Still seeking the perfect holiday gift for that YA fiction-lover in your life? Author Yvonne Ventresca‘s sophomore novel Black Flowers, White Lies may just fit the bill.
Black Flowers, White Lies follows cat-loving, superstitious protagonist Ella, a teenager whose strong connection to her father endures despite the fact that he died before her birth. When strange things start happening in Ella’s life, you can’t help but wonder: Is her father sending warnings from the afterlife? Are her family’s hereditary psychiatric problems slowly claiming their latest victim? Or is there an earthlier explanation?
I chatted with Yvonne Ventresca about the common themes in Black Flowers, White Lies and her debut novel Pandemic, what appeals to her about writing YA fiction, and more. Check out an excerpt below:
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Author Sarah Glenn Marsh‘s debut novel Fear the Drowning Deep was released by Sky Pony Press on Oct. 11. Set against the mystical backdrop of the Isle of Man in 1913, this YA book follows protagonist Bridey as she grapples with her fear of the ocean (hence the title), encountering a supernatural threat and a blossoming romance in the process. The novel draws in readers from the first page when a drowning victim is discovered on the beach, “her dark hair wrapped around her neck like seaweed,” and the mysterious circumstances surrounding the young woman’s death (which echo the demise of Bridey’s own grandfather years earlier) keep the reader engaged and intrigued, with Marsh’s vivid descriptions painting an evocative picture of Manx living.
I interviewed Sarah Glenn Marsh about how she chose the setting for Fear the Drowning Deep, the most challenging and enjoyable aspects of writing her first novel, who she would cast in a film version of the book, her tips for unpublished writers, and more. Check out an excerpt below:
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