Ask the Author: Deborah Harkness

“Thanks to all of you for your great questions! I answered as many as I could in 90 minutes. When time permits I'll be back and try to answer more. ” Deborah Harkness

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I don't know if you have answered this question or not, but since it's not in the most recent questions I'm going to ask--I have just been watching the first "season" of A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES. Will there be additional seasons completing the trilogy?

Deborah Harkness After the success of season 1 of A Discovery of Witches, Sky green lit seasons 2 and 3. They completed filming for season 2 in January and we are sill waiting on word of when it will be released. Season 2 will follow Shadow of Night and season 3 will follow The Book of Life.

Cat,
Deb's assistant and social marketing director

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Thank you for becoming my friend on here! I absolutely love your books, and hope for more in the future. I love the "A Discovery Of Witches" series. I hope you are well, mostly with the COVID-19 going around. You are one of my top favourite authors, along with J.K. Rowling. Stay strong and keep your head up! Please keep writing too. My question for you is: Will you be continuing with the universe of Matthew and Diana?

Deborah Harkness Hi Toni,
Thank you for your question and good wishes for Deb. Deb is currently working on Book #5 in the All Souls Series. It will be a similar book to Time's Convert in that it will look back in a prequel kind of way and also move the characters (from the All Souls World) forward in a sequel kind of way. Deb refers to it as a prequelly/sequelly book. Deb has talked about this book and other possible books on her past 2 Facebook Lives. You can find the videos for them on her author page on Facebook under the video tab.

Cat -
Deb's assistant and social marketing director

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Who did Phoebe and Marcus choose to make Phoebe a vampire?

Deborah Harkness I'm not able to tell you that yet.

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In your mind does Matthew have any other vampire children other than Marcus and Benjamin?

Deborah Harkness yes, but he hasn't given me permission to divulge their identities yet. :)

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How many children does Matthew actually have?

Deborah Harkness Good question! More than you've met so far...

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Since libraries are the setting for your adventure, what do you see the role of libraries and archives in your own life?

Deborah Harkness my life wouldn't be possible without libraries and librarians. Period.

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This question contains spoilers... (view spoiler)

Deborah Harkness The third volume of the trilogy was intentionally faster paced than the others.

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So, extremely random question. But are there any characters in your book that are People of Color? Sometimes you would describe someone as dark skinned and I wondered and got ridiculously excited.

Deborah Harkness Yes. Diana's best friend, Chris Roberts, is African American, for example. Amira is Indian, from the southern part of India specifically.

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Why are Oxford University and the Bodleian Library in particular featured in so many paranormal fantasy novels?

Deborah Harkness Probably because a lot of writers spent time at Oxford and believe (quite rightly in my opinion!) that Oxford is the most magical place on earth.

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What inspired the book Ashmole 782? Have you ever encountered, in your research, a book that brought you that kind of response (not magical, but a shiver down your spine kind of reaction)?

Deborah Harkness yes. When I found a "lost" magical book that once belonged to John Dee in Oxford's Bodleian Library! I shivered because I thought I was dreaming!

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What books inspire you to write and have you spent time at the Bodleian ? The scenes there ring so true to me having once been an academic !!

Deborah Harkness Yes I have spent LOTS of time in the Bodleian, doing research for my dissertation as well as my first and second non-fiction books.

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Deborah, I am a Pennsylvanian but spent 4 of my teen years living in Oxford,England. I was wondering what inspired you to set A Discovery of Witches primarily in Oxford? Did you spend any length of time there? Was there anything particular about the wonderful city that influenced your story?

Deborah Harkness I lived in Oxford from 1991 to 1994, with a few breaks here and there. It is the most magical place on earth, in my opinion, so of course it was the setting I chose for the first book.

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As a history instructor I found the All Souls Trilogy to be captivating. The historical people and events that are interweaved in the story are magnificent. I found myself looking up people and events I was unsure of. How did you go about choosing who and what from history to include in your novels?

Deborah Harkness great question! I look for mysterious characters--characters from the past that historians have lots of questions about for which the historical record doesn't provide answers. Then I make up the answers! :)

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Is there a message in which you try to impart to your readers in these three books? Thank you in advance for answering if my question is chosen. My oldest daughter and myself are huge fans of your writing.

Deborah Harkness there are many, many messages. One of them is how important it is to have a supportive family!

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Where are your favourite place to write? I mean, a place where you feel so confortable that writing seems so easy and natural, and where you don't feel time passing by.

Deborah Harkness bizzarely, my favorite place to write is in a hotel. I unplug the clock, put up a do not disturb sign, and close the drapes. Then I am totally unaware of whether it is night or day and can just write until I need tea or food!

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If you could travel back in time - where would you go and why?

Deborah Harkness London in 1590. But you knew that already!

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What's the best writing advice you've received?

Deborah Harkness write every day.

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You mention in a previously answered question that Philippe is a favorite character of yours (he is mine as well, btw). I am curious of the wide range of female characters if you have a favorite (aside from Diana of course)? Also, have you ever ridden side saddle? If so did you enjoy it?

Deborah Harkness My favorite female character is Miriam. And no, I have never ridden side-saddle. It terrifies me!

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2. The individual titles for the trilogy are wonderful. How did come up with each title?

Deborah Harkness great question! Each one is based on a book written during the period that I study as a scholar.

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Alchemy is such a great fit in a series that has witches, vampires, daemons, spells & magic but as a historian of science, how do you compare those who wasted time & talent on alchemy (like Newton, without negating his contribution) compared to less lauded scientists who stuck to the less glorified & profitable hard sciences?

Deborah Harkness I don't believe Newton wasted his time with alchemy. I don't think he would have come up with his theory of gravity without it!

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