Dream Chaser
Danit Knishinsky publishes fantasy novel.
Fourteen-year-old Danit Knishinsky achieved one of her dreams––writing and publishing fantasy novel, Maddie Skirkoff: World of Odds.
The book is about a girl named Maddie who has always dreamed of finding the extraordinary. But what does she do when the extraordinary shows up at her front door? From goblins to fire-breathing dragons, and magic potions to corrupt rulers, Maddie is challenged.
Epic Kids chatted with Danit to hear about how she turned her youthful dream to become a published author into reality.
What was the most challenging aspect of writing Maddie Skirkoff: World of Odds?
The most challenging aspect of writing Maddie Shirkoff: World of Odds had to be the editing. It was a task that was terribly dull for me. However, I won’t ever regret any of the time I spent editing because of how wonderfully I was able to fix the writing in the novel.
How many pages is the book? During the process, did you ever get frustrated and want to quit?
The book is around 200 pages. And yes, there were plenty of times that frustrated me within the process. But at the end of the day, I was absolutely in love with my characters, and I wanted other people to experience the same attachment to the characters as I did.
How many pages would you write a day? Did you create a story board first or did it all come free flow?
There was never a solid page count per day. Now, with my new novel, I’m trying to do a solid amount per day to speed up the process. Overall, it was free flow. The story was supposed to be based off something I wrote at 8 years old, but because of the age gap and the writing, it changed very drastically, and I only ended up keeping Maddie and the goblins.
Was writing a novel more difficult than you anticipated?
I really had expected just to write it and send it out. I always laugh to myself about the fact that I completely skipped over how challenging the editing process would be. The writing wasn’t very hard, though, and I’m glad about that part.
What about fantasy fiction appeals to you?
I absolutely adore the feeling of being in another reality! It takes away the repetitiveness of today’s world and truly adds a sense of creativity and adventure to one’s life.
To buy a copy of Maddie Skirkoff: World of Odds, visit danitbooks.com.
