Today, we’re talking with independent author Maggie Adamyan about her novel Tainted Frost, a young adult fantasy set in the harsh, remote winter of Alaska. Maggie shares how a Russian fairy tale inspired the story, why a decade-long writing journey was worth it, and the lessons she learned about marketing as an indie author.
How did you come up with the idea for Tainted Frost?
I was reading some Russian fairy tales, and there is one where these Russian princes are also shapeshifters and can turn into birds. This sparked the general idea for Tainted Frost, and then the rest of it sort of filled itself in.
Without giving us any spoilers, what was your favorite part to write and why?
I loved writing the argument/confrontation Anna and Alex have in the third act. I think writing confrontations is challenging for me because I’m not a confrontational person. And when I read such scenes in others’ books, I always get a lot of anxiety. It wasn’t a comfortable scene to write, but I think it turned out great.
About how long did it take you to write Tainted Frost? Were there times it was hard to stick with it?
It took a whole decade, really. But I wasn’t working on it every single day of that decade. I would start and stop. I changed it a lot from the first to final draft. It was the hardest book I’ve ever written, probably because it’s very emotional and close to my heart.
Who was your favorite character to write and why?
I loved writing Natalie and David, who are the main character’s best friends. I have found that I really enjoy writing the main character’s BFFs in every novel because they usually say what we’re all thinking… and get away with it, haha.
You do a wonderful job of making the setting come to life and feel magical. Can you talk a little bit about how you think about setting?
I try to think of it as its own character. The places that we live in or visit have a huge impact on who we are and what we do. Writing about Alaska in winter was a huge challenge because I’ve lived in sunny SoCal almost my whole life. I don’t understand snow at all. But the harsh weather and remote setting of the place were important to the story and worldbuilding, to make the reader feel like they were struggling as much as the characters.
What other books would you compare Tainted Frost to? What makes it different?
A lot of the young adult fantasies and urban fantasies that came out maybe 15 years ago inspired Tainted Frost, but I have a hard time coming up with a comp title. I think Tainted Frost is different because it doesn’t end with a typical happy ending that readers might expect.
As an independent author, you do everything on your own. What was the most difficult part? What was the easiest?
Marketing is very difficult. I ended up spending too much and barely getting anything good out of it. Honestly, I wasted a lot of money. I would advise others to do a lot of research on marketing best practices before pouring money into it. The easiest part was finding a cover artist on Fiverr. She was amazing!
Thank you to Maggie Adamyan for sharing her journey with us. Tainted Frost is a story ten years in the making, full of shapeshifting magic, unforgettable friendships, and an ending readers won’t see coming. Pick up your copy today!
