The Bone Season Series by Samantha Shannon – A Read Along discussion

Yes, you've read that correctly! Bone Season author Samantha Shannon will be answering questions throughout the day on Thursday, March 23rd in this thread only. You can start saying hello and dropping in those questions now, and she'll knock them out with her usual thoughtfulness on Thursday.

All three books are fair game, but please be sensitive to those who may still be reading The Song Rising and place any explicitly spoilery questions behind spoiler tags.

Thanks!

Hello!! I read TBS a few weeks after it was first published and to this day it remains my favorite ongoing series! Thank you, Samantha, for gifting it to us. I do have a question.

The Bone Season series deals with a lot of important and current issues, as is highlighted by the dystopian aspects of this narrative. The first book in particular deals with slavery and human trafficking. How did you decide which topics to tackle? Additionally, have current political issues/topics/climates changed your writing or what you want to focus on in future books?

Hi! I just finished reading your latest book, The Song Rising. I absolutely loved it!! I do have two questions to ask you about the series (Readers beware, this comment contains spoilers about The Song Rising).

The first question is about Julian. In the beginning of the Mime Order when Paige couldn't find Julian on the train she concluded that he must have died during the escape from Sheol. However, later on in the book Scion has Julian's face and name on the projection boards like Paige so my first question is Julian alive and will he make an appearance later on in the series if he is?

My second question is about the spirit that was used to power Senshield. When Paige released the spirit it attacked her and Vance, when it attacked Paige it carved the word 'Kin' into her arm. My second question is why did the spirit carve 'Kin' into Paige's arm, is the spirit related to Paige in some way or is it a message/warning?

You said many times that you changed several things while editing The Song Rising, could you share some scenes that were significantly changed and how they were supposed to look in the first place?

Hi! First I want to say how incredible The Song Rising was. One of my blogger friends and I have been talking about it non-stop for weeks. She's actually the one who pointed me to this because I was saying how many questions I had.

- In The Bone Season when Warden kisses Paige the flower in the bell-jar blooms and later when Paige asks him why he tells her that if he knew he would tell her. Yet during the part when Nashira walks in on them he focuses on it and then later it appears in his dreamscape. Does Warden know more about it than he's letting on? And will we find out more about it later in the books?

- Is clairvoyance inherited or is it something that happens randomly?

- Paige's cousin Finn is brought up a lot in the books. My blogger friend and I have a theory that he's alive. I know you won't answer if he's alive or not but is there a possibility?

- Will we eventually see Paige in Ireland at some point during the series?

- In The Mime Order we never find out who the Rag and Bone Man is but we do know that he's masking his aura (with Emim blood?). Does that mean he's someone Paige knows? And will we ever find out his identity?

*POSSIBLE THE SONG RISING SPOILER*
(view spoiler)[ - In The Song Rising, Paige somehow uses the golden cord to mirror Warden's voyance. Given that is there a possibility that he could mirror her voyance too? (hide spoiler)]

I think I'll stop there because that is a lot of questions. Thanks so much for answering questions!

Wow, it's very exciting and wonderful that Samantha Shannon is going to be here to answer questions! I want to thank her for being involved with her fans. I also want to say that I really enjoyed reading her first two books in the series and am looking forward to picking up the third.

I'd love to know if we will find out in a future book if Michael ever made it safely out of the colony!

Hello, Samantha! What was your hardest scene to write so far? And a scene you've been wanting to write for a long time?

Greetings from Spain!

Hello Samantha!
I hope TBS 4 is coming along well! I have some questions that have been on my mind for a while, particularly after TSR, so forgive the rambling and length of them!

1) will we ever learn where Terebell's fear of Gosmeia Sargas comes from, it was sort of hinted at in TBS?

2) The Rephiam view themselves as morally superior to the humans, but is that really the case? Does rape, murder (not counting the war) etc not exist in the Netherworld?

3) ALSO, totally random, but did the Rephiam come to England already speaking English? Or did they have to go through a period of learning upon arrival? If the latter, could you seriously write a short story on it! It'd be hilarious, a bunch of proud Rephiam unable to speak perfect English and getting angrier and angrier as the humans correct their grammar!

4) I adore Warden and Paige's relationship, but it's always seemed a little one sided; Paige alone seems to dictate the boundaries of the relationship. Eg. If they should continue to pursue it, and *SPOILER* if they should end their relationship etc. Surely this should be more of a dialogue, as Warden is half of the relationship, and is also susceptible to the risks, if found out. I was wondering why that was, why doesn't he put in his thoughts and feelings about whether or not he wants the relationship - or if it should end. Why doesn't his say count?

Apologies for the many (long) questions!
Lots of love,
XXXX

Hi Samantha,

Thank you so much for taking time out of your schedule to answer fan questions- you are the best! The Song Rising was fantastic and I can't wait for book four! After re-reading all three books, I have a plethora of comments/questions, but I will try to keep it brief.

1) Who the heck in the Rag and Bone Man?!?! I have two crazy theories about him- that he is the offspring of a Rephite and human or the Emim were once a family of Rephites that were corrupted by the aether and somehow he is a lone survivor?

2) Was the poltergeist that attacked Paige when she was younger important in terms of affecting her abilities? I've always thought that it was more significant than just being a traumatizing event in her past. I know this is a horrible thought, but maybe it was her mother?

3) I can't get over how much I love Warden and I am DYING to know (view spoiler)[ all about his past relationship with Terrebell?! I figured they were close with all the head touching, etc. No wonder she hates Paige so much! She must feel threatened by Paige and then feel terrible for feeling threatened by a mere human. I don't want to dislike her, but I am seeing her as a rival for Paige and it is driving me crazy! Is being a mated pair an easy thing to end? How deeply did he feel for Terebell? I am very excited for Paige and Warden to be together in France! *sigh* (hide spoiler)] I love the slow burn of their relationship, but I just want to know how it ends up!

I think I will end on that note, but I just want to thank you again for doing this, and sorry for the long post!

Best wishes xx

Hi, Samantha!

I've really enjoyed reading this series. It's one of those series that stays with you long after you're done reading.

My first question is are we ever going to learn Michael's fate? I'm also curious about the fates of Julian and David from TBS.

I've just finished reading TSR, and have a question regarding a statement made by Jaxon to Paige in the Prelude.*Spoiler* He said that he hoped he could save her from the indoctrination of the Ranthen, unlike the Rag and Bone Man. So, is he really on the side of the Ranthen? If so, then why did he kidnap and beat Warden in TMO?

Thanks for writing such a wonderful series!

Hi!
Thank you so much for a fascinating series and amazing characters.

I was also wondering about Michael - and, of course, Zeke and Nadine, but I assume we'll catch up with those two in the future (I hope).

TSR SPOILER QUESTION: In TMO Warner tells Paige that for Rephaim it takes a long time for a flame to catch but once it burns it cannot go out. Doesn't that mean Warden's flame for Terebell must still be burning? From her behavior toward him, it seems like hers is still going pretty strong. Of course, extremely curious about what happened between them. Beautiful, the way you wrote Warden's memory of her, but I was a little upset for Paige to experience him feeling like that about someone else.

TSR SPOILER QUESTION: I loved the use you made of the language of flowers and I became quite fond of Alsafi. Are you going to let us know what he meant about being redeemed? Also, how is it that Nashira was able to destroy him? Something about the swords they use against one another, since bullets don't have much effect?

TSR SPOILER: I assume The Ripper was not the poltergeist at the end, or was he? Also, when Paige and Burnish get out via the tunnel, there was a part of me that said, "WHAT? Are you kidding me, there's a tunnel?" If Paige and Warden had gone back to London and contacted Alsafi, couldn't he have led their group in that way, Paige's gifts would have been in full working order and no weeks of torture?

Anyway, hope this isn't too long. Thanks again for the thrilling ride and really looking forward to 4. Do you think it will be out in 2019 or is it too soon to know?

Hi, everyone! Thanks for being here – so glad to join you for another Goodreads Q&A. I'll be dropping in throughout the day to answer questions.

Hi I love the books currently on a book hangover after The Song Rising. I was wondering if the Rephaim don't have children in the scene that we do, what is the point in them having mates?

In TMO Warden says that when Rephaim like someone the don't ever stop liking them, so does Warden still like Terebell? Or dose he only like Paige?

And finally when do you think the fourth book is going to be out?

Thank you for the roller coaster of emotions

Reggie wrote: "Hello!! I read TBS a few weeks after it was first published and to this day it remains my favorite ongoing series! Thank you, Samantha, for gifting it to us. I do have a question.

The Bone Season ..."

Hi Reggie:

I'm so glad you're enjoying the series.

That’s a tough question about how I decided on the topics. To some extent, they arose from the plot – the Rephaim need clairvoyants to survive, and I wanted to examine the two ways in which they might deal with that: the Sargas want to subjugate them, while the Ranthen are more willing to cooperate. I was drawn to the idea that a being like Nashira, who has observed our world for many centuries, would use existing human methods and power structures to suppress humanity as a whole. I also wanted to create a dystopian government that was a kind of successor to the British Empire, masking a cruel reality with a façade of national pride and righteousness. Building Scion with that goal meant that certain subjects came to the forefront.

Regarding whether current issues have changed my writing . . . well, the unsettling thing about writing dystopia is that you sometimes end up hitting on something current that you didn’t anticipate. For example, (view spoiler)[when I wrote the waterboarding scenes in The Song Rising, I didn't expect waterboarding to crop up in public debate a few weeks after the US election. I was trying to present it as a real and very ugly form of torture, and it stunned me to hear the leader of the free world saying that it ‘worked’, like it was just another security measure. By the time the book was published, consequently, that scene was a lot more ‘current’ than I had originally intended. (hide spoiler)]

I always have one eye on the news when I’m planning future books, as you don’t know when something like that will happen – when your ‘bad place’ won’t feel so far away. On that note, I’m of the opinion that dystopia is generally just another kind of realism; after all, there is nothing that has happened in dystopian fiction that hasn’t happened somewhere, at some point in history.

Mary wrote: "Hi! I just finished reading your latest book, The Song Rising. I absolutely loved it!! I do have two questions to ask you about the series (Readers beware, this comment contains spoilers about The ..."

Hi Mary:

I can’t say where Julian is without spoiling the story, but you will learn about his fate. I wouldn’t just leave you hanging, I promise.

You’ll also find out what kin means in the later books.

Mels wrote: "You said many times that you changed several things while editing The Song Rising, could you share some scenes that were significantly changed and how they were supposed to look in the first place?"

Hi Mels:

The Song Rising really had come a long way from the first draft by the time it went to press. The original manuscript followed the same basic structure – London, Manchester, Edinburgh – but Senshield was not so important; it was more about Paige trying to make a name for herself as Underqueen and rally the people of Britain to revolt against Scion.

One of the big scenes that changed was (view spoiler)[the Jubilee. Originally, Paige was actually in the box with Jaxon, the Sargas and the Grand Inquisitor, watching it, and she used it as her opportunity to escape from the Archon. (hide spoiler)] Quite a few scenes were like that: they appear in The Song Rising, but they had a different focus in the early drafts.

There’s one scene I miss quite a lot, where Paige had to go into the forests of the Highlands to find Adhara Sarin rather than the Ranthen having to go into the Netherworld to negotiate with her. It wouldn’t have worked in the finished book, but it was atmospheric, and I was fond of it.

Hello. I just wanted to start by saying that this series is my absolute favorite and I look forward to how this story progresses.

I finished The Song Rising and absolutely loved it. Besides the Paige and Warden moments, my favorite is the scene with Paige and Jaxon. That was so wonderfully written. I did want to ask if the golden cord will be explained further in upcoming books because I would love to see why it formed and what exactly it means. Also with the discovery of Warden and Terebell past relationship I was wondering if that sets up for a love triangle which I am really hoping not. Since in TMO, Warden said a flame was hard to catch in a Rephaite and I am assuming he has caught it in regards to Paige, I am wondering how serious that relationship really was.

Also I wanted to say I cannot wait for book 4! Thank you for taking the time to answer out questions.Have a great day

MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS


Hi Samantha,

I just want to take an opportunity, first of all, to say thank you for surprising us time and time again with your originality and very real characters. Jaxon Hall is one of the biggest mysteries I've ever read and I've delved into a few Agatha Christies in my time! I also want to acknowledge your continued diversity in characters, and welcome the nonchalant reveal of our first Bone Season trans character!

Also, thank you (I guess), for providing this Scottish lad with eerie insight into my beloved, derelict, Edinburgh!

Anyway onto the questions before I start writing a second review on the entire book!

Will we see any Nick/Zeke scenes in Book 4!? Or if you can't say just yet I'll perhaps ask, maybe quite topically at the moment, if Beauty and the Beast gave any inspiration to The Bone Season? You mentioned the other day BATB held some importance to yourself, and you could argue they share similarities in our protagonist being held captive by something other-worldly.

Thanks again for a terrific route of escapism! :)

Melissa (BookNerdMomo) wrote: "Hi! First I want to say how incredible The Song Rising was. One of my blogger friends and I have been talking about it non-stop for weeks. She's actually the one who pointed me to this because I wa..."

Hi Melissa:

Thank you so much. I always love to hear that people are discussing my books with their friends.

1) I’m afraid I can’t say much about the amaranth in the bell jar without spoiling a key plot twist. Books 5-7 have a slightly bigger focus on Rephaite history and culture. However, I will say that the reason Warden focused on it in The Bone Season was because the amaranth is an important symbol to the Ranthen, and he was shocked to see it come back to life. Its blooming is their call to arms.

2) Clairvoyance is thought by many to be inherited. Both Liss and her aunt, Elspeth Lin, are cartomancers, and many members of their family had the same gift. However, they don’t necessarily pass smoothly from parent to child in all cases.

3) If you don’t see a body in these books, there’s a possibility that the person is alive.

4) You will see Ireland at some point, but not for a while – not counting Paige’s memories.

5) The Rag and Bone Man story comes to its conclusion in Book 4.

6) Possibly.

Do feel free to ask away if you have any more questions – I'm popping in all day.

Kath wrote: "I'd love to know if we will find out in a future book if Michael ever made it safely out of the colony!"

Hi Kath:

You'll find out what happened to Michael, don't worry. He did make it out of the colony, but went missing in London soon after.

Raquel Flockhart wrote: "Hello, Samantha! What was your hardest scene to write so far? And a scene you've been wanting to write for a long time?

Greetings from Spain!"

Hi Raquel:

The hardest scene to write in The Song Rising was probably (view spoiler)[the waterboard, and the ensuing chapters where Paige is imprisoned in the Westminster Archon. I had to research personal accounts of waterboarding to write it, then inflict a great deal of suffering on my main character. (hide spoiler)] I joke sometimes about putting my characters through hell, but doing that to Paige was genuinely difficult, and it left mental scars that will affect her for a long time yet.

A scene I’ve been wanting to write for ages was the New Year Jubilee. That scene has been years in the making – I’ve had it my mind since 2012, when I saw the London Olympics opening ceremony and decided I wanted to write something like that for Scion.

SummerBlue wrote: "Hello Samantha!
I hope TBS 4 is coming along well! I have some questions that have been on my mind for a while, particularly after TSR, so forgive the rambling and length of them!

1) will we ever..."

Hi SummerBlue:

It is, thank you! Just about to hit 50K words on the manuscript. Very excited to be exploring a brand-new country in Book 4.

1) Terebell is wary of Gomeisa Sargas because (a) Gomeisa Sargas is terrifying and (b) there was a serious incident with the Sargas in her past that still affects her deeply. You’ll find out about that in Book 4, provided it survives the edits.

2) I’m not going to answer this one here, as a huge part of the Bone Season series revolves around the question of whether the Rephaim are, or are not, morally superior to humans, and whether the world would be better or worse if they were in control. You’ll have to see what you think are more about the Rephaim is revealed.

3) Ha – no, they didn’t! Rephaim are born with Glossolalia, their mother tongue, but they have to study other languages to speak them, like we do. Warden is fluent in several, but he’s had to learn them all from scratch. Certain members of the Sualocin family pick up languages faster than the others, so they took responsibility for teaching English to their fellow Rephaim.

4) This is quite a complicated subject – Warden and Paige’s relationship in general is a complicated subject, hence my need for seven books to explore it – but I’ll try to tease it out a tiny bit. Warden’s feelings absolutely count – but the way I see it, he’s sure of them at this stage, while Paige is less certain. At the beginning of The Song Rising, he’s happy to take the risk to be with her, so long as she feels the same. He says this when they have the discussion in Limehouse, when she asks him if he’s considered the danger (‘I consider your company worth the risk’).

There’s a lot more I could say about this, but I generally prefer my readers to be free to interpret what I write for themselves, and I think hearing too much from the author can damage your ability to do that. The Warden and Paige relationship will continue to change and deepen over the next four books – but it’s yours to read as you choose. I have my views and intentions, but once the book leaves my hands, your interpretation is as valid as mine.

Samantha wrote: "Hi Samantha,

Thank you so much for taking time out of your schedule to answer fan questions- you are the best! The Song Rising was fantastic and I can't wait for book four! After re-reading all th..."

Hi Samantha (great name):

You’re very welcome! It’s wonderful to hear from fans.

1) You’ll find out who the Rag and Bone Man is in Book 4.

2) I can’t say who the poltergeist was without spoiling things, but you will learn more about the incident in Arthyen – the village with the poppy field.

3) Provided it survives the edits, you will learn a lot more about (view spoiler)[Terebell and Warden’s relationship (hide spoiler)] in Book 4. (view spoiler)[Terebell does, of course, have complicated feelings towards Paige because of her closeness to Warden, but it isn’t as simple as it might seem. (hide spoiler)]

Shannon wrote: "Hi, Samantha!

I've really enjoyed reading this series. It's one of those series that stays with you long after you're done reading.

My first question is are we ever going to learn Michael's fate..."

Hi Shannon (kind of love that I just answered a question from a Samantha, followed immediately by a Shannon):

1) You will learn what happened to Michael, David and Julian very soon.

2) Ah, I think you’ve misread that slightly (I can see how, from the sentence) – Jaxon was saying that he hoped Paige could be saved from being a puppet of the Ranthen, and that she could be persuaded to come to the Sargas side. The Rag and Bone Man believed she could not be saved.

Hello!

@keychild from twitter - you already know how much I adore your books. :)

1. Which country that you've not written about yet are you most excited to explore? (If the answer isn't a secret, that is.)

2. Which quality of Paige's would you most like to steal for yourself?

3. Did any of the characters have different names when you started writing or did their names all stick right from the off? (If they did have different names, are you willing to share any?)

4. The broadest question ever: what do you think is the hardest part of writing a novel?

5. Who was the hardest character to kill in the series so far?

6. Completely unrelated: Cake flavour of choice? :)

I hope you're enjoying your Q&A! :)

Elizabeth wrote: "Hi!
Thank you so much for a fascinating series and amazing characters.

I was also wondering about Michael - and, of course, Zeke and Nadine, but I assume we'll catch up with those two in the futur..."

Hi Elizabeth:

You will indeed catch up with Zeke and Nadine in the future.

1) The ‘flame’ analogy means that the Rephaite in question will always care for that person, and would find it difficult to hurt them, but not that they will always love them in a romantic sense. You will find out what caused the relationship to end, most likely in Book 4.

2) I may explain the redemption comment from Alsafi, or I may leave it up to the reader to decide what he meant. You’ll find out about the swords in Book 4, but they are of Netherworld origin.

3) (view spoiler)[No, the Ripper wasn’t in Senshield, if that’s what you mean. Different spirit. (hide spoiler)]

4) (view spoiler)[Regarding the tunnel – the group was unable to contact Alsafi at that stage. He forbade it. Rephaim communicate through spirits called psychopomps, which can be caught and bled of information, so the risk of planning a heist that way would have been unspeakably high. Even if they had used the tunnel, they would all have been caught in seconds. The Archon is the most heavily-guarded building in the Republic of Scion. Paige was only able to get in because she handed herself over, making Vance feel as if she had won their duel of wits. (hide spoiler)]

I’m afraid I don’t know yet when Book 4 will be out, but I’m working as hard as I can to get it to you.

Jennifer wrote: "Hello. I just wanted to start by saying that this series is my absolute favorite and I look forward to how this story progresses.

I finished The Song Rising and absolutely loved it. Besides the Pa..."

Hi Jennifer:

So glad you like the series, and that you loved The Song Rising.

1) The golden cord will be examined more in the next four books – it’s an important part of the story overall.

2) No, it’s not going to be a love triangle – that’s not something I’m interested in exploring. (view spoiler)[Terebell and Warden (hide spoiler)] did have a serious relationship, but it ended. That doesn’t mean there isn’t some tension, of course.

Lee wrote: "MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS


Hi Samantha,

I just want to take an opportunity, first of all, to say thank you for surprising us time and time again with your originality and very real characters. Jaxon H..."

Hi Lee:

Thanks so much. I was happy to have a chance to clarify Maria as transgender in this installment – she’s a character I care a lot about. And I’m so glad you liked the depiction of Edinburgh!

Due to Book 4 having a somewhat slimmed-down cast in comparison to The Song Rising, I’m afraid you probably won’t be getting any Zeke/Nick scenes in this one (sorry!), but you will get to see one of those characters. And yes, Beauty and the Beast was a big inspiration. I liked the idea of two very different people being confined together and slowly coming to trust one another, once they've realised they have reason to work together.

Hello!

I also have a huge book-hangover after TSR, I've re-read a few sections over again. (view spoiler)[I'm also squeeing that Paige and Warden will be alone together in Paris for a little while (and sort of amazed that Terebell let that happen). (hide spoiler)]
Paige has been under a great deal of emotional and psychological stress in the past year and it was clearly starting to show in the first section of TSR. The flow and cyclical nature of her thoughts, and her insomnia (and the somewhat questionable decision-making that results from that state) felt so familiar. (view spoiler)[ In TSR, she undergoes more trauma, seeing her father beheaded on live tv (that and her earliest memory of being rebuffed by him sort of broke my heart), remembering the full extent of what happened to her during the incursion, and imprisonment and torture. Resilient though she is, it seems inevitable that she would suffer from PTSD following that many ordeals. Will the mental health consequences of her experiences continue to be apparent in book 4 and subsequent books?
On a related note, as difficult as it was to read, I'm full of admiration and respect for her for allowing herself to be captured, tortured, and nearly executed for the chance to rid the world of Senshield. (hide spoiler)].

Jes wrote: "Hi I love the books currently on a book hangover after The Song Rising. I was wondering if the Rephaim don't have children in the scene that we do, what is the point in them having mates?

In TMO ..."

Hi Jes:

1) Relationships are about far more than just producing children. Rephaim mate for pleasure, for intimacy, and for companionship.

2) (view spoiler)[Warden certainly likes Terebell as a friend, and he cares deeply for her, but the ‘flame’ doesn’t mean that Rephaim always feel romantically for previous mates. You’ll learn more about this in Book 4. (hide spoiler)]

3) I’m working as hard as I can to get Book 4 finished, but the decision about the release date ultimately lies with my publisher. I hope we’ll have some news on that soon.

Hi Samantha,

Samantha here again (@LadyFowell on twitter). I just wanted to add to my previous comment that I really appreciate the depth of character development in your novels. One of the things I love the most about your series is the greyness of moral issues. A lot of times when I am reading, the issues the characters face are presented as black and white and that is very rarely close to reality. I also grateful for the diversity you have in your books and I LOVED the reveal about Maria. She is such a strong character! I can't say enough good things about your books :)
The only questions I wanted to add of course have to do with Warden- will we ever find out why he kissed Paige and to what he was referring when he (view spoiler)[ told Paige he could prove he was on her side by "betraying himself?" .. loved that scene by the way :) (hide spoiler)]
Thanks again for answering our questions- it really is amazing the devotion you show to your fans, and we appreciate it!

Best wishes xx

Hi Samantha,

One of the technical aspects I love about the entire TBS series is that you are intensely trusting of the reader. In TBS you didn't info-dump all sorts of background and information explaining how the voyants gifts, the government, Sheol, all work. There are many pieces of information that you let grow organically and I love that it paces the entire series, that there is a slow-burning tension that is far greater than any single character or relationship tension or plot tension.

From conversations and reading various reviews of TBS in particular but the other novels as well, this can be a source of irritation in impatient readers or those that don't want any question unanswered for more than a few pages. In particular, the vocabulary is highly specialized, either related to the slang of the world, the Voyants, or the Rephaim seems to be a sticking point for some readers.

My questions are:

1. how much of the world building was complete before you started writing the series, and how much ends up evolving and being created during early drafts? Can you give an example of the latter - say something you hadn't worked out in TBS but needed to figure out during TMO?

2. how did you find a balance between how much specialized vocabulary you used or letting a reader learn from an organic scene rather and for clarity, having to explain — whether through dialog or context comments or thoughts or other means? How big a role did your editors play in finding this balance and how much did they trust YOU that certain pieces would have to be taken on faith by the readers rather than explained?

Thanks you for being here and answering questions as well as for creating such a wonderful world and characters I want to follow for 7 books.

Hi Samantha

I love Reading and Re-Reading TBS, TMO and TSR - you have created a world that I love to escape into!

How does it feel to be nearly midway through writing the series?

Xxxx Spoiler - Will we find out what happened between Terebell and Warden and more about the Rephaim. Thanks

Elou wrote: "Hello!

@keychild from twitter - you already know how much I adore your books. :)

1. Which country that you've not written about yet are you most excited to explore? (If the answer isn't a secre..."

Hi Elou:

Of course! Thanks for the questions.

1) I can’t really say this without revealing which countries will feature in the later books, but I can’t wait to explore (view spoiler)[France (hide spoiler)] in Book 4.

2) I love Paige’s refusal to be silent if she sees injustice. It’s my favourite quality of hers. She fights tooth and nail for what she believes is right.

3) Oh, yes, lots of them had different names! Liss was Nancy for ages (we agreed it was a touch too Oliver Twist in the end, even though it wasn't a deliberate reference), and Situla Mesarthim was Celaeno. Roberta Attard was originally called Cerys, but my editor thought it might be too confusing to have both Attard sisters begin with a ‘C’, so she became Roberta.

4) Hardest part of writing a novel . . . structuring it, probably. Making sure the seeds are planted, introducing twists and turns, making sure there's a good balance between quieter and more action-packed moments. Structural edits are the toughest part overall. It's like having to rip out the skeleton of the book and rearrange it.

5) Hardest character to kill so far was probably (view spoiler)[Liss (hide spoiler)], but deaths always hurt. Killing off (view spoiler)[Tom (hide spoiler)] in The Song Rising was hard, as I really liked him.

6) Carrot. I’d go with chocolate, but tragically, I can’t eat chocolate any more due to migraines. Blergh.

Heya Samantha.

With everything there's multiple drafts, edited versions, and scenes that ultimately don't make the cut or have to be re-worked to fit in the end product narrative. Will you ever release these unpublished scenes/parts, just for the fun of the comparison between what was written, and what could have been?

Alix wrote: "Hello!

I also have a huge book-hangover after TSR, I've re-read a few sections over again. [spoilers removed]
Paige has been under a great deal of emotional and psychological stress in the past ..."

Hi Alix:

I’m very excited for Book 4 for that reason.

I’m so pleased you noticed that the stress Paige is under affected her decision-making – that was something I hoped would come through, even if she didn't fully realise it herself. I know that for me personally, lack of sleep wreaks havoc on my mood and thoughts. Paige shouldered a huge responsibility by becoming Underqueen, and it was vital that it didn’t just roll off her; she’s human, after all, and not an experienced commander by any means. The descriptions of her mental state in The Song Rising partly stemmed from my own experience with anxiety over the past few years.

As you point out, Paige has been through tremendous trauma by the end of The Song Rising, and that will absolutely follow her into the remaining books in the series. I try to make sure that any injuries suffered by a character – both mental and physical – don’t just disappear. I keep notes of Paige’s scars and wounds, for example, so I can keep track of the effect they have on her (the broken wrist from Book 1 still troubles her now, for example). I would say that Book 4 is the point in the series at which Paige is at her most fragile.

Hello, Samantha!
I am from Bulgaria and I am so glad to read about my country in your books. I love them!!! You are an amazing author!
So my first Q is : When TSR will be published in Bulgaria? I have already read it in English and it was such a wonderful book but I want to have it in Bulgarian.
Secondly : You said that Warden speaks well a few languages. I am curious: Which are they?
Best wishes
xoxo

Samantha wrote: "Hi Samantha,

Samantha here again (@LadyFowell on twitter). I just wanted to add to my previous comment that I really appreciate the depth of character development in your novels. One of the things..."

Hi again, Samantha:

Thank you so much. I try very hard to keep to shades of grey in this series, as I think that's far more realistic than pitching good against evil. And glad you liked Maria!

Warden and Paige will continue to explore their relationship and feelings for each other as the series goes on. And you’ll find out about the ‘on your side’ comment, probably in Book 4.

Sheryl_at_Ubookquitous wrote: "Hi Samantha,

One of the technical aspects I love about the entire TBS series is that you are intensely trusting of the reader. In TBS you didn't info-dump all sorts of background and information e..."

Hi Sheryl:

Thank you. I probably gave a touch too much information in Chapter 1 of The Bone Season, in hindsight – there’s a lot packed into the opening pages – but I felt it was important to get the reader to grips with some of the basic rules of the world before Paige got whisked away to Sheol I, where there was a whole new system to understand! I’m so glad it worked for you.

1) I had the bones of the world laid out before I started writing. I knew the magic system would be the Seven Orders of Clairvoyance; I knew the way the æther and dreamscapes worked; I knew there was going to be a puppet government that hunted clairvoyants, and I knew that the Rephaim would be behind it, and that they would live in a version of Oxford. The fine details started to gather on the bones when I put Paige into the world. I think of the main character as the engine behind the worldbuilding; there’s only so much work you can do until they step into it. Once she was in Scion London, I could imagine what she would be seeing and hearing, and I could start filling the gaps in my knowledge. There were certain aspects of the syndicate that I only worked out in The Mime Order, like how exactly mime-lords and mime-queens would come to power.

2) Mostly I hoped my readers would be able to pick up the Victorian vocabulary through context. I was inspired by A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, which introduced an invented slang to great effect – Alex often talks about his Gulliver, for example, and you gradually work out that Gulliver means head. My editors helped me navigate this, and we decided a glossary was vital, but I trusted that the reader could get the gist of it without needing to flip to the back too many times. I always explain something on the page (e.g. the specifics of clairvoyant gifts) if it becomes particularly important to the story.

Denise wrote: "Hi Samantha

I love Reading and Re-Reading TBS, TMO and TSR - you have created a world that I love to escape into!

How does it feel to be nearly midway through writing the series?

Xxxx Spoiler - ..."

Hi Denise:

It’s amazing to be at the halfway point of the series. I’ve been envisioning Book 4 for so many years now, especially its ending – can’t believe I’m finally close to writing it.

And yes, you will find out what happened between (view spoiler)[Terebell and Warden (hide spoiler)], and there’s lots more to come about the Rephaim.

Roksana wrote: "Hi !
1. I am in LOOOOOVE with your books !

Possible spoiler*

2. You said that all of the books are going to be written in Paige's perspective, but because of how The Sing Rising ended does it m..."

Hi Roksana:

No, Paige will be the only narrator in Book 4! It does mean, unfortunately, that you won’t see some of the characters in this installment, but they’ll be back – and you will get to see some old friends that you haven’t seen for a while . . .

Hi Samantha!

Thank you so much for taking the time answering our questions!

I'm so deeply in love and attached to The Bone Season, each installment turns greater and grander as it goes on! Words have wings, but I'm totally speechless in expressing my love for it!

1. XVIII-39-0. Will we know who he/she is?
2. Will we know the seventh and final card on Liss's reading?
3. TSR spoiler: (view spoiler)[ Did someone say the threnody for Paige's father's spirit? If not, then does that mean that his spirit is loose? (hide spoiler)]
4. When amaurotics dream, they dream in monochrome, and their dreamscapes are also monochrome. If a dreamwalker walks into one, do their dreamforms also turn into monochrome?
5. Is it possible for an amaurotic to be voyant?

Also... will we know more about Jack Hickathrift? because I think I had I-love-this-character-at-first-sight feeling! (Actually, is there additional info about him you can say about him now?)

Lastly, I want to say I loooooooooove Ognena Maria and I hope to see her in the next books and to see her standing with Paige at the end!  She brings so much fun and life and humor to this series!

Hope everything's going well writing Book 4! The wait for each book is worth it but I cannot wait to have it! Eeep!

Alexa wrote: "Heya Samantha.

With everything there's multiple drafts, edited versions, and scenes that ultimately don't make the cut or have to be re-worked to fit in the end product narrative. Will you ever re..."

Hi Alexa:

I might release some of them! There was a dance sequence between Paige and Warden in an early draft of The Bone Season I’d love to polish and post at some point . . .

Simona wrote: "Hello, Samantha!
I am from Bulgaria and I am so glad to read about my country in your books. I love them!!! You are an amazing author!
So my first Q is : When TSR will be published in Bulgaria? I ..."

Hi Simona:

Thank you so much! I enjoyed writing about Bulgaria in this installment.

I’m not actually sure if or when The Song Rising will be published in Bulgarian – it might be best to email the publisher to ask, as they’ll have the most up-to-date information.

Warden speaks Greek, French, Romanian, English and Swedish, as well as Glossolalia.

Danielle wrote: "Hi Samantha!

Thank you so much for taking the time answering our questions!

I'm so deeply in love and attached to The Bone Season, each installment turns greater and grander as it goes on! Words ..."

Hi Danielle:

Thank you! And glad to have another member of the Ognena Maria fan club. She’s very flattered.

1) Yes, but not until a bit later in the series.

2) Yes, but not until Book 7 . . .

3) (view spoiler)[Nobody has said the threnody for Colin yet. Paige was too shocked to think about it after his execution. (hide spoiler)]

4) Ah, good question! Not necessarily, because Paige knows how to control the appearance of her dream-form – so she can imagine herself in colour, even in an amaurotic dreamscape. Naturally, though, an amaurotic would picture her in monochrome.

5) Voyants can turn amaurotic if they survive going into spirit shock (like Liss in The Bone Season after her deck of cards was destroyed). They lose their connection to the æther. A person can’t be called amaurotic and voyant at the same time, though. You’re either linked to the æther or you’re not. Unreadables are a kind of middle ground – they've lost their clairvoyant ability, but not their aura.

6) You’ll have to keep reading to find out if you’ll see Jack Hickathrift again. I had a lot of fun writing about him in The Song Rising, though. Paige is so awkward when people flirt with her . . .

Hello again! (It me, I'm back, with more insatiable questions).

I have a few questions, so I'll number them out to be coherent.

1) Are the defect(s) that appear in a person's pupils when they have the spirit-sight (I can't remember the name exactly) inherited/a trait a clairvoyant has to be born with, or can they be developed over time due to some outside influence?

2) Possible spoiler question: (view spoiler)[The spirits Nashira has bound in order to use their clairvoyance are all humans, or is one of them possible a Rephaim, and off that, do dead Reph spirits follow the same path as human spirits after they are killed? The Poltergeist Paige faces at the end of TSR is implied to be the same as the one that killed Hector and showed up at the scrimmage, but is it a human, or something else? And what happened before the scarring between Terebell and the Sargas? She seems like an instigator of the opposing side to the Sargas, so that's that enmity, but some serious beef must've gone down even amidst all that. (hide spoiler)]

3) What can unreadables do? Are all unreadables voyants who have had some kind of extreme damage or trauma inflicted on their auras?

4) Spoiler Question 2: Electric Boogaloo (view spoiler)[Paige's father; he is definitely gone, we saw a body, but, when? It could have happened any time after she sees him in TMO, and was a strategy Vance held as an ace for several hands of the game (hide spoiler)]

5) We know Warden's clairvoyance, but none of the other Rephs really besides Thuban, Kraz, and Nashiria. Gomeisa is anybody's scary guess. The Rephs also have much more knowledge about using clairvoyance. Will they share this knowledge, as well as their clairvoyant types?

6) Why six Rephaim families? Are the family and first names the same in Gloss? Why did they pick stars for their English names? Who names freshly sprung up Rephaim?

7) Does Nashira actually like/care about Warden, see him as a trophy and his allegiance as a sign of the Sargas' strength, actually want him on her side and to follow the Sargas' beliefs about humans, or have any feelings about him besides indifference and seeing him as a tool for the Sargas' objective?

Thank you!

Also dance sequence? That sounds amazing!

Hello there Miss Shannon! My question to you is....regarding the different locations in London, were they all places that you were already familiar with? Or did you have an idea in your head and need to scout the city for interesting places to put in your story? For me, these places are as important as the characters in your books. Every time I come upon a new location, I grab The laptop and Google them! I love having actual pictures to put with the book as I read along. PS I tried to come see you when you were in Chapel Hill North Carolina but it just wasn't in the stars this time around. Hope to meet you someday, you are my favorite author. Much love, Patty

Thanks so much for answering my first question, another one occurred to me, if I may. How is it that Warden is such a gifted teacher? We see early in The Song Rising that it's not just that he's knowledgeable about dreamwalking and has been a good instructor to Paige, but he seems able to help any clairvoyant use their gift more fully. It doesn't seem that he ever taught or had human tenants prior to Paige. I'm sure part of it is that he treats people with respect, and thus people are more receptive to his instruction (it's kind of adorable how he's the cool teacher that everyone likes in TSR), but was this a skill he used in the Netherworld at all, or is it new to him?
Oh, and add me to the Ognena Maria fan club, she was my favorite new human character when we met her in TMO.

Alexa wrote: "Hello again! (It me, I'm back, with more insatiable questions).

I have a few questions, so I'll number them out to be coherent.

1) Are the defect(s) that appear in a person's pupils when they hav..."

Hi again, Alexa:

1) Voyants usually have colobomata from birth, but there have been cases where they’ve developed a little later in life.

2) Rephaim don’t follow quite the same path as humans when they die, no – can’t explain too much about this without spoilers, though . . .

3) Unreadables can’t do very much, but they do have very tough dreamscapes, which makes them valuable. Paige can’t walk in an unreadable, and spirits can’t do them much damage. They’re voyants who’ve dreamscapes have collapsed due to trauma, then regenerated with impenetrable armour.

4) (view spoiler)[Colin’s execution was live, but Vance's message wasn't. She arrested Colin immediately after she returned to London and waited until she felt was the best time to execute him. (hide spoiler)]

5) You know a little bit about Gomeisa’s clairvoyance – he’s able to harness apport, which allows poltergeists to interact with the corporeal world, and use it to physically throw people; essentially, he’s the Bone Season version of a telekinetic. He does this to Paige near the end of The Bone Season. You will learn more about Rephaite clairvoyance and how it relates to the human sort.

6) There are seven Rephaite families altogether, including the extinct one: Chertan, Mesarthim, Mothallath, Sargas, Sarin, Sheratan, and Sualocin. Seven, as I’m sure you’ve noticed, is a recurring number in the series: Seven Dials, Seven Seals, Seven Orders of Clairvoyance, XVIII-39-7. The Rephaim chose to name themselves after stars (a) because stars are often associated with the gods and (b) so that humans could pronounce their names – Gloss has no fixed alphabet and is impossible for humans to articulate. Rephaim emerge from the Netherworld knowing their true Gloss names.

7) You’ll have to see what you think about Nashira’s feelings towards Warden as the series continues.