Holly Black: Black Heart Q&A Part 1

If you’re like me, you experienced a mild case of depression after finishing Black Heart by Holly Black. That’s because the book is SO GOOD, and it was part of a series that was SO GOOD and they are some of my ALL-TIME FAVORITE BOOKS and now … they are done. That’s it. All over. The trilogy has been completed. So you can imagine that was forefront on my mind when I sat down to chat with Holly for our brand-new, exclusive Q&A about Black Heart, the Curse Workers series, and what’s next for her. Here is part 1 of our three-part interview:

I know Black Heart is meant to be the last book in the Curse Workers series, at least for now. But give a fan girl some hope … will you ever consider revisiting the Curse Workers universe in future books? Any ideas already floating around?

I think that BLACK HEART has a sense of closure and leaves the characters in the right place, but I do have some ideas about what happens next.  They’re vague at the moment, since I am in the middle of a couple of other projects, but I hope that someday I’ll be able to flesh them out more.  I don’t know if I will ever be able to come back to the series, but I would love to.

How do you think the Godfather series would have been different if the Corleone family were Curse Workers?

Michael Corleone, death worker!

I don’t know if the actual story would have changed so much — part of what I wanted to do when I created the magic system was to be able to tell mobster stories — but with memory magic and dream magic, there are lots more ways to mess with your enemies and make your friends forget they ever had second thoughts about being on your side.  Plus, there are ways to cut corners: you don’t even need to put a horse head in a bed; you can just give your enemy the memory of a horse head being in his bed.

This is probably a topic you’re sick of hearing from bloggers, but I have to ask. The Curse Workers covers have gotten quite the makeover, to mixed reactions from readers. Tell us what you like about BOTH versions of the series covers.

I don’t mind talking about the repackage — the new covers are a dramatic change from the old ones and I know people have strong feelings about covers changing to begin with!  The originals had a gritty, noir quality that I loved.  The new covers have a modern Great Gatsby style that’s really unique — and I love that they’re illustrated as I wish we had more illustrated covers in YA.

But the thing about covers is that what matters is whether they get readers to pick up books and take a chance on them.  I absolutely loved the original hardback Tithe cover by Greg Spalenka, but the paperback cover by Sammy Yuen Jr., which is also incredibly gorgeous, was the one that got readers to to take it off the shelves.  So the most important question for me is whether the new covers mean that a new audience finds these books.

Thanks, as always, Holly for such thoughtful responses! Tune in tomorrow for more.