Hey everyone! I’m BEYOND excited to have E. Latimer, author of Witches of Ash and Ruin (March 3, 2020), here for an interview! This book has been on my radar since it was first announced, and I CANNOT wait to read it!!! So, without further adieu, here’s more about the book:

Modern witchcraft blends with ancient Celtic mythology in an epic clash of witches and gods, perfect for fans of V.E. Schwab’s Shades of Magic trilogy and A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES.

Seventeen-year-old Dayna Walsh is struggling to cope with her somatic OCD; the aftermath of being outed as bisexual in her conservative Irish town; and the return of her long-absent mother, who barely seems like a parent. But all that really matters to her is ascending and finally, finally becoming a full witch-plans that are complicated when another coven, rumored to have a sordid history with black magic, arrives in town with premonitions of death. Dayna immediately finds herself at odds with the bewitchingly frustrating Meiner King, the granddaughter of their coven leader.

And then a witch turns up murdered at a local sacred site, along with the blood symbol of the Butcher of Manchester-an infamous serial killer whose trail has long gone cold. The killer’s motives are enmeshed in a complex web of witches and gods, and Dayna and Meiner soon find themselves at the center of it all. If they don’t stop the Butcher, one of them will be next.

With razor-sharp prose and achingly real characters, E. Latimer crafts a sweeping, mesmerizing story of dark magic and brutal mythology set against a backdrop of contemporary Ireland that’s impossible to put down.

Goodreads

And now for the interview! Enjoy!

Describe your book in ten words or less. Go!
Rival covens team up to stop witch-killing serial killer.

Witchcraft, Celtic Mythology and serial killers… This book has it all!! What inspired you to write it?
I actually started forming the idea for Witches of Ash and Ruin when I finished The Raven Cycle books for what had to be the tenth time. I absolutely adore the whole vibe of Blue’s home and family. I wanted to live in those scenes forever. I have a real love for witchy women and the spaces they inhabit, from the women of Practical Magic, to the magical chaos of Molly Weasley’s kitchen.

I wanted to tap into something like that, which is why the narrative of Witches begins and ends in the coven house, specifically in the kitchen.

What scene do you most regret having to cut?
I had a big kissing scene in the library amongst the shelves, and while some of that is still there I had to cut down on a lot because of pacing.

Craziest thing you’ve had to Google for a work in progress?
Probably the time I spent searching for ‘Irish Serial Killers”. Because there really aren’t any. It was a weird thing to be disappointed by.

What book(s) would you recommend to a reader who loved yours, and wants to read something similar?
Well, to be obvious about it, The Raven Cycle of course. But if you’re looking for something newer or you’ve already read it, The Devouring Gray by Christine Lynn Herman is a fantastically dark and witchy read.

What are three must-have items when you sit down to write?
Tea, headphones and my plot outline.

Are you working on anything new?
Yes! I’m currently working on a book about plant druids, sexy thieves and demon kings.

So, are you excited for Witches of Ash and Ruin??? Well then, what are you waiting for…??? GO PRE-ORDER IT!

Pre-Order Links:

Goodreads | Books Inc
Indie Bound | Barnes & Noble | Amazon

ALSO, GUESS WHAT?!?!? If you pre-order Witches of Ash and Ruin from Books Inc before March 3rd, you can get a signed, personalized copy and this GORGEOUS witchy enamel pin:

E. Latimer is a fantasy writer from Victoria, BC. Her middle grade novel, The Strange and Deadly Portraits of Bryony Gray was published by Tundra Books, and was recently nominated for the Red Maple Fiction Award.

In her spare time, she writes books, makes silly vlogs with the Word Nerds about writing, and reads excessively.

Her latest novel, Witches of Ash and Ruin, will be released Spring/Summer 2020.

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