Interview with Rebecca Ross for Sisters of Sword & Song

Sisters of Sword and Song

by Rebecca Ross
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: June 23rd 2020
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Synopsis:

From the author of The Queen’s Rising comes a thrilling YA stand-alone fantasy about the unbreakable bond between sisters. Perfect for fans of Ember in the Ashes, Sky in the Deep, and Court of Fives.

After eight long years, Evadne will finally be reunited with her older sister, Halcyon, who has been proudly serving in the queen’s army. But when Halcyon appears earlier than expected, Eva knows something has gone terribly wrong. Halcyon is on the run, hunted by her commander and charged with murder.

Though Halcyon’s life is spared during her trial, the punishment is heavy. And when Eva volunteers to serve part of Halcyon’s sentence, she’s determined to find out exactly what happened. But as Eva begins her sentence, she quickly learns that there are fates much worse than death.

Can you briefly describe SISTERS OF SWORD AND SONG and its characters?

Sisters of Sword & Song is about two sisters—Evadne, a scribe, and Halcyon, an esteemed warrior in the Bronze Legion. When Halcyon unexpectedly returns home one night, now a criminal and on the run from her Commander, Evadne knows her sister is in trouble. And Evadne, who has always felt underestimated and overlooked, decides to take half of Halcyon’s punishment. But as both sisters serve the sentence, secrets begin to come to light, and Evadne learns that her sister was involved in a dangerous mission. And what Halcyon began, Evadne must now complete, even as she faces a sinister magic that threatens to unravel her world.

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

Ah, this is so hard to answer! I truly love them all, but I think I have quite a soft spot for Evadne. :) There are moments in her personal journey that resonate the most with me.

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

I had two different story ideas. One idea was about a mage and a scribe. The other was an idea for a sister story, where one sister commits a crime and the other rises to help carry her punishment. Both story ideas were intriguing to me, but every time I attempted to write them separately, they fizzled out. It wasn’t until I brought the two together that I found a spark and the story caught fire.

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

I love the song “Rejoice and Lament” by Josh Garrels. I love how this song unfolds like poetry, and there’s an illusion to Icarus. These lyrics, in particular, are some of my favorite: “I said Father the feathers of my wax wings / Fall away by the rising of the sun / And I have descended when I was undone / And I will ascend when your Spirit comes.”

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

I honestly would love to see up and coming actors portray my characters. Every now and then, I might come across an actor or actress who I feel like would be amazing in bringing my characters to life, but most of the time I don’t cast them. 

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

A glass of wine on the Greek coast!

Can you recommend your readers any other books in case they are left hungry for more once they finish SISTERS OF SWORD AND SONG?

I would love to recommend my other two books, which are part of a duology and are available to read now: The Queen’s Rising and The Queen’s Resistance. Readers can expect another adventure, strong ties of sisterhood, vast worldbuilding, a hint of magic and a slow burning romance in these books.

I also would love to recommend The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKillip, which reads like a myth unfolding and is one of my favorite novels. 

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

Reaching the end! I write by the seat of my pants, which means I write linearly and discover so much of the plot as I go. It can feel a bit like driving at night and only being able to see what the headlights reveal. And it can be difficult to keep going, especially when another shiny story idea emerges, or the magic of the current idea begins to dim. But whenever I reach that final scene and type the last words…I always feel such an intense moment of relief and accomplishment, even if I know the draft is a mess and will require intense revisions.

What’s next for you?

I have more projects in the works! They haven’t been announced yet (although I believe it will be imminent), so I’ll be sharing more details about these projects very soon on my social media. Thank you so much for having me for an interview!

Rebecca Ross grew up in Georgia, where she continues to reside with her husband, lively dog and endless piles of books. She received her bachelor's degree in English from UGA. In the past she has worked at a Colorado dude ranch, as a school librarian, and as a live-time captionist for a college.

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Interview with Rebecca Schaeffer for Only Ashes Remain

Only Ashes Remain (Market of Monsters #2)

by Rebecca Schaeffer
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Release Date: September 3rd 2019

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal

Synopsis:

After escaping her kidnappers and destroying the black market where she was held captive, all Nita wants is to find a way to live her life without looking over her shoulder. But with a video of her ability to self-heal all over the dark web, Nita knows she’s still a prime target on the black market.

There’s only one way to keep herself safe.

Nita must make herself so feared that no one would ever dare come after her again. And the best way to start building her reputation? Take her revenge on Fabricio, the boy who sold Nita to her kidnappers. But killing Fabricio is harder than Nita thought it would be, even with Kovit by her side. Now caught in a game of kill or be killed, Nita will do whatever it takes to win.

Can you briefly describe ONLY ASHES REMAIN and the characters? 

Not Even Bones was about Nita, a girl who dissected monsters and sold their body parts on the internet, until she ways betrayed. Only Ashes Remain continues that story, and it focuses on Nita trying to get vengeance on the person who betrayed her. 

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

Ooof, this is a hard one. I love all my characters, and my favourite changes depending on my mood. I really do love Nita, the main character, for all her flaws and mistakes and viciousness, I love that she never gives up, that she’s proactive instead of reactive, and that she’ll do whatever it takes to win. I love Kovit just as much, because I just adore the fact that he’s evil, he knows it, and he enjoys it. Sure, he has issues and his life isn’t great, but he’s not broody about the crimes he commits or the monstrous things he takes joy in. He’s a villain, and he embraces it. 

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

People always ask me where I get my inspiration, and honestly, it’s just everywhere. I can’t really pinpoint one thing that gives me my ideas, it’s usually an amalgamation of things that combine in interesting ways in my head. 

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

This is a hard question! I don’t really make playlists, but I suppose since Nita listens to Disney music while she dissects, I’d have to say this book is summed up best by Scar’s Be Prepared song from The Lion King. 

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

I… have no idea. I can’t think of any actors who really even visually look like my characters. I have some character reference photos, but none of them are really anyone famous, just pictures I found on the web through googling a lot of very specific features XD 

Winter is coming and we love to find cozy places to read. What drink and place do you think will go with your book to have a perfect book date? 

Oh, good question. I think it’d be fun to take the book to the Sedlec Ossuary near Prague. It’s a giant church, and all the decorations are made of human bones. Skull chandeliers, a coat of arms made out of actual arm bones. I think I’d chill there, surrounded by the artistically arrayed dead, and drink something spicy and a little sweet and totally inappropriate for a church, like spiked chilli hot chocolate. 

Can you recommend your readers any other books in case they are left hungry for more once they finish ONLY ASHES REMAIN? 

Ohhh, book recommendations, I can always do that! If they liked Only Ashes Remain I’d definitely recommend they check out Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black, Jade City by Fonda Lee, and Cracked by Eliza Crewe. 

What’s next for you? 

The third and final book in the Market of Monsters series! I’m just finishing up edits, and I’m really excited for fans to be able to read the conclusion of this story.

Rebecca Schaeffer was born and raised in the Canadian prairies. Her itchy feet took her far from home when she turned eighteen, and she hasn’t returned for more than a few months here or there since. You can find her sitting in a cafe on the other side of the world, writing about villains, antiheroes and morally ambiguous characters. 

Her debut , Not Even Bones, is about a girl who dissects and sells monsters on the internet. Not Even Bones received a starred review from Booklist, was shortlisted for the Sunburst Award for Speculative Fiction, as well as the Cybilis awards.

The sequel, Only Ashes Remain, comes out September 2019.

Interview with Rebecca Podos for The Wise and The Wicked

The Wise and the Wicked

by Rebecca Podos
Publisher: HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray
Release Date: May 28th 2019

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, LGBT, Magical Realism

Synopsis:

Ruby Chernyavsky has been told the stories since she was a child: The women in her family, once possessed of great magical abilities to remake lives and stave off death itself, were forced to flee their Russian home for America in order to escape the fearful men who sought to destroy them. Such has it always been, Ruby’s been told, for powerful women. Today, these stories seem no more real to Ruby than folktales, except for the smallest bit of power left in their blood: when each of them comes of age, she will have a vision of who she will be when she dies—a destiny as inescapable as it is inevitable. Ruby is no exception, and neither is her mother, although she ran from her fate years ago, abandoning Ruby and her sisters. It’s a fool’s errand, because they all know the truth: there is no escaping one’s Time.

Until Ruby’s great-aunt Polina passes away, and, for the first time, a Chernyavsky’s death does not match her vision. Suddenly, things Ruby never thought she’d be allowed to hope for—life, love, time—seem possible. But as she and her cousin Cece begin to dig into the family’s history to find out whether they, too, can change their fates, they learn that nothing comes without a cost. Especially not hope.

Can you briefly describe THE WISE AND THE WICKED and their main characters? 

THE WISE AND THE WICKED is a contemporary Russian folktale about choice and destiny, and all that lies between the two. It follows Ruby Chernyavsky, born into a line of women who, according to family lore, were once possessed of powerful magic, including the ability to defy death itself. But, after being forced to flee their homeland by greedy men who sought to destroy them, they gave up their magic to keep themselves safe. Generations later, the only scrap of power that remains to them is this: Once a Chernyavsky comes of age, she has a vision of who she will be when she dies. Ruby has been raised to believe these visions cannot be fought or altered, until great-aunt dies, and her premonition proves untrue. Suddenly, Ruby must decide how far she’s willing to go to change her own fate, who she truly wants to be, and who she cannot stand becoming. 

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

It feels disloyal to pick, but I’d have to say it’s a tie between Dov, Ruby’s love interest with a mysterious origin story of his own, and Cece, her cousin and best friend. I don’t often write sweet, cinnamon roll characters, but they’re the closest I’ve come, and were fun to set against the pricklier Ruby and her nemesis. 

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

This sounds super vague and sort of pretentious, but I wanted to tell a story about stories. There are many different forms of storytelling found in THE WISE AND THE WICKED—fairy tales and folk tales, family legends, song lyrics and podcasts. All are devices we use to sort out and engage with the world, and our place inside of it. I wanted to write a character who’s been told stories about herself and the person she’s destined to become, and who’s grown up believing them. And then, suddenly, she has to parse out the places where story and truth tangle together, vine-like, in order to make a path forward for herself. 

That and, you know, I really wanted a book with Baba Yaga in it. 

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

It so happens that I’m obsessed with writing soundtracks, so I know exactly which song! It would be “The Day I Died” by Alex Winston. Yes, it is on the nose. 

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

Hoo boy, am I bad at fan casting! I will say that Cece, Ruby’s beloved cousin, would be played by the high school-self of one of my best friends, who inspired her style of dress, expansive hair, and general sweetness. 

Summer is coming 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? 

I’d recommend a strong tea brewed in a traditional samovar (but make it iced; it’s May, I’m not a monster) and a shadowy clearing in the backwoods of Maine, if a trip to the Republic of Karelia in Russia is not in your future. Adult readers may feel free to spike it as they please. Responsibly! 

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

Absolutely! I’ve been on a queer SFF kick, and have loved Never-Contented Things, an epically twisted fairytale with a deeply human core, by Sarah Porter. Also, for the four people who haven’t read Emily Duncan’s Wicked Saints, an epic Russian fantasy, get on that! And for those who finish TWATW and want more Baba Yaga in their lives (who wouldn’t?) I’d recommend Baba Yaga’s Assistant, an amazing MG graphic novel by Marika McCoola, and Ask Baba Yaga, a trippy, hilarious and surprisingly heartfelt “advice book” by Taisia Kitaiskaia. 

What’s next for you? 

I’m working on my next book, another contemporary fantasy tentatively called THE DUST ALPHABET (which, hey, you can already add on Goodreads!) It’s a blend of Jewish mysticism, history and magic about the descendants of the rabbi who created the famous Golem of Prague in America. It means the world to me, because it’s my first time writing a Jewish character, which also means it will be a total bear to draft…

Rebecca Podos' debut novel, THE MYSTERY OF HOLLOW PLACES, was a Junior Library Guild Selection and a B&N Best YA Book of 2016. Her second book, LIKE WATER, won the 2018 Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ Children's and Young Adult. THE WISE AND THE WICKED, her third novel, is forthcoming in May 2019.

A graduate of the Writing, Literature and Publishing Program at Emerson College and the Creative Writing Program at College of Santa Fe, Rebecca's fiction has been published in journals like Glimmer Train, Paper Darts, and Smokelong Quarterly. By day, she works as a YA and MG agent at the Rees Literary Agency in Boston.

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