Hi, Jasmine! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

Hi! I’m Jasmine Smith, author of Death Card, and writing to you from my home in eastern North Carolina. My pitbull mix, Opal, is curled up asleep next to me, as she often is when I’m working or writing. I’ve been an avid reader all my life and earned a Bachelor’s in English from North Carolina State University (go Wolfpack!). I’m also a lover of libraries. My first job right out of college was as a library assistant for a community college library.

When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?

I’ve always been a voracious reader, and I knew that I wanted to tell my own stories someday. As a child, I would create elaborate storylines for my Barbie dolls and write about them in notebooks. I also had a phase where I would write Twitches fanfiction in those same notebooks. When I got to high school, I tried writing my first book, which was about a group of teenagers who were experimented on in a secret laboratory and developed supernatural powers. It was only 46,000 words, and it’ll never see the light of day, but it taught me a lot about what it takes to actually finish a book.

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

• The first book you ever remember reading: I have very fond memories of reading the Magic Treehouse and Junie B. Jones books at the top of a slide in a playground near my house. Don’t ask me why I was reading instead of playing!
• The one that made you want to become an author: Divergent by Veronica Roth. I remember seeing Veronica’s photo at the back of the book, being struck by how young she was, and realizing that I could write a book too.
• The one that you can’t stop thinking about: As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh. It was beautifully written, and I could barely put it down when I was reading.

Your debut novel, Death Card, is out August 11^th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Teen witch defies her destiny.

What can readers expect?

This book is about a few different things. First, readers can expect to follow a teen girl on her path of self-discovery, as she steps into the big shoes left behind by her grandmother. There’s also a grief journey, as Mikaela and her brother Orion grieve their grandmother in very different ways. Readers can also expect a magical society grounded in very real-world concerns. All books are political, but Death Card’s politics are very explicit and current.

Where did the inspiration for Death Card come from?

I was so interested in exploring this story because I had been wanting to write a book set in New Orleans since I visited in college. I have also always loved witch stories. From there, I infused themes of overcoming grief. I also was very angry at the state of the country when I was writing, and you’ll be able to tell where I stand once you read.

I put a lot of myself into this novel, and essentially wrote the story I wanted to read.

Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

The main action scene at the end of the novel, where everything is revealed was very fun for me to write. And it is actually one of the only scenes that remained fairly untouched throughout revisions. So, I’m pretty proud of the fact that I got it right the first time.

I also enjoyed writing scenes where Mikaela, the main character, gets to see her loved ones who have passed. Writing about grief is very cathartic to me. Losing loved ones is my biggest fear, so I write about characters who have to overcome that almost as therapy for myself. But I think we all wish we could conjure up our lost loved ones and have one more conversation with them, so it was very fulfilling to give Mikaela that opportunity.

Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?

My main challenge was finding time to write around my day job, but that’s a pretty common challenge for authors. Most of us have to work a day job. There’s no way around that! I found that waking up before work was the best option for me. If I tried to write after work, my brain was completely fried. So, most mornings, I was up at 4 or 5 AM writing. Towards the end of deadlines, I would write both before and after work. So, my social life definitely took a hit!

This is your debut novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?

My path was very untraditional. I signed with my former agent for a completely different project that had no fantasy aspects whatsoever. While we were preparing that project for submission, I had the opportunity to dip my toes into some IP work. That’s when Death Card came into my life, and we ended up selling it on proposal, which is very difficult to do as a debut. But it has been such a rewarding journey, and I can’t imagine it happening any other way.

What’s next for you?

I’m not under contract for anything currently, so I have the freedom to take a pause and decide what I want to focus on next.

Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up? Any you’ve read so far this year that you’ve enjoyed?

I am really looking forward to reading The Demon Star by Jesse Aragon. It’s unlike anything that I would usually read, but Jesse is one of my first writing friends and I’m so excited for her. It’s gotten such spectacular reviews that I can’t wait to read it. I also have an ARC of There Used to Be People Here by Kennedy Cole that I’m looking forward to diving into.

Some books I read this year and really enjoyed were Prodigal Tiger by Samantha Chong, Bound by Fury by Noelle Monet, An Arcane Inheritance by Kamilah Cole, and Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead by Mai Nguyen.

Will you be picking up Death Card? Tell us in the comments below!

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