1. How did you two originally meet? Nancy: We originally met at the late, lamented Maui Writers Conference and Retreat. I was teaching at the retreat and Debbie was one of my assigned students. We clicked immediately and soon after, I asked her to write WICKED with me. We’ve written eight books together so far and have three more.
Debbie: What Nancy said! 
2. Can you tell us about the process of working with a writing partner?
Nancy: We think up an idea (which usually involves a lot of squealing) and then we work out a solid outline. We often sell just on that outline. Then we do a chapter-by-chapter breakdown. Debbie usually writes the odd chapters and I usually write the even ones. Debbie loves to do the first draft of the first chapter. I like to revise. It works great!
Debbie: By the time we’re done with a book, though, both our fingerprints are all over every part. It’s hard to remember who wrote what originally!
3. What drew you to writing a YA fantasy series about vampires?
Nancy: We wrote a short story called “Passing” (see below) for The Eternal Kiss , a vampire paranormal romance short story anthology. We realized we had created a whole new mythology and set about crafting an outline to sell a trilogy. We were so happy when we got to return to Jenn’s world.
Debbie: We had left the door open to do something with vampires in the future when we inserted a line in Wicked: Resurrection about the fact that Cursed Ones were real.
4. Can you tell us a little bit about Crusade (Crusade series #1)?
Nancy: It’s World War III with vampires. The vampires declared war on us, and they won. We actually used the history of World War II to flesh out our story. Our heroes are like the French Resistance–small bands of vampire hunters attacking the enemy. The members of our team don’t much like each other, and each has a hidden agenda/reason for becoming a hunter. We have a White Witch, similar to our witches in Wicked , a werewolf, and we have one “good” vampire, Antonio, but he’s not happy about being a vampire, and Jenn’s not happy about it, either. He believes that he’s good because he was studying to be a Catholic priest when he was attacked and changed into a vampire. Each member of our team has his or her own religion (or lack of religion) and our vampires recoil from the Star of David, the cross, and many other religious symbols and icons.
Debbie: Our hunters all have their own hidden pasts and agendas. They fight with each other almost as much as they fight the bad guys.
5. Why did you choose Spain as the setting for the Sacred Heart Academy?
Nancy: We had used a French background for Wicked . We decided to give Crusade a Spanish background in part because I love Spain.
Debbie: We love using exotic settings and making our stories span continents.
6. How would you describe Jenn Leitner?
Nancy: Jenn begins by thinking of herself as “just Jenn.” As the story progresses and the stakes get higher, Jenn is forced to rise to the occasion. When terrible things happen to her family, she has to find that steel core of strength and resolve that others saw in her much earlier than she did.
Debbie: She is one of those people who has greatness thrust upon them and must rise to the occasion. Ironically she’s often a fiercer warrior when she’s alone and has only herself to worry about.
7. What is Passing: A Crusade Short Story ? Should that be read before Damned (Crusade series #2)?
Debbie: It is the short story that started off the trilogy, but it can be read by itself.
Nancy: As I mentioned, we wrote passing for The Eternal Kiss. We’ve published it separately as an e-book.
8. Can you give us a sneak preview into Damned?
Nancy: In Damned, we discover that things are even worse than our hunters imagined. The war escalates–after all, even the bad guys have worse guys to deal with. We like to say, “Even in the darkest night, there is hope,”but it’s hard for Jenn and Company to believe that. Still, with all the major tension in the story, there’s time for Holgar’s usual snark and Skye’s White Magicks.
Debbie: Everything gets much, much worse for our team. Especially one member.
9. Do you have any tours/book signings planned?
Nancy: I keep my appearances updated here: http://nancyholder.com/appearances/
Debbie: Here’s mine: http://debbieviguie.com/?page_id=300
10. What advice would you offer aspiring young adult fantasy writers just starting out?
Nancy: Write what you love. If you love vampire romance stories, write those. If you like to write about bad faeries, write those. Immerse yourself in the joy of storytelling. You have it in you!
Debbie: Keep writing! Finish that first story and then move on to the second one. The more you write the better you get. Also, learn to embrace rejection. Each rejection letter is one step closer to your first acceptance letter.
New York Times Bestselling author Nancy Holder was born in Los Altos, California, and her family settled for a time in Walnut Creek. Her father, who taught at Stanford, joined the navy and the family traveled throughout California and lived in Japan for three years. When she was sixteen, she dropped out of high school to become a ballet dancer in Cologne, Germany, and later relocated to Frankfurt Am Main. Eventually she returned to California and graduated summa cum laude from the University of California at San Diego with a degree in Communications. Soon after, she began to write; her first sale was a young adult romance novel titled Teach Me to Love . Nancy’s work has appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, LA Times, amazon.com, LOCUS, and other bestseller lists. A four-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award from the Horror Writers Association, she has also received accolades from the American Library Association, the American Reading Association, the New York Public Library, and Romantic Times. She and Debbie Viguié co-authored the New York Times bestselling series Wicked for Simon and Schuster. They have continued their collaboration with the Crusade series, also for Simon and Schuster, and the Wolf Springs Chronicles for Delacorte (2011.) She is also the author of the young adult horror series Possessions for Razorbill. She has sold many novels and book projects set in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Saving Grace, Hellboy, and Smallville universes. 