Tropes:
Found family, Friends to lovers, Slow burn, Revenge, Princess and Evil Stepmother
Imprisoned and experimented on since she was twelve, Princess Genevieve “Vi” Astor is ready for revenge. After manipulating her way to the throne of Kabria, Queen Esmerelda caused the death of the king and kept Vi as a royal hostage. For six years, the queen poked and prodded her stepdaughter. The world thinks she’s ill, but Vi’s childhood friends know better. Working with the Rebels, they break her free. The Rebels, however, have their own motives and are calling the shots. Vi knows the corruption of power firsthand. And when she discovers the secret they’ve all been hiding from her, she finds she doesn’t know whom she can trust. As war begins, Vi is forced to decide if she’ll join the Rebels against the queen or take her newfound freedom and run. Perfect for fans of Legend by Marie Lu, Graceling by Kristin Cashore, and The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer.
How long have you been writing?
- My first real exposure to writing, the craft, and character motivations was in a role-playing guild on Neopets. Which morphed into fan fiction, and eventually around my early twenties I started writing my own original works.
What gets you in the mood to write?
- I have a playlist I’ve been building for years that’s now over 5 hours of playtime. If I put that on even when I’m not feeling it that day, I’m putting out words within minutes.
What is your favorite candy?’
- Anything with chocolate in it.
Who do you look up to most in this profession and why?
My friend Caitlin Marie Haines. We met in a writing group at school. She has really expanded her knowledge over the last few years and helped guide me as I grow too. You should check out her books they’re amazing!
What’s one of your most recent five star books? you’ve read?
- Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree
What is the most surprising thing about being an author?
- The amount of satisfaction I get from the little things. Seeing people read my book in real time on kindle unlimited. Beating my top word count per month. Getting those new reviews. People telling me how much they enjoyed my writing.
What’s something unique about yourself or your writing?
- The friend groups in my stories is my favorite. They are the most uplifting and positive relationships. I want to show what having a good support system looks like. Plus, the banter is really fun.
What is your creative ‘process?’
I am generally a planner, so I dive deep into the story and figure out what makes my characters tick, find out what journey they will be on and why, and how they are able to grow and thrive. After writing notes on all of the major plot points, the big scenes I need to include and how my characters grow and change, I use my notes to start writing. More often than not things change as I learn more about my characters and how they interact with the world, but it just makes it more exciting to write.I’m half pantser, half planner. My outlines normally start with only a few key scenes. It’s the connective tissue in the middle that is where my pantser-ness shines. It’s a common occurrence for things that come up as I write to change some of the larger scenes, I had pre-planned. I try to write straight through, if I can, for my first draft.I am generally a planner, so I dive deep into the story and figure out what makes my characters tick, find out what journey they will be on and why, and how they are able to grow and thrive. After writing notes on all of the major plot points, the big scenes I need to include and how my characters grow and change, I use my notes to start writing. More often than not things change as I learn more about my characters and how they interact with the world, but it just makes it more exciting to write.
Finish this sentence: “When she reached forward towards the doorknob ….
she was shocked when it spoke.
What is one of your exciting upcoming ideas/themes for a project you haven’t started?
You can’t help but love how fun and carefree the main character is, even if they are totally oblivious to the gravity of the situations that they end up in. Which always ensures it’s absolute chaos.characters dealing with grief, and light and dark magic. It is going to be phenomenal.
Who is one of your favorite heroines and why?
Rapunzel from the Tangled movie. She’s so authentic and you can’t help but love her. She always sees the best in everyone.
Who is one of your favorite villains and why?
Does Flynn Rider count as a villain? I love his arc from selfish to being a true hero. He was a criminal because no one was there to tell him he could be anything different.
Cassie Swindon 