Curled up under a blanket while sitting on her patio in the snowy winter weather, one Lethbridge author has stopped at nothing to fulfill her dreams.
Andrée L. Lemire has spent the last five years working on her young adult fantasy novel, “Awakened Magic.”
She says she has spent over 1,500 hours on the adventurous fable, which includes a full 385 pages.
Lemire’s interest in writing began when she was young, as she always wanted to be an author.
“Writing has always been a part of my life,” said Lemire.
The author does not see her love of writing ever wavering either.
“It’s embedded in my soul,” said Lemire.
Remarkably, the author has already completed over eight years of schooling, obtaining two degrees and a diploma.
However, Lemire says now is the time to focus on her true passion, writing full-time.
For the past year and a half, she has put all her energy into completing her first book, while simultaneously planning over 80 more.
Lemire plans for all her novels to be interconnected, while still staying unique and mostly independent from one another.
The ambitious writer hopes to one day see her plans come to fruition, but for today, one book is a significant achievement.
The year she spent focusing on her writing has paid off as well.
The 30-year-old closed the door on the first chapter of her career when she finished writing “Awakened Magic” last November.
The next step in her career is the daunting task of publishing her work.
Lemire says she does not plan to self-publish due to the complex issues that come with it.
“There’s a lot of money that goes into it and not a lot that comes out,” said Lemire.
As a result of this, she is currently seeking out an agent to help her publish her first book.
A literary agent represents an author and aids them in getting published.
Typically, an agent will take a 15 per cent cut out of any publishing deal.
They may also take a cut out of other contracts, such as audiobooks or film rights.
According to an article about publishing novels on Masterclass by the website itself on Aug. 21, 2021, agents are necessary for new authors to simply get noticed.
“Publishers won’t accept unsolicited manuscripts, especially if it’s the first book [by] a new author.”
While the agent deals with the logistical side of the process, an author can focus exclusively on their writing.
However, the task can still be immense for those attempting to break into the industry for the first time.
In an article about the difficulties with publishing novels by Bridget McNulty on NowNovel, JK Rowling was quoted as saying how tiresome the process can be.
“Even after finding an agent, it can take years to get published,” said Rowling.
Lemire’s uncle, Bryce Bach, says authors are a special breed who need to be able to handle the stress of publishing.
“You’ve got to have thick skin,” said Bach.
However, he says you never know when you might break through.
“You just can’t give up and don’t take it personally. You never know when you’re going to roll a seven,” said Bach.
Thankfully for Lemire, she says her family has supported her through the entire process, from writing to publishing.
“My uncle has been the one editing quite a bit of [my novel] … my mom has been there supporting me through all of it,” said Lemire.
Colette Lemire, Andrée’s mother, has faith her daughter will become a big name in the writing community, once she can find that first publisher.
“As soon as you get that one start, it’s full steam ahead,” said Colette.
While she waits for a deal on “Awakened Magic,” Lemire has begun to focus on the other 80 or so books she hopes to one day complete.
Her first novel belongs to a series of five total books, while many other series will make up the rest of her plan.
Colette Lemire believes what her daughter is creating has true potential.
“None of [her novel ideas] are the same, they’re all different. There’s potential for all kinds of stuff,” said Colette.
Lemire says her uniquely detailed world will function in a way like that of the “Marvel Cinematic Universe.”
However, she says her story is far from the one found in the MCU.
In fact, Lemire says she took the heaviest inspiration from the “Harry Potter” and “Lord of the Rings” franchises, along with Arthurian legend.
A snippet from the synopsis for “Awakened Magic” details how the rich and vibrant world created by Lemire may appear like stories before it all while bringing a unique and fresh twist to the fantasy formula.
“[The main character, Elias] also learns that the origin of the Aruhvien race came from Merlin and the history surrounding King Arthur.”
A basic description of the novel details the unique adventure and ensuing danger facing the main character.
“After finding out that he isn’t human, Elias is immersed in a magical society, where he not only must navigate the trials that accompany his changed identification but also a looming darkness that threatens his newfound race,” said Lemire.
Inspiration has also come from the gorgeous nature of the great Canadian outdoors.
“The series is actually based in Jasper National Park,” said Lemire.
Creativity sparks innovation and Lemire hopes to change the writing landscape.
Her plans for future novels include high fantasy, low fantasy and even sci-fi.
High fantasy is the creation of a new world within a fantasy setting, while low fantasy is set on Earth.
One high fantasy example would be J.R.R Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings.”
As for low fantasy, “Harry Potter” by J.K Rowling is a great example.
Sci-fi, or science fiction, is a form of fantasy typically set in outer space in a futuristic setting.
A good example would be “Dune” by Frank Herbert.
Furthermore, Lemire says she writes in a way that makes sense to her, knowing others will enjoy the content just as much as she does.
“Yes, they are for others, but I want to write them for myself. I need to get them out there,” said Lemire.
She says her goal is to one day become a best-selling author with a franchise known around the globe.
“I want people to say that this series is the next Harry Potter,” said Lemire.
Colette also hopes to see the books reach bestselling status someday.
“My dream for her is to see her books made into film,” said Colette.
Meanwhile, Bach hopes to see her garner similar success to that of Christopher Paolini, author of “The Inheritance Cycle” series.
However, he wants to see his niece stay true to herself and her vision along the way.
Bach says sometimes an author needs to choose between their ideas and a paycheque.
“It comes down to a question of what’s more important. Is being published more important than the story itself?”
Lemire says she will not wait for a publisher before beginning work on her next story.
She is optimistic her novel will be picked up at some point, with full belief that this career will be successful.
“At least one of my series will make it decently big, I don’t doubt that,” said Lemire.
According to an article by Leigh Shine for Medium on Dec. 22, 2016, it is reported that more authors may be published than one might think, though it can still seem like an uphill battle.
“In the first stage of submission, where the publishers receive only the author’s query letter, up to 90 per cent of these manuscripts are weeded out,” said Shine.
However, the article also mentioned a 2014 study in which 23 per cent of novels were published by a traditional publishing company.
As a result, the odds of publishing can reach nearly one-in-four.
Furthermore, many authors have turned to online publishing as a way to break into the industry.
Wherever Lemire ends up, both her mother and uncle believe she has accomplished an incredible goal already.
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