Today we have a very special guest! Majanka Verstraete is here to talk about her YA novel, The Soul Thief!
About the book: When sixteen-year-old Riley is injured in a car crash and sees a girl stealing a boy’s soul, she’s convinced she’s hallucinating. But when she sees the same girl at the hospital later, she knows she wasn’t dreaming. That’s when Riley learns her secret heritage and who she really is: a halfling Angel of Death.
Riley must come to terms with her new reality and supernatural abilities, but before she can do this, girls her age start dying in mysterious circumstances. It’s up to Riley to figure out why, what the innocent victims have in common, and what she can do to stop them.
Now, let’s get down to business!
What made you want to write young adult?
I’ve always loved reading YA books. Even as an adult, I like YA books the most, so it seemed natural for me to start writing in this genre. There’s just something magical about writing for young adults.
When can we expect book two?
Book two, Demonic Pact, will be released in December this year.
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Which part of the book was your favorite to write? Which was the most challenging?
My favorite part of the book was the beginning. I had that planned out, but I didn’t quite know how the book would end, so I struggled with the ending. But then it all came together and clicked.
If there was an interview question you wish someone would ask you, what would it be and what’s the answer?
That’s a tough one! I always like to talk about the characters from my books, in particular the main ones, so any question about those characters would be great. For example, who my favorite character from the book is.
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My favorite character is Riley, the protagonist. She loves her friends so much, and does everything she can to protect them. Riley is protective to a fault, but she’s also fierce, loyal and strong, and that’s what I like about her.
What advice do you have for anyone in high school or university who wants to become an author?
Don’t give up. Write every day. And be proud of your work. Don’t be shy to send it to agents and publishers. They can give very valuable feedback.
Fill in the blanks. If you love ______, _______ or _______, then you’ll love The Soul Thief?
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If you love The Vampire Diaries, the Mortal Instruments series or Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, then you’ll love The Soul Thief.
If you couldn’t be an author, what would your dream job be?
I’ve studied law and criminology, so I want to do something in those fields soon. I’d love to be a criminal defense attorney, and in fact, I plan to start working as an attorney soon.
About Majanka
Majanka Verstraete is a twenty-four-year-old law and criminology student. Writing is her passion, and has been ever since she learned how to read.
She writes about all things supernatural for children of all ages. She’s tried to write contemporary novels before, but something paranormal always manages to crawl in.
She’s the author of a picture book series called Valentina’s Spooky Adventures and a lower grade chapter book series Weirdville.
She is also working on two young adult series: Mirrorland and the Angel of Death Series. The first books of both series have been released, and the sequels will be released in 2015. All her books are available from online retailers in eBook and paperback formats.
She also writes paranormal fiction for adults as M. Verstraete.
Find Majanka at http://majankaverstraete.com/
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