Hi, Will! Thank you for stopping by the MG Book Village to reveal the cover for your new book, THE ODDMIRE, BOOK THREE: DEEPEST, DARKEST, which comes out June 22, 2021! Can you tell us a bit about the book?
Thanks for having me! DEEPEST DARKEST is the third adventure of the Burton boys, a human and a goblin changeling raised as brothers, who continue to barrel into danger with the help of their friends Fable and Evie. A running thread from the very first book has been the mystery of what happened to the boys’ father, who disappeared when they were just babies. In this book, they are determined to finally find an answer, but digging too deep will uncover more than they were prepared to handle.
This is the third book in a series. Can you share what your experience has been like writing a series? Have your characters changed since the first book in any ways that have surprised you?
There are some ideas that I knew would be a part of the story all along, and it’s nice to finally get those onto the page after years of having them just rattle around in my head. But yeah, there are definitely things that surprise me along the way. There are whole characters I didn’t know were going to be so integral to the story, and there are depths to characters I originally considered minor. Sometimes they push their way into the narrative in ways I didn’t plan, and the best thing I can do is let it happen. As for Tinn and Cole, they have both become stronger and more independent over the years, which was an intentional direction for the story—but they also have very human insecurities that run deep. Part of letting them grow bigger, paradoxically, has been letting them experience those things that make them feel the smallest.
Much of this book takes place underground. What made you decide to give this book such a strange and *ahem* creepy setting?
It came about organically, but the setting really did lend itself perfectly to the emotional core of the story. Threats that surround us and undermine our whole foundation are the most intimidating and difficult to navigate, and the kids in this installment really feel out of their depth both literally and physically as the weight of their situation presses down on them. It’s especially unsettling to find out bad things have been lurking beneath the surface for a long time, and that the people in charge have just let them keep going unchecked. I think that we as a country—especially young kids—can relate to those feelings in a big way right now.
Despite being an action-packed adventure, this book is driven by discussions of family and belonging. Why was it important to you to explore these themes in this series?
Adoption is an important part of my own family, and celebrating the many ways that families become whole has been central to the concept of this series from its inception. My own kids mean the world to me, and more so than any of my other works, this series is for them.
In this book, and in the first two books of the series, as well, there don’t seem to be any characters who are ALL bad or ALL good. How do you navigate the complexity of heroes and villains existing in that gray space?
In the end, it’s all about empathy. It’s never really as simple as hero vs villain—it’s empathy & love vs antipathy & hate. All people have the capacity for both sides within them, and I try to reflect that. If I allow a villain’s hate to make my heroes hateful, then hate wins. If I allow a villain’s antipathy to strip a hero of their empathy, then empathy loses. We don’t have to accept or excuse villainous acts, but we can denounce hate while extending love. The real trick is recognizing that all of us have heroes and villains inside of us, and the best anyone can do is to try to support and bring out the heroes in others, and not reinforce their villains by treating them as if that’s all they are capable of.
What do you hope your readers — especially the young ones — will take away from the book?
That they are worthy of love and that it is never too late to be a better you, even if you stumble.
Now, let’s get to the cover! You’re not only the author of THE ODDMIRE series, you’re also the illustrator! What was it like creating the illustration for this cover? Did you go through many versions before you arrived at this design?
So many! Yes. All of the covers have gone through a series of concepts and drafts, but I think this one went through the most. Various versions featured different moments from the story, different characters, different angles. With every cover I’ve done, I feel like I always set my target just slightly beyond what I know I can do—and then each time I end up frantically teaching myself how to draw all over again to meet the demands of the design. Carla Weise and Laura Williams, the art team at Algonquin Young Readers, have been stellar at giving me editorial direction along the way. In the end, I’m really happy with how this one came out.
Okay, let’s take a look!
WOW! It’s got so much energy! And speaking of angles — I think you went with the right one! Can we expect more adventures from Tinn, Cole, Fable, and Evie?
These characters are definitely not finished having adventures, but I will leave it there for now. Spoilers!
Where can we find out more about you and your work?
You can always visit my website (https://rwillritter.wordpress.com/), follow me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/Willothewords), or find more information about The Oddmire, and my YA series, Jackaby, through the Workman site (https://www.workman.com/authors/william-ritter).
Thank you for allowing us to be part of your cover reveal, and all the best with your book’s release!
Thanks so much for having me!
William Ritter is an Oregon author and educator. He is the proud father of the two bravest boys in the Wild Wood, and husband to the indomitable Queen of the Deep Dark. The Oddmire is Ritter’s first series for middle-grade readers. He is also the author of the New York Times bestselling, award-winning Jackaby series for young adult readers. Visit him online at rwillritter.wordpress.com and find him on Twitter: @Willothewords.
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