Author Interview: Lies on the Serpent’s Tongue by Kate Pearsall
In Lies on the Serpent’s Tongue, Rowan James carries a unique and unsettling gift: the ability to smell lies. It’s a power she’s lived with her entire life, and one that brings both clarity and chaos in equal measure. As Rowan navigates the complex web of relationships in her small Appalachian hometown of Caball Hollow, her gift becomes both a source of isolation and a tool for uncovering hidden truths. But does knowing everyone’s secrets truly bring her closer to the truth, or does it push her further away from the people she loves?
Alongside author Kate Persall, we delve into the psychological and emotional toll Rowan’s ability takes on her, exploring how it shapes her interactions with her family, particularly her sister Linden, whose own extraordinary ability— the power to taste others’ emotions—creates a striking contrast. Together, Rowan and Linden must confront not only the supernatural mysteries surrounding their town, but also the very real, deeply human struggles that come with their unique gifts. Lies on the Serpent’s Tongue is a story that weaves eerie, supernatural elements with poignant personal growth, and in this conversation, Kate shares insight into the process of balancing these two forces.
Join us as we explore Rowan’s journey, the complexities of sibling dynamics, and the chilling secrets hidden in Caball Hollow. Check it out below and pick up the book this January!
Lies on the Serpent's Tongue (Bittersweet in the Hollow, #2)
by Kate Pearsallon January 7, 2025
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A beautifully dark YA set in Appalachia tinged with magic, mystery, murder, and romance. For fans of House of Hollow and Wilder Girls! As Caball Hollow slowly recovers after a tumultuous summer, the James family must also come to terms with their own newly revealed secrets. 18-year-old Rowan James has spent her whole life harboring unpleasant truths—that’s what happens when you can smell people’s lies—and building walls around herself to block them out. Like her younger sister, Linden, who can taste the feelings of others, Rowan has long resented her gift, which has taught her that everyone lies and no one is who they seem to be. So when her old nemesis, Hadrian Fitch, the biggest liar of them all, shows up on her front porch—bloodied, broken, and asking for help only she can give—her first instinct is distrust. But something new is stalking the Forest that surrounds Caball Hollow. Now things are disappearing. At first, it’s small stuff—like letters, photos, and keys. But then, Rowan notices people around her are losing their memories. And when the body of a neighbor is found in the middle of town, Rowan knows there’s a link between this death and all the events disturbing the Hollow. Can she find what—or who—the link is before it takes another life?
Interview with Kate Persall
Rowan James’ ability to “smell lies” is both a gift and a burden. How did you explore the psychological impact of this unique ability on Rowan as she navigates the complex relationships in her life? Does her gift ultimately make her more isolated, or does it bring her closer to the truth?
Because Rowan has been able to smell lies her entire life, she really struggles to trust people, often pushing others away, or trying to take on everything herself so she doesn’t have to rely on anyone. Through the events of Lies on the Serpent’s Tongue, she’s really forced to confront the fact that there is often a lot more nuance than she’d like to admit. And, while she may know that someone is lying, she often doesn’t know what, precisely, they are lying about or why.
The small Appalachian town of Caball Hollow seems to be full of secrets, with people hiding truths and rumors of a mysterious monster swirling. How did you balance the eerie, supernatural elements with the very real, human struggles Rowan faces as she uncovers these secrets?
I wanted to create situations that would force Rowan to confront her deepest insecurities, press on her softest places, and force her to examine the parts of herself that she’d rather ignore. And one of the things I love about writing those eerie, supernatural elements is how they can also often be an allegory for something that we see Rowan struggling with in a very real way.
Rowan and her sister Linden both have extraordinary abilities, but they experience the world in very different ways. How do their unique gifts shape their relationship with each other, and what role does family play in the larger mystery unfolding in the story?
I’m so glad you asked this question because this was a big part of why I wrote BITTERSWEET IN THE HOLLOW and LIES ON THE SERPENT’S TONGUE as standalone companion novels, each from the viewpoint of a different sister. I was really intrigued by the idea of examining the same setting, and many of the same supporting characters, through the completely different lenses that Rowan and Linden offered. Each of them has their own beliefs about their abilities, their family, and themselves, and those beliefs color how they relate everything to readers. For instance, Rowan’s relationship with their grandmother is very different than Linden’s relationship with her, and that influences how Gran appears on the page.
And, of course, their unique gifts influence how they experience their world. Linden can taste the emotions of others and she struggles with that knowledge and sort of closes herself off at first because she doesn’t want to be intrusive. Rowan can smell lies, and so she pushes people away because it’s difficult for her to trust anyone and she tries to do everything by herself so she doesn’t have to rely on anyone. But the James family is deeply rooted in Caball Hollow and as each new mystery unfolds and secrets are revealed, we learn more about their history as well.
