Kieran Morgan asked Peng Shepherd:

I really like the sound of your debut novel, looking forward to embarking on my journey with The Book of M. My question is aimed at what influenced you to create this work, and if the story itself manifested in your mind from any personal experience(s)? I think the idea of someone slowly losing their memory/identity is profoundly tragic, and was wondering if there is any personal connection linked with the premise?

Peng Shepherd That's awesome! I really hope you enjoy the book. To answer your question, the linking of shadows and memory didn't come from any personal experience. It felt more like a process of exploration. First I stumbled upon the idea of shadows disappearing as I began creating the world, but I knew there had to be more to it than that -- it had to *cost* something to lose your shadow and be able to do magic. Shadows and memory are very different things, but they both also are very integral, permanent parts of a person. If you were to lose one or the other, would what was left still be you? That's the question that struck me, and the one I tried to follow as I wrote the story.

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