I had the pleasure of chatting with author Jennifer Gruenke about her debut novel Of Silver and Shadow, which releases on February 16th 2021. In a world where all of the silver wielders (people with the ability to manipulate the silver in their blood almost like magic) are extinct, Ren, a silver wielder in hiding, is recruited into Darek’s rebellion to overthrow the all-powerful royal family (the only known silver wielders in Edris). Simultaneously, Adley, a ruthless warrior conscripted to work for the King, needs to destroy the rebellion to earn a chance at freedom with her secret lover. We talk with Jennifer about inspiration, challenges, advice, and possible sequels!
Hi Jennifer! I really enjoyed reading your debut novel Of Silver and Shadow! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Thank you! I’m so glad you liked it! I was born and raised in Northern California and attended college at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where I studied Communication and Professional Writing. Like a lot of writers, I’ve been writing since I was young. I attempted my first novel in the seventh grade, though I never did finish that particular endeavor. Throughout high school I continued to try my hand at creative writing but it wasn’t until my early twenties that I even considered the idea of pursuing it professionally. After college I worked as a journalist at a community newspaper for a couple years before moving to Charlotte, North Carolina. Now I work as a technical writer by day while writing and doing book promotion during the early mornings, late nights, and weekends. My cat, Mochi, keeps me company / brings my productivity levels way down by persistently trying to sit on my keyboard.
If you could describe Of Silver and Shadow using only five words, what would they be?
This is so hard! It doesn’t have to be a complete sentence, does it? Let’s see … Rebellion, banter, grit, and ill-advised kissing.
What is the main message that you want readers to take away from Of Silver and Shadow?
Mostly, I just hope readers are able to find an escape into the world of Denfell for a little while. I hope they forge a connection with this story that for so long only lived inside my head, and I hope this book brings them a bit of the magic that I myself have found in reading.
But if there’s a message in the book, it goes something along the lines of that popular quote: “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” A big theme of the book surrounds the idea that people go to great lengths just to survive from one moment to the next. This leads to a facade that can hide the truth of a person. With the four different perspectives, you see each of the characters grapple with this in their own way, whether that’s Adley forcing herself into the headspace of a heartless warrior to keep hold of her sanity, or Kellen’s struggle to fit in with his sociopathic family. None of them, with the exception of Darek, are the people they’re pretending to be. They’re all deeply struggling, and from the outside it’s easy to pass judgement on the way they choose to cope. Maybe that judgment isn’t entirely fair. This is something Darek learns through his interactions with Ren.
What was your inspiration behind the silver wielders?
The Scarlet Witch was my main inspiration, specifically as she appears in the Marvel movies. When I first started writing Of Silver and Shadow, I was trying to write a magic based around illusion, where Ren manipulated the faces of playing cards and scared off assailants with the image of lunging, rabid dogs. It was a cool idea in theory but it didn’t work on page. I wasn’t more than a chapter or two into the story when I went to see the Avengers. I was stuck on what I wanted to do with the magic system, and then the Scarlet Witch came to my rescue. I just thought she looked so cool, and I wanted my magic to be as cool as hers. So it started with a simple visual. The rules to silver and the things it could do came later.
Who is your favourite character in Of Silver and Shadow?
This probably sounds like a cop-out, but I really did love writing all the characters for different reasons. They’re all so full of personality that it was a lot of fun slipping into each of their heads. I love Darek’s internal judgements and his brooding. I love Kellen’s charm and the complicated relationship he has with himself. I love the juxtaposition of Adley’s role as torturer and the softness she refuses to part with.
But to give a more satisfying answer, I think my favorite character is probably Ren. Her voice came really naturally to me, I had a blast with her quick wit, and I just find her so interesting. Ren actually started off on a much higher moral ground than where she stands in the published book. In the original beginning, the rebellion was able to appeal to her sense of right and wrong to get her to join their cause. But as I wrote in this direction, I began to realize that it didn’t feel true to who Ren was as a person. She became especially compelling to me when I discovered that she was considerably more interested in money than doing the right thing. In the end, Ren wound up being far more selfish, sarcastic, and mean-spirited than I’d expected. I’d go as far as to call her downright cruel in her worst moments. Exploring the why of her character—her deep grief and sense of shame and the self-hatred that festered as a result—and watching her let down her walls, just a little bit, throughout this story was one of my favorite parts of the whole writing process.
What challenges did you face while writing Of Silver and Shadow and how did you overcome them?
Of Silver and Shadow was a story that came pretty easily to me. As I face struggle after struggle with my current project (another fantasy novel but unrelated to Of Silver and Shadow), I look back at past Jennifer with envy. She didn’t know how good she had it. For whatever reason—and I honestly couldn’t say why—the story flowed. The world arrived in my head fully formed, the characters weren’t shy, the beats were there for the picking.
I mostly only struggled with the same issue I face during every project: finding the will to sit down and do it. I’ve never had horrible writer’s block in the traditional sense of staring down a blinking cursor with no idea what to write. I find that once I’ve begun writing and I fall into a groove, I can get down a decent number of words that I’m reasonably happy with. I have a harder time with motivation, focus, and the self-discipline required to open the computer in the first place. Writing can feel really daunting, it can be incredibly intimidating, and it’s easier to do literally anything else. Watch Netflix, clean the house, file your taxes. You know, fun stuff.
To motivate myself, I liked to listen to my Of Silver and Shadow playlist on Spotify. I have a ton of songs on there representing both the plot and the characters, and listening helped get me into the writing headspace, sort of like a workout playlist pumps you up for the gym. Free-writing was also a helpful tactic. I liked to open a blank document where I would jot down questions about the story and then answer those same questions without having to worry about sounding eloquent or even coherent. That usually got the brain juices flowing. And when neither of those options worked, I’d call on my inner hard-ass and force myself to open the computer anyway, even if it was the very last thing I wanted to do. I’d put down one word, and then two, and before I knew it, I’d have a scene. Sometimes all it takes is a small first step.
Of Silver and Shadow ends on a bit of a cliffhanger; will there be a sequel? If so, give us some teasers please!
I hate to disappoint, but while there is room for more in the future, Of Silver and Shadow really is currently a standalone novel.
Do you have any advice for fellow novelists who are looking to get published?
Find your people! I can’t stress this enough. You need a solid support system in this business for so many reasons. No one understands being a writer quite like other writers. They’ll be there to celebrate your highs and commiserate during your lows. They’ll be a sounding board for new ideas, they’ll motivate you to be better, and they’ll help turn your garbage first drafts into something you don’t actually want to throw out with that bag of spinach you never opened. This is especially important before querying literary agents. You want your novel to be in the best possible shape before crossing your fingers and hitting send, and critique partners will help you get it there. Publishing is also a businesses that you can really only learn through experience. It’s so easy to go astray when you’re trying to navigate these murky waters alone. Your writing friends are going to know things about the industry that you don’t and can’t know. So I say it again: find your people and hold onto them tight. They’re the best thing you can do for yourself.
What is your all-time favourite book?
I love so many books and I’m constantly reading something new that threatens to knock my favorites off their thrones (The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab comes to mind; I cried for fifty pages straight when I read that one last year), but I think my all-time favorite book might have to be The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. I first read it years ago, back before I was even much of a fantasy reader, and it holds a really special place in my heart. I like to pick it back up every couple of Christmases and each read-through I find something new to love. I adore the prose and the vivid cast of characters and the imagery. It’s incredibly immersive in this way that makes the world feel so real. I’m aggrieved that I’ll never be able to visit Le Cirque des Reves. The injustice!
During COVID-19, what is something that you have been doing to help yourself stay positive?
I’d be lying if I said that I’ve been an endless pool of optimism over the last year. I’ve hit a lot of walls during this pandemic and dealt with a pretty significant amount of mental exhaustion, but I find human connection has been the best salve. I’ve had “movie nights” with friends where we FaceTime each other and make drinks, order takeout, and watch something together. I have frequent chats with my writing group too, the Guillotine Queens, who kept me sane even before the world descended into madness. They’re some of the kindest, best, most talented people I know, and they’re great at reminding me not to be so hard on myself. Fresh air also does wonders for the soul. It’s amazing how much better you can feel after a walk in nature.
