Susan Dennard is a writer, reader, lover of animals, and eater of cookies. She used to be a marine biologist, but now she writes novels. And not novels about fish: her followup to Something Strange and Deadly promises to be her strangest and loveliest work yet.
Following an all-out battle with the walking Dead, the Spirit Hunters have fled Philadelphia, leaving Eleanor alone to cope with the devastating aftermath. But there’s more trouble ahead—the evil necromancer Marcus has returned, and his diabolical advances have Eleanor escaping to Paris to seek the help of Joseph, Jie, and the infuriatingly handsome Daniel once again. When she arrives, however, she finds a whole new darkness lurking in this City of Light. As harrowing events unfold, Eleanor is forced to make a deadly decision that will mean life or death for everyone.
YOUNG ADULT: What is your earliest memory involving writing?
Susan Dennard: I have ALWAYS been a big daydreamer, but the first time I remember really trying to write a story was when I was 12. I was a huge fan of epic fantasy then–Lloyd Alexander and Tamora Pierce were my favorites–and I vividly recall trying to mimic their stories. Not in a copying sort of way, but in a learning sort of way. I think mimicry is actually one of the best ways for new and young writers to get their start. Look at what YOU love and try to write stories like that!
YA: Tell us a little bit about your latest work. What is different about A Darkness Strange and Lovely and what does it bring to the Strange & Deadly series?
SD: A Darkness Strange and Lovely still follows Eleanor Fitt and the Spirit-Hunters, but now they’ve left Philadelphia and the Centennial Exhibition behind. Something wicked is lurking in Paris, and the Spirit-Hunters have been summoned to deal with it. Eleanor joins them in the City of Light, only to find a certain wickedness of her own–something dark and lovely that’s lurking inside her own heart.
This book has new characters, new Dead-fighting gadgets, new magic, and new monsters. I really think fans of the first book will enjoy the sequel.
YA: How did the idea for this book arise? What were your major influences?
SD: I knew I wanted to take the Spirit-Hunters out of Philadelphia in A Darkness Strange and Lovely, and I really wanted Eleanor to see the world. As the center for all things fashionable and artistic during Victorian times, Paris seemed like the obvious choice as a setting for book 2!
That said, the idea for the book–for the whole series actually–came from a dream. All I did was take the characters and emotions from that dream and paint them into a setting. Then I relied on some of MY favorite books and movies to bring in some darker elements. Books like Sabriel by Garth Nix, A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray, or even World War Z by Max Brooks really scared and moved me. Ultimately, I knew I wanted to evoke similar emotions and human elements against a terrifying backdrop with corpses, ghosts, and black magic.
YA: Take us through a typical writing day for you.
SD: I am usually at my computer by 8 AM. Morning is devoted to emails, blogging, and other important social/administrative things. THEN it’s time to write! I always plan out what I’ll write in a spiral notebook. I jot down a few pieces of the scene, snippets of dialogue, etc. to help keep me focused as I draft. Then I hammer out the scene, pause for coffee, and start planning the next scene in my notebook. 🙂 So it goes until my husband gets home in the evening. I try to get in at least 2,000 words a day, but on good days, I might average closer to 5,000 or 6,000 words. It really depends on the day and the scene.
YA: Besides the classic ‘never give up’, what advice would you give to aspiring young writers today?
SD: Don’t EVER listen to the naysayers. Your whole life, people will tell you what you can and cannot do–or what you should and should not do. But do not listen to them. Only YOU can decide what you’re capable of, and it’s up to YOU to decide what you should pursue. If I or any of my author friends had listened to the naysayers in our life, we wouldn’t be where we are today. If you love writing, then WRITE. Write often, write passionately, and write without worrying about what anyone else thinks.
YA: What’s next for you?
SD: After A Darkness Strange and Lovely, there will be the final book in the trilogy–it’s due out summer 2014. As for what’s after that…well, I’m hoping this epic fantasy YA series I’m working on now will be heading toward readers sooner rather than later! 😉
YA: What other authors, YA or otherwise, do you idolize? Or, what YA books are on a pedestal for you?
SD: I idolize a LOT of authors. Isaac Asimov for his insane prolificness, Ursula K. LeGuin for her ability to gut me with her prose, Tamora Pierce and Lloyd Alexander for first sparking me with the desire to write–and for first introducing me to high fantasy and magic. Oh gosh, the list goes on. As for what BOOKS I adore, right now, I am obsessed with Megan Whalen Turner’s series. I think The King of Attolia might just be the most perfect book ever written…