Interview with Author Roseanne A. Brown

Welcome Back, Booklovers!

And to any new readers hello to ya! It's been a hectic month and a half but still I rise. The life of an essential worker. Happy to still have a job but trying not to crumble under the stress of it all. And I'm one of the lucky ones who gets to work from home. During this time books have been my solace and I hope you all continue to take solace in them too. So without further ado I give you an introduction to a new author whose debut is garnering buzz in the YA fantasy realm. Get to know A Song of Wraiths and Ruin author, Roseanne A. Brown. 

And don't forget to pre-order or library request her book which will release on June 2, 2020

 She's running a pre-order campaign with nice incentives

For Malik, the Solstasia festival is a chance to escape his war-stricken home and start a new life with his sisters in the prosperous desert city of Ziran. But when a vengeful spirit abducts his younger sister, Nadia, as payment to enter the city, Malik strikes a fatal deal—kill Karina, Crown Princess of Ziran, for Nadia’s freedom.

But Karina has deadly aspirations of her own. Her mother, the Sultana, has been assassinated; her court threatens mutiny; and Solstasia looms like a knife over her neck. Grief-stricken, Karina decides to resurrect her mother through ancient magic . . . requiring the beating heart of a king. And she knows just how to obtain one: by offering her hand in marriage to the victor of the Solstasia competition.

When Malik rigs his way into the contest, they are set on a heart-pounding course to destroy each other. But as attraction flares between them and ancient evils stir, will they be able to see their tasks to the death?

What was the journey to signing your book deal like?

I first had the idea for A SONG OF WRAITHS AND RUIN in spring 2016, when I wondered what would happen if someone was possessed by a demon, and then the demon immediately regretted being trapped inside an anxious human mind. From there I wrote furiously, and finished the first draft in January 2017. I revised it to enter for Pitch Wars and was chosen as a mentee in August 2017. Then during the agent showcase, I signed with Quressa Robinson of Nelson Literary Agency and revised again. We went on submission in March 2018 and sold the book in April to Kristin Rens of Balzer+Bray/Harpercollins! So it was about 2 years and four drafts from idea to sale! 

Is there any advice you would give to an aspiring author?

Follow your bliss. Key in on the things that move you most about the world, whether positively or negatively. And those inspirations don’t always have to be books! Your work is at its absolute best when you feel it with sincerity that resonates through who you are. 

What cultures inspired you while writing this story?

I knew from the start that I wanted to set the story in an analogue to the trade routes between the Sahara Desert and West Africa because that region has had some of the most interesting kingdoms in all of African history. I drew a lot from the ancient kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhay plus a bit from the history of the Almoravid and Almohad empires of Morocco. The magic system drew inspiration from the spiritual beliefs of the Akan people of Ghana, my mother’s people. 

What drew you to the Young Adult genre?

My favorite thing about writing YA is how hopeful it is. No matter how tragic the ending may be, the characters still have their whole lives ahead of them (unless they die, but that’s a different story…) There’s something so hopeful about know there’s always more to come. Plus, you get to write about people who are experiencing some of the most intense highs and sweeping lows of life for the first time. 

What do you think about all the African inspired fantasy being released in both Young Adult and Adult fantasy lately?

I love it! I grew up during a time when the only mainstream Western media featuring Africa I had access to was The Lion King, so getting to see so many brilliant African diaspora writers doing work inspired by the continent means everything to me. 

What are some of your favorite books written by black women?

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie- This is the first book that ever made me feel seen as an African immigrant. She turns the story of two immigrants from Nigeria into a decade spanning, intergenerational epic of Shakespearean proportions. I wish everyone would read this book. 

On The Come Up by Angie Thomas- Her first book, The Hate U Give, is understandably her most popular, but this one is my favorite book by her so far. I love Bri so much, and the way Thomas makes her everyday struggles feel cinematic is just masterful. 

A Phoenix First Must Burn, edited by Patrice Caldwell- This one might be cheating because it’s an anthology with multiple authors, not all of whom are women, but it centers that Black girl experience in SFF like nothing I have ever seen before. This book is pitched as Octavia Butler meets Beyonce’s Lemonade and it has earned that distinction! 

Describe each of your protagonists in 3 words

Karina: Passionate. Driven. Big-Hearted

Malik: Gentle. Anxious. Caring. 

What has it been like debuting during a pandemic?

I will be honest with you, it has been difficult letting go of some of my expectations for my book. Every author I know dreams of throwing the perfect launch with their friends and family by their side to celebrate their achievement. But of course postponing these events and panels and festivals is the right call, and it’s not worth it to risk lives just for the sake of our egos. 

However, right now I’m mostly in a place of gratitude and focus to bring this book into the world with the fanfare I believe it deserves. The response has been so wonderful, and I’m so honored to be able to still reach readers and have the book out there in any capacity with everything going on! 

If ASOWAR was made into a movie which actors would you fancast?

In an ideal world, all of the actors and actresses would be unknowns. But if I have to pick, it would be Justice Smith for Malik. I adored him in Jurassic World and Detective Pikachu. He just has that kind, gentle yet courageous when he needs to be energy that is vital for Malik. 

For Karina, I would love anyone who was both dark-skinned and plus-sized. I adore the model on the cover of the book, Tania Toussaint. I’d also love Kayla Smith. 

Can you give us any details about your current work in progress?

So right now my main priority is ASOWAR 2! Right now it’s in that gooey stage where I have a draft that I’m having a lot of fun blasting apart and gluing back together. I also have another project I’m working on that will hopefully have an update soon. All I can say now is it involves Ghanaian folklore, a lot of Maryland weirdness, and a kickbutt heroine. Definitely keep an eye on my socials if you want to know more!

You can follow Roseanne on Twitter and Instagram @rosiesrambles