“…show people how much you love your story. If you’re passionate about it, other people will be too!”

We are thrilled to launch our author interview series with Charisa Norris, the talented author of YA novel, Shinju and the Master of Tides. We sat down with her to chat about all things books and independent publishing. Keep reading for insights into how she develops a new story and a behind-the-scenes peek into her debut novel!

If you have any questions for Charisa, please leave them in a comment below or connect with her on Instagram or her website:

Find her on Instagram HERE!
Find her Website HERE!

First Things First, Though!

Before we share our interview with Charisa, we want to tell you about Shinju and the Master of Tides, which debuted on September 30, 2022. One of our senior editors, Britt Howard, posted her review of Shinju last year and you can read it HERE. An epic adventurous fantasy novel inspired by Japanese mythology and martial arts, the story follows a young girl named Shinju who was driven from her home by tragedy and forced to go into hiding until her new family’s future is threatened. The book is filled with a budding swoony romance, a strong heroine, sword fights, adventure on the high seas, and treachery. You can read the full synopsis and add Shinju and the Master of Tides to your Goodreads HERE. And you can purchase the novel HERE!

Now onto Our Featured Interview!

Pro Book Edits: We’re so glad we had the chance to interview you today, Charisa! Shinju and the Master of Tides was such a beautiful debut novel. What inspired you to write this story?

Charisa: Inspiration came from many places for this story. Growing up, I loved watching martial arts movies with my dad, and when I began playing around with writing more seriously, the general plot was influenced by The Lion King, which is my favorite Disney movie. Fun fact: TLK was inspired by Shakespeare’s Hamlet! As I brainstormed what kind of world the book would take place in, I knew I wanted it to be a fantasy adventure, and it just organically developed into a tale inspired by Japanese culture and mythology, as well as themes from other stories I had grown to love. I also wanted to be able to share a fantasy story built on Christian themes.

Pro Book Edits: That’s such an amazing behind-the-scenes peek into your inspiration for Shinju! If you had to pitch your book to a stranger in an elevator, what would you say?

Charisa: Ah, every author’s worst nightmare haha. I would say it is a fantasy adventure filled with martial arts, redemption, magical creatures, and relatable characters.

Pro Book Edits: That is such an accurate description, too! So, how did you go about developing your main characters?

Charisa: Like Simba in The Lion King, I wanted to follow Shinju from childhood to adulthood and see what kind of decisions she would make when confronted by the tragedy in her past and the tasks that lay ahead of her. Forgiveness and redemption are major themes of this story, and unlike a lot of other YA books that glorify revenge, my desire was to show a character who approaches her demons from a different angle and makes different choices, like showing mercy to her enemies. But I also wanted her to struggle and feel very real emotions of what she experienced. My goal was to make her feel relatable and human while still making the right decisions. With Raiden, he is sort of a contrast to Shinju. While she fights only for defense and does not seek revenge, he is eaten up with that, it’s his whole goal in life. He challenges Shinju’s worldview, but she also challenges his, and as the story goes on, we see that Raiden begins to see there’s another way.

Pro Book Edits: This is such a beautiful and unique way to approach a retelling! Was your book inspired by a vision for the storyline or by a specific character?

Charisa: It was initially inspired by a vision for the storyline. I love retellings and wanted to see what I could do with a loose re-imagining of TLK with human characters and a new setting.

Pro Book Edits: We can totally see how you reimagined TLK and made it your own! How would you describe your book’s aesthetic or mood?

Charisa: I really feel like it sweeps you away to a completely different world full of magic and mythology. While there are some light moments, humor, and a sense of adventure, I think the mood is generally melancholy and contemplative. It is an emotional tale and the characters spend a lot of time working through their personal problems on top of the main plot.

Pro Book Edits: So, as you approach a story idea, what is your basic plot development process?

Charisa: This varies by WIP to be honest! I usually try to figure out what the goal of the story is first, and what the character is supposed to learn. For Shinju, I had a general plotline of betrayal and redemption, but I needed to find out what else would drive her to end up where she needed to be. For my other stories, sometimes the character comes to me first, and then I have to develop a plot around them and why their story needs to be told. The hardest part for me is figuring out how the story starts! I usually have the middle and ending in mind first.

Pro Book Edits: We’re so excited to see what you write next! If you had to just pick a single point, what is the one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book?

Charisa: That the tragedies of our past do not have to define who we become. That truth is freedom. I guess that’s really two things!

Pro Book Edits: Those are such good points! Ok, shifting the conversation a little bit, if you had to pick only three, could you share with us your top three favorite books?

Charisa: I feel like this is always so hard to answer! The ones that come to mind first are The Chronicles of Narnia, Green Rider, and Pride and Prejudice.

Pro Book Edits: Such good favorites! Are there any authors who inspire you? Has their work influenced your approach to writing in any way?

Charisa: Oh, definitely. I love how C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkein
wrote these incredible fantasy tales with Christian themes; that really
encourages me, as I think there is a general consensus that you can’t write
Christian fantasy books because of magic, etc. Au contraire! Other authors who
inspire me are Julie C. Dao, Mary E. Pearson, and Juliet Marieller. I also look up
to many of my fellow indie authors, some of whom are the reason I felt I could
publish this book at all.

Pro Book Edits: There are so many inspiring trad and indie authors out there! So, getting back to your book for a moment, do you have a favorite line from your book?

Charisa: “You have much sorrow and guilt in you, Child, and if you let it fester, it will consume you.”

Pro Book Edits: A quote that definitely rings true! Who would you cast as your main characters if your book became a movie?

Charisa: I think Hiroyuki Sanada would make a great Takumi! I also think Emi Takei would be an amazing choice for Shinju.

Pro Book Edits: Great choices! What a fun movie your book would be to see. If you’re ready to share, what project are you working on next?

Charisa: I’m working on a few projects! I have an exciting new YA fantasy series that I hope to begin publishing next year. There’s also a contemporary romance and some middle-grade books that are in development. If things continue to go well I’ll be able to start sharing more info on my socials, so keep an eye out!

Pro Book Edits: We are so excited to see what the future holds for you! As our services and blog are mostly geared toward indie authors, let chat about that for a moment. Why did you choose to independently publish your book?

Charisa: I liked the idea of having creative control over my work. I had a very specific vision for this story, and once I learned indie publishing was actually an option for many writers, and not just trashy novels on Amazon, I decided this was the path I wanted for this book. I also write as a hobby and not as a source of income, so going the indie route made more sense for me at this time.

Pro Book Edits: Indie publishing is such a wonderful space to be in! What advice would you give to new indie authors?

Charisa: You can do this! It’s a lot of work, but it is worth it! Also, be sure to
show people how much you love your story. If you’re passionate about it, other people will be too! And never be afraid to ask for help or advice from other authors.

Pro Book Edits: That’s incredible advice! The indie community is such a supportive place!

Now, for the Rapid-Fire Round!

The book or the movie? The book!
Favorite drink while writing? Water or tea
Music while writing or silence? Music
Favorite part of the book writing/publishing process? The feeling of accomplishment and getting to share my story with others!
Favorite genre? Fantasy
Plotter or pantser? Plantser!
Morning writer or evening writer? Morning
Instagram or TikTok? Instagram

Pro Book Edits: Thank you so much, Charisa, for joining us today and giving us such a fun, behind-the-scenes peek into your book and your process as an author!

Readers, thank you for joining us today! Please connect with Charisa on her social media and website. And be sure to purchase her book and add it on Goodreads!

Have an idea for which author we should interview next? Send us an email or leave us a comment below!

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Photo Credit: Charisa Norris, used with permission.