The Witch Hunt by Sasha Peyton Smith Tour & Interview

The lush and pulse-pounding sequel to the New York Times bestselling The Witch Haven follows Frances and her fellow witches to the streets of Paris where family secrets, lost loves, and dangerous magic await.

Months after the devastating battle between the Sons of St. Druon and the witches of Haxahaven, Frances has built a quiet, safe life for herself, teaching young witches and tending the garden within the walls of Haxahaven Academy. But one thing nags; her magic has begun to act strangely. When an opportunity to visit Paris arises, Frances jumps at the chance to go, longing for adventure and seeking answers about her own power.

Once she and her classmates Maxine and Lena reach the vibrant streets of France, Frances learns that the spell she used to speak to her dead brother has had terrible consequences—the veil between the living and the dead has been torn by her recklessness, and a group of magicians are using the rift for their own gain at a horrifying cost.

To right this wrong, and save lives and her own magical powers, Frances must hunt down answers in the parlors of Parisian secret societies, the halls of the Louvre, and the tunnels of the catacombs. Her only choice is to team up with the person she swore she’d never trust again, risking further betrayal and her own life in the process.

BOOK LINKS:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60320517-the-witch-hunt
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1534454411/
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-witch-hunt-sasha-peyton-smith/1140975492
Book Depository: https://www.bookdepository.com/The-Witch-Hunt-Sasha-Peyton-Smith/9781534454415
Indigo: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/the-witch-hunt/9781534454415-item.html
Indie Bound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781534454415

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sasha Peyton Smith is the New York Times best selling author of The Witch Haven and The Witch Hunt. She’s passionate about well-curated road trip playlists, soup recipes, and stories about complicated girls. Originally from Utah, she now lives in Washington D.C. with her partner and collection of porcelain hands.

Website: https://www.sashapsmith.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sashapsmith
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sashapeytonsmith/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20880640.Sasha_Peyton_Smith

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Happy publication day to The Witch Hunt! I listened to The Witch Haven during my weekly commute to work and fell in love with this witchy, feminine tale of mystery, friendship, and power. Sasha Peyton Smith was kind enough to grant me an interview about this duology so check out her answers below!

1. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and The Witch Hunt?
   Hello! The Witch Hunt is the sequel to my debut novel, The Witch Haven, and follows Frances and her fellow witches to 1913 Paris on a summer vacation where they have to deal with some consequences to the choices they made in book one. 
   
   When I’m not writing I spend a lot of time exploring the coffee shops of my neighborhood in Washington D.C. and spending way too much time on tiktok. 
   
2. I read that the setting for Haxahaven was inspired by your grandmother. Did her influence shape any other characters or elements of the books?
   I think all of the women in my life shaped the Witch Haven in some way. My grandmother, who spent time in a tuberculosis sanitarium died, when I was 13 and I regret so much that we didn’t have more time together and that I didn’t get to hear more of her stories. She was a woman with a career in a time where that wasn’t common and someone of great compassion and strength. I hope those elements are present in the book! 
   
3. The story has such strong themes of grief, power, and sisterhood. What is one message you’d like the readers to take away from the books?
   I think one of the messages of the book is that you need community, you can’t be strong all on your own. A lot of Frances’s character arc revolves around her longing for a family but struggling to trust others again. I think there’s real power in letting people love you as you are, even if you feel broken. 
   
4. This is your second novel! How did your writing process change for the sequel?
   It was a lot different this time around! I wrote the first book as a personal project while in grad school and never knew if it was going to see the light of day. I had all the time in the world to research and write only when I felt particularly inspired. This time, I had deadlines, contracts and a team of people who were relying on me to get my work done! I also wrote this book knowing that people cared about these characters and I felt a lot of pressure to do justice to their stories. I definitely had to rewrite my brain a little and learn how to write on such a tight deadline, but it was incredible to get messages throughout the writing process from readers who were so kind about anticipating the sequel. 
   
5. How are the next few months looking for you? Are you working any new projects you can tell us about?
   I am working on something new and having the absolute time of my life drafting, but unfortunately I can’t say anything about it! I am trying to channel Taylor Swift and drop the occasional easter egg on my instagram though. 
   
6. I’d love to end my questions with some book recommendations! What are your favorite books and what are you reading now?
   We’re really in a witch book renaissance right now! There are so many incredible books about witches from the past year or two, all with their own unique take on the genre. I loved Wild is the Witch by Rachel Griffin, Blood Like Magic by Liselle Sanbury, and Sweet and Bitter Magic by Adrienne Tooley. Not witchy, but I finally got around to reading The Inheritance Game this month and I’m having so much fun. I cannot figure out the mystery for the life of me! 

TOUR SCHEDULE

https://tbrandbeyondtours.com/2022/09/18/tour-schedule-the-witch-hunt-the-witch-haven-2-by-sasha-peyton-smith/

Thank you so much Sasha for answering my questions and thank you TBR and Beyond for including me on this tour!