Q&A: Romina Garber, Author of ‘Cazadora’

Romina Garber is back with the second book in the Wolves of No World series, Cazadora. We got the chance to ask her about what she has been up to since the release of Lobizona last year, how she’s been connecting with readers in this new normal world, and what she is working on next.

Hi Romina! It’s been just over a year since we had our interview for the release of Lobizona. What have you been up to in this last year and the lead up to Cazadora’s release?

Hi! The coolest part of the past year was probably launching Lobizona in Spanish. Reading my story as retold by the brilliant translator Jeannine Emery was such a surreally delightful experience, but the best part was hearing from readers who were seeing their language & customs reflected in a fantasy realm. Things peaked in July, when I was able to present Wolves of No World at an in-person conference (Celsius 232) in Avilés, Spain! It was there that I reconnected with a reader I met three years ago in Madrid named Saysa—the inspiration behind the character—& it was awesome to be able to personalize her book & thank her for being one of my muses.

Did your process change much with how you approached the writing of Cazadora?

My process doesn’t change much. I am a staunch Virgo who likes to outline every plot point before I dive into drafting, so I had all the beats figured out early. However, something that wasn’t in my plans was the Epilogue—that idea came after submitting the first draft to my editor, Eileen Rothschild. We felt we needed one final scene to close out the duology & give readers a glimpse of the adventures to come. After all, endings are beginnings. . . 

Where did the inspiration for Kerana come from?

The textures of Kerana are inspired by the beauty of Buenos Aires, Patagonia, la Pampa, los Andes, & more. I didn’t expect that redesigning the landscapes of my birthplace as fantastical manadas would be such an empowering process, but there was something magical about it. I felt like I was reclaiming my relationship with my homeland, on my own terms, in my own words.

In our previous interview you had mentioned that your favorite part of the publishing journey was hearing from and meeting fans, which was obviously difficult to do in 2020. Even with the world a bit rocky in 2021, have you gotten to experience more connection with readers through virtual tours or in person signings?

Even though I’ve only done one in-person event, & that was in Spain, I still feel very connected to readers. Thanks to social media, I’m able to engage with anyone who reaches out—however, I do really miss the energy of in-peson book talks. Luckily, Books & Books is hosting a signing & photo op the day before Cazadora’s release, so I’ll be able to interact with local readers here in Miami. Plus, there’s the virtual launch event with Zoraida Córdova!

Something that always stands out to me while reading is food descriptions and there are some great food moments in both Lobizona and Cazadora. Do you ever get hungry when writing food descriptions into your stories and what is one of your favorite foods?

YES! I am always getting hungry when writing these scenes, especially because they involve my favorite foods—milanesa, entraña, choripán, sandwichitos de miga, empanadas, medialunas, & on & on & on! I’ve actually put together a couple of recipes for anyone who’d like to try making empanadas & chimichurri—if you go for it, please share your experience with me on social!

Do you have any writing necessities to put yourself in the writing mindset?

Iced lattes rank pretty high on that list. I also need a good view—I prefer people-watching, but it can also be just a skyline or even something on TV. I’m constantly looking up when I write, & I often like channeling energy from my surroundings. I can’t work in empty spaces!

I’m going to include a fairly off topic question: in our previous interview you mentioned Buffy and Angel when I asked about cliffhangers. As huge Buffy and Angel fan, I have to know: what are some of your favorite episodes from either show and why?

::takes deep breath::

First I have to calm my inner fangirl . . . or should I say fang-girl? (I can hear the groans from here.)

OKAY, to keep this answer under novel-length, I will limit myself to discussing a handful of episodes from each show—though my bestie/critique partner Nicole Maggi (whose books everyone should check out!) & I can lose entire days analyzing these shows & reliving our favorite moments:  

BUFFY

• ONCE MORE WITH FEELING!!! I am obsessed with the musical. I used to listen to the songs on repeat in my car.
• CONVERSATIONS WITH DEAD PEOPLE because it was just so well done. I remember everything coming together, the pacing, the dialogue, the music, leading up to the big Spike reveal.
• FOOL FOR LOVE b/c I love me some Spuffy!!
• GRADUATION DAY is such epic YA, with everyone coming together to defeat the evil principal, & the Buffy-Angel angsty farewell. It had to make the list.
• HUSH is masterful—to speak so little but say so much is just brilliant.

ANGEL

• SPIN THE BOTTLE!! I looove this episode so much!
• For all the others, I may have to go with the entirety of season 5, peaking with LIFE OF THE PARTY & SMILE TIME! I love the gang working at Wolfram & Hart. I think that twist was genius, & I would have loved to see where things went if they could have continued.
  • I also love the last episode—NOT FADE AWAY—which is one of my favorite final episodes of any show.
  • & how could I not mention A HOLE IN THE WORLD?! That episode gutted me, in the best way! LOL

Now I’m itching for a rewatch. We can tackle Firefly for my next interview! 😉

Last question and always my favorite: can you tell us anything about what you are working on next? *leans in closer for hints about a book 3 for Manu and friends*

Even though Wolves of No World is a duology, I have written a 5,000-word synopsis for a third book. Yet whether or not those pages ever blossom into a novel depends largely on readers! If you like the series & want to know what comes next for Manu, you can make that happen by doing things like rating/reviewing the book on seller sites, posting about it on your social media, telling your friends to check it out, giving it as a birthday gift, donating a copy to a school, etc. 

I didn’t feel represented in the books I read growing up, so Lunaris is the home I’ve been chasing since childhood. I wrote this series because every teen deserves the chance to find themselves on the page. Now go forth & shatter every convention!

Will you be picking up Cazadora? Tell us in the comments below!