We chat with author Alechia Dow about A Song of Salvation, which is a YA space opera about a reincarnated god and a grumpy pilot on a mission to save a beloved space DJ and stop an intergalactic war.
Hi, Alechia! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi, my name is Alechia Dow and I’m the author of The Sound of Stars, The Kindred, A Song of Salvation, Just a Pinch of Magic, and more titles to come. I’m a former professional pastry chef and a children’s librarian. Thanks so much for having me on here!
When did you first discover your love for writing?
Weirdly, I would say I knew I wanted to write since I was about 6/7 years-old. My education involved a lot of writing and reading for fun, and I loved that! However, I didn’t know I could write a book until I was in my 20s. I never imagined someone like me, writing science-fiction-fantasy featuring characters that looked like me would be mainstream enough to get published. Thankfully and almost miraculously, I met people along the way who helped me and took chances on me.
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
I read so many books over the years that made me want to become an author. The first was Snow Child, a picture book by Freya Littledale and Barbara Lavallee about a girl made of snow who finds parents in an older couple who could never have children. It’s beautiful and heartbreaking. For science fiction, it was definitely X-Men comics, Octavia Butler, and Philip K Dick’s Minority Report—they gave me such big ideas and an understanding about how we could envision the future.
Your new novel, A SONG OF SALVATION, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Space adventure about found family!
What can readers expect?
A heartfelt and hopeful story about a found family in space who learn to accept themselves and see the good in the universe. It is massively angry and yet so full of love––I hope readers will enjoy it!
Where did the inspiration for A SONG OF SALVATION come from?
A Song of Salvation is special because it closes out the universe I created with The Sound of Stars and expanded with The Kindred––so I needed to get it right! Lucky for me, I had several inspirations: The Fifth Element (a supreme being who is unsure of saving the world, also Ruby Rhod!), Rebecca Coffindaffer’s Crownchasers (fast-paced space hijinks) and Star Wars IV: A New Hope (emotional rollercoaster that establishes a found family). I think when you read this, you’ll feel pieces of these iconic stories within the pages.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
To be honest, because I was so nervous about getting this story right, I was stressed most of the time! But everytime I got to write a cameo from a previous book, it was absolutely joyful. There’s also a podcast transcript toward the end of the story that made me laugh and when I wrote a very happy, calm conclusion for a character from The Sound of Stars, it made my heart full.
Do you have any advice for those who may have set some writing resolutions for the new year?
Keep writing when you can and read as much possible. Take care of yourself first, the art is never as important as your health.
What’s next for you?
Thanks for asking! My foodie magic middle grade debut, Just a Pinch of Magic, comes out October 10, 2023, so ahhh, that’s exciting! The Cookie Crumbles, an attempted-murder at a cookie competition middle grade which I co-authored with my author friend and critique partner of eight-ish years, Tracy Badua, comes out in the summer of 2024. The second in that series, Their Just Desserts, comes out in 2025 alongside my young adult fantasy, All’s Fair(y)! I’m very grateful to be busy into 2025 J
Lastly, are there any 2023 releases our readers should look out for?
Yes! A Prayer for Vengeance by Leanne Schwartz, House of Marionne by J. Elle, Kingdom of Without by Andrea Tang, On the Plus Side by Jenny Howe, Sing Me to Sleep by Gabi Burton, The Shadow Sister by Lily Meade, The Takeout by Tracy Badua, Ellie Engle Saves Herself by Leah Johnson, Blood Debts and Alex Wise vs The End of the World by Terry J. Benton-Walker, Fault Lines by Nora Shalaway Carpenter, Ander and Santi Were Here by Jonny Garza Villa, and I’m Not Supposed to Be in the Dark by Riss Nielson!!! That was a lot, if you see me online, ask me for more!
Thank you all for having me again! It’s always such a pleasure to chat with The Nerd Daily!!
You can find Alechia on Instagram at @alechiadow, and her website at alechiadow.com
