We were fortunate to meet with Maria V Snyder during her recent UK tour and were able to put some of our questions to her: The series began with Poison Study and, while readers don't have to have read the earlier books to enjoy Shadow Study, it would help to explain some of the background.

Snyder's engaging writing, strong and believable characters and the intriguing worlds of Ixia and Sitia make the Chronicles of Ixia a fantasy series that is well worth following. She is forced to track down her enemies without her special powers whilst Valek, head of security in Ixia and the man she loves, is caught up with Ixian power struggles. US author Maria V Snyder returns to her bestselling Chronicles of Ixia series with SHADOW STUDY, in which the 'soulfinder' Yelena is attacked and mysteriously loses her magical abilities. the bug assassin!) in Pennsylvania where she is at work on another book and/or a short story. Maria lives with her family and a black cat name Valek (a.k.a. Her list of destinations grows each year and she never says no to a trip.

She also loves to travel and to go on cruises with her family. To relax, she plays volleyball, takes pictures, and reads. As well as working with molten glass, she has learned how to ride a horse, pick a lock, learned how to fence, toured a maximum security prison and studied Issinryu Karate all in the name of research. Maria took glass-blowing lessons in order to be able to write about it and she takes classes and experiences as much as possible so her stories are realistic.

She has put her weather skills to good use with her award-winning Glass Series (Storm Glass, Sea Glass and Spy Glass), about a glass magician who can capture magic inside her glass creations. Maria also has a Master of Arts degree in fiction writing which she studied at Seton Hill University. Snyder grew up in Pennsylvania in the US and trained as a meteorologist - because she loved the idea of chasing storms - before becoming a novelist with the New York Times best-selling Study Series (Poison Study, Magic Study and Fire Study) about a young woman who becomes a poison taster.

Shadow study by maria v snyder