We chat with author Melissa Blair about A Shadow Crown, the highly anticipated second installment of the fantasy saga that took BookTok by storm sees Keera navigate political scheming, backstabbing, and her own grief as she moves against the cruel king that holds her kingdom hostage.
Hi, Melissa! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi Nerd Daily! I’m Melissa Blair. I write fantasy books though I hope to write in many, many genres. Being Indigenous, I’m drawn to writing stories about colonialism, Indigenous characters, and bring a different specific to the genres I write in. I also love movies and if I’m not at the cinema or writing, I am probably at home hanging out with my dog.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I have always loved stories. I was one of those kids who only asked for books to be read when I was little. Over and over again. Movies, too. And stories my grandmother would tell. Thankfully for all the adults in my life, I learned to read early and have never really stopped.
I think I was seven when my mom explained that people actually write the books I was devouring and it just clicked. I knew that’s what I wanted to do with the unbreakable confidence that only kids seem to have. But that feeling never went away. And I have been writing consistently ever since, even when I don’t have an official project to work on, my mind can’t help itself.
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!
Love You Forever by Robert Munsch is the first book I remember having read to me and then reading on my own. Probably because it was the first time I remember feeling unspeakably sad without a reason. It still makes me cry.
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson made me want to write. One of my friends cried while reading it beside me and all I could think was “I want to do that to people.” What can I say? I was a weird kid.
Juniper and Thorn by Ava Reid still haunts me in the best possible way. Their prose is something part dream, part nightmare, and I am addicted.
A Shadow Crown is the second installment in your Halfling Saga and it’s out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Discovery, adventure, reconnection, and betrayal.
What can readers expect?
I think readers will giggle at the first line and have sore hearts by the last.
Can you tell us about any challenges you faced whilst writing the sequel and how you were able to overcome them?
Where to start? This entire book was a challenge. Sequels are very different from first books and this being my first, it was a lot to learn very very quickly. I rewrote this book so many times over the past year that it turned into this entirely different beast.
In terms of overcoming the challenges, in some ways I don’t know if I did. All I could do was keep writing, even when I didn’t want to, even when I was convince that the current draft was worse than the last. But this book has taught be more as a writer than any other book I’ve worked on so I’m grateful for every challenge, successfully tackled or not.
Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring further?
Gerarda is a favorite of mine. And for readers of the special edition, I’m excited that she gets her own spotlight with the bonus chapter from her POV. I’m very excited with how much time we get to spend with her in Book 3!
What’s next for you?
More books! I’m finishing up this series, but I also have romances, sci-fi, fantasy standalones all in the works. So hopefully they make it to readers soon.
Lastly, are there any 2023 releases our readers should look out for?
I’m very excited for Warrior Girl, Unearthed by Angeline Bouley! Another Anishinaabe author and one I think everyone should read.
