THE BOOK: The Betwixt & Between Chronicles: Kingdom of Ink and Paper
PUBLISHED IN: 2021
THE AUTHOR: Matthew Newman
THE PUBLISHER: Independently published.
SUMMARY: Have you ever had a dream that’s hard to shake? Or had trouble coming back to reality after becoming absorbed in a magical world like Hogwarts or Narnia? Instead of brushing it off, 14-year-old William Morgan falls head first into a crazy new reality of hidden realms of mystical power, mysterious murders and unexplained connections between literary fantasy and the real world. Fiction blends with reality in surprising, scary and, sometimes, awesome ways as The Betwixt and Between Chronicles debuts with the first book in a planned series: Kingdom of Ink and Paper by Matthew Newman [Sandcrest Publishing, March 2, 2021].
After the death of famed fantasy author Arthur O’Neill, Will receives a mysterious package: a copy of The Redstone Keep, one of O’Neill’s most celebrated novels. Upon reading the book, Will passes out and is introduced to a man named Tam Desmond, The Redstone Keep’s protagonist. Tam explains that he is a resident of the World of the Written, a universe parallel to our own where everything ever published by humans comes to life.
Through his conversations with Tam, Will learns that Arthur’s death was anything but natural. A dark and magical force was targeting Arthur, and that same force is now after him. Armed with new powers only a world of fantasy could offer, Will sets out on a journey to solve the mysteries surrounding the murder; however, all the while, Arthur’s death may have just been the start of something even fiction’s greatest heroes aren’t prepared to face.
THE BACK STORY: Kingdom of Ink and Paper is, in a way, fan fiction of my own life, adding in a little bit more adventure and magic. The story has been a part of me for as long as I can remember, and I honestly can’t pinpoint when exactly I began the formal process of “writing it.” It just sort of happened. Over the course of high school I slowly jotted down the plot, the characters taking shape. The plot changed over and over again, to the point where the book that is coming out on March 2nd is very different from the story I had in my head when I was 14.
As for how long it took to write, the answer is too long. The writing of the book, from start to finish, probably took about eight years, but that’s only because of how long it took for me to really nail down the story. I rewrote it multiple times, with the villains changing, the main character’s motives shifting, and the entire foundation of the story morphing. But in that time, I was able to gain a clearer view of what the rest of the series would look like, and my hope is that the sequel will not take nearly as long to produce.
WHY THIS TITLE?: The book was originally titled The World Only They Could See, but my editor suggested I scrap it because it was too boring, and didn’t encompass what the book was about. And that’s when it hit me: the subject of the book is a magical world where everything ever written down by human beings comes to life. The bulk of the story takes place in the world of a a medieval fantasy – a kingdom, if you will. And since this medieval world is a fictional story, how exactly are stories written down? With ink and paper. With those two ideas in hand, Kingdom of Ink and Paper was born.
WHY WOULD SOMEONE WANT TO READ IT? I think the thing that makes Kingdom of Ink and Paper unique is that the idea is one that appeals to any person that loves stories, or has a single story they deeply care about. The desire to enter the worlds of our favorite stories (books, movies, television shows, etc.) is something we’ve all felt at one time or another, and Kingdom of Ink and Paper helps bring that desire alive. To that point, I don’t think the novel has any particularly niche audience, and that’s what makes it so special. You’re a fan of fantasy? Action and adventure? Mystery? It’s for you. Not a huge reader but really like television shows, plays, movies, etc? This book is for you.
AUTHOR PROFILE: Born in the suburbs of Charlotte, North Carolina, Matthew Newman grew up on fantasy. Whether it was the Harry Potter series, The Golden Compass, or any of the hundreds of books he read throughout his childhood, he was raised to believe in the impossible and the spirit of adventure. In the third grade, he was reprimanded for writing stories in Language Arts instead of paying attention, which just made him do it more. In high school, Matthew established himself as an author with the self-publication of two novels, stories that helped introduce him to the joy and excitement of publishing as a business. After graduating from Duke University with degrees in sociology, markets and management, and creative writing, Matthew returned to his roots and established Sandcrest Publishing, the indie publishing house responsible for the release of Kingdom of Ink and Paper. Matthew currently lives in New York City.
AUTHOR COMMENTS: My biggest hope is that people (most notably kids) read my book and feel a little less alone, and a little more open to the magic in the world around them. We live in such a contentious and (at times) scary society, and it can get overwhelming. I’m sure it’s the same, if not worse, for kids. I remember when I was younger, the most obvious and immediate escape was books. Fantasy in particular. If, at the end of the day, I’m able to give just one person an escape to another world that makes them feel a little less alone, then I will have accomplished my goal as a storyteller.
SAMPLE CHAPTER: See “Look Inside” feature on the Amazon page.
LOCAL OUTLETS: The Strand, Books of Wonder
WHERE ELSE TO BUY IT: Amazon, Barnes & noble, etc.
PRICE: $12.99
CONTACT THE AUTHOR:
Connect with Matthew Newman at WorldoftheWritten.com, Instagram and Facebook @MatthewNewmanAuthor, and Twitter @MNewmanBooks.
Snowflakes in a Blizzard 