Interview with Kim Smejkal for Ink In The Blood

Ink in the Blood (Ink in The Blood #1)

by Kim Smejkal

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers

Release Date: February 11th 2020

Genre: Young Adult, LGBT, Fantasy

Synopsis:

A lush, dark YA fantasy debut that weaves together tattoo magic, faith, and eccentric theater in a world where lies are currency and ink is a weapon, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Kendare Blake.

Celia Sand and her best friend, Anya Burtoni, are inklings for the esteemed religion of Profeta. Using magic, they tattoo followers with beautiful images that represent the Divine’s will and guide the actions of the recipients. It’s considered a noble calling, but ten years into their servitude Celia and Anya know the truth: Profeta is built on lies, the tattooed orders strip away freedom, and the revered temple is actually a brutal, torturous prison.

Their opportunity to escape arrives with the Rabble Mob, a traveling theater troupe. Using their inkling abilities for performance instead of propaganda, Celia and Anya are content for the first time . . . until they realize who followed them. The Divine they never believed in is very real, very angry, and determined to use Celia, Anya, and the Rabble Mob’s now-infamous stage to spread her deceitful influence even further.

To protect their new family from the wrath of a malicious deity and the zealots who work in her name, Celia and Anya must unmask the biggest lie of all—Profeta itself.

Can you briefly describe INK IN THE BLOOD and its characters?

Thanks for having me! INK IN THE BLOOD is a YA dark fantasy that features fierce friendships, tattoo magic, found family, and lots of theatre. It was originally pitched as Grisha at the Moulin Rouge, which I still think is a great description! The story follows Celia and Anya, best friends who serve the religion of Profeta by tattooing divine messages onto the skin of believers. They yearn to escape their servitude, and are finally able to sneak away with the help of a traveling theatre troupe. Unfortunately, the deity they never believed in has other plans for them…

Who would you say is your favourite character from the story and why?

I have so many favorites! Celia is the most like me as a young adult, so it was difficult and wonderful to write her because it meant tapping into a lot of the insecurities and issues I once struggled with. Lupita was an absolute joy to write, because she’s so broken and yet still so strong. And, of course, I love the plague doctor. He was the character who changed the least during revisions: his riddles and strange, upside-down way of seeing the world came relatively easily to me, and I feel I know him the best.

How did the story occur to you? Did you find inspiration anywhere?

I’m usually a pantser—I write by the seat of my pants and don't truly know where the story is going until the characters show me the way—but Ink in the Blood was unique in that I had a very clear picture of the climax scene in my mind from the beginning. The elements of the story—tattoo magic, a malicious deity, and a traveling theatre troupe—seemed to flow organically as I wrote towards that ending. Although it still took many revision rounds to get to the final product, it was one of the easier books I’ve ever written because it felt like it was already there inside me and just needed to be let out. 

If you could choose one song to describe your book, which one would it be?

Picking just one song is so difficult, but I’ll go with Seven Devils by Florence + the Machine. Thematically, it’s quite perfect. :)

If your book was going to be made into a movie, who would play your characters?

I’m terrible at fancasting! Instead of choosing actors, here are some images from my pinterest board that I used for inspiration for a few of the main characters. They’re perfect!

(left to right are Celia, Anya, Vincent, and the plague doctor) 

What drink and place do you think will go with your book to have a perfect book date? 

What a great question. I’d have to say the perfect date would be an unhealthy dose of absinthe paired with a raucous broadway show! 

Can you recommend your readers any other books in case they are left hungry for more once they finish INK IN THE BLOOD? 

Of course! I love giving book recommendations. Recently, I’ve really enjoyed The Good Luck Girls by Charlotte Nicole Davis, Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan, The Waking Forest by Alyssa Wees, Enchantée by Gita Trelease, The Bones Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones, Belle Révolte by Linsey Miller, and Ghost Wood Song by Erica Waters (this last one isn't out for a few months, but it should definitely go on every tbr!)

And of course, the sequel to Ink in the Blood—CURSE OF THE DIVINE—is coming out in early 2021. ;) 

What would you say is the most difficult part of writing a book? 

Usually whichever part I’m in the middle of, haha. But seriously, I find that first real revision to be the most difficult part. My first drafts are pretty clean because I revise as I go, and by the time I get to the end, it’s usually as good as I can make it myself. Once I send it out to my agent, critique partners, and beta readers, I have to sit down and reconsider the story in light of their feedback. It’s not always a huge job, but there are always things that come up that I hadn't considered! 

What’s next for you?

CURSE OF THE DIVINE is the sequel to INK IN THE BLOOD, and it’s coming out in February 2021. CURSE has a little less blood but a lot more ink (!), and I’m excited to finish that one up and maaaaybe even see ARCs soon! 

Thanks so much for having me on your blog!

Kim Smejkal lives with her family on muse-satiating Vancouver Island, which means she’s often lost in the woods or wandering a beach. She writes dark fantasy for young adults and not-so-young adults, always with a touch of magic. Her debut novel, INK IN THE BLOOD, will release from HMH in early 2020, with a sequel to follow in 2021. She is represented by Daniel Lazar of Writers House.

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💠 G I V E A W A Y 💠 . . Happy Wednesday, Beautiful Bookish People! . . Do you have any tattoos? If yes, what do you have, where and level of hurt from 0 to 10? If not, would you have one and what? I have 3: A tiny ❤️ on my ankle (it hurt like a b***h), the #HarryPotter 🌟 from the books on my ribs and a Jane Austen book quote under them. . . Today I have a dark #YA fantasy novel. It is @kimsmejkal's debut novel, #InkInTheBlood and it is all you need this week to cure your book hunger. As described in the synopsis, this book has "tattoo magic, faith, and eccentric theater in a world where lies are currency and ink is a weapon". Honestly, don't miss Celia and Anya's story! . . To make it easier to all of you, we have partnered with @hmhteen and @kimsmejkal to give you the chance to win a copy of INK IN THE BLOOD and some temporary tattoos. . . Entries for the giveaway: ▪︎Follow @theffbc & @whatmakespatri ▪︎Follow @kimsmejkal ▪︎Follow @hmhteen ▪︎Comment - Answer my question above ⬆️ #qotd . . Extra entries: ▪︎Tag a friend (each friend will be an extra entry). ▪︎Share on your stories about the giveaway (remember to tag me @whatmakespatri and @theffbc) ▪︎Follow @michellesulk & @artsyreadergirl ▪︎Follow any other FFBC team member participating in the tour (let me know who did you follow): @onemused @l.m.durand @theelizaaguilar @books_over_everything @novelknight @acourtofcoffeeandbooksblog @a_bookish_dream @karlaamae @kagunderman @thereadingcornerforall @not.just.fiction @storyeyedreview @bookcrushin @book.lyst @the.magicalpages @_the_indian_girl @booking_belle @portraitofabook @sometimesleelynnreads @starlight.reads @popthebutterfly @foalsfictionandfiligree @jessicabeckett @colbywilkens @kal_ventures . . #inkintheblood #roaring20sdebut #hmhteen #kimsmejkal #bookstagram #booksatgrammer #photosinbetween #readreadread #ilovereading #cozyreads #winterreads #bookshimmy #booksbooksbooks #bookcommunity #bookgram #yabookstagram #ireadya #booksatgrammer #bibliophile #bookphotography #booknerd #booklover #bookgiveaway

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Interview with Elizabeth Lim for Spin the Dawn

Spin the Dawn (The Blood of Stars #1)

by Elizabeth Lim
Publisher: Knopf
Release Date: July 9th 2019

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Project Runway meets Mulan in this sweeping YA fantasy about a young girl who poses as a boy to compete for the role of imperial tailor and embarks on an impossible journey to sew three magic dresses, from the sun, the moon, and the stars.

Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia poses as a boy and takes his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she'll take that risk to achieve her dream and save her family from ruin. There's just one catch: Maia is one of twelve tailors vying for the job.

Backstabbing and lies run rampant as the tailors compete in challenges to prove their artistry and skill. Maia's task is further complicated when she draws the attention of the court magician, Edan, whose piercing eyes seem to see straight through her disguise.

And nothing could have prepared her for the final challenge: to sew three magic gowns for the emperor's reluctant bride-to-be, from the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of stars. With this impossible task before her, she embarks on a journey to the far reaches of the kingdom, seeking the sun, the moon, and the stars, and finding more than she ever could have imagined.

Steeped in Chinese culture, sizzling with forbidden romance, and shimmering with magic, this young adult fantasy is pitch-perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas or Renée Ahdieh.

Can you briefly describe SPIN THE DAWN and their main characters? 

To provide for her family, a young seamstress disguises herself as a boy to compete for the role of imperial tailor. Her task to sew the legendary dresses of the sun, moon, and stars lead her on an adventure of danger and romance along a reimagined Silk Road. 

Maia Tamarin is a talented seamstress who yearns to become an imperial tailor for the emperor, but doesn’t even get a chance to have her work considered because she’s a girl. She’s a go-getter, absolutely loyal to her family, and a realist despite her incredible talent. One reader described her as a “cinnamon roll slytherin,” which I absolutely love. 

Lady Sarnai is the daughter of an enemy warlord and is betrothed to Emperor Khanujin. She’s a fierce warrior who despises having to play princess at court. Don’t mess with her. 

Emperor Khanujin is the ruler of A’landi. Not much can be said about him without too many spoilers!  

Edan is the emperor’s lord enchanter. He gets bored easily and enjoys playing pranks on the emperor’s ministers. 

Who would you say is your favourite character from the story and why? 

I think I’m the most like Maia, the main character, but Lady Sarnai’s actually my favorite character. She’s so fierce and so…Slytherin—she’s ambitious like Maia but has similar struggles: she wants to be recognized for her battle prowess, but people look down on her because she’s a girl. I love how similar she and Maia are and yet how different. She’s really fun to write, and I hope readers will love her prickliness. 

How did the story occur to you? Did you find inspiration anywhere? 

I was inspired by the fairytales my father used to tell me as a child. SPIN THE DAWN draws influence from three in particular: the Chinese legend, The Cowherd and the Weaver, the French fairytale, Donkeyskin, and the Norwegian story, East of the Sun. I decided to write about a tailor in particular because of my grandmother, who spent many years working as a seamstress when she first moved to the United States. 

If you could choose one song to describe your book, which one would it be? 

Girl on Fire by Alicia Keys. 

Summer is here and we love to go out and enjoy the sun. What drink and place do you think will go with your book to have a perfect book date? 

A pot of freshly brewed oolong tea sipped in a garden (the Brooklyn Botanical Garden’s Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden and Staten Island’s Chinese Scholar’s Garden are two of my local faves). 

Can you recommend your readers any other books in case they are left hungry for more once they finish SPIN THE DAWN? 

Yes! I’d recommend The Reader by Traci Chee, Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan, Echo North by Joanna Ruth Meyer, and Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie Dao.

What’s next for you? 

I’m working on the sequel to Spin the Dawn!

Elizabeth Lim grew up on a hearty staple of fairy tales, myths, and songs. Her passion for storytelling began around age 10, when she started writing fanfics for Sailor Moon, Sweet Valley, and Star Wars, and posted them online to discover, "Wow, people actually read my stuff. And that's kinda cool!" But after one of her teachers told her she had "too much voice" in her essays, Elizabeth took a break from creative writing to focus on not flunking English. 

Over the years, Elizabeth became a film and video game composer, and even went so far as to get a doctorate in music composition. But she always missed writing, and turned to penning stories when she needed a breather from grad school. One day, she decided to write and finish a novel -- for kicks, at first, then things became serious -- and she hasn't looked back since. 

Elizabeth loves classic film scores, books with a good romance, food (she currently has a soft spot for arepas and Ethiopian food), the color turquoise, overcast skies, English muffins, cycling, and baking. She lives in New York City with her husband.

FFBC: Welcome to the club, Blood Red Snow White by Marcus Sedgwick

Blood Red Snow White
by Marcus Sedgwick
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Release Date: October 25th 2016
Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Russia, Fairy Tales

Synopsis:

It is 1917, and the world is tearing itself to pieces in a dreadful war, but far to the east of the trenches, another battle is breaking out - the Russian Revolution has just begun... 

Blood Red, Snow White captures the mood of this huge moment in history through the adventure of one man who was in the middle of it all; Arthur Ransome, a young British journalist who had first run away to Russia to collect fairy tales. 

Told as three linked novellas, part one captures the days of revolution but retells the story as Russian Fairy Tale, with typical humour and unashamed brutality. Part two is a spy story, set over the course of one evening, as Ransome faces up to his biggest challenge, and part three is a love story, full of tragedy and hope, as every good Russian love story should be.

Favorite Book? 

The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann

Favorite TV show? 

I don't watch TV.

Favorite movie? 

Too many to choose one, perhaps at the moment The Great Beauty.

Your Favorite Song? 

Too many to choose one again! I'll pick “Cotopaxi” by The Mars Volta.

Favorite Food? 

Roast chicken, accompanied by a bottle of Beaujolais.

Name 3 fictional places you would move to in a heartbeat. I presume you mean places found in fiction? 

Nantucket, Royale-les-Bains and Davos. If you mean genuinely fictional places - Gormenghast, Gormenghast and Gormenghast.

Favorite Quote? 

Oh, these questions are so tough! Just one?! Today I will pick “so we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” Sorry to be obvious.

If you could meet one author, dead or alive, who would it be? 

I'd like to go drinking with Dylan Thomas.

Something to say to our Book Addicts? 

Keep being addicted. It's scientifically proven that reading fiction makes you a better, kinder, more tolerant person. And better looking, too. (One of these may not actually be true).

How did you come up with the story of Blood Red Snow White? 

It's a true story so I didn't have to come up with it, I just had to work out how best to tell it. It's harder than it may seem to tell a true story.

Did you find inspiration in any other story/movie/show and how has this affected your writing? 

In this case, it was the book of Russian fairy tales that Arthur Ransome, the hero of the book, wrote in real life. 

Tell us your favorite quote from Blood Red Snow White. 

"No one's going to shoot a man smoking a pipe."

Is there a specific scene that you had the most fun to write? 

Lots of them, but mostly the opening scenes in which I recast the Russian revolution in the form of a fairy tale.

If you had to pick one song to be the Theme Song for Blood Red Snow White –which one would you pick? 

It would be the title track of the soundtrack to "From Russian with Love" - the second Bond movie.

Is there any recommendations you could give your readers to be in the “perfect mood” to read Blood Red Snow White (specific music, snacks…)?

Google some images of the Russian Revolution - St Petersburg in 1917. Read Arthur Ransome's book of stories: "Old Peter's Russian Tales", and drink some vodka…

Follow the Blood Red Snow White Blog Tour and don't miss anything! Click on the banner to see the tour schedule.

Marcus Sedgwick was born in Kent, England. Marcus is a British author and illustrator as well as a musician. He is the author of several books, including Witch Hill and The Book of Dead Days, both of which were nominated for the Edgar Allan Poe Award. The most recent of these nominations rekindled a fascination with Poe that has borne fruit here in (in The Restless Dead, 2007) the form of "The Heart of Another" - inspired by Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart." Of his story, Sedgwick says, "This was one of those stories that I thought might be a novel originally but actually was much better suited to the tight form of the short story. I had the initial idea some years ago but was just waiting for the right ingredient to come along. Poe's story, as well as his own fascination with technique, provided that final piece of the puzzle."

He used to play for two bands namely playing the drums for Garrett and as the guitarist in an ABBA tribute group. He has published novels such as Floodland (winner of the Branford Boase Award in 2001) and The Dark Horse (shortlisted for The Guardian Children's Book Award 2002).

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