Author Interview with V.L. Burgess

The DMS was lucky enough to interview V.L. Burgess, author of the middle grade novel The Mapmaker's Sons. Fairday recently reviewed this swashbuckling, new story, and it was great to share our thoughts about it and hear yours! We are excited to learn a little bit more about the story behind the story. So, without further ado... take it away, V.L. ! 

Thanks so much for inviting me to visit your blog. I’m delighted to be here today!

What inspired you to write The Mapmaker’s Sons?

The spark for the book originated with an article I read in National Geographic about the Hero Twins, which is actually an ancient Mayan myth about two brothers who battle the lords of the underworld and play a lot of baseball (Yes, baseball! Or at least the Mayan version of the sport.)  

The actual myth is rather long and cumbersome, but I found the premise of two brothers who must come together to battle evil so intriguing. What great place from which to launch an adventure! I began the book with Tom and Porter, then layered on the elements necessary to bring their story to life: a secret past, savage monsters, a cruel tyrant, and a map that leads to a dangerous new world. Woven within the story are classic themes of good and evil, family bonds, friendship, and sacrifice.

How long did it take you to write The Mapmaker’s Sons?

The writing process itself was probably about six months. After that I spent another month or so editing and shaping the story.

What are some of your favorite books from childhood? Were there any specific authors who inspired you?

My all-time favorite growing up was The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. It was an assigned reading book for my daughter’s sixth grade class, and was just as powerful for her and her classmates. It’s amazing that Hinton was able to create something that still captures kids’ hearts and minds. Interestingly enough, that’s another story about brothers and friendships. Hmmm…I’m sensing a pattern here!

Where did you come up with the character Tom?

Tom Hawkins is an average 13-year-old boy who is thrown in a situation that's completely out of his element. He’s a classic reluctant hero. While I did give him the magical ability to make maps come alive, that’s his only edge. I love to watch him dig deep and discover he has the skills within himself to survive the strange new world he’s crossed into. I like to believe we all have untapped powers within us, just waiting for the right opportunity for us to discover them.

If you could befriend a character from your story, who would you choose?

That’s a tough one, but I think it would have to be the pirate Umbrey. I love his free-wheeling sense of adventure, his sly humor, his utter certainty that he can handle whatever life throws at him. He’s absolutely fearless, knows more than he lets on, and always has something up his sleeve.

Do you have any writing rituals? Do you listen to music while you write?

I really envy writers who can carry on with single-minded focus in the midst of chaos, but I’m not one of them. I need to visualize the scenes I’m working on, so I turn off all outside distractions. 

I begin with an overall story arc, then push myself to make a sloppy mess of the first draft. I write scenes in the order they come, jot down random dialogue as it pops into my head, let the descriptive phrases fly. That loosens me up and I get a lot closer to the heart of the characters. Then, once the story is fleshed out, the editing, snipping and pasting begins.  

If you could live in one of the five kingdoms, which would you choose?

I would want to live in the chain of island nations that make up the kingdom of Aquat. It’s a lovely place, really, except that its shores are infested with slave shippers!

Where can we purchase your books?

The Mapmaker’s Sons can be purchased at your local bookstore—look for it in the children’s middle grade section. It can also be ordered online.

Pre-order this title: Amazon ☞ Barnes and Noble ☟

Hitting shelves in October 2012!

Read the reviews! 

*Win an advance copy of The Mapmaker's Sons by V.L. Burgess! Enter the rafflecopter giveaway form below for your chance to get a sneak peak at this exciting, new adventure! 

Giveaway open to US and International : ) 

We will announce the two lucky winners on Sunday, September 30th!  

a Rafflecopter giveaway