Interview with Breeana Shields for The Bone Thief

The Bone Thief (The Bone Charmer #2)

by Breeana Shields
Publisher: Page Street Kids
Release Date: May 26th 2020

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis:

“I was absolutely swept away by the world of The Bone Charmer.” – Kendare Blake, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Three Dark Crowns series

A deft exploration of the weight of grief and cost of revenge, Breeana Shields’s Bone Charmer duology reaches its spine-tingling conclusion in this high-octane fantasy-thriller.

Saskia returns to Ivory Hall to train in bone magic, determined to stop Latham from gaining the power of all three Sights—past, present, and future. But danger lurks within the fortress’s marrow. Trials are underway for the apprentices, and the tasks feel specifically engineered to torment Saskia, which is exactly what Latham wants.

As she grows increasingly more suspicious, her thirst for revenge becomes all-consuming. Together with the friends she can trust and the boy she loved in another lifetime, Saskia traces clues from Latham’s past to determine what he’ll do next. Their search leads them across Kastelia and brings them to a workshop housing a vast collection of horrors, including the bones Latham stole from Gran, and the knowledge that the future isn’t all that’s in jeopardy—but the past as well.

Can you briefly describe THE BONE CHARMER series, its characters and what’s happening in THE BONE THIEF?

Absolutely! 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.

And then in THE BONE THIEF, Saskia’s story continues as she deals with the fallout from the path that survived and sets out on a quest to punish the person responsible.

Who would you say is your favourite character from THE BONE THIEF and why? Has it changed from the first book?

My favorite character is still Saskia simply because I’ve spent so much time writing from her perspective that it would feel disloyal to choose anyone else. However, THE BONE THIEF has a big cast of secondary characters who were so much fun to write and I’m quite attached to all of them. 

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

I’ve talked about my inspiration for THE BONE CHARMER elsewhere—it was a melding of multiple ideas finally colliding— but the idea for THE BONE THIEF was its own unique challenge. I actually really love writing sequels, and I often feel like my sequels are stronger than my first books in a series. There’s something really freeing about working with established characters who I know well (and hopefully the readers are invested in them too!). It makes it easier to really dig deep with both plot and characterization. So, as strange as it sounds, I feel like the ideas for THE BONE THIEF came from the characters themselves.

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

Another Life, by Ingrid Michaelson for THE BONE CHARMER

Not a One, by The Young Wild for THE BONE THIEF

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

If a reader could make the impossible happen, it would be perfect to read the book in the catacombs of Paris. They only allow water down there, but if you’re planning to stay long enough to finish the series, you probably shouldn’t drink anything at all!

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

Once I finish a book I love, I often turn to something in a totally a different genre. I recently read Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson. It’s a mystery, so like THE BONE THIEF, it has lots of twists and turns, but it’s not a fantasy. I loved it and I think my readers will too.

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

The hardest part is whatever I’m doing at the moment. When I’m in the middle of drafting, I long to be editing—at least then the book would be finished, and I’d be in the process of making it better. However, when I’m stuck in the editing process, I miss the freedom of drafting. That might sound like I don’t love my job, but I do. I just love and hate all the parts equally. :)

What’s next for you?

I’m working on drafting a new stand-alone fantasy about a magical luxury hotel full of secrets. It’s called THE SPLENDOR and it comes out in fall of 2021.

Breeana Shields is an author of fantasy novels for teens including The Bone Charmer, The Bone Thief, Poison’s Kiss, and Poison’s Cage. 

When she’s not writing, Breeana loves reading, traveling, and playing board games with her extremely competitive family. She lives near Washington D.C. with her husband, her three children, and two adorable, but spoiled dogs.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Interview with Kathryn Purdie for Bone Crier's Moon

Bone ​Crier’s Moon (Bone Grace #1)

by Kathryn Purdie
Publisher: HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen
Release Date: March 10th 2020

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Synopsis:

Bone ​Criers have a sacred duty. They alone can keep the dead from preying on the living. But their power to ferry the spirits of the dead into goddess Elara’s Night Heavens or Tyrus’s Underworld comes from sacrifice. The gods demand a promise of dedication. And that promise comes at the cost of the Bone Criers’ one true love.

Ailesse has been prepared since birth to become the matriarch of the Bone Criers, a mysterious famille of women who use strengths drawn from animal bones to ferry dead souls. But first she must complete her rite of passage and kill the boy she’s also destined to love.

Bastien’s father was slain by a Bone Crier and he’s been seeking revenge ever since. Yet when he finally captures one, his vengeance will have to wait. Ailesse’s ritual has begun and now their fates are entwined—in life and in death.

Sabine has never had the stomach for the Bone Criers’ work. But when her best friend Ailesse is taken captive, Sabine will do whatever it takes to save her, even if it means defying their traditions—and their matriarch—to break the bond between Ailesse and Bastien. Before they all die.

Can you briefly describe BONE CRIER’S MOON and its characters?

BONE CRIER’S MOON is a story about two best friends, Ailesse and Sabine, who are novice Bone Criers, members of a matriarchal society who use the magic obtained from animal bones to ferry the dead into the afterlife. Ailesse was born to be the next matriarch, and she’s ready to complete her rite of passage to finally become a Ferrier, but in order to do that she has to prove herself to the gods by killing the boy destined to be her one true love. That boy happens to be Bastien, whose father was killed by a Bone Crier eight years ago. Bastien has been on a quest of revenge ever since, but his vengeance will have to wait. Ailesse’s ritual has begun, and now their fates are entwined in life and death. Sabine’s journey is to help save her best friend from the deadly effects of the soul-bonding ritual and uncover the dark mysteries of the current matriarch, Ailesse’s mother.

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

Sabine is my favorite character because she represents the moral heart of the story. She’s the person who questions the cost of being a Bone Crier and who abhors killing for any reason. At the beginning of the story, Sabine isn’t sure if she wants to become a Ferrier, and over the course of the book, she has to turn into someone very strong and brave in order to have a fighting chance to save her best friend.

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

While doing research for another book, I came across “Les Dames Blanches” (women in white) in French folklore. In the stories, if a man comes across a woman in white on a bridge at night, she’ll ask him to dance, and if he dances with her, she’ll let him cross the bridge, but if he doesn’t, she’ll kill him. That lit my writer brain on fire! I wanted to know why these women really killed men (there had to be more to it than being denied a dance), and so I created my own story and mythology around “Les Dames Blanches” to answer that question.

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

“Heavy in Your Arms” by Florence + the Machine. I played this song on repeat for several of Ailesse’s scenes. This song is perfect for her because she’s feisty and determined to kill her chosen soulmate at any cost in order to become a Ferrier, but what she doesn’t bargain for is falling in love with him--someone who hates her as much as she hates him...at least at first. I especially love these lyrics from the song: This will be my last confession / "I love you" never felt like any blessing / Whispering like it's a secret / Only to condemn the one who hears it / With a heavy heart.

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

Hot cider in a thermos while exploring the catacombs below Paris! I based the catacombs in my story off of those ones. They are haunting and mysterious and fascinating, and I would love to explore them myself one day!

Can you recommend your readers any other books in case they are left hungry for more once they finish BONE CRIER’S MOON? 

If you haven’t read Robin LaFevers’s books set in the world of HIS FAIR ASSASSINS, definitely pick those up, starting with GRAVE MERCY. Assassin nuns! Need I say more? I’d also recommend BLOOD COUNTESS by Lana Popović, a YA novel about the real-life inspiration for Countess Dracula in 17th century Hungary. I love classic horror and historical fiction. This is the perfect mix!

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

Anyone can conceive a great book idea. The harder part is somehow making that idea become that beautiful story you first envisioned it to be. For me, that requires extensive research, detailed plotting, and strict discipline in putting in the hours necessary to draft and revise and rewrite and polish until I’ve finally told the story I meant to tell.

What’s next for you?

I just finished my most intensive round of revisions for the sequel to BONE CRIER’S MOON, and I can’t wait to share the title and stunning cover with all of you soon. I’m working with my agent on something new to sell, and I have lots of young adult and middle grade books ideas in the works. We’ll see what sticks!

Kathryn is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the BURNING GLASS series. Her love of storytelling began as a young girl when her dad told her about someone named Boo Radley while they listened to the film score of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. Kathryn is a trained classical actress who studied at the Oxford School of Drama. She also writes songs on her guitar for each of her stories and shares them on her website. Kathryn lives in the Rocky Mountains with her husband and three children.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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.

a Rafflecopter giveaway