Today we are very excited to share an interview with author Lindsey Olsson!
Read on to learn more about the author, the book, and a giveaway!
Meet the Author: Lindsey Olsson
Lindsey Olsson has been dreaming up stories since she first learned to write. After studying creative writing at Elon University, she went on to receive a MFA in writing for children and young adults from Hamline University. When she isn’t covering the walls of her home with book ideas, she can be found skiing and snowboarding, climbing rock walls, or adventuring alongside her husband. She has yet to say no when offered a doughnut . . . or a dozen. To Drown a Witch is her debut novel. Find her online at LindseyOlsson.com or follow her on Instagram @LindseyOlssonAuthor.
About the Book: To Drown a Witch
A criminal and a royal guard are drawn into the hunt for a dangerous witch—and an unexpected romance—in this YA enemies-to-lovers romantasy, perfect for fans of Heartless Hunter.
In Gadore, the Witch is feared above all else. Reborn into each generation, she is the only person with magic running innately through her veins, able to wield that magic with a single thought. So when guards across the city begin to drop dead, gruesomely murdered by violent and vicious magic, everyone knows the Witch has returned—and no one will be safe until she’s killed.
Toran is the Prince’s Crown, the most highly skilled fighter in the King’s Guard. Tasked with the responsibility of leading the hunt for the Witch, Toran tries to focus on his assignment to forget the ghosts of his past. And after he learns of Nes, a thief with an uncanny ability to sniff out magic, he forcibly recruits her into joining his hunt.
As the two face deadly magic and otherworldly threats, their mutual dislike soon turns to something more electric, and they find themselves drawn to each other in ways they’d never imagined. But the Witch is always a step ahead of them, and with bodies piling up, secrets threaten to come to light—secrets that could destroy everything from the fragile trust between them to the very city of Gadore itself.
~Author Chat~
YABC: What gave you the inspiration to write this book?
The idea for this book came to me during a writing prompt session in grad school. At the time, I was writing a YA contemporary about a girl dealing with the loss of her little brother, but that didn’t last. In the prompt session, we were given a poem to read and draw inspiration from. I wish I could remember what the poem was, but unfortunately the title and author are lost to me. All I remember is there was one line about trees and, from that line, an idea in which a world’s magic had sought shelter in the trees sprung to mind.
YABC: What came first, the concept, landscape, characters, or something else?
In all honesty, TO DROWN A WITCH’s opening is what came first. The prologue (labeled “Before” in the novel) was the first thing I wrote and much of that prologue hasn’t changed from conception through to publication. The prologue is what I wrote during that grad school prompt session. I feel like there is a lot in the prologue. The reader gets an introduction to the lore of the world, tidbits about how the magic works and how dangerous is it perceived to be, and lastly they get to hear from one of the most central but elusive characters in the novel: the Witch. Plus, I just love how the last line of the prologue lands. 😉
YABC: If you could only write one genre for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
This probably doesn’t come as a surprise, but if I could only write one genre for the rest of my life, I would have to choose Romantasy. And the reason is simple. Because I feel like there is the most freedom in that genre. There is already a great range within the genre of fantasy, from high fantasy to low fantasy and everything in-between, then add the various romantic scenarios characters can get themselves in or be thrown into and the possibilities become endless. I could write a whole new world with different magic (as I did in TO DROWN A WITCH) and a couple who fall hopelessly in love despite society being against them, or I could write a novel set in a version of our own world with hidden magic and people who are rivals in the workplace only to find themselves slowly drawn to the other. Or, I could alter any of those details to create any number of entirely different stories. For me, when you mix magic and romance, the possibilities feel endless.
YABC: What can readers expect to find in your books?
Readers can expect to find some yearning, banter, a couple of mysteries in need of solving, definitely a splash of magic, a main character who doubts themselves at some point in the story, and probably a couple of cliffhangers—whether those are at the end of a chapter or the end of the book, I can’t say.
YABC: Which was the most difficult or emotional scene to narrate?
Hmm, I would have to say there were a few. The first difficult scene was the opening chapter. I can’t tell you how many times I rewrote it. Some versions were completely different scenes from the one that ended up in the book while others were quite similar just three times longer. There were opening chapters where you first met Nes while she was gambling in the Siren’s Hair, versions where you met her alongside Mikaud, and ones where you met her while she handcuffed a magic user to bring to Phineas. Another scene that was difficult (for more emotional reasons) is chapter 40. I won’t say more because I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but there were a lot of emotions a certain character had to sort through quickly in that chapter.
YABC: If you could time travel what would you want to see?
This is an answer that has changed over time and will likely continue to change, but if I could time travel I would like to go back to the early 1900s to see how people lived and what the world was like back then. The emergence of automobiles as well as seeing the first successful flights must have felt like an incredible time to be alive. Also, I may or may not be working on a novel set during a similar time period so I am eager to get my hands on all the information that I can.
YABC: What other age group would you consider writing for?
I’ve contemplated this a lot. I have always wanted to write a young adult novel and have made many attempts throughout the years to do so. TO DROWN A WITCH (and its forthcoming sequel) may be my first published young adult novel but I hope it isn’t my last. I am also working on another young adult duology that I would love to publish. Once that second duology is finished I might branch out into other age groups. I have an idea for an adult romance novel as well as ideas for a middle grade novel and even a children’s graphic novel. When it comes to drafting, I like to be open to wherever the story will take me.
YABC: What’s a book you’ve recently read and loved?
Earlier this year, I read CURIOUS TIDES by Pascale Lacelle and absolutely loved it. There were so many things about the novel that drew me in: the magic, the world, the characters, the story. But the thing I found the most compelling was the author’s writing style. The writing in CURIOUS TIDES was beautiful, poetic, and deep. I won’t lie, I was a bit jealous reading it! For anyone who enjoys sophisticated writing alongside a unique magic system and an intriguing plot, I highly recommend they read CURIOUS TIDES by Pascale Lacelle. What’s better is it’s a trilogy and all three books are out now!
YABC: What’s up next for you?
In case you couldn’t guess, the sequel to TO DROWN A WITCH is up next! The second (and final) book is already written and working its way through edits so readers can have it in their hands summer of 2027. Beyond that, as I mentioned earlier, I’m also working on another novel set in an entirely new world. The setting is based on the early 1900s while the story involves a high profile murder, a main character eager to solve crime, and encroaching magic. I’m incredibly excited about this novel and I hope I have the chance to share it with readers in the coming years.
Title: To Drown a Witch
Author: Lindsey Olsson
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons BFYR
ISBN: 9798217004799
On Sale: July 14, 2026
Ages: 16+
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
~ Giveaway Details ~
Use the Rafflepress Form below to enter
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One (1) winner will receive a copy of To Drown a Witch (Lindsey Olsson) ~US Only!
I enjoy romantasies and the promised trope sounds delightful.