I was so excited to get the chance to interview Coco Ma for the second time as we follow her release of God Storm, which is the sequel to Shadow Frost! I got the chance to catch up with Coco to discuss her favourite characters, how it felt going into writing book two, and how it differed from her debut!
Hi, Coco! Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Hi, everyone! I was born on August 21st 2000 at 7:05 am in Toronto. At 7:06 am, I opened my eyes for the first time and immediately asked the nurse for a slice of cake. Just kidding, sorry. I would never ask for a mere slice of cake when I could ask for the whole thing! Anyway, I’m currently a third-year graduate student at Yale University, currently studying piano performance. Besides music, I enjoy longboarding,
Your latest novel, God Storm, is the sequel to Shadow Frost and it is set to release October 20th! Can you tell us about it?
For sure! God Storm picks up right after Shadow Frost. Just like the first book, we get different POV chapters from all of our favourite characters (as well as some new faces!), Six of-Crows style. Whereas Shadow Frost was very loosely based on Snow White, God Storm steals little bits of multiple fairytales here and there, so try and catch them all! As readers of the first book will know, most of the characters get separated at the end of Shadow Frost. I promise that they will be reunited in God Storm—just not in the ways that you might expect.
How was the writing process this time around? Was it similar to the first? Or different altogether?
It was quite different. Back when I was writing the first chapters of Shadow Frost, I had no idea where the story would eventually take me (i.e. a three-book publishing deal). So I went into God Storm with a very different, more organised approach. The biggest change was that I ended up making an outline for the book, which helped me plan the arc for the entire series. I definitely prefer the slightly more organised approach these days, since my life is already kind of crazy! Sometimes I don’t have time to write for a few days when university gets really busy, so having that outline helps me keep the pacing consistent throughout the book even when I feel like my life has veered off-track.
What was your favourite scene? Do you have a favourite character?
My favourite scenes to write involve our beloved Luna Evovich, who we discover possesses a secret identity in Shadow Frost, and her bodyguard, a brand new character by the name of Lady Eirene Killian. Lady Killian, too, hides a mysterious past and many dark secrets. She’s full of cunning, and her wits are sharper than the knives she wields. I’m sure her magical abilities will also interest a lot of readers—she’s got powers that we’ve never quite seen before.
What was the hardest part to write?
Honestly, I think it might have been the beginning. Between the querying and publishing process, it had been two years since I’d finished the first draft of Shadow Frost, and it took me a while to ease back into the swing of things. I usually don’t do a lot of rewriting, but I ended up cutting off a good chunk of the first few chapters and starting from scratch. On the other hand, I had spent the extra time between books envisioning the plot for God Storm so much so that the rest of the book practically wrote itself. I only wish I could say the same for the third book!
What’s in store for your beloved characters in the third and final book? Can you give us any hints?
God Storm explores the Immortal Realm quite a bit, but I’m thrilled to say that the characters in the third book will get to explore some of the other magical kingdoms in the Mortal Realm that we haven’t had a chance to visit yet, such as Volterra and Lethos, the kingdoms of earth and fire! Obviously, it’s kind of hard to talk about the third book without some major spoilers, but let’s just say that when Asterin and company must face the oncoming darkness, they will be joined by some very powerful allies—the most powerful beings, in fact, that this trilogy has ever seen.
What’s next for you? Are there any secret projects you’re working on?
Mwahaha, yes! I’m halfway through drafting my next big project. It’s a fantasy novel set in modern-day NYC and it’s filled with monsters and magic and kickass characters. I can’t wait to share more about it!!!
Do you have a favourite book? If so, what is it and why?
I recently read the Red Rising series by Pierce Brown and was absolutely floored by it. I cannot believe that man did not plot the first book out. It was so complex and intricate and fast-paced. That’s a superpower, if you ask me!
Since I last interviewed you, I took up your advice and watched Sex Education on Netflix and it was so good! Do you have any other TV recommendations for us?
UH, YEAH. FLEABAG. I binged both seasons in a single sitting. It’s fanTASTIC. Brilliant. Absolutely wicked. I wish I could say that I’ve found something like it since, but nothing has come close.
And of course, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
I have a strange feeling that my recommendation is the same as last year, but the author had only just announced the book. Now it’s finally out—The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab!
