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 June Hur for The Silence of Bones

The Silence of Bones

by June Hur
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Release Date: April 21st 2020

Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Historical, Historical Fiction

Synopsis:

I have a mouth, but I mustn't speak;

Ears, but I mustn't hear;

Eyes, but I mustn't see.

1800, Joseon (Korea). Homesick and orphaned sixteen-year-old Seol is living out the ancient curse: “May you live in interesting times.” Indentured to the police bureau, she’s been tasked with assisting a well-respected young inspector with the investigation into the politically charged murder of a noblewoman.

As they delve deeper into the dead woman's secrets, Seol forms an unlikely bond of friendship with the inspector. But her loyalty is tested when he becomes the prime suspect, and Seol may be the only one capable of discovering what truly happened on the night of the murder.

But in a land where silence and obedience are valued above all else, curiosity can be deadly.

June Hur's elegant and haunting debut The Silence of Bones is a bloody tale perfect for fans of Kerri Maniscalco and Renée Ahdieh.

Can you briefly describe THE SILENCE OF BONES and its characters?

1800, Joseon (Korea). Indentured to the police bureau, sixteen-year-old Seol has been tasked with assisting a well-respected young inspector with the investigation into the politically charged murder of a noblewoman.

As they delve deeper into the dead woman's secrets, Seol forms an unlikely bond of friendship with the inspector. But her loyalty is tested when he becomes the prime suspect, and Seol may be the only one capable of discovering what truly happened on the night of the murder.

But in a land where silence and obedience are valued above all else, curiosity can be deadly.

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

Seol was the most genuine character I ever created, and I loved how she'd taken control of her story and had steered it in a totally different direction that the one I'd planned for her. But I enjoyed writing Inspector Han the most! I love writing about dark and tormented characters, so I got to project all my angst into him!

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

For most of my life, I’ve known very little about Korean history, even though my parents are “very” Korean and even though I lived in Korea when I was a teen. Then in 2015, out of sheer curiosity, I read further into Korean history – and fell madly in love with it. I was fascinated by everything and was gripped by a terrifying desperation to write a Korean historical mystery. I hesitated for a while, wondering if I, a Korean-Canadian ‘diasporan’, even had the right to write about Korea, and afraid that no one would be interested in a mystery set in a non-western country. It was the #WeNeedDiverseBooks movement that finally gave me the courage to write.

At the very heart of this book is a more personal story inspired by my family, a family dispersed. I spent nearly half my life living with my siblings in Canada, far away from my parents, far away from my relatives. And so, while I was writing this book, I found myself wrestling with two questions that always haunted me: What will it cost to keep family together when things are falling apart? And where is home when you live far away from those who have loved you for all of your life?

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

Oh! I love this question. I actually only listen to soundtracks that have no lyrics, and the song I listened to on repeat while writing this book was Sweetwater by Ramin Djawadi from the TV show, Westworld.

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

My dream is to see my book turned into a Korean drama, so this is a fun question to answer! I would cast Kim Go-eun as the heroine, Seol, and Jang Hyuk as the broody Inspector Han.

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

For drink, I’d recommend a light white tea to balance out the heavy topics dealt within my book. And as for place, I’d suggest finding a secluded spot in the wilderness, where you can be surrounded by layers of misty mountains. 

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

Elizabeth Lim’s SPIN THE DAWN, Kerri Maniscalco’s STALKING JACK THE RIPPER, and William Ritter’s JACKABY

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

I’d say researching was the most difficult! Researching was intense and laborious. I have a background in history, and I spent all my years as a writer writing British historicals, so researching isn't new to me. But researching about Korea? English resources about pre-colonized Korea weren't that easy to find, and when I did find them, they were gems! But for the most part, when it came to niche details -- like information about the life of damos (female police officers) -- I ended up having to rely a lot on Korean articles. And that required laborious hours of translation. But to make things trickier, Korean scholarly articles about Korean history often use Hanja (Classical Chinese characters). So on top of trying to understand the Korean, I also had to spend more hours trying to understand a Chinese word.

What’s next for you?

My second book, a standalone YA historical mystery, is coming out in 2021. THE FOREST OF STOLEN GIRLS is about two estranged sisters who are forced to work together to find their missing detective father, who happens to be the greatest detective in Joseon Korea.

JUNE HUR (‘Hur’ as in ‘her’) was born in South Korea and raised in Canada, except for the time when she moved back to Korea and attended high school there. Most of her work is inspired by her journey through life as an individual, a dreamer, and a Christian, with all its confusions, doubts, absurdities and magnificence. She studied History and Literature at the University of Toronto, and currently works for the public library. She lives in Toronto with her husband and daughter.

Her debut novel THE SILENCE OF BONES (Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan, April 2020) is a murder mystery set in Joseon Dynasty Korea (early 1800s), and also a coming-of-age tale about a girl searching for home. It was recently selected by the American Booksellers Association as one of the top debuts of Winter/Spring 2020.

She is represented by Amy Bishop of Dystel, Goderich & Bourret LLC.

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Interview with Kate Pentecost for Elysium Girls

Elysium Girls

by Kate Pentecost
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Release Date: April 14th 2020

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Synopsis:

In this sweeping Dust Bowl-inspired fantasy, a ten-year game between Life and Death pits the walled Oklahoma city of Elysium-including a girl gang of witches and a demon who longs for humanity-against the supernatural in order to judge mankind.

When Sal is named Successor to Mother Morevna, a powerful witch and leader of Elysium, she jumps at the chance to prove herself to the town. Ever since she was a kid, Sal has been plagued by false visions of rain, and though people think she's a liar, she knows she's a leader. Even the arrival of enigmatic outsider Asa-a human-obsessed demon in disguise-doesn't shake her confidence in her ability. Until a terrible mistake results in both Sal and Asa's exile into the Desert of Dust and Steel.

Face-to-face with a brutal, unforgiving landscape, Sal and Asa join a gang of girls headed by another Elysium exile-and young witch herself-Olivia Rosales. In order to atone for their mistake, they create a cavalry of magic powered, scrap metal horses to save Elysium from the coming apocalypse. But Sal, Asa, and Olivia must do more than simply tip the scales in Elysium's favor-only by reinventing the rules can they beat the Life and Death at their own game.

Can you briefly describe ELYSIUM GIRLS and its characters?

Elysium Girls is a loose retelling of Seven Samurai, featuring a girl gang of witches who are fighting against the goddesses of Life and Death to save their walled city, Elysium, in a Weird West version of Dust Bowl Era Oklahoma. It features, among others, Sal, a young witch coming into her own as the successor of the mysterious old witch who runs Elysium, Asa, a human obsessed daemon given human form in order to affect the Game, Lucy, a cosmetics creator turned nurse who figures out what’s lurking beneath the surface of Elysium, Susanah, an inventor who escaped from a Native American boarding school and who has built a cavalry of mechanical horses to literally fight the apocalypse. :) It’s super strange, but I like it.

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

I really like Susanah, Lucy, and Mr. Jameson. Susanah because she is very driven and creative, and is able to sort of reclaim some of what has been lost to her through her inventions. Lucy because she undergoes so much change throughout the book, going from a girl who sells illegal cosmetics to one of the key players inside Elysium. And Mr. Jameson because he’s loosely based on my dad. 

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

Honestly, it kind of sprang into my mind fully formed (strange for such a weird story.) I’d heard a song that had sirens in it—probably a Sleigh Bells song—and for some reason imagined Weird Western witches, a walled city, and a divine battle. I’d also been watching a lot of Japanese cinema at the time, so I’d recently seen Seven Samurai and was amazed by it. I suppose it all added up to Elysium Girls.

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

Probably “Kids” by Sleigh Bells.

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

Oh, I don’t have any idea. I’d actually prefer any actors in a film version of my books to be new or unknown rather than big names. And I’d have to somehow make sure that the cultures of my characters were well-respected. For example, it’s very important that Susanah is Comanche. I’d hate for her to be whitewashed. I’d be totally fine with any of the characters being represented by trans actors, though.

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

As far as drinks go, I’d recommend whiskey or mezcal with this book. As far as places, a night in the desert or the mountains. Somewhere rugged. But if that’s unreachable, reading on a rooftop is always perfect, no matter where you are.

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

Oh, there are a lot! I think the main two I would recommend would be The Good Luck Girls and Walk on Earth a Stranger. Both are really great in very different ways and feature badass, strong girls standing up to authority and the elements in a historical setting.

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

Just keeping with it, really. It’s very easy to let the drama of everyday life get in the way of any goal. But just as it is with getting in shape, learning a language, or finishing any other the of project, you have to keep passionate about it, and just keep going. Even if it’s just writing one sentence or just gathering a little bit of inspiration, you have to keep working. 

What’s next for you?

Working on the next book! Always working on the next book. :)

Kate Pentecost was born and raised on the Texas/Louisiana border, where ghosts and rural legends lurk in the pines and nothing is completely as it seems.

She holds an MFA in Writing for Children &Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She was recently nominated for a Rhysling award for her poem "Small Town Witches."

Her debut novel, Elysium Girls, is forthcoming from Disney Hyperion in 2020 in print and audio formats.

She is obsessed with the Romantic Poets and can be identified by the enormous tattoo of Percy Bysshe Shelley on her arm. She lives in Houston (H-Town, Space City, etc.)

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