In A Far Wilder Magic, Allison Saft has written an achingly tender love story set against a deadly hunt in an atmospheric, rich fantasy world that will sweep you away.
We chat with author Allison Saft about her latest novel A Far Wilder Magic, along with writing, 2022 book recommendations, and more!
Hi, Allison! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hello! And of course! I write what I describe as eerie romantic fantasies: books with a dash of atmospheric horror and a lot of yearning. I draw a lot of inspiration from real-world history and nature. I currently live in the San Francisco Bay Area, and when I’m not writing, I spend my free time hiking, playing video games, and training to join the circus.
How has 2022 been for you so far?
2022 has been a bit of a whirlwind! I honestly can’t believe it’s already March. This year, I’m striving for balance. Creative work will take up as much time as you let it, so I’m trying to carve out time each day for relaxing. I would say I’ve had mixed success, since I’m juggling a few projects on top of A Far Wilder Magic promo right now. But I’m so excited about everything I’m working on–and even more excited to hopefully share them someday!
When did you first discover your love for writing?
I started writing when I stumbled upon Neopets roleplay forums when I was about nine or ten years old. Bear with me here because this is going to sound completely ridiculous, but I remember that at the time, there was a type of scenario that was very popular there. It was like, “POV: you stumble upon a market selling a variety of magical eggs.”
The person running the roleplay would set the scene by describing these eggs very lavishly, like gems in a jeweler’s case. They always seemed to be engulfed by flames that didn’t burn you or swathed in mist or glowing ominously. All of them had an air of infinite potential. And then after you chose your egg (which one you chose said a great deal about you, of course), it would hatch into a fantastical creature. You never got to decide what kind of creature it was; your writing partner did. For whatever reason, this captured my imagination. It was the wonder of these encounters, I think: the surprise of what you might get–and that spark of connection. How wild, to build an entire world with someone else, just for an afternoon. As a kid, writing was an escape for me. More importantly, it was a way to connect with other people. That’s why I fell in love with it. That’s why I still love it.
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!
The first book I remember reading is Into the Wild by Erin Hunter, the one that made me want to become an author was Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust, and the one I can’t stop thinking about lately is The Secret History by Donna Tartt!
Your new novel, A Far Wilder Magic, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Romantic, melancholy, whimsical, hopeful, honest.
What can readers expect?
A Far Wilder Magic promises a deadly hunt for the last living mythical beast, but I’d say it’s less about the hunt itself than it is about the tensions (romantic and otherwise) that simmer in the leadup to the event. At its core, it’s a cozy fantasy love story about two people who find a home in one another. You can expect a slower-burn, character-driven story filled with romance tropes (forced proximity! wound tending! sunshine/grump!). Beyond that, like Down Comes the Night, there’s a healthy dose of angst, a lot of atmosphere, and even more feelings.
Where did the inspiration for A Far Wilder Magic come from?
I was in a bit of a creative fallow period and decided the best way to deal with it was to write something that made me feel the way Maggie Stiefvater’s The Scorpio Races made me feel. The yearning that book instills in me is something I’ve been chasing for a long time. When I sat down to plan A Far Wilder Magic, I had three things in mind: the protagonists, a romance dynamic, and a mood. Everything else sprung from that.
Can you tell us a bit about the challenges you faced while writing and how you were able to overcome them?
I had a lot of the usual second-book worries while writing A Far Wilder Magic. Would it be a worthy follow-up to Down Comes the Night? Would readers who loved Down Comes the Night love this one, too? Creating with the voice of a hostile imagined audience can be nearly impossible. At the end of the day, I decided I had to write this book for me and for the people it would resonate with. Apart from that, Margaret is the first Jewish protagonist I’ve written. It felt very vulnerable to put some of my experiences on the page, but I had a lot of encouragement from my friends and the support of my editor. I really hope readers, whether they’re Jewish or not, connect with her story!
Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I had the most fun writing Wes and Margaret’s scenes! Their mutual pining (and mutual obliviousness) gave me so much joy. They were also fun–and challenging!–to explore as individuals. Both of them are quite guarded. Wes is very gregarious and charming on the outside, but it’s a mask that conceals a lot of fear and self-loathing. Margaret, meanwhile, has a cold exterior but a soft heart. Developing their romance–and figuring out how and why they let down their walls–was my favorite part of writing this book. I had fun with the entire cast, though! The side characters honestly surprised me. By the time we called the book finished, I had found something to understand–if not like–about each of them.
What was the writing process like for this book in comparison to your debut, Down Comes the Night, which released last year?
A Far Wilder Magic was easier to write in a lot of ways! I wrote Down Comes the Night without finishing an outline because I was too excited to start drafting. It was pure, chaotic fun, but I paid for that in revisions. The book underwent a few major overhauls. But because I needed to submit a detailed proposal for A Far Wilder Magic to my publisher, I spent a lot more time in the planning stages. Getting the story right was difficult, to say the least. I have a notebook full of failed outlines and much wailing and gnashing of teeth. But once I had a plan, writing it was a dream and every time I revised it, it felt like coming home.
What’s next for you?
I’ve got a short story coming out in The Gathering Dark: An Anthology of Folk Horror on September 6, 2022! My story is called “Ghost on the Shore,” which is a reimagining of Dallas, Texas’s Lady of the Lake urban legend. Otherwise, I’m working on an adult fantasy and planning another YA fantasy.
Lastly, do you have any 2022 book recommendations for our readers?
Do I ever! There are so many incredible books coming out this year, and I’ve had the great fortune of reading some of my most anticipated books early. I’d recommend As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh; The Whispering Dark by Kelly Andrew; Portrait of a Thief by Grace Li; Sofi and the Bone Song by Adrienne Tooley; The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah; Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid; and Echo Sunset by Courtney Gould. You cannot go wrong with any of these! All of them are gorgeously written, deeply emotional, and incredibly atmospheric. My catnip, basically.
