YA fantasy
Date Published: January 21, 2020
Jack Galloway has had enough of life and is chasing a high he just can't seem to find. Upon meeting with a drug dealer from his school, he is given some mysterious, bean-shaped pills that just so happen to be nothing but beans. However, Relatively Normal beans do not grow miles and miles into the sky overnight, drawing attention from everyone around and destroying the very idea of reality on Earth.
Now, in order to restore his Relatively Normal world, Jack must embark on a mission with a girl he barely knows from high school, Red Crawford, who just so happens to be the only one he knows who has encountered a tear in the non-magical reality they live in.
The beanstalk, too tall and too wide to climb, leads them down a rabbit hole to the strange and nonsensical Underland, where they must go through insane trials in order to reach the answer to their problems -- the Giants, magical creatures who live in Overland and can rid the Relatively Normal world of that pesky beanstalk. However, the beanstalk and its effects on reality might just be the least of their worries when they reach the dark, mysterious Overland.
Interview with Mikaela Miller
For those interested in exploring the subject or theme of your book, where should they start?
-- I would suggest for readers to check out stories by H.P. Lovecraft and to read the original “Peter Pan” book as well. There are some creepy little tidbits that J.M. Barrie put in “Peter Pan” that are ignored in the well-known Disney adaptations that we think of today. I’ve based my world on that one more so than anything else. It isn’t quite as evident in the first book, but there are also Lovecraftian themes as well. Not just dealing with eldritch beings and monsters, but the shifting of reality and the descent into madness.
How did you become involved with the subject or theme of your book?
-- I’ve always loved young adult fantasy, but my husband was the one that actually got me interested in Lovecraftian themes. We used to play this board game called “Elder Sign” that was based in Lovecraftian lore, and it was so fun! “Into the Woods” was actually what made me start doing in-depth research of the darker parts of old fairytales, and I decided I wanted to focus on that. I never would have started writing this story had I not been rejected for playing the role of Little Red Riding Hood in the community theater’s rendition of “Into the Woods,” though. The rejection stung enough for me to create my own telling of these characters I had grown to love.
What were your goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you achieved them?
-- There were several things I wanted to accomplish. For one, I wanted to include a diverse cast of characters, which I think I have managed to do, but there is always room to improve and grow as I learn and research. For one, I have a poor Jewish boy in the midst of his teenage years and questioning his sexuality several times throughout the first book, and his friend is a headstrong indigenous girl who is constantly having to get him out of his own problems. I never wanted to tell anyone’s stories, though; that isn’t really my place. I just want a more diverse world where people can simply exist. Another goal I had was to address the issues of teenage depression and drug addiction. People don’t really think of that occurring in teenagers, but they are in the most turbulent, stressful years of their lives, and a lot of things can go wrong. I’ve tried to make these points and I feel as if I’ve accomplished them, but again, there is always always room for improvement and learning.
Anything you would like to say to your readers and fans?
-- Yes! Thank you so much for reading and for sharing your thoughts about “Beyond Relatively Normal” and its sequel! You really have no idea how much it means to an author to ask them questions about their characters or to comment on specific pieces of the story that really stood out to you. It’s the purest form of serotonin that we could ask for. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
-- I loved getting to read the old stories that they’re all based on and getting to know my characters. It’s so difficult to write characters that feel fresh and new to readers, and I’ve had the voices of these characters in my mind for several years. It was really nice to let them out on a page. Jack and Red have been so fun to write about.
Can you tell us a little bit about your next books or what you have planned for the future?
-- I have a sequel released right now called “War Games,” and I am in the process of editing the third book called “Wicked Reign” and writing the fourth book. I’m also dabbling in a collection of short stories involving the Lost Boys and a Jill Darling novella (she doesn’t appear until book two). I am also working on another series that is a dystopian/steampunk/Lovecraftian tale based in Greek mythology, but I haven’t gotten far in that one.
How long have you been writing?
-- Ever since I could pick up a pen! I’ve always enjoyed telling stories. I can’t remember what my first story that I wrote was, but one of them was about a group of my friends in elementary school and me solving crimes taking place in our hometown with my old dog, Emily. However, I didn’t publish my first book until 2018, which was the first edition of “Beyond Relatively Normal.”
Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in “Beyond Relatively Normal”?
-- There are several characters that you get introduced to throughout the story, many of whom are familiar faces from these beloved fairytales, but the only ones that really matter in this one are Jack and Red.
Jack is a fifteen-year-old boy who lives on the outskirts of town with a drug-addicted, abusive mother and her boyfriend that comes and goes as he pleases. Jack has also been dabbling in drugs himself when the story opens up, and he plans on meeting up with his drug dealer that day to finally find something to end it all. He’s severely depressed, doesn’t have many friends, and doesn’t really have hope for a future. He’s also just not really sure of himself or who he is as a person. He is, however, a rather selfless person, especially when he sees people who are being abused and oppressed. He sees a lot of himself in them, and though he hasn’t quite inspired himself yet, he wants to help others stand up and fight.
Red is also fifteen years old and goes to school with Jack. She’s a more outspoken, extroverted girl involved in clubs and making top grades in her classes. There is, however, a certain mystery to her because no one knows her real name. Unlike Jack, she comes from a more middle-class family and is incredibly close with all of them, especially her grandmother. She’s headstrong, brave, and defiant of authority just like Jack, and she is more sure of herself and where she belongs. She’s kind and believes in helping others (especially those without a voice), which is how she and Jack end up on this journey together.
If you could spend the day with one of the characters from “Beyond Relatively Normal,” who would it be? Please tell us why you chose this particular character, where you would go and what you would do.
-- I know Jack the best, but I’m going to have to say Red. She just seems like she would be more fun to me. She’s really into films and music, and she’s obsessed with Star Wars. We could basically just stay in and make hot chocolate and watch movies all day, and it would be a good day.
About the Author
Mikaela Miller has not exactly found her place in the world yet, and she's
still trying to understand herself, so there's not much to say. She loves
writing, memes, her friends, and her fur children. She is currently living
the small town life but has high hopes of moving to a big city to live out
her dreams one day. She loves the darker side of all fairytales and has
recently discovered a love for horror novels. This book idea came to her in
a dream, as many of her strange ideas do, and she hopes for a bright future
as she delves further into her characters' lives. One day, she would like to
be able to rescue lots of homeless animals and be the crazy old cat lady
down the street.
Contact Links
Twitter: @mikaelamauthor
Goodreads: mikaelamauthor
Instagram: @mikaelamauthor
Purchase Link
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