Last year, I was lucky to host a Q&A with Luanne G. Smith. We talked about the release of The Vine Witch. Today, one day after the release of the sequel, The Glamourist, I’m thrilled to host this post written by Luanne G. Smith.
Her fantasy novel is published by 47North. This post is part of her Blog Tour hosted by FFBC Tour.
Guest Post by Luanne G. Smith, Author of The Glamourist
Writing Book Two in The Vine Witch series – differences, challenges, inspiration…
I initially wrote The Vine Witch as a stand-alone novel. I didn’t have a grand plan for continuing the story beyond that original plot, but once the novel had been acquired by the publisher and received some positive in-house feedback, my editor asked for two more novels.
So…I had to come up with a plan, and the most appealing to me was the continued story of the three women who meet in the witch’s prison and the sisterhood of magic they form as a result. I also had this idea to sync my magic system with quintessential aspects of turn-of-the-century France—wine, art, and perfume.
The first, of course, was Elena’s story amongst the vineyards, but for book two I moved the story to the streets of Paris where art scene and cabarets flourished at the end of the Belle Époque period. The busy city in the throes of cultural change made the perfect backdrop for Yvette’s story as she struggles to figure out what kind of witch she was meant to be. Book three is Sidra’s story and is set in the perfume capital of the world in southern France.
As for differences and challenges, writing book two was not the “sophomore” struggle I was expecting it to be. I was given a six-month deadline for each of the follow-up books, so I was already finished writing The Glamourist before The Vine Witch was released. That turned out to be a very good thing because I was able to write without feeling any pressure from the release of the first book.
It was actually book three that proved the difficult novel for me because now I had readers with expectations. It’s a very wobbly feeling of uncertainty you carry around with you when you know you’ll inevitably disappoint some readers with the choices you make in the midst of writing. But all we can do is create the story as it comes to us and hope there’s an audience for it.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, LUANNE G. SMITH, FOR THIS LOVELY POST.
The Glamourist by Luanne G. Smith – Synopsis
A spellbinding novel of bloodlines, self-discovery, and redemption by the author of the Washington Post bestseller The Vine Witch.
Abandoned as a child in turn-of-the-century Paris, Yvette Lenoir has longed to uncover the secrets of her magical heritage and tap her suppressed powers. But what brave and resourceful Yvette has done to survive the streets has made her a fugitive. With a price on her head, she clings to a memento from her past—what she believes to be a grimoire inherited from the mother she never knew. To unlock the secrets of her past, Yvette trusts in one woman to help solve the arcane riddles among its charmed pages.
Elena Boureanu is the vine witch of Château Renard, noted for its renowned wines. Even as she struggles with her own bloodline—and its poisonous threat to her future—Elena can’t ignore a friend on the run. Joined by a cunning thief, the proprietor of an enchanted-curio shop, and a bewitching black cat, Elena and Yvette are determined to decode Yvette’s mysterious keepsake. But what restless magic will be unleashed? And what are Yvette and Elena willing to risk to become the witches they were destined to be?
BOOK DETAILS
- Author: Luanne G. Smith
- Publisher: 47North
- Release Date: June 9, 2020
- Book Length: 286 pages
- Genre: Fantasy
GOODREADS I AMAZON I BARNES & NOBLE I GOOGLE BOOKS
About the Author – Luanne G. Smith
Luanne G. Smith is the author of THE VINE WITCH, a fantasy novel about witches, wine, and revenge set in early 20th century France, and the forthcoming second book in the series, THE GLAMOURIST.
She’s lucky enough to live in Colorado at the base of the beautiful Rocky Mountains, where she enjoys reading, gardening, hiking, a glass of wine at the end of the day, and finding the magic in everyday life.
GOODREADS | WEBSITE | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM
I absolutely loved this book! Even better than the first. Great post! ❤️
Yay! Glad you liked it. Thank you fore reading.