Interview with Hannah West for Palace of Silver

Palace of Silver (The Nissera Chronicles #3)

by Hannah West
Publisher: Holiday House
Release Date: April 28th 2020

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Retellings

Synopsis:

Return to the land of Nissera, home to spectacular magic. An uneasy peace reigns now that Valory has vanquished the Moth King and settled into her rightful place as queen of Calgoran. New leaders Glisette and Kadri hope to usher the neighboring kingdoms into an era of healing and prosperity. All should be well.

But there’s a fourth queen in charge: Ambrosine, banished overseas to Perispos. Driven by vanity, she vows to become the most powerful and beautiful ruler in the world, even if it means oppressing the mortal kingdom she is meant to protect. Meanwhile a dangerous uprising led by elicromancer-hating rebels gains momentum. Rot spreads through the Forest of the West Fringe. Valory goes missing. Facing enemies on all sides, Glisette and Kadri must reckon with the role of magic. How far will they go to defend their power—and can they build an uprising of their own?

West intertwines homages to Snow White and Bluebeard with her imaginative magical setting for an exhilarating installment in the acclaimed Nissera Chronicles. Stunning hardcover edition includes a two-page map and family tree.

Can you briefly describe THE NISSERA CHRONICLES, its characters and what’s going to happen in PALACE OF SILVER?

The Nissera Chronicles is an epic fantasy/fairytale retelling series about immortal beings called elicromancers. Kingdom of Ash and Briars is a standalone prequel that is a retelling of both Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty and is told from the perspective of the fairy godmother, a shape-shifting elicromancer named Bristal. Realm of Ruins follows her descendant Valory, who must try to master her unruly and destructive power, and it pays homage to Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid. 

Lastly, Palace of SIlver is told in alternating points-of-view by Glisette and Kadri, two side characters from Realm of Ruins. They have to face off against Glisette’s vain and cruel sister Ambrosine, who possesses mirror magic and uses it to unite with an ancient, dark demon and oppress the mortals of her kingdom. Meanwhile, a group of elicromancer-hating rebels is gaining power. Contending with these threats from both sides, Glisette and Kadri have to reckon with the role of magic in their society and whether they deserve the right to rule. This installment pays homage to Snow White and Bluebeard. 

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

I love Glisette and Kadri equally and will protect them at all costs, but Glisette is one of the easiest characters I’ve ever written. In Realm of Ruins, she stormed onto the page and took me by surprise with her wit and imperious attitude and secret softness. I feel like she already existed and I’m just her documentarian rather than her creator. 

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

Since this is the third book in a fairytale retelling series, the inspiration was based on a) what classic fairytales I hadn’t yet paid homage to in the first two books and b) which characters’ stories still needed to be told. Both Glisette and Kadri had layers and struggles and hopes that I wanted to explore, and once I positioned them as the main characters the plot came fairly naturally. Ambrosine, too, was a character who had unfinished business, and centering her as the villain to me was the most intriguing part. The Ambrosine POVs that I scattered throughout the book were some of my favorite parts to write. 

If you could choose one song to describe each book in the series, which one would it be?

Kingdom of Ash and Briars: Glass by Bat for Lashes

Realm of Ruins: Castle by Halsey

Palace of Silver: Live Like Legends by Ruelle 

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

I don’t want to give too much away since one of the upcoming posts in the tour is about my dream cast, but Kathryn Newton is my pick for Glisette. Ayisha Hart is my pick for Kadri even though she’s a little old to play a teenager. I’d probably leave her up to the casting director! 

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

A floral tea like lavender or jasmine would be perfect, enjoyed inside a cozy cabin during a snowstorm. 

Can you recommend your readers any other books in case they are left hungry for more once they finish PALACE OF SILVER?

I emphatically recommend The Empirium Trilogy by Claire Legrand and the Ravenspire series by C.J. Redwine!

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

The sloggy 25% mark. When I’m writing the opening of a book, my ideas are fresh and I’m excited by all the possibilities. But when that newness wears off and it’s time to really plunge into the story and make hard choices about the direction of the plot, I tend to lose steam. Even when I have a detailed outline, somehow I still encounter a roadblock and have to take time off to let my ideas stew.

What’s next for you?

I have a Southern gothic/contemporary fantasy called The Bitterwine Oath releasing on December 1. It’s set in a small Texas town where cult murders occur every fifty years in a church sanctuary. Suspects have been tried and acquitted due to lack of evidence, though rumors still abound. The story follows Natalie Colter, an 18-year-old girl whose ancestor is believed to have been the leader of the all-female cult. As the next massacre anniversary approaches, Nat begins to unravel her family history and learns that the women of the cult possess magic – and that they’re using it to protect the town from something even darker lurking in the woods.

This is definitely a departure from the Nissera series, and I’m excited to release something in a different genre and see what my readers think! There’s still magic and young women learning to embrace their powers, so I believe anyone who has enjoyed The Nissera Chronicles will enjoy The Bitterwine Oath, too.

I'm the author of young adult books including The Nissera Chronicles series and The Bitterwine Oath. ​I've been writing fantasy since kindergarten, when I penned my first tale about a princess who ran away and lived at the top of a flagpole with two loaves of bread. But it wasn't until I studied abroad in Orléans, France during college that the premise for my first novel materialized. The fairy tale castles, the snowy winter days, and a Disney princess pencil that arrived in a care package from my parents provided the inspiration that allowed me to wrangle all my untold and unfinished stories into a novel. 

I currently live in the Dallas area with my husband and our two rambunctious rescue dogs.

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Interview with Jacqueline West for Last Things

Last Things

by Jacqueline West
Publisher: Greenwillow
Release Date: May 7th 2019
Genre: Young adult, Fantasy

Synopsis:

When strange things start happening to local music idol Anders Thorson, everyone blames his number-one-fan, Thea. But is she out to hurt him? Or protect him?

High school senior Anders Thorson is unusually gifted. His band, Last Things, is legendary in their northern Minnesota hometown. With guitar skills that would amaze even if he weren’t only eighteen, Anders is the focus of head-turning admiration. And Thea Malcom, a newcomer to the insular town, is one of his admirers. Thea seems to turn up everywhere Anders goes: gigs at the local coffeehouse, guitar lessons, even in the woods near Anders’s home. When strange things start happening to Anders—including the disappearance of his beloved cat, then his sort-of girlfriend, and, somehow, his musical talent—blame immediately falls on Thea. But is she trying to hurt him? Or save him? Can he trust a girl who doesn’t seem to know the difference between dreams and reality? And how much are they both willing to compromise to get what they want?

Can you briefly describe Last Things and their main characters?

In a teeny tiny nutshell, Last Things is my modern-day, Minnesotan, metal reimagining of the legend of the guitarist who might have sold his soul to the devil. 

The main characters are Anders Thorson—high school senior, guitar prodigy, and self-deprecating, sensitive, secret-haunted kid—and Thea Malcolm. Thea is a new to Anders’s small northern Minnesota town, and like everyone else in the area, she’s a fan of Anders’s band, Last Things. In fact, she might be more of a stalker than a fan. She appears everywhere Anders goes: band practice, guitar lessons, the woods outside his bedroom window. 

Like Anders, Thea is keeping secrets. And hers might be even more dangerous. 

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

Gah, I have to pick just one?! 

Honestly, I adore them all. I wish I could hang out in Patrick’s garage and listen to Anders and Jezz and Patrick rehearse for the next Last Things show. I wish I could get a cappuccino at the Crow’s Nest and eavesdrop on Ike and Janos and Thea.

Getting to step inside of both Anders and Thea, to get to know them deeply and to use their voices, was one of my favorite things about writing this book. It was so freeing and so much fun. If other people love them half as much as I do, I’ll be happy. 

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

Elements of this book seemed to come to me in big chunks—often while I was driving. I heard Thea’s voice for the first time, and I realized exactly how the book was going to begin, while zooming down a rural road in western Wisconsin. Sometimes entire songs would strike me that way; the chorus and verses to “Superhero”—one of Last Things’ big hits—came to me all at once, while I was on my way to a long-distance school visit. It was exciting and weird and more than a little distracting. (Sorry, fellow drivers.) 

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

I suppose it would have to be one of the many songs in the book! “Devil’s Due” and “Falling Star” are both very tied to the plot and themes. 

If I were picking a song from outside the book, I’d probably go with “Right Where It Belongs” by Nine Inch Nails. 

Since it is still cold outside, what hot drink do you think will go with your book to have a perfect book date?

This is SUCH a coffee book. It would have to be a cappuccino—ideally made by Janos at the Crow’s Nest, with rich espresso and a little leaf drawn in the foam on top. 

Can you recommend your readers any other books in case they are left hungry for more once they finish Last Things?

Maggie Stiefvater! I love The Scorpio Races most of all, but Shiver even has that Minnesota/music connection. April Genevieve Tucholke also writes great, eerie, twisty novels where you’re not sure who you can believe, like Wink Poppy Midnight and The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea. 

What’s next for you?

A Storm of Wishes, the sequel to my 2018 middle-grade fantasy The Collectors, will be released in October 2019. And then I get to work on some new projects! I’m currently making my way through another creepy YA (tentatively titled Black Point) and embarking on another middle-grade mystery/dark fantasy set mostly in an odd library.

Jacqueline West is the author of the NYT-bestselling middle grade series The Books of Elsewhere, the YA novel Dreamers Often Lie, and the new middle grade fantasy The Collectors.

She is also the author of two poetry collections, Cherma and Candle and Pins: Poems on Superstitions, and her poetry and short fiction appear in a variety of publications.

She lives in Red Wing, Minnesota, with her family.

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Interview with Joanna Hathaway

Dark of the West (Glass Alliance #1)

by Joanna Hathaway
Publisher: Tor Teen
Release Date: February 5th 2019
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis:

He was raised in revolution. She was raised in a palace. Can their love stop a war? Code Name Verity meets The Winner's Cursein Joanna Hathaway's Dark of the West, a breathtaking YA fantasy debut.

Aurelia Isendare is a princess of a small kingdom in the North, raised in privilege but shielded from politics as her brother prepares to step up to the throne. Halfway around the world, Athan Dakar, the youngest son of a ruthless general, is a fighter pilot longing for a life away from the front lines. When Athan’s mother is shot and killed, his father is convinced it’s the work of his old rival, the Queen of Etania—Aurelia’s mother. Determined to avenge his wife’s murder, he devises a plot to overthrow the Queen, a plot which sends Athan undercover to Etania to gain intel from her children.

Athan’s mission becomes complicated when he finds himself falling for the girl he’s been tasked with spying upon. Aurelia feels the same attraction, all the while desperately seeking to stop the war threatening to break between the Southern territory and the old Northern kingdoms that control it—a war in which Athan’s father is determined to play a role. As diplomatic ties manage to just barely hold, the two teens struggle to remain loyal to their families and each other as they learn that war is not as black and white as they’ve been raised to believe.

Can you briefly describe the world in Dark of the West and their main characters?

Sure! Dark of the West takes place in a fantasy world that feels a lot like ours, specifically during the time of the world wars. The geopolitics parallel the build-up of the First World War, while the technology and battle campaigns are inspired by the Second World War. In the midst of these shifting politics and rising tensions, we have two young people — Athan, a fighter pilot, and Aurelia, a princess— from families on opposite sides of the brewing conflict, and their meeting sparks newfound love along with a lot of tough questions about loyalty to family, nation, and self.

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

Oh, that’s a tough one! I suppose I’d say a certain best friend with a heart of gold. If you read the book, you’ll know who I’m talking about. He tends to win a lot of fans, and many readers beg me to confirm if he gets a good fate at the end of the series. I adore him, too! But I can’t make promises about any of the characters in this book… War plays no favourites.

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

Most of this story was inspired by a youth spent devouring history books. That’s all I read—the stories of real people from around the world, confronting and enduring incredible events, their bravery making them my personal heroes. I was fascinated by both the will to survive and also the flame of hope that kept burning even in the most horrific circumstances. Thus, when I sat down to write the story that would become Dark of the West, it was important to me that this book contained a diverse and complicated world that reflected our own (while never being an exact mirror), as seen through the eyes of two idealistic young narrators who are fighting for good even when the odds are against them.

What’s your favourite quote from the book?

There’s an expression that comes up a few times — “Eyes on the horizon”—and I love the many layers to it. In some ways, it can be seen as a bit escapist, since if you’re only looking ahead, you’re not focused on what’s right in front of you. And we need to be present and passionate in our lives, working through the tough stuff. That’s a lesson Athan has to learn (as I have). But, it’s also a good reminder that when things seem overwhelming and too big, you can’t allow yourself to get completely mired in the moment. There is something worth working towards, worth fighting for, and we’ll get there. Don’t lose sight of the good.

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

Hmm! I usually have playlists for various sections while I’m drafting, which is often more about the tone of the song than the actual words. They get me into the “feel” of the scene. But recently I discovered Here with Me by Susie Suh and wow, I think it’s utterly perfect for the Glass Alliance series. Such a beautiful song!

If the book was a movie/TV show, who would you imagine representing your characters?

I have to be honest — I still don’t have an answer for this popular question. But I did watch the Free Rein Christmas special over the holidays (I needed something fun and happy to curl up with!) and Manpreet Bambra reminded me of Aurelia, especially since she was riding horses. 

Since it is still cold outside, what hot drink do you think will go with your book to have a perfect book date?

Oh, I think you should pick whatever suits your tastes! I’m a big tea drinker and so is Aurelia. But Athan would definitely go for a strong coffee.

Can you recommend your readers any other books in case they are left hungry for more once they finish Dark of the West?

Definitely! If you haven’t read The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski, you’ll want to try that. I actually hadn’t read it until after I finished Dark of the West, and early readers were saying “Have you read this series? Because you need to!” — and they were right. It’s a great low fantasy filled with politics and romance. For historical YA, I recommend Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein and Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys. Branching out to general historical fiction, I love Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa and Girl at War by Sara Novic. I think stories are such a great way to learn more about the world around us (especially ones written by women). 

What’s next for you?

Currently, I’m hard at work polishing off the sequel. I’m very excited for readers who enjoyed Dark of the West to pick it up next year! Things get ever more complicated and romantic. I’ve found it a super compelling process, expanding the personal journeys for both Athan and Aurelia, getting them closer to who they are in the prologue, and I hope everyone else will feel the same.

Joanna was born in Montréal and is an avid storyteller who was inspired to write after reading her great-grandfather’s memoirs of the First World War. A lifelong history buff, she now has shelves filled with biographies and historical accounts, and perhaps one too many books about pilots. She can often be found reading, traveling, or riding horses.

Her debut novel, DARK OF THE WEST (Tor Teen, February 5th, 2019), is the first in a WWII-infused fantasy series of forbidden love and deadly revenge.

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