Witches Steeped In Gold is a Jamaican-inspired fantasy debut about two enemy witches who must enter into a deadly alliance to take down a common enemy and it has the twisted cat-and-mouse of Killing Eve with the richly imagined fantasy world of Furyborn and Ember in the Ashes.
We had the pleasure of chatting with author Ciannon Smart about her debut novel Witches Steeped In Gold, her publishing journey, writing, and so much more!
Hi, Ciannon! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi everyone. Perhaps the first thing I should say is that my name is pronounced Shannon. Parents. I live in England, which seems to surprise people. It isn’t that bad, promise. In YA, I love writing twisty knife-in-the-heart books about girls who mostly get up to no good.
After the chaos that was 2020, how is your 2021 going?
Thanks for asking. I’m way busier this year. Last year was about baking banana bread, and nursing several different projects in addition to my sequel; this year has felt like being pushed downhill in go-kart. Exhilarating, sure, but I am also holding on for dear life.
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’m ready.
My teachers have Tracy Beaker to thank for my colourful personality in school.
Twilight was the first book I encountered with buzz around the author. It was a lightbulb moment for me when I realised people actually wrote the books, and that I could try to do it too.
I started following Charlie Mackesy last year (is there anyone who didn’t); I found his illustrations, the writing, inspirational life rafts to cling onto amidst all the uncertainty and banana bread, and quickly ordered a copy of The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse. It’s beautiful.
When did you first discover your love for writing?
I always wrote; it was something I took for granted, like writing stories was something everyone did, and enjoying English was simply a result of two parents and older siblings who read voraciously.
Your debut novel, Witches Steeped In Gold, is out April 20th 2021! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Trust no witch. Or me.
What can readers expect?
I tried to avoid saying the unexpected, but here we are. On a less cheesy note, readers should buckle up. I’ve planned an undulating ride; many twists lie ahead.
Where did the inspiration for Witches Steeped In Gold come from?
My inspiration began with a trip to Rose Hall in Jamaica the summer I turned twelve. There I learned that my culture has witches of its own entrenched in the island’s history, and they used a taboo branch of magic that’s still spoken about reticently today. As a huge Sabrina The Teenage Witch fan, I was hooked, and remained so for a long while after that holiday, enough that, years later when I asked myself what sort of book I wanted to read next, the answer was a Jamaican-inspired fantasy—with certain liberties, of course. It’s not a historical novel—set against the backdrop of a perilous world, with the witches I learned about that summer, and a host of hallmarks I’ve picked up along the way, like those twists I mentioned earlier.
Can you tell us about any challenges you faced while writing and how you were able to overcome them?
Imposter syndrome is as real as everyone says. When I first decided to write Witches Steeped in Gold, there weren’t many non-western YA fantasy books, and even less Black YA fantasy. I was fortunate to receive the push I needed from a Black agent, Davinia Andrew-Lynch, who encouraged me to follow my gut and set Witches Steeped in Gold in the Jamaican-inspired world I told her about. And that, really, was all the reminder I needed. I wrote Witches for me, and filled it with the things I loved and wanted to read about. If no one else liked it, it would have sucked, but I could take comfort in creating this thing for myself without focusing on outside voices.
What kind of research did you have to do for Witches Steeped In Gold?
I didn’t have to do much research since my childhood covered the largest influences that permeate the story, but during my most recent trip to Jamaica I learned first-hand that the magic system influencing Witches Steeped in Gold, Obeah, is still considered taboo to this day, despite centuries having passed since it was first outlawed. The reticence around discussing it, and, in some cases, the warnings issued, all fed into the perception of the magic in the book. As far as interesting research—there are stories about monsters who wait at crossroads, or shed their skin to fly through the night in search of their prey that inspired certain moments in the book.
There are a few chapters that should perhaps be read with a light on.
If it’s not too spoilery, were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
All my favourite moments are too spoilery, but character wise, I loved writing Ira’s chapters. She’s such a layered character, there was a lot for me to juggle. Beyond the irreverent one liners, she’s always thinking, which challenged me. It was always like, okay, what is she been planning now, and how can I seed that throughout the story so it lands well. I love a smart plot that takes you by surprise, and I hope that comes across when reading her POV.
This is your debut novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
My debut novel. Hearing that will never not feel strange and magical. My road was long, until it wasn’t, which is the norm I think. There’s a lot of emphasis on ‘overnight success stories’, but that’s not common. It definitely did not happen with me. I decided I wanted to become an author at 15, signed with my first agent ten years later—not for wont of trying—and sold Witches Steeped in Gold at auction later that same year. While Witches Steeped in Gold is my first fantasy novel, it isn’t the first book I’ve written.
What’s the best and the worst writing advice you have received?
I didn’t receive this advice, per say, but advice I received definitely led me to this conclusion: there’s a difference between being a talented writer, and a good storyteller.
What’s next for you?
I’m currently working on my next YA with my agent, which is exciting. The protagonist would get on well with Ira and Jazmyne, in that if they were all in the same room, none of them would stand with their backs to one another.
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
Keep an eye out for Blood Scion, by Deborah Falaye. It releases early 2022.
This year, there are also a lot of witchy books in the coven, like Sweet & Bitter Magic by Adrienne Tooley, Blood Like Magic by Liselle Sambury, The Witch Haven by Sasha Peyton Smith, and The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin
