Maria V. Snyder - Storm Glass (Glass, Book 1)

Maria V. Snyder

POISON STUDY

-Winner of the 2006 Compton Crook Award

-Winner of the 2006 Readers Choice Award from the Salt Lake County Library System

-Locus magazine 2005 Recommended Reading selection

-2005 Book Sense Pick

-Finalist for an RWA RITA Award for Best First Book

-Nominated for an Alex Award by the American Library Association

Maria Snyder has created an engaging and entirely original new fantasy, fascinating in its rich detail.

- New York Times bestselling author Mercedes Lackey on Poison Study

This is one of those rare books that will keep readers dreaming long after theyve read it.

- Publishers Weekly, starred review, on Poison Study

The rare sequel to live up to the promise of its predecessor, Magic Study is a wonderful combination of romance and fantasy.

- Audible.com Editors Pick: Best of 2006-Romance

Maria Snyder did it again! Magic Study captures your attention from the opening scene and doesnt let you go until you reach the very last page This is definitely a must read.

- In the Library Reviews

Fans of high-spirited adventure, intrigue and romance will celebrate the third book (after 2007s Magic Study ) in the saga of reluctant mage and diplomat Yelena Zaltana Snyder delivers another excellent adventure.

- Publishers Weekly on Fire Study

The many characters leap to life, particularly Yelena, whose first-person narrative is riveting.

- Romantic Times BOOKreviews on Fire Study

Also by

Maria V. Snyder

POISON STUDY

MAGIC STUDY

FIRE STUDY

Storm Glass

Maria V. Snyder

To my sister, Karen Phillips, for all the advice, support

and good times (BFF). This book has a definite sister vibe!

Contents

Author Note: Mixed Up Weather

by Maria V. Snyder

Ive been receiving a bunch of questions from my readers about why I chose Opal to be my next protagonist, how did I think of the idea for her glass magic, and whats up with the weather stuff? I hope everyone is comfortable-this is going to take a while. I can wait while you get something hot/cold to drink;)

For the first part of that question, I must admit it was my editor's idea. After Fire Study, I wanted to write a different book-one not in the Study world (I had been writing about Yelena for eleven years-I like her, but come on-enough already). My editor really wanted another Study book to keep up the momentum. She mentioned Opal as a potential character.

I liked Opal and she surprised me by how valuable she became in Fire Study , but I couldn't think of a story idea with her. I was explaining this to my editor in Austin, Texas, during a World Fantasy Convention, and was literally in mid-sentence (she claims I was in mid-whine-but dont believe her) when the idea for Storm Glass popped into my mind. At first we were going to title the book Glass Study or Crystal Study , but I wanted a new title since I had a new main protagonist.

Most of my readers know I don't plan my stories in advance. I do have a general idea for a book and will write a synopsis for my editor to approve-but the finished book usually doesn't match the synopsis at all (at least, not yet). Writing is a discovery process for me and its what I love the most about it.

The second part of the question is why glass? In Magic Study I had a kidnapped victim named Tula who was in a coma. Yelena needed a family member to help her revive Tula so I needed to invent a family for her. I created parents, an older sister, a younger sister and a younger brother (gotta have options). Then the question arose-why would Tula be all alone at night?-with two sisters, she didnt sleep alone. The answer was the family owned a glass factory and had to keep the kilns hot all night-so a member would baby-sit the kilns, shoveling coal when needed. Usually two together, but Opal wasnt feeling good and Tula sent her to bed. (Note: Opals original name was Gale-but my editor suggested I change her name because it was too close to Goel-a major character in Magic Study -I got Opals name from the Pickles comic strip).

So Tulas family was created to back up her reason for being alone. I thought I was done with them. Oh no, they appeared in Fire Study . Completely unplanned-Yelena, Moon Man and Leif were in Booruby and I remembered Tulas family also lived there and I thought it would be interesting to get them together. First for Yelena to get caught up on the political gossip about this Daviian Clan, but then Opals talent revealed itself to Yelena and to me

But why glass? I remember a trip to a glass factory when I was very young. I dont remember the details, like where or when, but I remember the glass mouse I wanted to buy. It had a long thin tail that swirled up, and my mother said I would break it. I promised not to, and I kept my promise until I moved out of my parents house when I was 22 (a box fell off my fathers truck during the move and the tail broke then). I think that trip planted an idea in my mind so when I was writing Fire Study and needed to help Yelena out of a nasty jam, the glass-making interest bubbled to the surface of my mind.

Memories of a glass mouse unfortunately dont help with writing scenes located in a glass factory. As I write, I'll come to a place where I need more information. I'll put a note in brackets to do research in my manuscript and keep on writing. I do prefer hands-on as it's the best way to learn and helps so much in translating that experience for my readers. (No, I didnt do hands-on for learning how to pick lockshonestthe police cleared me of all charges!).

For the glass-blowing scenes, I took a class at the Goggle Works in Reading, PA. A little far away, but closer than Philadelphia or Pittsburgh (the only other places in PA that taught glass). And I learned glass is an amazing medium. The best aspect of learning was the limitless possibilities - molten glass can be shaped into anything. Also being able to re-use glass over and over appeals to my save-the-environment lifestyle. I have since taken more glass classes and have learned to fuse glass, to make stained glass, and to make glass beads (technically they are beads-even if they arent round per say).

By now youre thinking-this is interesting, but whats with the weather? So far you havent mentioned it at all. Well here it isIn Fire Study , Yelena and Leif are traveling north along the border of the Stormdance Clan and Leif gives Yelena a little history lesson about the Stormdancers-they dance during storms to harvest the storms energy into glass orbs. They use these energy-filled orbs to fuel their factories. Pretty neat, but where did that idea come from??

First, I included that information to give the readers a little taste of Sitia. Its called world-building in the writing biz. Details like this make the fictional world more real (at least thats what writers are trying to do-success is sometimes debatable). I never expected this detail to be a major part of a novel.

Second, I must admit to being alooks over shoulderweather geek. Ive been fascinated by the weather ever since I got over my fear of thunderstorms last week. Just kidding-I think I was 11 or 12 when I recovered (my father and I got caught in a thunderstorm while on a walk-nothing like facing your fears and having it pour down your back, soak your shirt and puddle in your shoes). I was so fascinated; I went to Penn State and earned a BS in Meteorology. So I am an educated weather geek. (At Penn State, we called ourselves weather weenies-but I dont think thats PC anymore)