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Ask the Author: Victoria Schwab

“Ask me a question.” Victoria Schwab

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is there a reason you made the love interests in monsters of verity not have much of a romance? honestly their relationship was totally platonic in book one, is it bad that i hated that?
Victoria Schwab It's neither good or bad--you're entitled to your personal preferences--but I never considered them love interests. Not every partnership has to be romantic.
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What was the inspiration when creating four separate London's? You gave each one so much depth!
Victoria Schwab I wanted to examine the way different relationships with magic shape the same world! So Grey London is modeled on ours, a place where magic has been forgotten. Red London is an environment in which magic thrives and is kept in balance. White London is an environment where magic thrived but was then bound and subjugated. Black London was an environment where magic thrived and, unchecked, consumed everything.
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This question contains spoilers... (view spoiler)
Victoria Schwab This is a theory that keeps coming up! It is fascinating, but also incorrect.
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Who is your favourite character to write?
Victoria Schwab It's a tie between Victor Vale and Lila Bard, with Marcella Riggins and Rhy Maresh as runners up.
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Do your books include any lgbtq rep? I don't want to spoil anything for myself but I very much lean towards inclusive books!
Victoria Schwab Yep! SHADES probably has the most overt lgbtq rep, VENGEFUL has ace rep, OUR DARK DUET has non-binary rep.
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I haven't read A Darker Shade of Magic before, can I still understand A Gathering of Shadows?
Victoria Schwab While some series work as connected companion novels, I think Shades is one of those where you do really need to read them in order:

1. A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC
2. A GATHERING OF SHADOWS
3. A CONJURING OF LIGHT
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Hi, Do you have the intention to write also Crime fiction? Thanks, Bo
Victoria Schwab Perhaps one day. I wouldn't rule it out, though most of my supernatural books already have a thriller/crime element to them. I have a huge fascination with serial killers, so I would love to tackle that at some point.
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Hello Victoria! I was spellbound by This Savage Song, both the story and the imagery of your writing were absolutely breathtakingly beautiful! Question: How do you feel about fanfiction? I really love the idea of a Monsters of Verity / Supernatural crossover, but I am warier writing about novel worlds than tv show worlds, maybe because this world is entirely yours while tv shows usually have multiple creators.
Victoria Schwab I think fan-fiction is a wonderful way to show enthusiasm and appreciation for a series. I love when readers feel strongly enough about a book/characters/world that they don't want to let go. So long as it's not being created for profit, I welcome it :)
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Did you live in Edinburgh? The way you made the city come to life (no pun intended with the ghost motif) is amazing! I LOVE City of Ghosts and, besides Cassidy and Jacob, you made me fall in love with that city!
Victoria Schwab I did--and do! I went to graduate school in Edinburgh, which is when I got the initial idea, and I moved back to the city at the beginning of 2018. I'm so glad you loved it!
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Is there going to be a sequel or better yet sequel and beyond to "City of Ghosts?" This was my first read of 2019. It has been along time since I said "Just one more chapter, just one more chapter, just one more..."
Victoria Schwab Indeed! It's called TUNNEL OF BONES and comes out this September! The cover will even be revealed this week :)
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This question contains spoilers... (view spoiler)
Victoria Schwab You'll have to read the upcoming series/sequel, THREADS OF POWER, to find out!
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I'm always really happy to see a book where a character plays an instrument, (because I play roughly 4) and I know that August's violin plays a big part in "This Savage Song" so this is my question: Do/did you play any instruments, and if not, what do you think would be fun to learn? Thanks!
Victoria Schwab I don't in fact play an instrument, which is probably why I consider the ability to play one vaguely supernatural ;) But I've always, always wanted to be able to play the violin.
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Is there a chance for you to do a booksigning tour in Asia? (Particularly the Philippines!)
Victoria Schwab I would love to, but as with so many things, it's not up to the author. That kind of decision is between the publishers and the bookstores. But I have my fingers crossed!
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Will there be a sequel to Vicious?
Victoria Schwab Yes! VENGEFUL. I'm working on it now. It's currently scheduled for release next Fall, assuming it doesn't kill me.
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For fans of your Darker Shade of Magic series, could you possibly recommend other books from the same genre? Whenever I find a series I grow to adore I always try to find others that have a similar "tone" within their shared genre.
Victoria Schwab Hmmmm, let's see, I'd recommend:

JONATHAN STRANGE AND MR. NORRELL by Susanna Clarke
QUEEN OF BLOOD by Sarah Beth Durst
MISTBORN by Brandon Sanderson
THE EMPEROR'S BLADES by Brian Staveley
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How much inspiration from Harry Potter did you get for the ADSOM series?
Victoria Schwab I've said a few times that the Shades of Magic books are a love letter to Harry Potter. I didn't want to emulate details, but the feeling, the way that dark themes can coexist with hope, the way I was transported as a reader to this other version of our world, one with such potential. The only real easter egg is Kell's coat, which is my nod to the Room of Requirement.
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Hi, Victoria! I'm Angela. Will 'A Darker Shade Of Magic' be translated into Spanish in the foreseeable future? Thank you!
Victoria Schwab It should be. The rights were picked up by a publisher in Argentina but as far as I know the book will be coming out through that publisher's branches in other Spanish speaking countries over the next few months. Authors are told surprisingly little about these things.
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What is your favourite book?
Victoria Schwab I can't pick just one! But here's a short list of books that are very important to me:

FURIOUSLY HAPPY
THE GLASS CASTLE
LAB GIRL
THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING
HARRY POTTER
THE GRAVEYARD BOOK
JONATHAN STRANGE AND MR. NORRELL
GRACELING
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Hello, Victoria, I'm super Shades of Magic fan and I'd like to know, ¿are you planning a prequel or something like that? Honestly, I'd love to read a short story about the first meeting between Kell and Rhy, just like that flashback in ACOL where Kell meets Holland. It'd be simply awesome and cute and moving and would made my brain and heart melt in seconds but it'd be certainly awesome. Thank you so much. Hugs
Victoria Schwab I'm planning several things, but most of them aren't public yet ;) What I can say is that there are four very short stories in the collector's edition of ADSOM coming out in October, and one of them involves the day that Kell and Rhy meet.
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Out of all the books you've written, which one are you most proud of?
Victoria Schwab That is an impossible question to answer! While it's true that authors hope to grow and improve with each book, it's also true that those books are a timecapsule of who the author is at the time of writing. I'm proud of each of my books for different reasons. Each of my books has been its own journey, none of them perfect, but all of them important to me.
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