, Halli, Martina, Erin, Susan, Shelly, Kelly, Laura, Emily, and Lori Ann

Jocelyn Rish

Jocelyn Rish is a writer and filmmaker who loves researching weird and wonderful animals and sharing what she learns. Her debut was BATTLE OF THE BUTTS, about ten animals that do weird things with their butts. Her latest book is BATTLE OF THE BRAINS, a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection about ten animals with mind-blowing brain abilities. When she’s not writing, she tutors kids to help them discover the magic of reading. Jocelyn has won numerous awards for her short stories, screenplays, films, and novels and lives in South Carolina with her adorable dog. Find out more at www.jocelynrish.com.

Post @ Jocelyn Rish and/or Adventures in YA Publishing. All rights reserved.

Posted: Nov 14, 2018

Category: Imported from AYAP

Tags: YA Author Interviews

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The first slide is an animation of a science/magic room in a castle. A cartoon character of a mad-scientist looking man in in the foreground says: “Hello! Dr. Frankenstein here to say, Well Done on kid lit zombie week! I’m an expert at reviving the dead, and let me assure you, with a little spark, you can bring dead projects to life. Especially if you dig up parts from other dead things. I’ll even let you have a sneak peek at my laboratory’s store room to consider potential parts for your dead project. If you see something with a yellow glow, that means you should click it. Have fun!”

He points to the right side of the screen and a new scene slides in of a castle science/magic storage room. There are various cartoon Frankenstein body parts scattered around. Some of them have a yellow glow. If you click on them, the images below appear (I’ve added alt text to them, so I hope it works).

The Heart of your story is the main character. The protagonist is the beating core that truly brings your story to life. If your MC doesn't make kids (and their grown-ups) care within the first few pages, your story will flatline. </p>
<p>Your main character needs to be:<br />
• Relatable enough for kids to see themselves<br />
• Unique enough to stand out in the slush pile<br />
• Active enough to drive the story<br />
• Memorable enough to survive multiple readings at bedtime</p>
<p>Where do you find this amazing donor heart? It might be the very thing you loved so much about the manuscript you want to revive. It might be the younger sister from your shelved YA novel. Or maybe it’s the hilarious kid you blogged about meeting at a school visit. Find a character beating with potential and place it in the center of your story.<br />

The Brain of your story is the theme or central message. The theme is the big idea that controls everything else. Picture books are more than stories - they're tiny life lessons disguised with humor and heart.</p>
<p>But your theme needs to be:<br />
• Subtle enough not to trigger the dreaded "didactic" rejection<br />
• Clear enough for a four-year-old to grasp<br />
• Universal enough to speak to both kids and adults<br />
• Fresh enough to prevent agents and editors from responding with "Not another sharing/bedtime/first-day story!"</p>
<p>Check your other dead manuscripts to see if there is a recurring theme, something that really seems to be speaking to you. Find the bit of poetry you scribbled on the back of a receipt to see what theme inspired it. Reread the pep talk you texted your critique partner at 1am. Pick the theme that will drive your story, giving it purpose, direction, and deeper meaning.<br />

The Legs of your story is the plot. Not to be confused with a grave plot.🤪 The plot is what keeps everything upright and moving, as well as providing support for all the other elements. You have very few words to use in a picture book, so you need to do a lot with each plot point.</p>
<p>In general, your plot should:<br />
• Hook readers fast<br />
• Build tension that a child can follow<br />
• Create page turns that feel natural<br />
• Wrap up in a way that satisfies</p>
<p>You can borrow a plot twist (a leg) from one manuscript and the opening (the other leg) from a different manuscript. Consider if the subplot of the middle grade novel you trunked would work better as a picture book. Or maybe your Facebook post about a disastrous camping trip could become a story for kids. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other until you have your storyline.

The Arms of your story are the side characters.

The Torso of your story is the setting. Setting helps a story breathe and connects all the elements of the story. It isn't just where your story lives, it's what makes your story ALIVE. It's the difference between "this happened in a park" and "this happened in that park, the one with the twisty slide that burns your legs and the creaky swing that sounds like a baby crying.”</p>
<p>Your setting should:<br />
• Make your character's world feel real<br />
• Contain your story in a way that makes sense to young readers<br />
• Connect different scenes and moments organically<br />
• Give your illustrator enough room to add visual subplots</p>
<p>Half-finished manuscripts are a great place to dig up settings, since you worked out the place details before the plot petered out. Or maybe you had to cut a second fantastic location from your chapter book. You can also revisit the detailed caption from your Instagram carousel documenting your tour of that delish candy shop. Disinter a robust setting that can house all of your story's vital organs.

After you press the Click When Done circle button, the lights flash with the sound of electricity buzzing. Then the screen goes black and lightning zaps across the screen with the sound of thunder.

The screen then lights up to show the storage room, and all the Frankenstein pieces have been assembled into the whole monster. An upbeat song plays in the background. Then a speech bubble pops up with the words, “I’m alive! I’M ALIVE!” Then the screen goes to black.

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