Meet Tasha Kazanjian, Fantasy Author
A literary meet-'n'-greet in 10 pictures or less
When I read Tasha Kazanjian’s YA fantasy novel, I fell head over heels for the mid-century fantasy world she created.
So, I was thrilled when she agreed to stop by for an interview so I could ask her more about how she came up with the setting and the magic system.
I hope you enjoy getting to know her today!
Aside: Before I got married, I had a long Germanic last name that looked difficult to pronounce, but it was a cinch once you heard it. So, of course, I had to ask Tasha how to pronounce her last name. For the record, it’s Kah-ZAN-ji-an. Easy!
About Tasha
I decided I wanted to be a writer when I was ten and wrote my very first story—a retelling of Cinderella. While my work has (thankfully) improved since then, I still love fantasy and fairy tales. I can't resist adding a bit of magic to my worlds, but my stories primarily focus on how characters interact with those worlds, wrestling with ordinary human conflicts and emotions.
Like every other author out there, I unapologetically love tea, coffee, autumn, rainy days, candles, and everything cozy. I can typically be found listening to 80s music and scrambling to meet a deadline.
Sometimes, I’ve even found objects that I’d previously discovered while doing research for a book. For example, I once discovered a coffee pot from the 1970s at an estate sale, and it was the exact model I’d described in a short story set in 1980.
I think I must’ve read Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine and Matilda by Roald Dahl about a hundred times each as a child, along with all The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis, the Melendy Quartet by Elizabeth Enright, and A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett.
I also wore out my copy of The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder—it was a gift from my sister, who wrote in the front, “Because you love imagination games,” which I did.
It was magic to create a world in my head, either alone or with my friends. I think writing is just my grown-up version of those imagination games.
Tasha talks books & writing
May 6th, 2024, Owl’s Nest Publishers
When their bounty-hunter aunt, Finna, misses their father’s funeral, fourteen-year-old twins Colm and Clíana set out to rescue her from a criminal underlord. Separated in their attempts, Colm steals a magical set of dice—and becomes a target for every thief in the city. Meanwhile Clíana enlists the help of a wizard and an elite magical prep-school student, but quickly discovers it will take more than magic to save her aunt. As both twins move toward finding Finna, and each other, they soon realize they’ve stepped into a world, and a mystery, bigger than they ever imagined.
Q: Will there be a sequel?
Yes! We recently announced this, so I’m excited to finally be able to talk about it. I’m hard at work on the sequel, and it’s scheduled to be released in 2026.
Q: How did you create the two branches of magic in the book? Did you draw inspiration from anything in particular?
When I first started brainstorming Spades, I was studying English and Theology. One of my classes focused on St. John Henry Newman, a brilliant theologian. In his Essay in Aid of a Grammar of Assent, he has a chapter on what he calls “the illative sense,” which is (basically) a kind of intuition–belief that we can’t always rationally explain. This may seem like a weird place to get inspiration for a magic system, but at the time, I was learning to harmonize intellect with emotion, rather than valuing one at the expense of the other. The two branches of magic in my book—Alchema and Illata—sort of symbolize these two kinds of knowledge.
Book recommendations from Tasha
Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri. It’s rare to find an author who can write so honestly and so hopefully at the same time.
The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt. Let’s just say it took three adults to get through a read-aloud of one of the chapters because we all started crying. Happy tears, though.
Berliners by Vesper Stamper. I absolutely love anything Vesper Stamper does, but this is my personal favorite of hers. She’s an incredible artist and a beautiful writer, and I love her attention to historical detail.
Honorable Mentions
The Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery is a hidden gem.
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones is a huge inspiration to me.
East of Eden by John Steinbeck might be my favorite work of modern literature.
Here’s how you can connect with Tasha
Tasha’s author website has the official word on her work, including her upcoming sequel to Trick of Spades.
You can find her on Instagram and The Storygraph, as well as right here on Substack.
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Thank you, Tasha, for discussing books and writing today.
And thank you for being here, readers.
Catch you next time,
Michelle
I loved reading TRICK OF SPADES -- I'm so excited for the sequel!