Sara B. Larson reveals her influences and writing process for Sisters of Shadow and Light
Sara B. Larson’s Sisters of Shadow and Light hit shelves earlier this month. We spoke to the author about what influenced the story, along with what Larson hopes readers take away from it.
Sara B. Larson is no stranger to YA fantasy, with the Defy trilogy and the Dark Breaks the Dawn duology under her belt already. But her latest release takes readers on an all new adventure — one remniscent of a fairy tale in many ways.
Sisters of Shadow and Light arrived earlier this month, telling the story of two sisters, Zuhra and Inara. They reside in an abandoned fortress that was once full of legendary warriors called Paladin — but the Paladin and their magic vanished the night Inara was born. Sadly, their Paladin father disappeared along with them.
To make matters worse, a huge, magical hedge grew over the citadel, trapping the girls and their mother there. Given that Inara inherited magic that keeps her stuck inside her own mind — and that the girls’ mother has become an emotionally distraught husk of a human being — Zuhra has never felt more alone. And the family is forced to spend 15 years like this, until something finally happens to change their circumstances.
Sisters of Shadow and Light has plenty of fantastical elements to it, but the core of the story is the relationship between Zuhra and Inara. This is as much a story of sisterhood as it is a fantasy tale, and that’s part of what makes it stand out in the genre.
We spoke to Larson about the influences her own familial relationships and favorite stories had on her latest novel, along with what she hopes readers take away from the new release.
Culturess: Familial relationships seem to play a huge role in Sisters of Shadow and Light. How have your own relationships impacted the ones showcased in this story?
I am the oldest of five girls, so writing about sisters came very naturally to me. I am very close with my sisters, which is part of why I wanted to focus on that bond, that special love that can exist between them.
Culturess: What draws you to the fantasy genre? Are there any other stories that brought about the idea for this one?
Larson: I have always loved fantasy. There’s something so enticingly wonderful about the possibility of magic being real. Whenever I sit down to write a book, magic always seems to creep in, sometimes with other fantastical creatures (as they did in Sisters of Shadow and Light and Dark Breaks the Dawn) and sometimes not (as was the case in the Defy series). For some reason, I can’t seem to write a book that doesn’t include magic or fantasy elements to some degree! Maybe that will change, but for now, I really do love creating these worlds where I make the rules and my imagination is the limit.
It’s hard to pinpoint any one story that brought about the idea for this one. It truly started with the sisters, and one of them having eyes that glowed because of the power she inherited from their father. I honestly didn’t think about comparisons until after I had written and sold it, and my editor pointed out that it definitely had strong Sleeping Beauty and Frozen vibes. But I do believe that everything we observe and experience informs the art we create, so certainly my love of those stories and other fairy tales and fantasy books probably leaked into my story about two sisters who love each other so fiercely — even if it was subconsciously!
Culturess: Where do you draw inspiration for your world building? What makes the setting of this novel unique?
Larson: I love to collect images that inspire me, or snippets of description. Sometimes I take the picture, or think them up, sometimes I find them on pinterest or in collections of poetry, or wherever inspiration strikes! From there, I shape the world based on the magic system, and also the way I want — or need — my characters to be living (because that can truly impact the plot and the character development). Most often, once I have a few basics down, the rest of the world building comes from asking myself questions and coming up with the answers that fit the rules I’ve set out and the images and ideas I’ve dreamt up. It’s hard to reveal what makes the setting in SOSAL unique without spoilers… but I do hope my readers will be excited to learn the secrets this world holds!
Culturess: What is your writing process like, and what are you most excited to share with your readers in Sisters of Shadow and Light?
Larson: I generally write out a loose outline/synopsis, with all my ideas of “this happens, then this happens, then this” and I also have a document with all my notes on characters, world building, magic systems, etc. Once I have a solid direction with my story and enough details to get going, I start writing. I usually make it 30-50k words in and then end up doing a chapter by chapter synopsis at that point for the rest of the story to map out the ending and make sure it all comes together the way I want. I can’t wait for my readers to meet these sisters and hopefully love them as much as I do!
Culturess: Is there anything you struggled with while writing this novel?
Larson: It’s interesting, because you would think the longer you’ve been writing, the easier it would get, right? Well… the answer (at least for me) is nope. Each book I write seems to get harder, because my internal editor keeps getting louder and more demanding, which makes drafting nearly impossible sometimes.
You have to be able to shut off the demands for perfection and allow the story to just flow out, no matter how imperfect it may be, and that seems to be getting harder each time for me! I had to try all sorts of different tricks with this series to get the story out. But the funny thing is, when I go back through it to revise the book, it’s always better than I think it is when I’m slogging through that first draft. I’m so glad I didn’t let me internal editor beat me, because I’m so thrilled with how this book turned out!
Next. Author Shea Ernshaw on Winterwood, creepy forests, and what she's reading now. dark