Thief With No Shadow

First of all I'd like to introduce you to Emily Gee, who is without doubt one of the coolest girls ever and is the only person I know who has blingier costume jewellery than I do. Anyway, I finally got to meet Emily in person at the RWNZ conference last month and I also got a chance to get my hands on a copy of her debut book, Thief With No Shadow.

Fellow witch, Christina also bought a copy and when she told me that she ended up feeding her family baked beans and mashed potato because she absolutely could not put Emily's book down to cook properly, I knew I was going to love it and how right I was. Not only is it beautifully written but I just loved the story and boy, for a nice girl, she sorta goes a bit dark - but in a great way. Anyway, I was completely sold on it and so as well as posting a bit of a blurb about it, I thought I'd hit Emily up with some questions (oh, and look at her last answer - as if I didn't think she was great enough already!!!!)











Melke is a wraith, which means she has the ability to walk unseen. After being forced to steal a necklace, she is hunted down by the victim of the crime, Bastian sal Vere. He explains that the necklace was strung with tears, and that without it, Bastian cannot break the curse that is destroying his family. He orders Melke to regain the necklace, in exchange for her brother to be healed. But she had given the necklace to the salamanders, the fire breathing creatures that live underground. She must risk her own life. Meanwhile, Bastian becomes involved in solving a brutal murder of a young pregnant girl in the town of Theirry. This is a strong character-based fantasy, full of romantic tension and gritty storylines.



Okay, and now let's get down to business:

For me the best part about writing is that I can sit and stare at photos of David Boreanaz all day long and call it work. What is your favourite part of the job?

One of the best things about being a writer is that I don’t have to feel too guilty about all the daydreaming I do. (And I do a lot of daydreaming!) I also enjoy being able to get the stories in my head down on paper. It’s a real buzz when I nail a scene, almost an adrenalin rush!

I find that some books are pure joy to write and others need to be dragged kicking and screaming from your mind. What was this book like to write?

The first draft of Thief was really fast to write—it had to be, because vintage was looming! (12-hour shifts, seven days a week, for a couple of months. No time for writing!) Thief was darker than anything I’d written before, and I really enjoyed that aspect of it. Does that make me warped?

What are you reading now?

I’m just about to start reading The Summoner by Gail Martin (who has the same editor as me). It’s described as ‘an epic, engrossing tale of loss and revenge, of life and afterlife—and the thin line between them’. Should be a good read!

And finally, since most people who read this blog know that I have an unhealthy addiction to television, let’s get down to the nitty gritty—what are your favourite shows both past and present?

My all-time favourite show is Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It was dark and funny and I love it. (Particularly the first three seasons, with all that high school angst!) I have the early seasons on both video and DVD. Yes, Buffy is my unhealthy addiction... I don’t watch a lot of TV, but currently I turn the television on for Grey’s Anatomy and—I’m not sure if I should confess to this—America’s Next Top Model.