Interview with S.D. Donovan, Author of Crimson Regret
I crossed paths with Shane on social media. He is an author and all-around good guy to have on your timeline. Shane has several pieces available. Four novel length and a short.
After reading Crimson Regret I was moved and needed time to unpack what it did to my head and heart. Crimson Regret is a YA Occult Horror/Fiction novel that takes on the major league issues of depression, domestic abuse, bullying, self-harm & suicide.
The unpacking I needed to do was focused on the taking of enjoyment from a tale that tackles these important real-world struggles so many of us experience in one way or another.
A review didn’t feel adequate. I reached out to Shane to see if he was open to an interview so we could get to know him and his work. Fortunately, Shane agreed,
Before we get to ‘Crimson Regret’ let’s get to know Shane a bit better.
How old were you when you penned your first tale and what was it about?
Trick question! I “wrote” the Starcraft 1 story line on paper when I was maybe 10 or 11, so about 1997-1998 or so, both at home and in my dad’s car. But if we get to actual writing, it would have been when I was 13 or 14 and that was poetry. My first actual story (at least, to completion) would have been in 2014!
At what age did you catch the reading bug and are there any authors responsible for initially capturing your attention and imagination?
I always read books when I was younger, especially Ghosts of Fear Street by R.L. Stine, but what really captivated me was when I read the Dark Elf Trilogy by R.A. Salvatore. I’ve loved Fantasy ever since!
Simple question that may not be easy to answer: Why do you write?
Not too difficult of an answer, actually. I write because I enjoy it, I like telling stories even if not a lot of people read them (Though I’d love to change that!). I also want to leave my kids with something to remember me by, so how better than a ton of stories? 😊
For reading enjoyment, who are you top authors and why?
Honestly, I don’t know if I can name three “top” authors. I read a lot of different things, but one is for sure Robert Jordan and Wheel of Time. An absolute masterpiece in every way, even the three books finished by Sanderson who I also like. I hope one day to be able to write something like that, but…. That is a step above me!
I also really like Terry Goodkind and the Sword of Truth series. That was the first epic fantasy series that I read and while it became pretty predictable, I still loved seeing the story be pushed ahead.
For writing influences, are there any authors that inspire your efforts at the written word?
I’m not sure anyone really influences my writing. I certainly do not write like Robert Jordon or Terry Goodkind, though one day I hope I can. My earlier work was heavily inspired by R.A. Salvatore, especially the fighting scenes, but I’ve gone away from that with my recent Fantasy novels, trying more to build a bigger world with more of a focus on the bigger picture of a war if there is one rather than one on one showdowns.
Outside of authors, do you have other significant influences? People/life experiences?
It has absolutely nothing to do with writing, but I’ve always been a huge fan of Eminem.
What has inspired you to write YA?
I’m not really sure. I never wrote YA before, but I felt like giving it a try and found it worked really well for Crimson Regret (And a few other projects I have worked on 😉). And for the story that I wanted to tell, it felt a lot better the novel being a YA novel than anything else.
At sixteen years old, Amy Kennedy's life is far from perfect. An abusive, alcoholic mother. Relentless bullies at school. Only the inner demon understands her pain.
The demon encourages her to seek solace in the blade; to bleed the pain away.
What Amy doesn't know is that she isn't alone in her suffering.
And the demon is real.
Crimson Regret was released in 2023 during the official month of self-harm awareness, March. Star ratings on GoodReads and Amazon are at 4.7 as this is written. Peeking through the reviews finds very high praise for the story and Shane.
Crimson Regret successfully takes on very real themes. What can you share about the inspiration for the plot and characters?
Crimson Regret is a novel I’ve been wanting to write since I was a teenager, but I never had the willpower to write it.
Everything the novel deals with (Depression, anxiety, self-harm, suicide) are unfortunately all things I have a close relationship with since a teenager. I still deal with severe depression, though I’ve pushed anxiety to the side and don’t let it control me. I used to self-harm as a teenager but I found the strength to stop at 17 years old and so held the urge at bay for 20 years now.
I must be doing something right!
So, if someone reads Crimson Regret, they’ll get me in a novel. Anyone who’s been through this will understand every word I wrote, while those who haven’t will have trouble understanding some parts of the novel. I think since the novel was so personal to me, it came out as the best thing I’ve ever written and I am extremely proud of this book.
The town of Englewood is well crafted with a rich history dating back to at least 1645 in the novel. What went into the creation of Englewood, was it inspired by a place in the real world?
Funny enough, it’s not inspired by a real place! I wanted to make sure I kept the “Real world” out of the novel, not really sure why. I just started writing, came up with the name Englewood, and rolled with it!
Reading Crimson Regret was a thought provoking and heart wrenching experience for me. While writing CR, what, if any, challenges did you experience telling Amy’s story?
I met no challenges writing this book. It was the easiest novel I ever wrote to be honest with you. It took about a month to write the first draft, and by draft 10 I was ready to release the novel. (It’s since gotten an update to fix any typos that were brought to my attention! I can’t afford an editor… oops!)
What were the best and worst parts about writing CR?
The best part was finally writing the story I’ve always wanted to tell! The worst would be the reminder of self-harm, and something that surprised me was the urge to do it again while writing. I didn’t, don’t worry! The emotions in the novel were just so raw, so real, that it flowed into real life as if I was in the book. Which I guess I kind of was.
Are any of the characters particularly important to you? Who did you enjoy writing the most? Least?
There’s no one I didn’t like writing. As for who I enjoyed writing the most, that would be both Amy and Chloe. It was important for me to show a different dynamic with Chloe to really stress that depression can hit anyone – you don’t need to come from a broken home to be struck by it.
Staying spoiler free, did you consider alternate endings? (I wasn’t prepared for how it ended, at all.)
Funny story! I always knew the way the novel wanted to end, though getting there was the part I wasn’t sure about. I considered, briefly, something different but it wouldn’t fit the theme and mood of the book. I find the ending I wrote, while quite unexpected, is exactly how it had to end for my characters.
What would you like to share about Crimson Regret?
I’m not sure what I can add except what I’ve already said. Can I use this to plug my novel and say everyone should buy it? 😊 Oh, I can say, I plan some short stories in the Crimson Regret world to continue the story and give backstory to the novel itself!
Before we move on from ‘Crimson Regret’ with Shane’s permission I am including his opening from ‘Crimson Regret’ Self-Care for Reader:
“Self-Care for Readers Reading about a difficult moment in a character’s life is not easy, especially if some of it is relatable. If you feel overwhelmed, put the novel down and go do something else. Go for a walk, play a video game, talk to a friend. Give yourself time to return to your normal self before returning to the book, or even returning to your responsibilities.
Always have someone on standby that you trust. Some scenes in this novel are difficult to read, especially if you relate to it. Having a friend who you can call on for support or encouragement is always a good thing. If you need, you can have that person check on you periodically, even when you are not reading this novel or others like it, via text, email, or social media.
Enjoy Crimson Regret for what it is, a journey through the mind of Amy Kennedy as she faces the reality that is depression, self-harm, and suicidal ideations. We must remove the stigma around depression, and worst, suicide.
No one wants to die.
They only want the pain to end.
If you feel in danger, or need to speak to someone right away, please visit the following website for resources on how to get help no matter what country you are from.”
-S.D. Donovan
You have four novels and a short available with three projects at various stages of WIP. Am I missing anything?
Not missing anything! Though I try not to advertise my Fantasy novels since they were written when I was learning to write, and though they have good reviews, and I do like the story, I cringe when I read them. I just don’t have the will to pull them so I plan an entire re-write of the trilogy before advertising them again!
Before we get into your current released works, what are you willing to share about your WIPs?
Whispers at the Crypt
Star-Crossed Lovers
Treasure Hunter (Novella Sci-Fi Series, YA)
Whispers at the Crypt is at draft 3, though it needs serious work before I can consider releasing it, while Star-Crossed Lovers was a disaster that will never hit the bookshelves!
I really enjoyed the Treasure Hunter novella, but people who read it did not really like it at all. It will need a re-work before I can fit it to the public, just like Whispers at the Crypt 😊.
I also have quite a few projects on the go that aren’t on my website (I should update that, eh?) but with the little time I have to spare, it’s very difficult to make much progress on them!
"Long days I spend wandering the halls of my mind. A respite from the shame, the agony of the find. But silence, friend. I hear the footsteps. He comes again."
Venture into the mind of Leonard Ross as he fights the onset of insanity at the devil's hand.
Dear Readers, there is absolutely no excuse not to read Derelict Mind. This short is a quick read with prose burgeoning on downright poetic. It put me in mind of Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart.”
Shane, one question for Derelict Mind, where did this one come from?
I just felt like writing in the mind of someone who’s gone insane and try my hand at a different style than I’ve ever written. The short was written in a day, which the length can show, and ready for publication not too long after a few edits and feedback from beta readers. I plan on writing more shorts like this. They’re quick and enjoyable!
Do you have plans for fantasy in future works?
Absolutely! I have a few fantasy novels in the works right now, some I’ve even finished the first drafts. Fantasy is my passion and the genre I’m most familiar with. There WILL be more fantasy novels to come!
You call out gaming in your bio. What are you into? Formats, favorites.
I don’t have the time to game anymore! Not true, I play about 30 minutes of Starcraft 1 or 2 every few days… I just love RTS games and I’m pretty excited to try Stormgate that’s coming out later this month. I love ARPGs, ever since I played Diablo 1 back in the 90s! Something about leveling a character, gearing them, killing a thousand demons… I love it.
Last read, current read, next read?
No current read – I will be picking one tonight, actually! As for my last one, I tried reading book 1 of the Malazan series but I couldn’t bring myself to get past about 26% of the novel. It was just not for me which I’m disappointed about.
Shane Donovan is a Canadian author born in Ottawa, Ontario. He grew up with a love for Fantasy and Science fiction, publishing his first novel in 2015. His hobbies include gaming, reading, and of course, writing! When not working on a new project, Shane can be found spending time with his family.
