By AJ Eversole

The resurgence of the YA paranormal novel has my whole heart. As a Cherokee teen who was Team Jacob all the way, seeing these concepts that meant so much to me rewired and examined for a BIPOC audience has been monumental. Blood Moon by Britney S. Lewis (Page Street, 2025) is an act of reclamation that deliberately centers a Black girl as the hero of her own werewolf tale and easily pulls the reader into a world that is both familiar, yet fresh.

What was the spark that led you to write Blood Moon? Did it begin with a character, a scene, or a theme?

It began with a theme . . . and then anger. In September of 2022, I wrote myself an email, with no subject, that said, “Legendborn meets New Moon?” In the course of about a week, that thread would soon follow with barely legible responses that continued playing on this idea of werewolves and a college setting. The last email I sent to myself in that chain was on September 20th. All it said was, “title: blood moon?” I started slowly pitching the idea on TikTok, and while I liked the concept, and it received early interest from my followers, I wasn’t exactly passionate about it.

By the winter, all of that changed. It was freezing in the Midwest, and I was cold, miserable, and snowed in. At the same time, my husband had begun a new job that was quite demanding. I spent many evenings alone, and while doing so, I started watching “Siren,” while also rewatching “The Vampire Diaries.”

Siren is a fantasy TV series that follows a siren who goes to a small coastal town to locate her sister. While there, she finds herself in a polyamorous romance with two marine biologists. I devoured all three seasons in two weeks. By the end of the show, I was pissed. One of the main characters, and romance leads, Maddie Bishop, was promptly kicked out of the romance and slowly booted off the show. Maddie was a Black woman in STEM. She was someone I rooted for, not only because she was the representation I’d always wanted to see in a fantasy show, but also because she was smart, witty, and she had a hot boyfriend. Both of them agreed to open their relationship, and then her boyfriend left her for the siren.

It made me so angry. Imagine how much my anger grew as I began my rewatch of “The Vampire Diaries.” It’d been years (a decade, actually), since I’d seen a single episode. What I didn’t remember was how awful Bonnie Bennett was treated on the show. In the first season, we never meet her parents. Even though she’s a main character, there are multiple episodes that she’s just not in. She ends up sacrificing herself over and over again for everyone, and not a single person does the same for her. By the end of it, her one true love was killed horrendously, and she was shipped off to Africa. That was it for me. It was my last straw, and quickly after that, I started writing Blood Moon. I was so excited to get this book out of my mind that I wrote the first 50 pages and synopsis in a week. I then went on to finish the full first draft in a month.

How did Blood Moon challenge or stretch you as a writer compared to your previous works?

Blood Moon is my first book series. I started writing when I was seventeen, and I never felt called to write a multi-book fantasy story because I honestly thought I didn’t have the talent. Years later, I discovered that that self-talk was a lie I told myself. There weren’t any people of color in the fantasy books I read, so I assumed that Black people weren’t allowed in those stories, and because of that, I only wrote contemporary. Likewise, I only wrote standalone novels.

That being said, coming from the contemporary horror space, I never had to worry about world-building and creating boundaries, like: how does one kill a werewolf? Why do they exist? Where do they come from? What are the rules with vampires? I did so much research in this genre, just to get an idea of what I was stepping into. While the task was daunting, I can say for certain that I had so much fun along the way.

Without giving away spoilers, what drew you to the themes in Blood Moon, and why did you feel it was important for a YA audience?

Foremost, I wanted young, Black readers—and really, any reader in the BIPOC community—to be able to feel like they belonged in the fantasy romance space, especially the ones that included werewolves and vampires. Next to that, I felt like this book, and its themes, would relate the most to teens in high school, and those going off to college.

As readers, we follow Mira on an emotional journey, one that includes dark, family secrets, abandonment/rejection, and dealing with anger—many themes that teens and young adults experience. It was important for me to choose experiences that readers resonate with, regardless of who they are. At the same time, Blood Moon is a coming-of-age story about a stubborn girl who is determined to be the hero of her own story, despite the obstacles she may face.

What kind of conversations or reflections do you hope Blood Moon inspires in readers?

I really do hope every reader is able to see a reflection of themselves in the story, even if it’s only in fragments. As well, I truly hope there are more conversations about the erasure of Black girls in fantasy, and how it’s our job as a community to fight back against the false stereotypes and labels that get placed on us. It’s these stigmas that we are type-cast with when we are represented, and it’s one of the reasons why it’s harder for publishing houses to buy fantasy books with Black girls front and center. They believe we are risks that no one can relate to. When really, we are just people who want to be seen and heard as equally as our white counterparts.

What was the road to publication like for Blood Moon? How did it differ from your experience with your previous novels?

Blood Moon almost died on submission to publishers. Originally, it was pitched as my option book to my prior publishing house. They’d bought my first two books in 2020, expressing deep interest within two weeks on sub, but after reading Blood Moon, they decided to pass. Understandably, Blood Moon is different in comparison to those two books, but it would be untrue if I didn’t admit how heartbroken I was. We went on submission with Blood Moon soon after, with a decent sized list that we were really hopeful about, but they all ended up passing . . . except for one. All that to say, I’m thankful Page Street took a chance on me, and my book.

What has surprised you most about the reception or marketing of Blood Moon so far?

The most surprising thing has been how much people have gravitated toward the story. I didn’t think many people would care to read a paranormal romance from me. *Pauses to laugh* However, there are so many readers excited to read this book, based on the premise and the cover. It’s overwhelming in the best, possible way.

You’re known for writing emotionally resonant stories centering Black protagonists. How do you navigate responsibility and freedom when crafting these narratives?

I put so much care in writing for teens, especially when it comes to emotional journeys. Speaking from personal experience, I want subject matters to feel as real as possible. I was a child who grew up with PTSD, parent abandonment, emotional abandonment, and then eventually being displaced.

Still, I think it’s important to establish that this is grounded in fantasy—however, a fantasy world doesn’t necessarily mean it is without real-life issues that can impact the way someone sees the world, or the way someone views themselves. Because of this, I think it’s important to have some sort of resolve to stories that have more of an emotional impact. Introducing hope helps the reader feel grounded, and it gives them confidence to keep going.

What advice would you offer to Black or marginalized writers who are just starting out in the YA space?

I say, shoot for the stars. Write what you’re passionate about. We are limitless, and we deserve to be in anything and everything. My other piece of advice is to find your community. Converse with other authors who are in similar stages as you. Talk with people online, join groups. Creativity doesn’t get explored in a vacuum, and writing has always been better with other people.

Was there a moment during the writing or editing of Blood Moon that felt especially rewarding or emotional for you?

There were a few moments that were emotional. Any moment that includes Bobby, Mira’s father, resonates with me. Bobby reminds me of the way I used to see my father before I grew into an adult and realized the heavy filters I’d had on him. There’s a part of me that wishes he were the person I’d idealized him to be, but unfortunately, that isn’t—hasn’t really ever—been my reality. But Bobby was my saving grace, and in some ways, Rena—Mira’s mother—was, too.

As for rewarding, there is one standout moment that resonates with me. It’s in the second to last chapter, and it includes a major spoiler that I can’t share—but Mira does something powerful, and it was a reflection of the way I wanted to see myself when I wrote it, as I was going through a difficult time in my personal life.

Do you have any rituals or routines that help you stay creatively energized?

Reading, watching TV shows/movies, have always motivated me to be creative. When it comes to routines, I write the best in the early mornings, after I’ve rolled out of bed, with a candle lit, a hot drink, and the sound of rain in the darkness, apart from the bright light of my computer screen. It gets me fueled every single time.

What’s next for you creatively? Can readers expect more novels in a similar vein, or are you exploring new genres or audiences?

Up next is more in the Blood Moon universe! We can expect to see more of Mira, Julian, and Seven in the second installment of the series.

How has your understanding of your own voice evolved since your debut?

So much has changed—for better and for worse. I used to be so focused on literary prose—it always shaped the overall tone in my stories. These days, I try to balance prose with literary plot devices. I’m balancing showing versus telling more than I ever have. As I read more books with commercial concepts, I feel like this shift is required, but also . . . I’m a rebel at heart, and I’m always going to find a way to break the mold.

Cynsational Notes

Britney S. Lewis is the Kansas award-winning author of The Undead Truth of Us (Disney Hyperion, 2022) and The Dark Place (Disney Hyperion, 2023). She has a B.A. in corporate communications with an emphasis in business and art. When Britney isn’t daydreaming about new stories, she is an urban hiker, exploring the city on foot, looking for iced coffee. She can also be found watching TV shows with her husband and her pup or practicing West Coast Swing. She lives in Kansas City. You can follow Britney on her quickly growing TikTok account where she loves talking about author success stories, book tropes, and connecting with readers.

AJ Eversole, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, grew up in rural Oklahoma where her imagination flourished through endless games of make believe. A graduate of Oklahoma State University with a BS in Communications, she is a contributor to the anthology Legendary Frybread Drive-In (Heartdrum, 2025) as well as Beyond the Glittering World (Torrey House Press, 2025). She lives in Fort Worth, Texas with her husband and son. Visit her on Threads, Tiktok & Instagram: @ajeversole