I recently got some happy news: in addition to English and Bulgarian, my book, FOUL DAYS, is also going to be available in Polish, Spanish and German. This is enormously exciting for me. Growing up, I had to rely on translations as English-language books were hard to find. This meant that the only books I … Continue reading Random thoughts on translations
Category: Writing
A dissection of a successful query letter
I queried in the autumn of 2020, deep into the pandemic. Since some time has passed now, I thought I can share my query letter and try to parse out what worked, what I could have done better, and what I think ultimately made this letter successful. The reason I'm certain my query worked isn't … Continue reading A dissection of a successful query letter
Worldbuilding your own culture
I love worldbuilding. This is why I read and write speculative fiction: strange food? Unusual flora and fauna? Fun festivals and sinister rituals? Yes, please. But the reason why I’m particularly attracted to worldbuilding is the fact that constructing new cultures around familiar concepts allows us to create a distorted mirror of our own world. … Continue reading Worldbuilding your own culture
On writing adult vs YA fantasy
And how to nudge a novel more firmly into adult Sometimes, it can be tricky to pinpoint the difference between YA and adult fantasy when you’re in the middle of writing, especially if you happen to read both. I hope this post helps you, whether you’re drafting (or revising) a novel you’d like to slot … Continue reading On writing adult vs YA fantasy