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This week Mortal Instruments fans were treated to the release of ‘Shadowhunters and Downworlders: A Mortal Instruments Reader.’ This collection of essays by fellow YA authors take a closer look at the themes and elements of Cassandra Clare’s Internationally popular Mortal Instruments series. It is a must have for Mortal Instruments fans. Check out my review.
Contributor Scott Tracey took time to answer some of my questions. He wrote an excellent piece “Villains, Valentine and Virtue.” Who doesn’t want to read about the bad guy! Enjoy his Q and A below.
What inspired you to be part of this project?
I just loved the idea of it. City of Bones was one of the first books I read and fell in love with when I started trying to write and get something published, so to be asked to contribute to an anthology about the Mortal Instruments world was such a compliment.
What inspired your topic?
I really love a good villain—I think villains on the whole get to have more fun, they get to be sassy and creative, and get involved in the most nefarious shenanigans. And I've always loved how evil Valentine was, and how far from human he'd come.
Why do you think 'Mortal Instruments' fans will love it?
Each of the authors brings something different to their essays, and I think some of the views are really fascinating. They can give new insight into the Mortal Instruments world, and make you want to read the series through again with fresh eyes.
What do you love most about Cassandra Clare's world and characters?
I think my favorite part of the world is how the characters are very much wrapped up in this supernatural element that dominates their lives, but they're all still very human. They're dealing with first loves, parental issues, abandonment issues, coming out, and death all amidst this supernatural backdrop, but you never lose sight of those human feelings throughout any of it.
Which 'Mortal Instruments' character do you most relate to?
I probably relate the most to Alec. His story, and Magnus' as well, has always been the part of the series that resonates most strongly with me. Back when the series first began, there weren't a lot of LGBT characters in YA, and certainly not in urban fantasy novels. So to find someone I related to, and see that a character could still struggle with being gay and kick ass at the same time, was a pleasant surprise.
Why do you think 'Mortal Instruments' fans are going to love this book?
I think that all of the authors who participated love the series just as much as the fans, and that's going to bleed through. Any time you can sit down and think critically about your favorite series, and analyze why you love it so much, it can only increase your enjoyment of it in the future. So I hope that by reading some of the essays, fans can find a renewed appreciation for the world that Cassandra has created.
As an author, how do you feel Clare's books have impacted the YA world?
Well, she's a phenomenon, that's for sure. I think the Mortal Instruments series has been one of those firecracker series that gets people who might not normally read to pick up a book. People read them and then gush excitedly to their friends, who pick them up next. And I think that seeing how successful her books have been has inspired shifts in what can sell in YA, and that people are seeing the LGBT characters in her books and realizing that books about them can sell, and do sell.
Tell me about your books?
Witch Eyes is a modern, gay, Romeo & Juliet inspired story. It’s the first book in a trilogy about a boy who has the power to see the world as it really is (full of memories, darkness, magic and pain), but this ability is killing him. He runs away to the town where he was born and gets involved in a supernatural feud between rival witch families.
Moonset, which comes out on April 8th, is the first book in a new series about a group of five children, whose parents went rogue and used their magic for terrorist acts. It's a series about family legacies, dark magic, and what really happened to make their parents turn to evil.
Learn more about Scott Tracey at his website.
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