Welcome to FIVE QUESTIONS. In this feature on my blog, you'll learn about new and exciting books from the author's themselves. You'll hear about the book, their characters, the inspiration behind the book, and other insider details. All through five simple questions.
Today, we are hearing from Lindsay K. Bandy about her new novel INEVITABLE FATE, available starting today.
What is your new book about?
INEVITABLE FATE is a time-bending YA novel with elements of history, romance, and suspense. It's the story of Evan Kiernan, a seventeen-year-old art student, who falls in love with a mysteriously familiar girl and quickly realizes she’s about to die. Again. If he can’t put the pieces of their past together in time to save her, he’ll lose her—and himself—forever.
There's plenty of art history, tattoo lore, and mythology, as well as visits to interesting locations like the American Society for Psychical Research and the abandoned site of Kings Park Asylum. Oh, and there's even a chapter-by-chapter soundtrack! I was so excited that my publisher included it in the final copy of the book!
What makes your protagonist unique?
Evan is pretty special because he's not just Evan! Yes, he's the modern-day art student who falls for the doomed girl in New York City, but he's also Kieran Flynn, a heavily tattooed "freak" on the Coney Island boardwalk in 1911, as well as an accused "changeling child" in the 1600s....and maybe even one more thing I can't tell you about yet! You've got to read the book to find out!
What was the inspiration behind the book?
It all started when I decided to get a tattoo to cover a scar on my arm. I didn't choose the scar, but I realized I COULD choose to turn it into something else - something that made me happy. I started searching for some vintage tattoo ideas, because I like the classics, and I came across a portrait of Maud Stevens Wagner, the first known American female tattoo artist. I was immediately drawn in by the cool confidence in her gaze above all those very socially unacceptable tattoos on her chest and arms: Who was this woman? What drew her to such an unusual artform, and what experiences led her to look so comfortable on the fringes of society? She looked like a woman who had made some tough choices to claim the life she wanted, and I wanted to write a character like that.(Okay, actually, I want to BE a character like that!) She directly influenced my creation of Mary in the 1911 sections of INEVITABLE FATE, and she continues to inspire me to turn all my scars (internal and external) into something of my own choosing. (Image of Maud's portrait attached)
What's the most interesting or unusual thing you learned while researching for this book?
I was surprised to find that Samuel O'Reilly, an Irish-American tattoo artist in New York, patented the first electric tattoo gun in 1891. It was based on Thomas Edison's Autographic Printing Pen, and it revolutionized the tattoo industry. Women like Maud Stevens Wagner also revolutionized the industry as the first American female tattoo artists, but I was really amused to learn that it was a trend in the late 1800s and early 1900s for young, rebellious upper-class women to sneak off and get a secret, tiny tattoo!
Which is your favorite minor character and why?
Nona! She's a cranky old lady sporting a few chin hairs who has a soft spot for Mara - and she HATES Evan with a passion! Nona has a big secret, too....she's more important that she first appears. She has a bit of secret significance to me, as well, because I based her off of my grandpa, who was very dear to me. Writing Nona's character helped me to process his loss and my complicated emotions surrounding that loss.
INEVITABLE FATE is available now, and can be purchased at the following retailers.
Bookshop.org - Supporting Local Bookstores
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