Ask the Author: Isabel Sterling
Answered Questions (15)
Isabel Sterling
This Coven Won't Break is the end of that series. I think Hannah and Morgan deserve a stress-free rest of their lives without me throwing more stress at them ;)
Isabel Sterling
I'd love to write one someday, but as of right now, there are no immediate plans. Thank you for reading!
Isabel Sterling
So fun! (And sorry for the delay - I forget to check these!) If you haven't read any yet, if you prefer a series, I'd say start with These Witches Don't Burn. If you like a standalone (or prefer vampires) The Coldest Touch is where I'd start!
Isabel Sterling
This Spell Can't Last should now be available in all countries! I had to release it myself for all the locations outside the US.
Isabel Sterling
I'm sorry this took so long to answer, partially because it was a secret for a little bit. But yes! There's a prequel e-novella that tells the NYC story called This Spell Can't Last.
Isabel Sterling
The complete series includes:
This Spell Can't Last (a prequel e-novella)
These Witches Don't Burn (book 1)
This Coven Won't Break (book 2)
This Spell Can't Last (a prequel e-novella)
These Witches Don't Burn (book 1)
This Coven Won't Break (book 2)
Isabel Sterling
I like writing first thing in the morning, before I do anything else. A slightly sleepy brain keeps my inner editor away while I'm drafting. Plus, writing before work is the only way to guarantee I get my words in!
Isabel Sterling
Hannah, the main character, came to me first. I kept coming back to this image of a teen witch working at a magic shop in Salem, MA thinking to herself "if only these fools knew what REAL witches were like..."
There were a few false starts (there wasn't any actual magic in the first draft, strangely enough) but Hannah's personality is nearly unchanged (though perhaps more nuanced now!) from that first flash of idea.
There were a few false starts (there wasn't any actual magic in the first draft, strangely enough) but Hannah's personality is nearly unchanged (though perhaps more nuanced now!) from that first flash of idea.
Isabel Sterling
When I set out to create the magic system, I sat down and thought about all of my favorite types of magic with an emphasis on "what would be the most fun?" Since I've been obsessed with magic and witches my whole life, I had a lot of touchstones to pull from, but I didn't actively read or avoid witchy books while writing.
Isabel Sterling
What an interesting question! In additional to its contemporary fantasy foundation, THESE WITCHES DON'T BURN also functions a bit like a mystery/thriller. Someone is targeting the Hannah's coven, so there's lots of danger and suspense and investigation of various suspects, trying to pin down the culprit before it's too late!
Isabel Sterling
Full credit goes to the brilliant team at Razorbill for the title! I love it and cannot wait to see what kind of cover will go with it.
When I'm writing, I tend to use "code names" for my manuscripts rather than proper titles (since coming up with titles is not my strong suit). THESE WITCHES DON'T BURN was called my "Salem project" for the first few drafts then finally "Burning Salem" when we set it off on submission. I'm glad it has a proper title now!
When I'm writing, I tend to use "code names" for my manuscripts rather than proper titles (since coming up with titles is not my strong suit). THESE WITCHES DON'T BURN was called my "Salem project" for the first few drafts then finally "Burning Salem" when we set it off on submission. I'm glad it has a proper title now!
Isabel Sterling
I do! I always have a million projects in the works, though I'm not sure how much I can say about them. I'll be drafting the sequel to These Witches Don't Burn soon (title TBD!) and I have a few other middle grade and young adult projects in various stages of completion.
Isabel Sterling
I love developing magic systems! It's basically the best part of the job. I wanted to create a system of different types of witches who live hidden among non-witches but who don't exactly have a great relationship with each other either.
There are three feuding Witch Clans in the series: Elemental Witches, Caster Witches, and Blood Witches. Elementals (as the name suggests) are inspired a bit by the elemental bending in Avatar. Casters are more "traditional" witches with spells and incantations at the center of their magic. And finally, the Blood Witches. Their magic is shrouded in mystery, and you *don't* want to cross them.
There are three feuding Witch Clans in the series: Elemental Witches, Caster Witches, and Blood Witches. Elementals (as the name suggests) are inspired a bit by the elemental bending in Avatar. Casters are more "traditional" witches with spells and incantations at the center of their magic. And finally, the Blood Witches. Their magic is shrouded in mystery, and you *don't* want to cross them.
Isabel Sterling
Ooh great question! I don't think I could base a character on someone I know in real life. My characters do most of their development in revisions, and I think I'd get too caught up on trying to keep them "accurate" if I had an IRL person in mind instead of serving the story. (That's totally a personal thing though!)
That said, I totally borrow interests or last names from family and friends!
That said, I totally borrow interests or last names from family and friends!
Isabel Sterling
I'm a bit in the middle actually! I do a loose plot (typically not much more than a beat sheet) and then pants my way from beat to beat. The first draft is usually a mess no matter what I do, so I really dig into plotting during revision.
Probably the most exciting part of writing THESE WITCHES DON'T BURN was finishing the draft on an amazing writing retreat in Wales. It was a lovely group of writers and the energy was really inspiring.
Another fun part of the writing process was how it shaped my own identity. I wrote the first draft thinking I was straight, realized I was bisexual shortly thereafter, met my (now) wife, and then revised the book into what it is today (aka super queer).
Probably the most exciting part of writing THESE WITCHES DON'T BURN was finishing the draft on an amazing writing retreat in Wales. It was a lovely group of writers and the energy was really inspiring.
Another fun part of the writing process was how it shaped my own identity. I wrote the first draft thinking I was straight, realized I was bisexual shortly thereafter, met my (now) wife, and then revised the book into what it is today (aka super queer).
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