We love uncovering the spark of inspiration behind our favorite YA books. We asked Alexandra Bracken to share what inspired her to write Silver in the Bone and she did not disappoint! Read on to hear how a story in her own family tree evolved into this fantasy duology.
As you can see, Silver in the Bone has undergone a bit of a transformation since you last laid eyes on the hardcover. I couldn’t be more excited about how well this fresh look reflects the blend of modern-day fantasy and Arthurian legend—and, well, I love that Tamsin looks like she’ll stare you down until you pick up a copy. What more could you want in a cover?
It’s hard to believe that, after ten years of daydreaming and false starts, the completed story is finally heading to bookshelves everywhere. Unlike many of my other books, which seemed to boil up from the chaos stew that is my brain, Silver in the Bone has a direct, traceable, inspiration. Believe it or not, the original seed of the idea came from research I did after piecing together my own family tree.
Let me start off by saying it’s such a privilege to be able to trace your lineage at all, and I’m grateful for what records I could find. You should also know I undertook this task with all the seriousness of an overcaffeinated twenty-something with too much time on their hands and a passion for forgotten gossip and scandal, and I was greatly rewarded for my efforts.
Because, boy, did I shake a rotten apple loose from the tree in the form of a rather unusual ancestor: a many-times-great-uncle named Squire Richard Cabell. According to local legend, he was so evil he gladly sold his soul to the Devil and, when he finally popped his clogs, he was either carried off by the Hounds of the Wild Hunt or spent his cursed afterlife leading a ferocious pack of ghostly black dogs across the nearby moor on every anniversary of his death. Sounds about right for my family! (Just kidding. Maybe.)
This charming bit of family lore led me on my own merry chase through the folktales surrounding the Wild Hunt and black dogs, and the fascinating and unexpected way they crossed into some of the earliest Arthurian lore. Like all the best legends, the Silver in the Bone duology has taken on a life of its own and evolved over time, but you’ll still be able to find that thread of original inspiration running through the heart of it.
There’s something wonderful about knowing that this story, which is so centered on family and legacy, was inspired by my own family lore, and now I get to share it with you and yours. I truly love these books and I hope you will, too—that is, if you’re brave enough to face the darkness, the twists, and the whopper of a cliffhanger that await you.
Happy reading!
