Ask the Author: Liselle Sambury
Answered Questions (6)
Liselle Sambury
I often start with the magic system and try and think of all the ways that the existence of that magic might affect the world. And when I’m thinking of the history of that world, I also try and figure out where magic fits in. Then I can create a sort of history for that magic which then makes it easier to tie it into the world and weave them together. So I ask myself questions like what is the origin of the magic and how long has it been around and how was it discovered and how have people used it overtime. I hope that helps!
Liselle Sambury
Thank you so much!! I’m so happy you enjoyed it ☺️ I actually didn’t have the story in my head for very long at all. It was just a passing thought that I would love to write about a family of Black witches. I was planning to write an entirely different story, but I lost steam on it. And the idea of that Black witch family wouldn’t let go combined with a homesickness for Toronto and wanting to set something there. So when I started the story, I was working off maybe a couple week’s worth of thoughts about it.
The bulk of the story as it is now was developed over multiple drafts. It used to be less than half length it was when published, so most of the layers I’ve come to love in it were created over a period of a year and a half of editing. Nowadays, I do try and spend a lot more time planning my stories before I write, but Blood Like Magic was very much a project where I discovered the story as I went.
The bulk of the story as it is now was developed over multiple drafts. It used to be less than half length it was when published, so most of the layers I’ve come to love in it were created over a period of a year and a half of editing. Nowadays, I do try and spend a lot more time planning my stories before I write, but Blood Like Magic was very much a project where I discovered the story as I went.
Liselle Sambury
I don’t think I have that many exciting life mysteries haha but, as is the case of many Black people in the diaspora whose ancestors were enslaved, there are definitely pockets of my family history that are a mystery to me. I’ve mined a lot so far from family, but I’m sure there’s a lot more to discover and probably also a lot more that’s just lost. Part of that is why the idea of communicating with your ancestors in Blood Like Magic was such an attractive concept to me.
Liselle Sambury
Sorry for the late answer! Didn’t get an email alert. So happy that you enjoyed the book! I actually didn’t have the idea in my head for very long, maybe a couple weeks and even then it was only “family of Black witches” as a concept. It took me about 20 days to write the first draft since I draft quickly and it was NaNoWriMo. But from that first draft until the final edit with my publisher was about 1.5-2 years of edits. Though with breaks inbetween. Usually I only worked on an edit for a month or so, or less. Hope that helps!
Liselle Sambury
To me, it’s more a product of being raised in a family environment that acts, in many ways, like a business transaction. Even though, earlier on, Justin makes efforts to help Luc live like a kid and they spend time together, I don’t picture him as ever being the type to hug him, the same with his sponsor siblings. And beyond that, Luc doesn’t have any close relationships where someone might hug or touch him regularly. I see it more as a discomfort with a contact that he’s not used to having with others. That being said, I think regardless of my intent, readers are always welcome to have their own interpretations of the work.
Liselle Sambury
It’s usually ones where I’ll be in the shower or walking or laying in bed, and I’ll be running through all these scenes that make me drop everything and write down snippets. They truly take over my brain and I become so obsessed that I just have to sit down and write it. Story ideas without that sort of spark usually just end up being one liners in my Notes app.
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more