Q&A: Makiia Lucier, Author of ‘Year of the Reaper’

We had the pleasure of speaking with author Makiia Lucier about her latest YA release, Year of The Reaper, along with book recommendations, inspiration, and more!

Hi, Makiia! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

Sure! Here are five random things about me:

1. I’m a former librarian.
2. I grew up on the Pacific island of Guam.
3. But I have lived in many other places, including Saipan, Oregon, Colorado, Italy, New Hampshire, Idaho, and North Carolina.
4. I read Stephen King’s It when I was eleven. I still have nightmares about clowns.
5. Favorite K drama? Goblin: The Lonely and Great God (so romantic!)

As the year draws to a close, how has 2021 been for you?

There have been ups and downs. Publishing a book during plague is not for the faint of heart. It requires a whole lot of flexibility and shifting expectations. On the other hand, I was able to see family this year, people I love who I have missed because of travel and safety restrictions. I am very much looking forward to 2022.

When did you first discover your love for writing?

I studied journalism at the University of Oregon, but I never really considered writing fiction until I was in my 30s.

Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading!

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery.

Your new novel, Year of the Reaper, is out November 9th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

It doesn’t have to be a proper sentence? Then, mystery, fantasy, assassin, slow-burn romance (can slow-burn be considered one word?).

What can readers expect?

I think readers will be right there with our hero, Lord Cassia, trying to decipher all the clues. I hope they have fun trying to solve this mystery.

Where did the inspiration for Year of the Reaper come from?

My first novel came out in 2014 and takes places right at the start of the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic. While I was writing it, I found myself wondering, “Well, what happened to the survivors? To those forced to carry on? What’s their story?” That is what Year of the Reaper is ultimately about, about the survivors of a terrible medieval plague.

Can you tell us a bit about the challenges you faced while writing and how you were able to overcome them?

Oh my goodness, everything is challenging! Finishing the first draft, finishing the fifth. Writing a mystery has its own particular difficulties. You don’t want readers to figure things out too early, but you do want to sneak in enough clues so that when all is revealed, it feels organic. It’s a tough balancing act.

For me, the best way to overcome a writing challenge is to write. I work my way through plot holes and everything else by writing my way through them.

Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

I love all the scenes between Cassia and Lena. Lena makes me laugh, and I love how she’s able to make Cas smile, whether he wants to or not.

What’s the best and the worst writing advice you have received?

I wouldn’t call it the worse, just advice that doesn’t work for me, and that is to be part of a writing/critique group. The only people who read my early drafts are my editors and my husband. It works for me.

The best advice is to remember that social media doesn’t tell the whole story. It can be discouraging (depressing!) to log onto Twitter or Instagram and see these giant book deals and perfectly curated feeds. It’s rare to see posts about disappointments and failures and struggles, but we all have them, even when it looks like we don’t.

What’s next for you?

It’s a little early to talk about specifics. But I can say that May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. And every May, I find myself wondering, “Where are all the Pacific island books? Where are all the Pacific Islander writers?” This year, instead of complaining, I decided to write the book I’ve been searching for. I have a thousand ideas fighting around in my brain right now. I promise I’ll share more when it all starts to make some kind of sense!

Lastly, what have your favourite reads of 2021 been?

The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee; The Rose Code by Kate Quinn; Fangs by Sarah Andersen

Will you be picking up Year of the Reaper? Tell us in the comments below!