We chat with author S. Isabelle about Shadow Coven where The Haunting Season has ended, but dark magic lurks in the shadows in this deadly sequel to The Witchery.
Hi, S. Isabelle! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Of course! I’m Sophie Isabelle, author of The Witchery, Shadow Coven, and the upcoming The Great Misfortune of Stella Sedgwick. I love gaming, Lego sets, and watching movies I’ve seen a million times before.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
Growing up, I had a very overactive imagination. I liked to daydream ridiculously unrealistic things about my future, or think up alternate plotlines to my favorite shows and movies. I didn’t really start seriously putting pen to paper–or fingers to keys–until college, but I feel like I was always creating stories in my head.
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 have a terrible memory, but I distinctly remember being so proud whenever I finished a Junie B. Jones book on my own as a child.
So many books inspired me! But Maggie Stiefvater’s The Raven Boys is the first that really got me thinking about writing YA professionally.
I finished up Alexis Henderson’s House of Hunger some time ago, but I still think about it pretty often. It’s a fantastic, twisty read.
Shadow Coven is the sequel to your debut novel The Witchery and it’s out September 19th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Chaos. Revenge. Memories. Bloodlines. Kisses!
What can readers expect?
I’m so excited for readers to return to Haelsford! This sequel will probably feel a bit different–the gang’s out of school, going off on their own adventures, and evolving in different ways. But like the first book, that feeling of finding your family through friends is still prevalent. There are break ups and make ups, new characters, and the return of old faces. Also, more romance! The first book had some burgeoning crushes, but this one delves deeper into them. Not everyone gets a happy ending, though,*eyeballs emoji*
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
Writing The Witchery was tricky at times because I felt like I had so many themes I wanted to explore, but couldn’t quite do without it feeling way too overwhelming, or going over the word count I wanted. It was such a relief to get a sequel to explore storylines I held back on for book one.
One of my favorite storylines in Shadow Coven explores the power structures of witchery councils, coven academies, and the purpose behind the curriculum at the Mesmortes school. The book’s set in Florida, I live in Florida, and I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what magical teens would be permitted to learn if Haelsford was real. What sort of spells would be off limits, and why? There’s more of an exploration of what self-taught and family-taught witches learn, and how different their magic might look next to a witch who graduated from a coven academy.
Can you tell us about any challenges you faced whilst writing the sequel?
Everyone warns new writers that second books are difficult. Often it’s the first book you’re writing entirely under a deadline. You’re worried about the sophomore slump, and writing a sequel adds even more pressure. I wanted to ensure that every character continued on the journey they started out on in book one while expanding the world and introducing new conflicts. On top of that, this is a multi-POV book, so I wanted to ensure that every character got their shine.
With all of that weighing on me, I had some really tough periods of writer’s block and self-doubt, and Shadow Coven went through plenty of major changes through the revision process. Having a passionate editor and a supportive critique group was helpful, and I’m so proud of how this book turned out.
What’s next for you?
I’m switching gears with my next YA novel and getting into historical romance! The Great Misfortune of Stella Sedgwick is about a Black girl in Victorian England who is given a surprise inheritance by her mother’s former employer. She gets thrust into London society, reunites with old friends–and an old crush–and takes on her mom’s anonymous advice column. It’s funny and romantic, and I cannot wait for readers to meet Stella in 2025.
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
For some more witchy books, I loved Alex Crespo’s St. Juniper’s Folly and Vanessa Montalban’s A Tall Dark Trouble. Readers should also keep an eye out for Linda Cheng’s chilling and bloody debut Gorgeous Gruesome Faces coming in November!
