Author Interview + (Halloween) Giveaway: The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

{ ++ } Victoria Schwab was kind enough to answer a few of my burning questions about her writing as well as about her novel, The Near Witch.  I finished this book and then kept thinking about it, and with Halloween around the corner, I knew I wanted to host a giveaway of this fantastic book.

About the Author

Victoria is the product of a British mother, a Beverly Hills father, and a southern upbringing. Because of this, she has been known to say "tom-ah-toes," "like," and "y'all."

She also tells stories.

She loves fairy tales, and folklore, and stories that make her wonder if the world is really as it seems. 

(author bio taken from the author's Goodreads page)

The Interview

{++} What inspired you to write The Near Witch?

NW was actually inspired by my love of fairy tale, and two sentences thought up six months apart.

1. There are no strangers in the town of Near.

and

2. The wind on the moors is a tricky thing.

{++} Do you have a favorite memory of writing The Near Witch?

There was something so intensely comfortable about the rhythm of writing this book. I carved out two hours every single night for two months, and would leave my senior art studio and walk to this coffee shop on the edge of campus and write from 9pm until the coffee shop closed at 11pm. By the time I sat down at one of the tables, tea in hand, I was ready. It was a kind of transformation, the way everything else fell away.

{++} Was there any certain point you realized you were a writer, or have you always known?

No. Or rather, not exactly. I always WANTED to be a writer, but at no point did I feel certain I would become one. At least, not a published one. I knew I would WRITE, because it makes me happy and whole, but I still don't believe I've become a publisher author. I find it best not to let myself believe it, and that way I keep slaving in the hopes of one day achieving that mantel. I don't know if I'll ever believe I've made it.

{++} Do you have a favorite fictional character or book? What about a book or series you wish you could visit?

I'm a big fan of Kristin Cashore's books, as well as Neil Gaiman's. But to visit, I'd probably choose The Mortal Instruments, especially if I could be a Shadowhunter, or Harry Potter, if I could get into Hogwarts :)

{++} What is your favorite part of the writing process? Is there any certain point that makes you giddy, or is the whole thing too awesome for words?

The beginning, embarking on a new idea, and the thrill and potential of it, and then the end. There is no greater high than completing a book, and looking back over the pages and marveling at the fact that somehow this tangled thing in your head is now outside of your head. As for the part between the beginning and end, well, that's a bit harder.

{++} If you weren't a writer, is there another career that would make you happy?

 I think I would be a baker. I really love working with my hands. And sugar. And I've always wanted to have a bakery where everything is named after a fairy tale character. But to be honest, I'd probably still write, even if it weren't a "career," especially because it doesn't FEEL like a career. It feels like a dream.

{++} Do you listen to music while you write, create playlists or anything, or prefer silence?

When I'm writing, I need ambient noise (the kind found in cafes) but I can't listen to music with lyrics, because I find it too distracting.

{++} How would you summarize The Near Witch, tweet-style?

 A fairy tale about a town called Near, where a stranger appears one night, and the following night the children vanish one by one by one.

{++} Can we expect more of the same type of prose (very haunting and almost poetic) from you in the future? Can you talk up your next project?

 My next project is as different as it can be, while still being me. There's a huge shift in the nature of the prose (a modern narrator) but I can't get away from my lyricism. I like the way words go together too much.

That next book is called THE ARCHIVED and I'm sickeningly excited about it, but because it doesn't come out for awhile, I'm not supposed to say much. I will say that it's a bit like Buffy meets The Shining meets If I Stay meets a library :)

Up for Grabs...

 The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab 

Why this book: It drew me in immediately.  (Check out my review.)  The writing was so lyrical and haunting, and perfectly matched the eerie plot.  I read the book about a month ago and now I'm wishing I had waited.  It's spooky and perfect for reading right now around Halloween!

The Giveaway...

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment!  But there are all sorts of opportunities for extra entries!