City of Ghosts

Victoria Schwab, V.E. Schwab, V: The name that appears on the cover depends on the audience, paralleling the meticulous design of the worlds she builds. Author Victoria Schwab’s manipulation of her name for her different audiences reflects her lifelong interest in the idea of identity. She uses V.E. for her adult novels and Victoria for children’s and YA books. As a child, Schwab lived with the constant feeling of being an outsider. Describing herself as a strange child interested in fantasy and always on the lookout for places where the normal gives way to the paranormal, Schwab found her place of belonging within the pages of books. Inspired by J. K. Rowling and Neil Gaiman, she found within fantasy a safe place to explore her fascination with the darkness. When she first began writing at an early age, she found inspiration in the poetry of Shel Silverstein and William Blake, two poets who unearth the devilishly playful and mystical side of childhood. Channeling her love of poetry into her first novel, she introduced the lyricism and cadence of poetry into her prose (Write-Minded Podcast, “Best of Fantasy, Featuring Hugh Howey and Victoria ‘V.