Interview With Emily Thiede!

Hi, everyone! Today I'm happy to present an interview with Emily Thiede, author of This Vicious Grace, which releases in June!

Would you please describe your book, This Vicious Grace, in seven words?

Accidentally deadly savior recruits bodyguard with secrets.

Did you always want to write YA books?

I've always thought it would be amazing to write a book, but until a few years ago, I assumed that all "real" writers had entire stories mapped out in their minds before they wrote anything, and I never did. I only had snippets, like mental movie scenes I'd "replay" over and over again to help me fall asleep at night, a trick I use since my adhd makes it nearly impossible to clear my mind, but it wasn't until late in 2015 that I actually attempted to write anything down. Like so many readers at the time, I was captivated by the wave of YA books coming out during the YA boom of the early 2010s and reading everything I could get my hands on, when my mother challenged me to try NaNoWriMo, a challenge to write 50,000 words in a month. I did it, I was completely hooked, and I've been writing YA SciFi and Fantasy ever since. I may eventually attempt to write adult books as well, but I love YA. It's so much fun writing about characters who are figuring out who are, who they want to be, and where they fit in their world, plus this underlying sense of promise: that even when the book ends, no matter how hard things may be or what I, the author, have put them through, the characters have so much left ahead of them in life. I love that. 

Random Question! What’s your favorite time of year?

My favorite time of year is spring, which I feel like is the "wrong" answer for a YA fantasy author, haha! Everyone else seems to prefer fall, and while I appreciate the aesthetics of fall and winter, give me a warm spring day where the trees and plants are at their most vibrant any day. I guess that's why I chose to set my debut on an island inspired by Italy's Amalfi Coast--so I could escape to a warm, colorful location any time I want to, even if it's only in my imagination.

What’s one piece of advice you would give aspiring authors?

Be open to critique and learn how to revise! First drafts aren't perfect, and it's the writers who can handle feedback, who keep learning and developing their craft, who are more likely to make it in the long run. 

What are some books you’re looking forward to reading in 2022? And if you’ve already read some ‘22 books, would you like to mention them?

Oh, so many! Of fantasy debuts alone, I've already read and enjoyed a bunch, like Hotel Magnifique by Emily Taylor, The Bone Spindle by Leslie Vedder, and Wake The Bones by Elizabeth Kilcoyne, and I'm really excited to read Vanessa Len's Only a Monster and Blood Scion by Deborah Falaye!

Author Bio: EMILY THIEDE is the author of This Vicious Grace. A former public school teacher, Emily teaches creative writing and serves on the board for WriterHouse, a local writing nonprofit, and co-hosts the Basic Pitches podcast. An alumnus of PitchWars and Author Mentor Match, she loves mentoring aspiring authors, fostering kittens, and getting lost in the woods near her home in central Virginia. You can find her across social media @EKTWrites and at www.ekthiede.com.

Here Are A Few Links:

Her Website

Her Twitter

Her Instagram