What’s the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Queen of Bitter Thorn? Two years ago, I read a few books with fae, and basically, I knew I wanted to write in a world like that. I really loved the idea of bargains and devious fae with powers that were more than human. I’m also a huge fan of royalty, court intrigue, and romance, so I knew I had to incorporate those ideas into my book too. If you woke up in the world of Queen of Bitter Thorn, what is the first thing you would do? First off, I would take a tour of the castle. The castle isn’t in the best shape by the end of the series, but I wouldn’t care. It has trees! growing inside!!! How could I pass that up? After a tour of the castle, I would go out into the forest to pick berries and to climb trees. If Queen of Bitter Thorn is turned into a movie, who would you pick to play Elora? This is such a great question! I would have to choose either Elle Fanning or Kerri Medders. They both have strong Elora vibes. What books are on your TBR pile right now? I’m currently reading House of Salt and Sorrows, which has been spooky and atmospheric but in all the best ways! I’m planning to finish reading the Ash Princess trilogy after that. What book should be required reading for all humans? I think everyone should read fairy tales. I love all versions of fairy tales including the gruesome originals, storybook adaptations, young adult retellings, movie adaptations, and more! There’s something special about fairy tales that almost every person can relate to. Plus, I love the messages they teach. Fairy tales are awesome! What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? The best writing advice I’ve ever gotten was to just let go and when writing a first draft. Once I stop worrying about whether a sentence is perfect or stop spending an hour finding the perfect word, I am able to create a story that is raw and has much stronger emotion. Obviously, when I go back and revise, I do spend time trying to find those perfect words and sentences, but for the first draft, I love just letting go and writing whatever comes out. This is a helpful skill in life too. When I sit and worry too much, it can make life much more stressful than it needs to be. But when I just let go and live a little, life is almost always better.
Kay L Moody is the author of the new book Queen of Bitter Thorn (The Fae of Bitter Thorn Book 4) Connect with Kay L Moody
Sign up for our email and we’ll send you the best new books in your favorite genres weekly.