Labyrinth Lost is the exciting new novel from Zoraida Córdova who shared with us about her inspiration for the book. We also have a first look at the book trailer.
Zoraida Córdova shared with the inspiration behind the her latest novel and how she incorporated different aspects of mythology into Labyrinth Lost.
“When I set to write Labyrinth Lost, I wanted to write a Latina version of Charmed. I’ve loved magic and the supernatural since I was a kid, and have always wanted to write my own version of it. That’s when the Brooklyn Brujas, Alex Mortiz and her sisters, were born. I should warn you that even though the words “bruja” and “brujo” are used for Hispanic and Latina witches, the magic in the book is not a reflection of brujeria in the real world.
“The scene we chose for the book trailer is the moment where Alex makes a terrible decision that changes everything. This is the Deathday ceremony. The Deathday is a magical coming of age for the witches in my world. It’s like a sweet 16, except instead of just a party you also sacrifice an offering to the spirits of your ancestors in order to get their magical blessing. Don’t worry there is cake afterwards.”
“A mythology class I took in college inspired the ceremony. I kept thinking about the power of family, and how that works in relation to the gods and individual magic. But I needed to be careful. One person’s myth is someone else’s belief or religion. The look of the Deathday needed to feel organic but new. I was born in Ecuador, and raised in Hollis, Queens. I’ve been surrounded by different cultures my whole life, which is another reason why the magic in this book couldn’t be European like other witches in Pop Culture.
“Don’t get me wrong, I love those stories, too, but I’m ready for more. While I read books about witchcraft throughout history, I also read about the Day of the Dead and Santeria because I wanted to know the things I shouldn’t use when creating this world. There were three things I always went back to: power, family, and sacrifice.
“Alex is very much a girl from Brooklyn, but her roots and the magic in those roots is what makes her the bruja she is. I hope you cheer for her as she journeys through Labyrinth Lost.”
About Zoraida Córdova
Zoraida Córdova is the author of The Vicious Deep trilogy, the On the Verge series, and Labyrinth Lost. She loves black coffee, snark, and still believes in magic. Send her a tweet @Zlikeinzorro.
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