An African tightrope walker who can’t die gets embroiled in a secret society’s deadly gladiatorial tournament in this thrilling historical fantasy set in an alternate 1880s London, perfect for fans of The Last Magician and The Gilded Wolves.
We chat with the wonderful Sarah Raughley about her latest book release, The Bones of Ruin, along with book recommendations, writing, and more!
Hi, Sarah! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hey, I’m Sarah Raughley, author of The Effigies Series and now The Bones of Ruin! I’m also an academic and columnist. I’ve written for publications like NBC, Teen Vogue, etc.
When did you first discover your love for writing?
I’ve loved storytelling since I was a kid in all forms. I actually used to draw because my big brothers drew. We loved manga, comic books, all that kind of stuff. I think eventually I read more books and my storytelling mode of choice became words.
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!
Sweet Valley Kids! I can’t remember which book, but it was a whole series: basically the middle grade version of Sweet Valley High. I loved the adventures they had and always wished I could have a few myself! That’s when I started making up my own stories.
Your latest novel The Bones of Ruin is out September 7th 2021! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Apocalyptic Victorian Alternate History Fantasy
What can readers expect?
Romance, adventure, secret societies, a tournament filled with people with cool powers, social commentary, BIPOC characters, love squares, circus performers and exactly one vampire (sort of).
Where did the inspiration for The Bones of Ruin come from?
Well, I’ve always loved period books and film. Loved the Sherlock Holmes movies with Robert Downey Jr., loved the Enola Holmes movie. I always wanted to set a story in 19th century London, but I wanted to do so through the lens of a Black person in the city. It was really cool learning more about the history of Black people and BIPOC in Victorian Era Europe.
Can you tell us about any challenges you faced while writing and how you were able to overcome them?
I think it’s easy to get anxious when you write to deadlines, especially when there’s a lot of challenging things going on out there or in one’s life. Of course, you want to meet deadlines and not let anyone down. But sometimes just putting down words is a challenge and burnout is real. I think the way to overcome that is to reach out for help when you really need it and be kind to yourself. We can’t be 100% productive all the time even if society teaches us we must be.
Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I think writing in Adam’s perspective was a great experience. He’s so cold, calculating, delusional and yet very rational at the same time. It was a trip being inside of his head.
Can you give us a little teaser as to what comes next in the sequel?
The adventure expands far beyond London and encompasses the whole world. If you like the Indiana Jones, RPG adventure feel, you’ll love the next book.
What’s the best and the worst writing advice you have received?
Best writing advice is to write what you love. Hey, you can’t please everyone with your writing, but try to make yourself happy.
Worst writing advice I guess was to write Black heroines that were ‘authentically Black’ if I was going to write a Black heroine at all. That was confusing advice because I really don’t know what ‘authentically Black’ is! We’re all different!
What’s next for you?
The Bones of Ruin is a trilogy, so I’m getting ready to share two more books in this series with the world! I’m so excited! Plus, I’m continuing to brainstorm and write other stories in the children’s market. So watch closely for more updates from me!
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
I just love Chloe Gong’s These Violent Delights and E.K Johnston’s Aetherbound. I’m also so honoured both gave out recommendations for the Bones of Ruin and now I’m giving out recommendations for their work. Please, if you haven’t read these books, run out and buy them now!
