About the Author: Laura R. Samotin
What would you like readers to know about you?
I have a PhD in international relations and enjoy using my academic background on military tactics, power politics, and leadership to enliven and inform my creative writing. I write adult fiction in several genres grounded in Jewish myth, mysticism, and my Eastern European Jewish heritage. I also have two enormously fluffy cats, for whom I am a full-time servant.
What music do you listen to (if any) when you write?
It really depends on the book I’m writing, but I alternate between piano music (Ludovico Einaudi is a favorite), movie soundtracks (mostly by Hans Zimmer), and white noise. I can’t listen to anything with words, otherwise I begin to type the lyrics into my books accidentally!
What books or authors inspired you to become a writer?
I was very inspired by CS Pacat, Leigh Bargudo, Samantha Shannon, and Katherine Arden as I began writing.
About the Book: The Sins on Their Bones
What is your book about for those who haven’t read it?
THE SINS ON THEIR BONES is a queer dark fantasy which pits two estranged husbands and a daring spymaster on opposite sides of a civil war. The book follows Dimitri Alexeyev, deposed Tzar, as he tries to regain control of his country from the husband who overthrew him.
What has been your inspiration for writing it?
I wanted to write a book that was grounded in the myth, mysticism, and folklore of my Jewish heritage, and which made it normative for the world. I started with that and Dimitri’s character pretty firmly in my mind, and I went from there!
What was your favorite scene or part of your book to write?
I absolutely adored writing the scenes between Dimitri and his Court. Writing banter is a favorite thing of mine, and getting to explore the way each of Dimitri’s friends interacted with him (and each other) was a lot of fun. They joke a lot, even though the situation they’re in is grim, and finding ways to incorporate humor and hope into the tension and darkness of the plot was both challenging and rewarding.
Where can your book be purchased?
TSTB is available wherever you buy books!
To the Future Writer:
What advice would you give to aspiring authors who want to write a book?
Keep going, because your story is important and you’re the only person in the world who can tell it. Whatever means to publication you pursue, you need a lot of persistence to get it into readers’ hands. Don’t get discouraged and find ways to celebrate your book every step along the way, because it helps to stay motivated on the long path to either traditional or self-publication.
What’s next for you? Any events, upcoming pubs, etc.
The sequel to THE SINS ON THEIR BONES comes out in May 2025, and I have a gay Jewish dark academia horror called THE WAY IT HAUNTED HIM releasing from Titan Books in 2026, as well as another untitled standalone in 2027. Readers curious about events and other updates can check out my website and sign up for my newsletter!
Where can we find you:
Twitter- @laurarsamotin
Instagram- @laurarsamotin
Website- www.laurarsamotin.com
Others- Tiktok: @laurarsamotin
What’s on your TBR list?
My TBR is way too long to handle, but books which are coming out soon and which readers should look out for include THE PHOENIX KEEPER by S.A. Maclean, MISTRESS OF LIES by Koren Enright, VOYAGE OF THE DAMNED by Frances White (the US release), LORD OF THE EMPTY ISLES by Jules Arbeaux, EVOCATION by Saint Gibson, SHOESTRING THEORY by Mariana Costa, and THE CRACK AT THE HEART OF EVERYTHING by Fiona Fenn!
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