Tarun: Kelly, first things first, would you like some soup?

Kelly: Tarun, only people who have read the third book will get that. You just seem really weird now.

Tarun: Ugh, fine. How do you feel about the fact that the trilogy is over?

Kelly: Some days, thrilled. Some days, less so. I waver between “Thank goodness we don’t have to do anything else with these characters” and “Oh my god what do I do with my life now.” They’ve been with us for so long, and it’s strange to think that this is the last we will write for Evelyn. So yes, rather mixed. How are you feeling?

Tarun: Yeah, I’m more relieved than sad at the moment. Mainly because I have this long list of other things I want to write, and it’s slowly been growing since the first book. When we were working on books two and three, my mind was always wandering off to those other ideas.

Kelly: I am aware.

Tarun: OK, sorry, my mind comes up with so many amazing ideas that we can’t keep up, it must be horrible to be my writing partner when you do nothing wrong ever.  

Kelly: Thank you for finally acknowledging it.

Tarun: I’m sure I’ll probably start missing these characters when we’re stuck on the new thing we’re writing. The grass is always greener on the other writing project. Who are you going to miss writing the most?

Kelly: Laura and her love of drama and hijinks. Miss Chen and her deadpan humor. NOT MR. KENT. It’s exhausting trying to think up witticisms and one-liners for him all the time. But most of all, Evelyn. I’m going to miss being in her head. She’s basically an extension of myself at this point. I bet you feel similarly?

Tarun: Yeah, I’m going to miss how easily I can slip into her voice. I’m pretty satisfied with how her story ended though, so I don’t feel a huge urge to keep making her life miserable with more books. My favorite character, however . . . so many spin-off ideas have been brewing in my head. Though actually, I feel like we’ve discussed spin-offs for pretty much every character, and they’ve turned from jokes into things we actually kind of want to do. Spin-offs for everyone alive!

Kelly: I would love to write spin-offs! I desperately want to follow Radhika Rao after the trilogy and see what she accomplishes in India. But spinoffs require coming up with more superpowers.

Tarun: Oh god, yeah, the superpowers. It basically felt impossible to come up with original ones because there are so many superhero things out there.

Kelly: I honestly don’t think I can come up with another one. You really didn’t like a lot of my suggestions by the end.

Tarun: THE POWER TO TURN PEOPLE INTO PIGS.

Kelly: PEOPLE LOVED IT.

Tarun: People were being polite.

Kelly: YOU TRIED TO ADD A NEW BABY CHARACTER INTO BOOK THREE AND I WILL NOT BE GIVING ANY FURTHER CONTEXT FOR THIS.

Tarun: Too bad, it made perfect sense with context. Speaking of hating things . . . what is your least favorite thing about writing with me?

Kelly: How long it takes for you to mull over a new idea before deciding it will work. Yours? Is it how easily I get distracted by Twitter? Is it? Is IT? IS IT?????

co-writing, basically

Tarun: Sorry, I was checking Twitter. SEE HOW IT FEELS?

Kelly: Please note, I was literally looking at Twitter while waiting for you to respond. Anyway, how about something nice. What’s something you learned from working with me? I will wait.

Tarun: Simpler is always better. Whenever we’d run into a plot or character logic problem, I’d spend a day spiraling out on a ridiculously elaborate solution that would change the entire book, like Evelyn marrying Lord Atherton halfway through These Ruthless Deeds—

Kelly: Or adding a baby.

Tarun: . . . Yes. And then you’d just be like, “Or why don’t we just change this sentence here?” and the problem would be miraculously solved.

Kelly: Mmm, I am a genius. I think one thing about working with you is that I learned to have a greater respect for structure. You taught me a lot about setting up payoffs, calling back to moments, and generally how to drive a story forward. Also, that we have to outline. You’re right. It’s just better with a good outline.

Tarun: It is, it is. I guess we’ll keep writing together then.

also co-writing, basically

Tarun: So to wrap this up, let’s end with what we are writing next.

Kelly: OMG, we get to tell them???

Tarun: Don’t be silly, we are just going to vaguely explain that we have an idea for a contemporary story about high school friendship.

Kelly: Can I say the—

Tarun: No.

Kelly: But—

Tarun: No. This interview is over.

Kelly: Three girls who—

Tarun: These Vengeful Souls is out now, bye!

These Vengeful Souls by Tarun Shanker & Kelly Zekas

England, 1883. On the run with the grieving Sebastian Braddock, Evelyn wants two things: to be reunited with her friends, and to get revenge on the evil Captain Goode. Not only has he misused his and Sebastian’s powers to rack up a terrible death toll, but he's also completely destroyed any hope of Evelyn or her friends regaining the life they once knew. Evelyn is determined to make Captain Goode pay for what he's done, but is her revenge worth risking the lives of Sebastian and her friends? Or is it better to flee the city and focus on staying alive? And with the Captain spreading lies about Sebastian in an attempt to flush them out of hiding and turn the populace against them, does she even have a choice at all?

Start reading now.