We chat with author Roseanne A. Brown about Serwa Boateng’s Guide to Saving the World, which is the thrilling conclusion to her middle grade trilogy about a pre-teen girl who, as half-Slayer and half-vampire, is caught between two worlds.
Hi, Roseanne! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hello! My name is Roseanne A. Brown and I’m the New York Times bestselling author of multiple books for children and young adults. I write primarily fantasy about everything from trickster spirits to vampire fireflies, though I have also worked with Marvel and Star Wars among other publishers. My newest book,Serwa Boateng’s Guide to Saving the World, came out on May 6th!
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I can’t remember a time when I was ever not writing. In school, I was the awkward girl who was addicted to cartoons and comic books, so I always had a hard time connecting with my peers. But I was always my truest self in the stories I’d create. Even if I had never been professionally published, I’d still be writing because it is still how I navigate the world best.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Dave at Night
- The one that made you want to become an author: An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
Serwa Boateng’s Guide to Saving the World is the thrilling conclusion to your Serwa Boateng series and it’s out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Welcome to the Vampire War (*insert thunder crash and creepy music here*)
For those who haven’t picked up the series, what can readers expect?
This series is for anyone who loves team based stories like Sailor Moon, Power Rangers, and the Avengers. For anyone who believes they’d be better at fighting actual, literal monsters than dealing with the emotional monsters in your average middle school. And for anyone who loves mythology infused narratives like Percy Jackson and are ready to explore the world of Ghanaian folklore and mythology.
And for those who have, what’s to come in the final installment?
Over the course of the series, we’ve seen Serwa learning about the different sides and nuances of this supernatural conflict she was born into. Now the time has come for her to make a choice once and for all about whose side she’s on, and the decision will have ramifications for everyone she knows and quite possibly the entire world! I hope that readers who have grown up alongside Serwa feel satisfied by the conclusion and take heart in how scary but necessary it can be to make a stand for yourself when people are trying to pull you in different directions for their own gain.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring one last time?
This probably seems obvious, but Serwa herself. My poor girl has been through so much! The Serwa series is my first ever trilogy, so it was also the first time I got to chart a character’s growth over a three-book arc. It was so satisfying getting to bloom seeds I had planted all the way back in Book 1, and get to plunge the depths of her psyche in ways you’re not always able to in shorter series. I also loved displaying the ways the GCC as a group has evolved since Book 1, going from reluctant detention mates to a true found family.
There are also two new characters, River and Nevaeh, who expand Serwa’s world in very fun ways. They were an absolute delight to write!
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
One of my biggest challenges with writing is narrowing down a plot. When you start a story, all options are open to you and it feels like the characters and narrative could go in any direction. But rather quickly, I find that leads to stories that are too convoluted for their own good.
I’ve gotten around this by implementing this new plotting system that starts with an emotional solidifying the emotional arc first, then weaving concrete plot beats out of the emotional journey. It helps me make sure that everything that happens to the characters is in service to their overall arc, and narrows the story possibilities down to a manageable level.
What’s next for you?
I’m at that stage where I have multiple exciting projects in the works that I can’t quite talk about yet. But I can say I am working on a new series that I think my older readers in particular will love.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?
I am so excited for Under the Neon Lights by Arriel Vinson, a delightful contemporary YA novel-in-verse all about a Black girl’s first love and rollerskating. I also got to read an early ARC of Ordinary Love by Marie Rutkoski and can’t wait for everyone to love these characters the way I do.
