Title: The Fading Dusk
Author: Melissa Giorgio
Series: Smoke and Mirrors #1
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Release Date: July 19, 2015
In the gritty city of Dusk, seventeen-year-old Irina makes her living as the street magician Bantheir’s assistant. The job isn’t glamorous, but she loves the crowds, the shows, and most of all, the illusion of magic. But Irina’s world is shattered the night she is arrested and charged as Bantheir’s accomplice to murder—murder by magic.
Real magic, the kind that’s been forbidden since the old wars.
Irina finds the idea of flashy showman Bantheir using actual magic to kill someone laughable, but she’s the only one who sees how ridiculous the claim is. But how can she convince everyone Bantheir is innocent when they’ve already made up their minds? Desperate, Irina must decide who she can trust to help her win her freedom. Is the surly, handsome Captain Leonid telling the truth when he says he believes Irina is innocent, or is he just using her to get to Bantheir? What about Aden, the sweet soldier and longtime fan of Irina’s who claims he’s on her side?
Irina said she wanted to know the truth, but when she stumbles across a dark secret that changes everything, will she be strong enough to survive?
I don’t think it was one single influence. I’ve always been a fan of the fantasy genre and I enjoy writing it because there are no limits. And playing with magic is always cool! That said, The Fading Dusk was partly inspired by Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone. The two books are completely different, but after reading her book I wanted to try creating a world darker than the ones I normally wrote. Also, my main male character isn’t as nice as some of my other characters, and I blame the Darkling for that.
2. When writing a book, what is your favorite part of the creative process(outline, plot, character names, editing, etc)?
Drafting is my favorite part! I love opening up a blank document and just writing. I like the freedom that comes with creating something from scratch. It’s an uphill battle, getting to that final line, but it’s one that I enjoy.
3. When reading a book, what genre do you find most interesting/intriguing?
I read all genres, but fantasy is my favorite. I love immersing myself in a brand new world that’s vastly different from ours. And of course I love the magical aspect of it. In fantasy anything is possible, and that’s what makes it so great.
4. If you could co-author with any author, past or present, who would you choose?
I would have loved to have written a Chrestomanci/Howl’s Moving Castle crossover with Diana Wynne Jones! I always said those two characters should have met; they would have gotten along so well! But I feel like co-writing with Jones would have been incredibly daunting. She was so very good at what she did, and I’m still learning. Maybe I could have suggested the idea and sat back and watched her work her magic?
5. Have you always wanted to write or did it come to you "later in life"?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to be a writer. When I was younger, I used to listen to Disney soundtracks and, in my mind, have characters interacting with one another based on the songs. I would occasionally start writing a story, but after a few pages, I’d give up. It wasn’t until I was in college that I started writing seriously, first by participating in National Novel Writing Month, and then later writing at my own pace.
Thank you for having me!
Melissa Giorgio is a native New Yorker who graduated from Queens College with a degree in English. She’s always dreamed of being a writer and has been creating stories (mostly in her head) since she was a little girl. Also an avid reader, Melissa loves to devour thick YA novels. When not reading or writing, she enjoys watching animated films, listening to music by her favorite Japanese boy band, or exploring Manhattan. She is also the author of the Silver Moon Saga.
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