We chat with author Rachel Schneider about Light Wielder, which is the thrilling and eagerly awaited sequel to the breakout hit Metal Slinger.
Hi, Rachel! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi! I live in South Louisiana with my husband, amazing daughter, three dogs, and two cats. In true Southern fashion, I love sports of all kinds. My preferred night out is at a hockey, football, or hockey game. I live for a beach trip, where I can sit and read without any responsibilities for hours on end, and dread winter with all of my soul.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
As a moody teenager, I loved writing dramatic romance scenes between angsty teens. First kisses and breakups and all the tension that comes with young love. It provided me with the escapism I needed at that time. It wasn’t until I had my daughter at twenty-one that I decided to sit down to write my first full-length novel.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
- The one that made you want to become an author: Cross My Heart by Katie Klein
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: On The Island by Tracy Garvis-Graves
Light Wielder is the sequel to Metal Slinger and it’s out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Tension, action, spicy, political, and satisfying.
For those who haven’t picked up Metal Slinger, what can readers expect?
It’s a journey. Full of action, adventure, and plenty of forced-proximity from our love interests. And, not to fail to mention, a shocking twist.
And for those who have, what’s to come in Light Wielder?
A lot of political maneuverings and heartache, but with another journey filled with healing and grace. It’s high stakes, in love and war.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring further?
Messer will always be a special character for me to write, but I particularly loved chapters 23 & 24.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
Many. There was a lot of pressure going into Light Wielder. I’ve seen so many theories and reader’s hopes of what was to come in book two, and it was definitely a challenge to mentally block out any of those notions while writing. It was so important to me that I stick to what I wanted for these characters and their journey, as well as what feeds my soul as the storyteller. At the end of the day, I wanted to write something super satisfying, so I focused on that.
Any teasers you care to share for the Fire & Metal series?
I live for the unexpected.
What’s next for you?
I’m nearly done with book three, so I’m stoked about that. But I’m also excited to start a new world with new characters. I’m ready for a dive into the unknown.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up? Any you’ve read so far this year that you’ve enjoyed?
I picked up Dungeon Crawler Carl before I began book three, so I’m eager to dive back in and finish it. I need Princess Donut in my life again.
