Author of the NYT Times bestselling Witchlands series + Something Strange & Deadly series. Mostly post Dishonored, DAI, ME, HZD, Bioshock, ATLA, & the Expanse stuff.
is there anyone in the witchlands who has multiple witcheries? like someone who's both a tidewitch and plantwitch for example?
Nope! People only have one witchery. But it is like a hierarchy within each element. So someone like Stix who is a full Waterwitch has all the powers of an Icewitch, a Tidewitch, a...I don't even know what other water witcheries I have named, lol. But you get the idea! :D
Hi! I noticed in Witchshadow it's said that Stix discovered her power ten years ago. Assuming she's about Vivia's age, wouldn't that be very late?
No! Most people come into their powers as preteens/young teens. so that's about normal. There are certainly people who come into it sooner! But the general norm is 10+ years.
there’s no ask, just a comment about my deep enjoyment for your use of details to subtly foreshadow and to drop hints about what’s actually going on. very very very much enjoyed the details in Witchshadow for example the one about the true identity of the owner of the jade ring like wow
Ah, YAY! It really means a lot when people pick up on all the details I've been threading through since the beginning. THANK YOU!!
My pre-order of Witchshadow took a while to arrive but I loved it so much! On all levels except physically, I am screaming. I'm very, very intrigued and not ready/extremely impatient for the finale.
Thank you so, so much! I am really pleased. Thank you also for reading! :D I hope the finale lives up to your expectations!
What era of time do you think the Witchlands would be set in? Like around the 16th or 17th century or...? What clothes and hair would be their norm?
Also, stupid question, how long is Aeduan hair exactly? Like HOW close cropped? How do other men in the Witchlands wear it?? LOL...idk why I want to know!
Um, the clothes and hair don't match any time in history, and every nation/empire/culture would have their own fashions and norms. I tried to stick to technology of the early 1600s -- and to not use words or phrases that didn't exist yet (e.g. "okay") to avoid an anachronistic feel. But I also did play "loosely" when I needed to.
And Aeduan's hair is like in the various official art out there! Such as the one by @meliescribbles that's like a video game concept art page.
As for other men, it really varies. Merik's is probably shoulder-length in Truthwitch, but then most of it is scorched off in Windwitch. Leopold has thick curls, but not long -- just long enough to feel slightly foppish and indulgent, but not actually get in his way. Caden keeps it short, like Aeduan. Zander and Lev too, actually. Mathew's is thicker, like Leopold, and Habim is military-style short. Eron also keeps it short, almost military.
I'm sure I'm forgetting some other dudes, but does that answer your question?
Hi! I'm reading Witchshadow and it is AMAZING!! I was just thinking about it, though, and neither are labeled on the map - roughly where are Ratsenried and Kristazhoffen?
Oh gosh, I don't know. Lol. Somewhere in Cartorra that's vaguely west of Praga? That is definitely not something I thought of, since they're not important to the story.
If I ever write the Hell-Bard short story book, then I'll give you a firm answer. 😉
I've just finished Witchshadow and I have no words to describe how much I loved it! It was everything I hoped for and even more! Every time I think this series can't get any better, you prove me wrong! Cannot wait for the final book! ❤️ Btw, chapter 57 was LIIIFE! THANK YOUUU 😭❤️
GAH, THANk YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!! I am definitely partial to that chapter myself...😉
I don't want to put any spoilers for Witchshadow if people haven't started or finished it yet- but I finished it last week and I can I just say.... Thank you 💙.
I never felt it before in the other books, but somehow it clicked that Iseult and Gretchya are a bit like the relationship I have with my own mom. And I realized you don't always have to actually say the words "I love you" to mean them, or physically express your emotions for them to be true.
Ah, THANK YOU!!! I am so, SO happy you enjoyed! It was such a challenge to combine two books into one, and it ended up looking so different from what I'd been planning for so many years because of that...
But I am so gosh darn proud of what came out! Especially the Gretchya stuff. So, THANK YOU!
I don’t know if I dreamt this up or not but I think you said somewhere that Safi is loosely like the Fool tarot card and Iseult is like the Hermit tarot card? Idk why but I’ve been thinking about this all the time for my most recent reread of the books in preparation for Witchshadow. If I didn’t imagine this info, did you take inspiration from the cards when creating Safi and Iseult or did you fine the aligned to these two cards after you created them / did you choose to make characters off of those two cards? It sounds so fascinating to me and was curious!
I don't think she's the fool...? Nor is Iseult the Hermit. I was loosely inspired by the High Priestess + Hierophant cards to make the Witch and the Solitaire -- those are supposed to be Safi + Iseult, respectively. As well as the Sun and the Moon cards.
I definitely used some of real tarot to inspire the deck in the Witchlands, but then...I deviated a ton and made up my own things since I wanted it to be a reflection of the world. Hence hounds, foxes, hawks, and bats as the suits. 😉
Another one...How old are Safi and Iseult actually?? In Truthwitch, I think they were 18 but in Bloodwitch, I am pretty sure it mentioned that they were 19. But in Witchshadow, they are 18? Could you please clear this out?
They're supposed to be 18. It's VERY possible I messed up and wrote 19 somewhere. Sigh.
When I originally wrote it as an adult series, they were 19. But when my editor wanted to make it YA, we down-aged them a year...
Are there like, weatherwitches? Like people who can predict the weather days in advance?
Um, not specifically Weaterwitches, but there IS a Weatherwitch guild in Dalmotti, which actually is a collection of weather-related witcheries (mostly Air and Water witcheries).
Yes, I have actually thought all this out. Why? Because I started writing a choose your own path type story set at this guild a few years ago, lol.