First, I just want to say that I love this book’s cover!
AB: I do too. It fits the atmosphere of the story so well.
As somebody unfamiliar with this series, when I first glanced at the cover and skimmed the description, I assumed the series was primarily a fantasy series. After looking at the description again, I find there are some murder mystery elements as well. How would you describe this book for readers unfamiliar with this series?
AB: CROWBONES and LAKE SILENCE, the previous book set in that part of the Others’ world, could be described as urban fantasy cozy mysteries. I was playing with the idea of what a cozy mystery - amateur sleuth(s) finding dead bodies and helping the police solve the crime - would be like in a world ruled by the supernatural beings, and the stories set in the area around Lake Silence are the result.
The first five books in that world (the Lakeside Courtyard stories) are urban fantasy. WILD COUNTRY, set in another location in that world, was written over the template of the old Westerns with sheriffs, gamblers, and outlaws. Of course, when the sheriff is a shifter Wolf and the deputy is a human woman, there can be a wee bit of tension in determining how one deals with lawbreakers.
What exactly is Crowbones?
AB: Crowbones is an Elder, a primal and fiercely dangerous form of terra indigene (aka Others)—more dangerous than the shifters and Sanguinati who are willing to interact with humans.
Is there a tension and sense of danger that is maintained throughout the book? Or are there moments that relieve the tension?
AB: I want relief from the tense scenes when I’m writing a story, so there are always scenes that provide breathing space and humor.
In just about every fantasy or paranormal series I’ve read, there are certain “rules” governing the interactions between the humans and non-humans. What is the relationship like between humans and non-humans in this world you’ve created? Is there a class system?
AB: The Others have a kind of hierarchy among themselves, but in terms of their relationship with humans, their attitude is pretty simple: “If you break our rules, we will eat you.” Humans negotiate with the Others for use of land and water, and anything else they might want to acquire from the wild country. And humans who stray into the wild country are considered prey unless they are very lucky or very clever.
Is it difficult juggling all the different characters in a series like this?
AB: Not so far. Each place has a different group of characters, although there is some crossover in this story, which was fun.
Other authors I’ve interviewed have told me that the kinds of things they enjoy reading are different from the things they enjoy writing. What do you like reading? Favorite authors? Favorite books?
AB: When I’m drafting a book in this series, I don’t read urban fantasy or much fantasy at all. I save those books for the free time between drafts. I also can’t read stories told in first person when I’m drafting. I tend to read mysteries, romances, and nonfiction on the writing days. My favorite authors are Patricia Briggs, Louise Penny, and C.S. Harris.
What are you currently working on?
AB: I recently turned in THE QUEEN’S PRICE, a Black Jewels novel. I’m currently working on the to-do list of all the things I set aside while finishing the latest book.
World of the Others #3
Deep in the territory controlled by the Others—shape-shifters, vampires, and even deadlier paranormal beings—Vicki DeVine has made a new life for herself running The Jumble, a rustic resort. When she decides to host a gathering of friends and guests for Trickster Night, at first everything is going well between the humans and the Others.
But then someone arrives dressed as Crowbones, the Crowgard bogeyman. When the impostor is killed along with a shape-shifting Crow, and the deaths are clearly connected, everyone fears that the real Crowbones may have come to The Jumble—and that could mean serious trouble.
To “encourage” humans to help them find some answers, the Elders and Elementals close all the roads, locking in suspects and victims alike. Now Vicki, human police chief Grimshaw, vampire lawyer Ilya Sanguinati, and the rest of their friends have to figure out who is manipulating events designed to pit humans against Others—and who may have put Vicki DeVine in the crosshairs of a powerful hunter.
Fantasy | Mystery Paranormal | Paranormal Mystery [Ace, On Sale: March 8, 2022, Hardcover / e-Book, ISBN: 9780593337332 / eISBN: 9780593337356]
Humans pitted against Others in a remote barricaded village
Is another catastrophic conflict between humans and nonhumans about to occur?
If you’re a Paranormal fan, then this is a must-read!
Anne Bishop is the New York Times bestselling author of eighteen novels, including the Black Jewels Trilogy and Written in Red, which won the Seal of Excellence – RT Book Reviews Editors' Pick for March 2013 and the 2013 RT Reviewers Choice Award for Urban Fantasy Novel. Her stories have been translated into several languages including Czech, Dutch, French, German, Portuguese, and Polish. When she’s not writing, Anne enjoys gardening, reading, and music.
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