Interview with Breeana Shields for The Bone Charmer

The Bone Charmer

by Breeana Shields
Publisher: Page Street Kids
Release Date: May 21st 2019
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Synopsis:

In Saskia’s world, bones are the source of all power. They tell the future, reveal the past, and expose secrets in the present. Each village has a designated seer who performs readings for the townsfolk, and in Midwood, the Bone Charmer is Saskia’s mother.

On the day of her kenning—a special bone reading that determines the apprenticeships of all seventeen-year-olds—Saskia’s worst fears come true. She receives an assignment to train as a Bone Charmer, like her mother, and even worse, a match-making reading that pairs her with Bram—a boy who has suspicious tattoos that hint of violence.

Saskia knows her mother saw multiple paths for her, yet chose one she knew Saskia wouldn’t want. Their argument leads to a fracture in one of the bones. Broken bones are always bad luck, but this particular set of bones have been infused with extra magic, and so the break has devastating consequences—Saskia’s future has split as well. Now she will live her two potential paths simultaneously. Only one future can survive. And Saskia’s life is in danger in both.

Can you briefly describe what’s happening in THE BONE CHARMER and their main characters?

Sure! The Bone Charmer takes place in a world where bones are the source of all magic--they tell the future, reveal the past, and expose secrets in the present. The story follows a girl named Saskia, and on the day of her kenning—a special bone reading that determines apprenticeships—her worst fears come true. She receives an assignment to train as a Bone Charmer, like her mother, and even worse, a match-making reading that pairs her with Bram—a boy who has suspicious tattoos that hint of a dark past.

Saskia knows her mother saw multiple paths for her, yet chose one she knew Saskia wouldn’t want. Their argument leads to a fracture in one of the bones, and the break has devastating consequences—Saskia’s future has split as well. Now she will live her two potential paths simultaneously. Only one future can survive. And Saskia’s life is in danger in both.

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

Definitely Saskia, if only because I spent the most time with her. Also, after writing her story two different ways—in two alternate timelines—I feel like I know her better than any other character I’ve written.

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

I find inspiration all around me—in snatches of overheard conversations, museum exhibits, documentaries, movies, and news articles. But usually it’s the combination of multiple different ideas that makes something finally begin to gel, and that’s what happened with The Bone Charmer. Several elements of the story had been rattling around my brain as separate ideas for years, but it wasn’t until they finally collided that I knew I had something I could fall in love with.

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

Another Life by Ingrid Michaelson (And stay tuned later in the blog tour for the entire Bone Charmer playlist!)

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

How about these Dug Up Pretzel Bones? 

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

If readers are looking for another dark and twisty read with strong female characters, I highly recommend Kendare Blake’s Three Dark Crowns series. On the other hand, if readers are in the mood for a lighter, more humorous love story involving themes of fate and free will, I recommend Lovestruck—a totally charming new release from Kate Watson. 

What’s next for you?

I’m hard at work on edits for the sequel to THE BONE CHARMER, and then I plan to start something brand new.

Breeana Shields is an author of fantasy novels for teens including THE BONE CHARMER, POISON'S KISS, and POISON'S CAGE. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a BA in English.

When she’s not writing, Breeana loves reading, traveling, and playing board games with her extremely competitive family. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, her three children, and two adorable, but spoiled dogs.

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