Author Q&A: Amanda Foody

Hey Guys!
Today on my blog I have a Q&A with the lovely Amanda Foody to share with you all.
If you weren't aware (which I'm sure you are,) Amanda is the author of Daughter of the Burning City and the upcoming Ace of Shades, book one in The Shadow Game trilogy!

I found out about Ace of Shades around mid 2017 and I have been EAGERLY waiting to read it ever since. It's one of my most anticipated reads of 2018!
How can you not want this book after reading the synopsis?!

Welcome to the City of Sin, where casino families reign, gangs infest the streets…
and secrets hide in every shadow.
Enne Salta was raised as a proper young lady, and no lady would willingly visit New Reynes, the so-called City of Sin. But when her mother goes missing, Enne must leave her finishing school—and her reputation—behind to follow her mother’s trail to the city where no one survives uncorrupted.
Frightened and alone, her only lead is a name: Levi Glaisyer. Unfortunately, Levi is not the gentleman she expected—he’s a street lord and a con man. Levi is also only one payment away from cleaning up a rapidly unraveling investment scam, so he doesn't have time to investigate a woman leading a dangerous double life. Enne's offer of compensation, however, could be the solution to all his problems.
Their search for clues leads them through glamorous casinos, illicit cabarets and into the clutches of a ruthless mafia donna. As Enne unearths an impossible secret about her past, Levi's enemies catch up to them, ensnaring him in a vicious execution game where the players always lose. To save him, Enne will need to surrender herself to the city…
And she’ll need to play.

Earlier this month I was accepted into the Shadow Gang - the Ace of Shades street team (go SCARS!) - and I thought, what better way to find out more information about this book than utilising my member status and have the author herself on my blog sharing all the details!
So, while we (impatiently) wait for the release date (3 months for the US, 4 months for the UK,) here's an interview with Ms. Foody about her upcoming book:

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Describe Ace of Shades in 5 words.
My original pitch was Boardwalk Empire meets Spirited Away. Five words!

Favourite part of writing?
This isn't a specific part, but any moment you feel the story coming together. Sometimes that happens when I'm writing, but sometimes it's when I'm listening to my book playlist, or working on my outline, or just on my commute to work. I love when pieces fall into place. It feels like working magic.

What was the original inspiration behind Ace of Shades?
I had a lot of random inspirations that eventually got Frankensteined into this book. There were a lot of books at the time that served as inspiration: The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima, White Cat by Holly Black, The Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare, and Legend by Marie Lu. And, of course, the movie Spirited Away. The inspiration for the plot came from a story my father told me about the gradual unraveling of a Ponzi scheme at a company he used to work for. So I began researching a lot about organized and white collar crime, and I created a book that combined a bunch of elements from my favorite stories and was full of criminals.

Are any of your characters, in DotBC and/or AoS, based on you or anyone you know?
Blister was vaguely based on my younger brother, who was around two at the time I did major writing on DOTBC. But, well, all two-year-olds are sort of the same, so I'm not totally sure that counts. He was more of a study than inspiration haha. Other than that, no! I'd be mildly terrified if I knew any of the ACE characters in real life.

Which character was (a.) the hardest to write & (b.) the most enjoyable to write?
Sedric Torren was pretty challenging to write in ACE, if only because he's very despicable (Any similarities between him and Harvey Weinstein were unintentional. I didn't foresee that character being so...topical). My most enjoyable was Enne Salta. I love her! Her quiet sass, her grit, her vulnerability--she is just a joy.

What are you currently working on? Could you possibly share a line from it?
I'm working on a top secret YA fantasy that I couldn't be more excited about. Here is the first line: "The Lowe family had always been the undisputed villains of their town’s ancient, blood-stained story, and no one understood that better than the Lowe brothers."

Best writing advice you’ve ever received and/or given?
Don't worry about the things outside your control. Obviously, it's impossible to NOT worry about some things, but it does really help to remind myself that worrying won't change any outcomes. 

♠QUICKFIRE ROUND♠

If you could only recommend ONE book, what book would it be? I assume everyone has read Harry Potter, so probably The Night Circus by Erin Morganstern. I love how it feels so magical, both in its words and also its structure.

Biggest OTP? If you gave them 5-6 years to get a little older, I have a personal head canon that Gon and Killua from Hunter x Hunter become a pair.

Levi or Luca? HOW DARE YOU? I'm just gonna pick Enne :P (← Amanda cheated, but I'll forgive her this time)

Read or write? Write

Would you rather visit the Gomorrah Festival or New Reynes? I'm not sure--in which would one I be less likely to die? Assuming that's equal, probably New Reynes, as it has some more modern amenities, and I am rather fond of things like cars and electricity.

Favourite Ace of Shades gang? (*cough* SCARHANDS *cough*) Irons as a writer, Scarhands as a participant ;) The 2nd book of the series might have me changing my tune, though...

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Thus marks the end of this Q&A! Thank you so much to Amanda for taking the time to answer these questions. I'm much more excited for Ace of Shades now, if that's even possible!

Ace of Shades is now available for pre-order: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Waterstones | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository (free intl shipping!)
ALSO, if you pre-order Ace of Shades, you can get your hands on some great swag, including a signed bookplate and some bookmarks.
Find out more info & submit your proof of purchase by clicking the image below (it's open internationally!)

About the author:

Amanda Foody has always considered imagination to be our best attempt at magic. After spending her childhood longing to attend Hogwarts, she now loves to write about immersive settings and characters grappling with insurmountable destinies. She holds a Masters in Accountancy from Villanova University, and a Bachelors of Arts in English Literature from the College of William and Mary. Currently, she works as a tax accountant in Philadelphia, PA, surrounded by her many siblings and many books.
Find her on: Twitter | Her Website | Goodreads | Instagram