When Lindsay Smith first approached me about hosting the cover reveal for her forthcoming young adult fantasy novel inspired by the Russian Revolution, Web of Frost, I couldn’t have been more excited. Not only do I absolutely adore following Lindsay on Twitter, but when I learned said cover would be designed by the phenomenally talented illustrator Merilliza Chan, I was thrilled to get a sneak peek of what Merilliza created and to have an opportunity to share it with my readers. Well, today’s the day! Please read on to learn more about Web of Frost, including an exclusive cover reveal, a special note from the author about the novel’s origins and inspiration and a chance to win a pre-order of the novel in hardcover as well as a $20 Amazon gift card from the author herself!
About Lindsay Smith
Lindsay is the author of multiple novels for young adults, including Sekret and A Darkly Beating Heart, as well as a forthcoming comic series. She is the showrunner and lead writer for Serial Box’s The Witch Who Came In From the Cold, a Publisher’s Weekly Best Book of 2017. Her short stories and comics have appeared in the anthologies A Tyranny of Petticoats, Strange Romance Vol. 3, and the forthcoming Toil & Trouble, and on Tor.com. She lives in Washington, DC with her husband and dog. (Author photo by Julie Murphy)
I’ve wanted to write a fantasy story inspired by the Russian Revolution for as long as I’ve been writing. The major players all feel mythical, bigger than life — Anastasia, Rasputin, Nicholas and Alexandra, and of course Lenin and his revolutionaries — all of them complicated shades of gray, heroes and villains both, depending on the story. I wanted to bring that moral complexity to my own setting.
Katza is naïve, overly sheltered as the tsarechka of Russalka, but tragedy forces her to play a bigger role in managing her family’s empire. She doesn’t understand the terrible things that created that empire, or how to use the saints’ blessings — but she has no choice now, despite the recurring vision that warns her against ruling. Ravin, meanwhile, knows far more about the dark truth behind Russalka’s creation, but his motives in helping Katza are murky at best. Like Rasputin, though, his fierceness and determination prove hard to resist…
When I decided to publish Web of Frost, I knew immediately I wanted to work with Merilliza Chan, a phenomenal fantasy illustrator, and she didn’t disappoint! You can find more of her work at Merilliza.com.
Title Web of Frost
Author Lindsay Smith
Pages 480 Pages
Intended Target Audience Young Adult
Genre Fantasy
To Be Published February 13, 2018
Find It On Goodreads ● Amazon.com ● Nook ● Kobo ● iBooks
A too-young queen must learn to control her powers in order to save her empire, but can she trust the only person who’s taught her to use her gift?
Russalka is a proud empire, frozen and vast, protected for centuries by a royal family who works miracles from the saints. But rebellion stirs in the streets, and its war-hungry neighbors threaten to invade. The young princess Katza has been tormented by visions of her bloodied hands destroying Russalka — a clear message from the saints that she must never rule. So when tragedy places her next in line to the throne, Katza fears their warnings are on the verge of coming true.
Then she meets Ravin, a mysterious young prophet with visions of his own: visions of Katza as a regal empress with unimaginable power. All she has to do seize upon the holy magic of her bloodline. But the more Ravin whispers in her ear, the more Katza begins to wonder whether he has her best interests at heart. With a revolution boiling over and war looming at the border, the greatest threat to Russalka may be Katza herself.
As an extra, exciting bonus, Lindsay has been kind enough to offer one lucky reader the opportunity to win a pre-order of Web of Frost in hardcover as well as a $20.00 Amazon gift card. Please fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter!
One Response
I can’t wait to read this! And what a cover!