We chat with author Alena Bruzas about The Broken Edge of the World, which is a spellbinding fantasy romance that will enthrall you with its alluring concoction of traditional Grimm’s and modern thrills.
Hi, Alena! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hello! Well my name is Alena, I’m from Seattle originally and I’ve lived in Nebraska for about fifteen years now. I never thought I would end up loving it, but I do! I have two kiddos, a bunch of pets, and a lot of flowers and bumble bees. Writing is my passion, and I also work at as a bookseller at my local indie Francie and Finch.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I can’t remember I time I didn’t love to write. I have old notebooks of silly little poems I wrote when I was six or seven. I started writing seriously, with the hope of being published, when I was twenty-five. It only took about ten years to get my first book deal! *sobs*
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: That’s a tough one! My parents were avid readers so I always was surrounded by books. I had a little puffy cover board book about an airplane that I loved. The first book I read by myself I’m pretty sure was a Berenstain Bear book. I don’t remember which one!
- The one that made you want to become an author: Definitely the Ramona Quimby books! Beverly Clearly is so incredible at writing from the perspective of a kid dealing with all the complicated feelings a kid deals with, but in such a lovely straightforward way. I loved her books as a kid, and as an adult I’ve always wished I was as talented as her.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: I just finished the latest Tana French book, The Seeker. I love that series, and her writing is so gorgeous. She makes it seem totally effortless!
Your latest novel, The Broken Edge of the World, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Hedgehog! Flowers! Bumblebees! Danger! Witch!
What can readers expect?
Magic, romance, a curse, some misunderstanding, some summer shenanigans. If they’re familiar with my work I will say this one is less traumatizing, but still a little traumatic! The main character can be unlikable, but she redeems herself in the end, I hope!
Where did the inspiration for The Broken Edge of the World come from?
It’s based on the Brother’s Grimm fairytale Hans My Hedgehog. There was a funky version of the fairytale on an old Jim Henson show called Storyteller Theater. My dad loved it and we watched it together when I was a younger, and it always stuck with me.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I loved writing my main character, Sylvie. I was diagnosed with OCD right around the time I started writing this book, and I wrote my experiences into Sylvie. It helped me process my own disability, and it also helped my have more compassion for myself.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
The magic system was hard to get right! Once I had it in my head, it was hard to get it on the page so it was clear enough for readers to understand (hopefully!).
What’s next for you?
I am working on a middle grade book that is under contract with Penguin. It’s about a little girl who is kidnapped by her father, but she doesn’t understand that to be the case; she thinks they’re on a long summer camping trip, and she doesn’t know why she’s not allowed to call her mom.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up? Any you’ve read so far this year that you’ve enjoyed?
I can’t wait for the next Jackie Khalilieh book, Everything Comes Back to You. She writes about mental health in such a lovely way.
