Stories and Stanza is a weekly podcast hosted by Abhra Pal, diving into authors' experiences and inspiration for the things they write. I was grateful for the invitation to talk with Abhra myself about my new book, Raising Women, which is an interactive novel. During our conversation, I got to talk more about my process for writing this book and the things I really enjoyed about it. Abhra summarizes this episode as "unlocking the secrets to captivate an audience with interactive fiction. Learn from this author interview on how to create engaging and immersive stories. Join us on Stories and Stanza for an in-depth discussion with Shannon Waite, the author of the interactive fiction novel 'Raising Women.' Based in Detroit, Michigan, Shannon draws inspiration from the Choose Your Own Adventure series to create a narrative targeting millennial women. The story follows a teenage girl and her friend Roman, exploring themes of reality, identity, and womanhood. We delve into Shannon's creative process, from planning and outlining to crafting multiple plot paths and endings. Featuring insights into the challenges of independent publishing, the importance of understanding one's audience, and a review by fellow author Rebecca Jones Howe, this episode offers a comprehensive look at literary innovation and the resilience required to bring a story to life. Don't miss an intriguing excerpt from the novel and exclusive information on upcoming projects and how to order the book." If you're curious to know more about interactive novels and the behind the scenes of me writing one, then you should definitely check out this episode, 3 Interactive Fiction Secrets to Captivate Your Audience! (or check it out anyway. I enjoy talking about the nerdy things I love).
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Are you in a book club?
Does your book club read dark and gritty things (addiction, coming of age, queer, etc.)? Do you like talking about social norms, breaking them, and all the things that go with that? Then Raising Women is the book for you! Raising Women is an interactive novel in which readers have twenty-four possible pathways with four unique endings to explore the wild that is growing up girl. Readers get to choose the decisions that are made and face the consequences that follow. Depending on what you choose, you may taste blood, get branded with a searing screw driver, or date a married man – all while each choice challenges what it means to be a woman, real, or both. By merging literary fiction and interactive fiction, Raising Women is a one of its kind. Get all the messy girl/unhinged women, coming of age, contemporary lit fic, transgressive fiction, and interactive fiction vibes in one book that allows you to read it over and over in new ways. Readers say: "Capturing the magic and madness of girlhood within each little novella, Raising Women has a story for everyone," "The novel is an unapologetic deep dive into the complexities of girlhood and womanhood, all while giving you the power to shape the story’s outcome. The narrative does a fantastic job of capturing the confusion, rebellion, and desire for belonging that defines coming of age, especially as a young woman," and "I’m now heavily doubting all the times I’ve shunned the use of second-person narrative because this was incredible!" If this sounds interesting to your book club, How do you feel about books with with no book club prep work (like, the questions and supporting materials are already done for you)? Then download the Raising Women Book Club Kit. This kit includes:
And if you're planning on reading Raising Women with your club, reach out to me! I'm happy to answer questions you might have, or join in. If you live in the metro Detroit/south eastern Michigan area, we can plan an in-person date, or if you are located outside that space, I'm happy to coordinate something virtual. I'm honored you're considering this book as an adventure for your group to read, and don't doubt that there are many things to talk about (some of which are highlighted for you in the provided book club kit). Download the Raising Women book club kit here (and check out the Raising Women site for other free downloads). Happy reading! 🎉 TODAY IS THE DAY! The wait is finally over - Raising Women by Shannon Waite is available in ebook and paperback from most book retailers NOW. Enjoy destroying your life 😉 I am so incredibly grateful that I have been able to write and share this story. I've put so much of myself into this one, and I genuinely love it. I appreciate everyone who has already read it and hyped it up. ❤️ The book went live today, and having so many people waiting for the book and just overall excited has melted my heart. Already, too, Raising Women has jumped to a #1 New Release. While it falls into many categories, having it rise to the top quickly in one of them is exciting.
This book is undeniably candid in how it mirrors the hoops girls jump through to bargain their place in society, illuminating the desperate craving they have for belonging in a culture that is quick to cast them as pawns on a chessboard. If you've had your eye on this book, this is your time to get it! You can order it from most major book retailers above, or you can still purchase a signed copy (with stickers and a Polaroid) here. Are you interested in receiving an ARC eBook of Raising Women?? Sign up using this form now! You'll hear back at the beginning of the week of September 16. The book will be provided through NetGalley and will be available for a month.
📖 RAISING WOMEN: 🖋 Self-destructive decisions 🖋 Girls destroying girls 🖋 Womanhood 🖋 Reality (and when the lines blur) 🖋 Queerness 🖋 Interactive fiction
I'm here to share with you the Raising Women book trailer.
We're getting so close - just over a month away. Pre-order here! And check out the Raising Women site for downloads and other things. Video clips shot by the forever wonderful Lindee Robinson Photography. I love experimenting, and playing with different forms. Last year I decided I wanted to write a piece of literary fiction that incorporated an interactive fiction form (I'll blog more about writing in this way soon). Then this last December, I just dove in and decided to do it - I started writing Raising Women. It wasn't planned; I had just finished a fiction workshop for my fall semester and had another one in the winter semester and was in the middle of writing other things, but for two weeks I just decided to write this. I knocked out most of the first draft then, then revisited it a few months later to finish it. Many rounds of editing and revising later, and I'm extremely excited to reveal the cover and announce that Raising Women will be released on October 11th! Learn more about it here. Look out for more blogs about how I wrote this, what I love about it, and other fun freebies that are coming soon.
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I'm Shannon Waite and I write stories about norms, characters who break norms, and society's wounds. They're always contemporary, often transgressive.
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