Sara Raasch Author Interview

Photo Content from Sara Raasch

Sara Raasch has known she was destined for bookish things since the age of five, when her friends had a lemonade stand and she tagged along to sell her hand-drawn picture books too.

Not much has changed since then — her friends still cock concerned eyebrows when she attempts to draw things and her enthusiasm for the written word still drives her to extreme measures.

She is the New York Times Bestselling author of the YA fantasy trilogy SNOW LIKE ASHES and the YA fantasy Stream Raiders series (coming soon). Neither features her hand-drawn pictures.

If you wanna see her freak out, mention Assassin’s Creed, Zutara, Jelsa, or Captive Prince.

        

  

Was there a particular event or time that you recognized that writing was not just a hobby.
When I was about five or six, my cousins wanted to run a lemonade stand. I subsequently made up a bunch of hand-drawn picture books, and tried to sell those instead. From that moment on, I knew this whole book thing was a big part of my life!

Has reading a book ever changed your life? Which one and why, if yes?
Sharon Shinn’s MYSTIC AND RIDER was the first adult fantasy book I read, and it showed what is possible with deep, lush world building. It changed how I write my books and how I approach fantasy worlds!

In your new book; THESE REBEL WAVES, can you tell my Book Nerd community a little about it.
THESE REBEL WAVES is a political fantasy inspired by the Golden Age of Piracy and the Spanish Inquisition with botanical river magic, grisly raiders, scheming leaders, and, of course, swoony boys (and girls!).

What was the most surprising thing you learned in creating your characters?
The character of Ben (one of the point of view characters in THESE REBEL WAVES changed his motivations with every draft of the first six drafts. It was excruciating, but it helped me learn all the facets of his personality, so when that final draft came around, he clicked in a surprisingly easy way. He just made me work for it!

If you could introduce one of your characters to any character from another book, who would it be and why?
I think Vex, my snarky pirate character, would get along super well with Jax (similar name even!) from Ashely Poston’s HEART OF IRON. They are both delightfully over the top in their sarcasm, and I’d love to listen to them banter!

What are some of your current and future projects that you can share with us?
I’m currently working on the sequel to THESE REBEL WAVES (out next summer). It has all the elements of the first one—political turmoil, betrayal, battles, love—only DOUBLE, as sequels should!

What book would you recommend for others to read?
I shove CS Pacat’s CAPTIVE PRINCE at everyone. If you love slow burn, enemies-to-lovers romance, READ THIS BOOK! You will swoon for days!

What was the last thing you bought?
Bookplates for THESE REBEL WAVES. Ha! It’s marketing season ;)

What is the last movie that you saw at the cinema?
Thor: Ragnarok. I don’t get to the movies very often, sadly!

What were you doing at midnight last night?
SLEEPING. I am NOT a night owl!

Have you ever danced in the rain?
Noooo. Not my type of thing. Give me dry, indoor warmth any day!

Tell me about your first kiss
It was in a racquetball court at a YMCA during a school field trip. Romance, thy name is hard rubber balls flying around your head.

If you had one day in your life to live over, which would you choose and why?
The day I caught whatever was going to kill me so I could figure out how to not catch it!

Adeluna is a soldier. Five years ago, she helped the magic-rich island of Grace Loray overthrow its oppressor, Argrid, a country ruled by religion. But adjusting to postwar life has not been easy. When an Argridian delegate vanishes during peace talks with Grace Loray’s new Council, Argrid demands brutal justice—but Lu suspects something more dangerous is at work.

Devereux is a pirate. As one of the outlaws called stream raiders who run rampant on Grace Loray, he pirates the island’s magic plants and sells them on the black market. But after Argrid accuses raiders of the diplomat’s abduction, Vex becomes a target. An expert navigator, he agrees to help Lu find the Argridian—but the truth they uncover could be deadlier than any war.

Benat is a heretic. The crown prince of Argrid, he harbors a secret obsession with Grace Loray’s forbidden magic. When Ben’s father, the king, gives him the shocking task of reversing Argrid’s fear of magic, Ben has to decide if one prince can change a devout country—or if he’s building his own pyre.

As conspiracies arise, Lu, Vex, and Ben will have to decide who they really are . . . and what they are willing to become for peace.

Praise for THESE REBEL WAVES

“Full of mesmerizing magic, political intrigue plotted in dark grottos, and a cast of sharp-witted rogues, These Rebel Waves swashbuckled its way into my heart and never let go. Raasch has outdone herself with this new series. You won’t want to put it down.” ―Evelyn Skye, New York Times bestselling author of The Crown’s Game and The Crown’s Fate

“Ambitious, smart, and breathlessly fun. A richly drawn world, multiple plot twists, and characters you’ll find yourself cheering for again and again make These Rebel Waves the kind of book where ‘just one more chapter’ just isn’t enough.” ―Claire Legrand, author of Furyborn

“an intricate world of magical flora as well as a complex political structure … this book will charm readers with its constructed universe.“ ―School Library Journal

“Magic, politics, and religion collide in unexpected ways in this action-packed fantasy adventure.“ ―Kirkus Reviews

“This first in a duology is an action-packed political thriller filled with betrayal, plot twists, and touches of romance.“ ―Booklist

You can purchase The Wishing World at the following Retailers:

        

And now, The Giveaways.

Thank you SARA RAASCH for making this giveaway possible.

1 Winner will receive These Rebel Waves Swag by Sara Raasch..

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