July’s Author Spotlight: Lucy A. Snyder
This December will see the release of Spellbent,the debut novel from Lucy Snyder, and what better way to celebrate than to shine the Occult Detective Author Spotlight on someone who’s career has hit the ground running.
As to her forthcoming novel, if Urban Fantasy is your thing, then Lucy Snyder’s Spellbent is for you. Here’s a quick synopsis of the novel:
Jessie Shimmer’s roguish lover, Cooper, has been teaching her ubiquemancy, the art of finding the magic in everyday things. But things go terribly wrong when the couple try to call a rainstorm in downtown Columbus. A hellish portal opens, and Cooper is ripped from the world. Worse yet, a vicious demon invades the city. Jessie barely manages to slay it, but she’s gravely wounded and the capital’s center is destroyed. As if losing an eye and a hand isn’t bad enough, the city’s ruling mage, Benedict Jordan, brands her an outlaw. With only her ferret familiar to help her, Jessie must find the dimension Cooper’s trapped in and bring him back alive before sinister machinations make both of them vanish for good.
Magic is everywhere… and so is pure evil.
“Spellbent is a total blast! A fun, unique, and constantly surprising contender for the urban fantasy crown. In her thrilling trial-by-fire debut, Snyder’s heroine – Jessie Shimmer – is transformed from young apprentice to first-class magical butt-kicker. I can’t wait for book two!” – Christopher Golden, author of The Myth Hunters
”Lucy Snyder’s Spellbent marks the debut of a real talent. It’s a gripping ride of a story – I couldn’t put it down!” – Sarah Langan, author of Audrey’s Door
“(Spellbent features) a cast of unforgettable characters and relentless action and suspense. Snyder masterfully weaves a fantastical plot into a real-world setting, never once breaking stride.” – Deborah LeBlanc, author of Water Witch
”Lucy Snyder hooks you from the beginning, delivering a strong protagonist and a fresh, engaging world of magic. I can’t wait to see what she does next.” – Alice Henderson, author of Voracious
Lucy A. Snyder’s writing has appeared in Strange Horizons, Farthing, Masques V, Doctor Who Short Trips: Destination Prague, Chiaroscuro, GUD, and Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet.
She was born in South Carolina but grew up in the cowboys-and-cactus part of Texas. She currently lives in Worthington, Ohio with her husband and occasional co-author Gary A. Braunbeck.
If genres were wall-building nations, Lucy’s stories would be forging passports, jumping fences, swimming rivers and dodging bullets. You can learn more about her at www.lucysnyder.com.
Lucy has a BS in biology and an MA in journalism and is a graduate of the 1995 Clarion Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers’ Workshop; her classmates included authors Kelly Link and Nalo Hopkinson.
She has worked as a computer systems specialist, science writer, biology tutor, researcher, software reviewer, radio news editor, and bassoon instructor. In her past life as an editor, she published Dark Planet and edited for HMS Beagle. She currently produces a column for Horror World on science and technology for writers.
