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Author News & Interviews

Interview: Scott McCloud, author of The Sculptor

Feb 3, 2015

Scott McCloud, comics' most eloquent and prolific theorist, is best known for his explications of the form: UNDERSTANDING COMICS and its follow-ups, REINVENTING COMICS and MAKING COMICS. But starting in the late 1980s --- even before he turned to non-fiction --- McCloud began his comics career with an American superhero manga series, Zot!. And this year, for the first time ever, McCloud puts his talents to an original graphic novel, the absolutely monumental THE SCULPTOR. Here, McCloud sits down with The Book Report Network staffer and GraphicNovelReporter site coordinator John Maher to discuss his newest work, his history in comics and why he prefers the pen to the hammer and chisel. Note: This interview is chock full of SPOILERS!

Interview: Greer Macallister, author of The Magician's Lie

Jan 29, 2015

Greer Macallister is a poet, short story writer, playwright, and now novelist, whose debut, THE MAGICIAN’S LIE, is getting great buzz. It’s the spellbinding story of a notorious illusionist accused of murder: When the Amazing Arden swaps her saw for a fire ax, Officer Virgil Holt will have to decide if it's a new trick or an all-too-real murder. But will Arden reveal her secrets, even when her life is at stake? In this interview with Bookreporter.com’s Kate Ayers, Macallister talks about her fascination with Adelaide Herrmann, the “Queen of Magic” and the inspiration for Arden, and how a glaring absence in Adelaide’s history moved her to write this story. She also shares how she was quickly disillusioned of any romantic ideas she had about research, as well as which authors have had the greatest influence on her.

Interview: Greg Baxter, author of Munich Airport

Jan 29, 2015

Texas-born Greg Baxter now lives in Berlin, where he writes and translates. His latest book, MUNICH AIRPORT, is about an unnamed, expatriate narrator who is waiting in Munich’s fog-bound airport with his father and a US consul to transport the corpse of his sister to America. Baxter deftly weaves flashbacks throughout the story in order to bring his narrator’s pain and conflict into sharper relief. In this interview, he discusses how he was able to use flashbacks in a way that feels emotionally honest and organic to the story, as well as the unusual role music plays in his novel.

Interview: Sarah Addison Allen, author of First Frost

Jan 22, 2015

Bestselling author Sarah Addison Allen never planned on revisiting the characters from her beloved first novel, GARDEN SPELLS. But much to the delight of fans, she has brought the Waverley women back to life in her latest book, FIRST FROST. In this charming follow-up, Claire, Sydney and Bay are still struggling with their unique “gifts,” until a mysterious stranger shows up and challenges the very heart of the family. Here, Allen talks to Bookreporter.com’s Bronwyn Miller about why she chose to return to her old characters and how their familiarity helped her through a hard time. She also shares how much she appreciates meeting her fans on tour (a lot!), whether or not she plans on returning to Bascom again, and how she feels social media has allowed for a less isolated writing experience.

Interview: Priya Parmar, author of Vanessa and Her Sister

Jan 22, 2015

Although VANESSA AND HER SISTER is only Priya Parmar’s second book (following her debut, EXIT THE ACTRESS), it has already wowed critics and readers. Set in the exhilarating days of prewar London, it tells the extraordinary tale of two gifted artists: Vanessa Bell and her sister, Virginia Woolf. In this interview with Bookreporter.com’s Roz Shea, Parmar talks about her fascination with Vanessa and Virginia, as well as the extended, equally eccentric Bloomsbury Group. She also discusses why she chose to tell the story in an epistolary format and why she hopes that the wonderful personalization of letter writing will not be lost in our technology-saturated world.