Debut author Jessica Vitalis talks about her unique take on Death

Imagine this: The Grim Reaper approaches you one day and asks if you want their job. Crazy, right? But it's this idea that kicks off Jessica Vitalis' book “The Wolf's Curse.”

The Great White Wolf is very, very old. And she is very, very tired. For hundreds of winters, she has searched for someone to take her place. But she is invisible to most people. In all those years, only three have seen her. One died young. One said no. One is still alive — a 12-year-old boy named Gauge.

In this interview, Jessica and I talk about worldbuilding and character creation that preceded writing the book and how she is reflected in Gauge. She takes us through the process of becoming a published author with Greenwillow/HarperCollins and her advice to those with a book and the goal of seeing it on store shelves.

Jessica and I also dive into her other work and what about this story made it stand out from the others. She talks about her transition from Columbia grad to writer and what she had to learn along the way.