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Victoria is the product of a British mother, a Beverly Hills father, and a southern upbringing. Because of this, she has been known to say "tom-ah-toes," "like," and "y'all."

She also tells stories.

She loves fairy tales, and folklore, and stories that make her wonder if the world is really as it seems.

What has been the most surprising thing about being a debut author?

It’s a tie between how much work there is to do besides writing, and how wonderful and supportive the community is! Honestly, both things completely knocked me off my feet.

Is the legend of The Near Witch that Lexi recites in the novel inspired by any real-world fairy tales?

Elements in NW were inspired by the WAY fairy tales are written and told, their archetypes and flavor, by the oral nature of folklore, etc. But I didn’t draw on any specific fairy tales when writing the story of the Near Witch.

It is clear that Lexi adores her little sister Wren (and who wouldn’t?). Do you have a little sister? Did that relationship influence the way you wrote Lexi and Wren?

I am actually an only child! But sibling relations have always fascinated me (they are really important in NW...Magda and Dreska, Lexi and Wren, Otto and Lexi’s father, etc). I’ve always wanted to have a sibling. As an only child, I spent half my time delighting in being the center of my parents world, and half the time wishing I had a brother or sister in that world with me. So I think my want of a sibling and my awareness of the lack of one made me want to write them even more.

What inspired you to make Lexi such an adept tracker? Is that a skill you also possess?

Not exactly. But I’ve always been, I think, a very observant person. My father is a Type1 diabetic and I grew up hyper-attentive to his tells (signs he was low in sugar). I learned to read him, and eventually others. Reading people and spaces are overlapping skills, I think, in that the require an ability to look at the details and the whole at the same time.

Witches in the world of Near control different elements. Given the choice, which element would you like to be able to control? What would you do with that power?

I would like to be able to control water, because it can be hard or soft, running through the land or falling from the sky. It is, in my opinion the most diverse of the elements, used to nurture but also incredibly dangerous. I like to hope I’d use it for good ;)

I have to ask, with your English heritage and the strong presence of the ghostly moor – are you a fan of Wuthering Heights?

Hahahahaha. It’s...um...not my favorite. I am a huge fan of The Secret Garden though, which I feel has a closer connection to Near and the nature o

2 Comments on Author Interview: Victoria Schwab (The Near Witch), last added: 8/26/2011

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Lauren M said, on 8/26/2011 8:31:00 AM

I loved The Secret Garden, too! I used to make-believe I was part of the story when I was a kid.
I'd love to see more of Near in the future--glad Victoria isn't letting it go quite yet! :)
Thanks for the interview!

Deserae McGlothen said, on 8/26/2011 10:57:00 AM

This was a really cool interview. Thanks, V, for answering questions, and the questions themselves were really cool and interesting so I look forward to reading more interviews from this blog!

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There are no strangers in the town of Near -- until now. When a ghostly boy appears outside Lexi's bedroom window and the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, the entire village is on the verge of a witch hunt. Yet, though the smoky stranger refuses to talk, Lexi's instincts tell her to trust him. To clear his name, Lexi and the stranger must go in search of a secret known only by the wind, a legend older than Near itself -- but what they find might just tear their world apart.

In The Near Witch, debut author Victoria Schwab creates an original, haunting fairy tale that will capture readers imaginations -- and hearts. Her lyrical prose reads like a lullaby, with a rhythm and cadence bewitching to the senses, and sets the scene for a tale of children lured from their beds to vanish across the moonlit moor. The world Schwab constructs is richly atmospheric, with its own history and customs and bedtime stories, blending a coming-of-age story with the myth and magic of folklore. The town of Near will feel as familiar as the reader's own neighborhood, its inhabitants as endearing and frustrating as family.

Lexi is everything a heroine should be, unhindered by the archaic constraints of custom or the close-minded disapproval of society. Her father raised her to be independent and maybe a little bit wild, part of the natural world around her. She is brave and compassionate, defiant and intelligent -- unwilling to sit idly by and let mistrust and panic take its course. She won me over from the start.

One of my favorite aspects of the story is Lexi's family. The love between Lexi and her family is unconditional, their faith in her unwavering. Though her mother is broken in the wake of her father's death, echoes of the strong, commanding woman she once was peek through and give readers hope that the sun will shine on them again one day. Wren is Lexi's bubbly and birdlike little sister, and Lexi's adoration of the spirited sparrow is palpable on the page. Wren is a bright spot amid the eerie, misty moor, and gives passion to Lexi's drive to save the children of Near.

Then there's Cole -- enigmatic, elusive Cole. He is the stormy center of the story, alluring Lexi (and readers) with his mystery, and winning their sympathy with his tempestuous past. Though this sounds like the same old story, it's not. There's an ethereal, untamed quality to Cole that likens him to the wind-tossed moor -- more than just a brooding, beautiful boy. He is bowed by secret trials beyond his years, an old soul to keep pace with Lexi's own spirit. Though the novel is more folklore than love story, the streak of romance gives an edge of softness to an otherwise ominous tale.

Magda and Dreska -- the gnarled, weathered witches that lurk on the outskirts of Near -- were two of the most fascinating characters in the novel, their commanding presence demanding attention even on the fringes of a scene. Their wisdom, hidden behind riddles and half-formed phrases, gave the novel its air of mystery and impugned the town's hate and fear. The rest of the village is infuriating. Their small-minded prejudice creates the drama and emotional tension that drives the plot, and will keep readers fuming with the injustice of it all. Yet, they are just one of the evils Lexi must face. Though the villain may be foreseeable, the outcome is not -- there is no promise of happily-ever-after in the town of Near, and readers will be up until the wee witching hours to discover whether justice prevails or beloved characters ta

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My friend, Victoria Schwab, just got her cover for The Near Witch.

How exciting to get it! I'd thought I'd give her a congrads shout-out. And it's up for preorder! So go order it now!

The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children. If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company. There are no strangers in the town of Near. These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life. But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true. The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him. As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

And here's her talking about all the deets around the cover. Check it out!




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