Author Interview: Maria V. Snyder

Maria was awesome enough to answer some questions for me, even with her busy weekend! Without further ado:

How did you create the world the Study and Magic series are set in?

Since it all started with POISON STUDY, the world of Ixia is a combination of my 12 years attending Catholic School, where we all wore uniforms, and the business practices of the company my husband works for. In his company everyone wears a uniform, even upper management, and everyone sits in a large open-spaced room. There's no "good-old boy" network or special treatment to anyone. I really admired their way of treating their employees.

Sitia is a more a standard fantasy convention, with the clans making up a council. But both worlds became more “real” as I wrote the books. Similar to a Polaroid picture – at first it was gray and fuzzy and then as my characters interacted with the world, it became clearer to me.


Have you always written in the fantasy genre?

No. I started writing short stories and they were almost all science fiction. I've also written a few more mainstream stories, but they haven't been published. I wrote a middle grade novel for kids ages 8-12 that has no fantasy elements, but it never found a publisher. And I write nonfiction articles for a few local newspapers and magazines. I especially enjoy the travel articles since they let me take my travel expenses off my taxes :)


Which character in your books do you find is most like yourself?

I would love to say I'm just like Yelena, but I think I'm more similar to Opal. Growing up, I was very insecure in middle and high school, shy and a bit of a nerd. I am more confident now, but there are times I doubt myself and worry I've made the wrong decision.


Who or what is your 'muse'? How do you get the think tank working?

Everything is fodder for my imagination. Sometimes just sitting and watching people can spark ideas. My kids might make a comment that gives me an idea or I might read a magazine article that's interesting. I don't lack for ideas, I lack time to write them all out!

What is your writing process?

I'm what's known as a "seat of the pants" writer (a.k.a. pantser). I like to discover the plot and twists as I write. However, I usually have a general idea of where and how the book will end, but I wouldn't write it out until I reach that point, because it can always change.

This method is fun, but very stressful as I usually spend the first half of the book worried I don't have enough story for a full novel and then spend the last half of the book worried I have too much.

Any secret projects we should know about?

If I tell you then it wouldn't be secret :) Actually I'm working on the third Glass book, SPY GLASS – it was due last month and I'm still finishing it! After that, I'm going to be working on OUTSIDE IN – the second book after INSIDE OUT, which is coming out in April 2010 – it's a science fiction, but the story is focused on the characters just like my other books. The science fiction element is just the world they live in – the world of Inside.

Maria is amazing and you guys need to read her books!

This wraps up my Maria V. Snyder week - thank you guys for participating and commenting all week!

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Maria V. Snyder Book Signing

Okay... you guys are going to think I'm crazy, but Saturday afternoon I drove 5 miles with a fever to Michigan so I could see Maria V. Snyder on Sunday afternoon. I coerced my hubby into driving part of the way when Dayquil wore off.

We stayed the night at a hotel - where we had a nice 4 am fire alarm go off and evacuated for about 5 minutes when it randomly turned off - no sign of the fire department anywhere.

Then we headed off to Monroe, Michigan to the Writers on the River book signing event. I met Misty from The Book Rat and Sarah from The Hiding Spot, both who live in Michigan. I introduced Sarah to the awesomeness that is Panera - I still don't understand how she NEVER had had it!

Maria was awesome - so awesome in fact that she said she had been asking every young lady who passed if they were Kristen! Gah! How cool is that?

We had been chatting back and forth on email for a while and I know her from Goodreads. If you didn't know there's a fan group just for Maria - called Study Buddies. Well, it's more like a discussion/reading group than a fan group - but it centers around all of her books and herself.

So, I got the prize winners' books signed and my Study series signed (both Storm and Sea Glass I had won or gotten from Maria signed.) We chatted a bit and then I tried to pretend to be interested in the other authors - I did buy a Xmas gift for my niece and a fun little middle grade epic fantasy book for myself.

All in all, it was a great time and totally worth the drive! (Although my hubby now says he will agree to no more road trips... but we'll see about that!)

And here's some pics!

The Newlyweds on their 2nd road trip!

Maria and Me! :)

Group photo #1

Group photo #2

It was so great! :-D

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Storm Glass

Storm Glass
by Maria V. Snyder

Opal is a glass magician - but she thinks of herself as a one-trick wonder. She's only able to put magic into small glass animals - which the Master Magicians of Sitia use as messengers. With a lack of confidence and trust, she's simply getting by in life at the academy.

All of that changes when she is sent on a mission to figure out why the glass orbs Stormdancers use are breaking. She finds there is more to her magic then her glass messengers and more people to trust then herself.

Opal is not the strongest female character, but you can see her becoming more confident and less of a push-over by the end of the novel. She makes many mistakes and then uses her wit to get herself out of sticky situations.

There is an awesome amount of action and danger involved in this book - and the romance adds to the flare of the novel. Maria has once again outdone herself in sucking her readers into a world far from anything we could have ever experienced - yet with characters that you can relate to.

I also rather enjoy the humor put into the book, there are some undertones as well as the flat-out humorous sections. I love Janco's appearance and Leif seems much more light-hearted in this book than in the Study series. Of course, Yalena's brother Leif now has a woman in his life and we all know that makes quite a difference to men. ;)

5/5 Roses


Read the first chapter of Storm Glass on Maria's website.

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Fire Study

I am on fire for Maria's study series. Oh, aren't I pun-ny! No, really, I am so incredibly in love with this series... keep reading to find out why...

Fire Study
by Maria V. Snyder

I'm tempted to start with the ending... but I have to be "vague" - it ends the way I wanted it to. Oh Maria, I love you for ending this series the way you did!

Okay, onto the plotline:

Yalena continues her adventures in Sitia with a lingering evil force still free and another, more sinister plan boiling beneath the surface. Yalena is a Soulfinder and some of the Council are uneasy with her growing powers. Will she turn out to be a threat to Sitia and what will the Counsil do if they decide she is?

Also, Cahil has joined forces with some evil characters in his plot to take back Ixia for himself - although his royal blood is a falsehood. How far will Cahil go to thwart the Commander of Ixia and take the land for himself?

With some of the same supporting characters, Yalena finds herself in trouble again and again - will she ever learn? We see a bit more of Opal - the main character in Snyder's Glass series - in this book - with her special skill of weaving magic into the glass animals that she makes. There are some new 'badies' - the likes of which will make your skin crawl and pray for Yalena's strength in defeating them.

Again, there is a ton of action, tidbits of romance, and some humor and sarcasm that really pulls the characters into the story and makes it complete. I loved the ending, although I still want to find out what will happen to Yalena next...

5/5 Roses


You can read Chapter 1 of Fire Study on Maria's website.

Leave a comment and add an #giveaway at the end for an extra entry into the Maria V. Snyder contest.

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Magic Study

Just as addicting, Maria V. Snyder's Magic Study will keep your attention and make you want more.

Magic Study
by Maria V. Snyder

Yalena heads back to Sitia to be reunited with the family she does not even remember. While her parents and sister are welcoming, her older brother Leif remains distant and suspicious of her sudden return. She is there to study and improve her magical skills. Of course, she meets the heir to Ixia's throne - all of his family who had been killed by Valek - and learns of his ambition to take back the throne with an army he cannot seem to gather.

Unfortunately, Yalena finds herself with new enemies but also new friends to aide her when she gets into trouble. She's used to having to rely on herself and cannot understand when her mentor Irys becomes angry over her stepping forward and trying everything on her own. Another plot comes into place later in the book - a killer who has claimed the life of 10 young woman and hunts for more. Little does Yalena know that the sinister plot involves more than just murder, but the lust for magic and power.


Again, we find Yalena in many sticky situations - some of her own devise - and others that did not come of her own thick-headedness. She seems to keep up her knack for plowing ahead without consulting anyone but herself. I love her willfullness and the way she is so brazen about her duty to help others. Yalena forgets the danger she is putting herself in and thinks only of the one she is trying to help.

Her interactions with Leif keep you wondering what will happen between them. Will Leif ever trust Yalena? Is there more to Leif's distrust and distancing? And there's a lot more fun evil guys - what is it with my obsession with these sadistic evil men who simply want to hurt Yalena or other young women.. hrm. Keeps the excitement peaked I guess.

Maria has yet again delivered a book that keeps you turning the pages, finding new twists and turns and a decent amount of violence. I am a violence junkie after all. . .

Now I'm dying for the third book.

5/5 Roses

Read chapter 1 of Magic Study over on Maria V. Snyder's website.

Leave a comment and add a #giveaway and get an extra point for the Maria V. Snyder Giveaway!

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Poison Study

The first book in Maria V. Snyder's Study Series, Poison Study is a fantastic read that you will not want to put down. :-D

Poison Study
by Maria V. Snyder

Stolen from her home at a young age, Yalena was taken to Ixia where she was thrown into experiments - at first harmless tests of her magical ability. Magic is forbidden in Ixia, but in the home of General Brazell - he took in orphan children that had magical abilities. As Yalena became older, she realized that Brazell was not a fatherly figure, his tests turning into tortures until she was given up on. Brazell let his sadestic son - Reyad - have her and she killed him in self-defense.

Yalena has committed murder and the law calls for anyone found guilty - whether in self-defense, by accident, or on purpose - to be hung. Yet, Yalena finds herself in a position that she can't refuse. Instead of choosing the noose, she could elect to become the Commander's food taster - not knowing when she could be poisoned to death, but able to live longer. Yalena chooses life, but will she regret it?

I actually read this book a few years back and never continued on with the series although I had meant to. Even back then I fell in love with this book. Yalena is a strong young woman, mentally and later, with training, physically. She has gone through some horrible travesties - torture, rape, and other horrors.

The character of Valek - the spymaster and man in charge of the food taster - both intrigues and scares Yalena when they first meet. I love the complexity of his character and the way their interactions change over the course of their working together. There are more character, both good and evil, thrown into the story that move it along in such complete harmony that I couldn't put it down - even for a second time.

The fighting sequences and plot line guide the story along with great descriptions and twists. Maria is a fantastic writer and I can't believe I didn't continue on with the series when I had first read it. I'm glad that I have now seen the light.

5/5 Roses

Read chapter 1 of Poison Study over on Maria V. Snyder's website.

Leave a comment and add a #giveaway and get an extra point for the Maria V. Snyder Giveaway!

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Maria V. Snyder books Giveaway!

Well, my friend Alethea and I have joined forces to create this awesome giveaway for Maria V. Snyder week.

There are two prize packs for TWO different winners!

The Study Series
Poison Study
Magic Study
Fire Study

All of these will be signed/personalized by Maria for the winner!


The Glass Series
Storm Glass
Sea Glass
Cool glass-like glitter ball

Books will be signed/personalized by Maria for the winner!


Now for the RULES!

The Rules:
1. Open to US & Canada
2. Please include your email address with your comment(s).
3. Contest ends Thursday, November 5th at 11:59 pm CST
4. How to get points:

+1 simply leave a comment on which prize pack you want... or if you want both that's fine too.
+2 for being a follower of my blog
+2 for every time you advertise this contest.. twitter, blog, etc.

+5 for every blog post you link on the Mr. Linky for Maria V. Snyder week

I will keep track of the links, but you need to at least post here once saying which prize pack you want to be entered for.
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Kicking off Maria V. Snyder week!

Welcome one and all to a glorious Sunday. Is everyone feeling great with this extra hour? I know I am.

So, starting today, I'm kicking off my Maria V. Snyder week. Who is Maria you ask?

Check out this bio below (taken from Maria's website):

Maria V. Snyder changed careers in 1995 from being a Meteorologist to a Novelist when she began working on her first novel, Poison Study. Published in October 2005, Poison Study won the 2006 Compton Crook Award for Best First Novel, won the Salt Lake Co. Library's Reader's Choice award, was a 2005 Booksense pick, was nominated for four other awards, and received a Starred Review from Publisher’s Weekly. She has also published numerous freelance articles in regional magazines and in local newspapers. Teaching fiction writing classes at the local college gives her the enjoyable opportunity to encourage novice writers and to keep improving her craft.

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Maria attended 12 years of catholic school before going to Penn State University to study Meteorology. Earning a Bachelors of Science degree in Meteorology, Maria discovered, much to her chagrin, that forecasting the weather wasn't one of her skills. She found employment in the environmental field as an air quality scientist, and it was during those years that she began writing. After writing many science fiction short stories, Maria started Poison Study, her first novel about a food taster.

Her research on food tasting methods with an expert chocolate taster, her husband, turned out to be a delicious bonus while writing Poison Study. Maria has a brown belt in Issinryu Karate, and has enjoyed "acting out" the complex fight scenes in her books. Playing volleyball, scrapbooking, and reading are her other hobbies.

Maria's second book, Magic Study was published in October 2006 and was a 2006 Booksense pick. Magic Study also finaled for the RITA Award. While researching for Magic Study, Maria made a few interesting discoveries. One is that if you’re going to learn how to ride a horse, it’s best to do it when you’re young and fearless. The other is that no matter who is holding the reins, the horse still has control.

Maria's third book, Fire Study was published in March 2008 and spent two weeks on the NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERS LIST!. To research for Fire Study, Maria took a glass blowing class to learn how to work with molten glass. If you ever see a glass artist at work, know that it is considerably harder to sculpt glass than it looks. Maria now has an extensive collection of misshapened paperweights, tumblers, and bowls.

Maria's next book, Storm Glass is scheduled to be released on April 28, 2009. Writing Storm Glass combined two things Maria enjoys learning about, the weather and glass. She would love to be a Stormdancer, and be able to tame the wind--especially during hurricane season. The second book in the Glass series, Sea Glass is due out in September of 2009!

Traveling with her family is another wonderful distraction from writing. Maria loves cruising in general and the Caribbean in particular, and is planning a Caribbean trip in February 09. She has also been to Europe, Canada, Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, and spent a week in Beijing, China.

Though still a weather nut at heart, Maria also wrote a middle grade reader titled, Storm Watcher, about a 13-year-old boy who is both fascinated and terrified of storms. Storm Watcher is tentatively scheduled for a fall 2009 release. Writing for young adults is another passion, and Maria's young adult science fiction thriller titled Inside Out is scheduled for a 2010 release. Adults will also enjoy reading Inside Out.

Maria lives with her family in Pennsylvania where she is at work on the third book in the Glass series. She has also earned a Master of Arts degree in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. Maria would highly recommend this writing program to anyone interested in publishing a novel. A link for Seton Hill can be found in the "Links" section.


This week is going to be awesome because I love Maria's books and will be seeing her next Sunday in Monroe, Michigan. (Thank you Misty for telling me about this event!)

So here's the line up for this week:

Monday: Poison Study review
Tuesday: Magic Study review
Wednesday: Fire Study review
Thursday: Storm Glass review
Friday: Sea Glass review
Saturday: Find out more about Maria, her books, and other cool info.
Sunday: Book signing post (late at night most likely)

I may switch things up a bit and add some other cool stuff.

I wanted to put this out there - if anyone wants to contribute a guest post or has reviewed one of her books already and you want it posted on my blog during this week - please email me at dragonzgoil at gmail dot com.

If you are willing to participate in this event, just use the Mr. Linky as you post!

It can be as simple as a post about buying one of Maria's book and being psyched about reading it. And, you'll get extra points for each post you link up for the contest!




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