How did the idea of The Cruel Prince first come to you?
It started with the idea of a human girl growing up in Faerie, raised by the person who killed her parents. Everything else followed from that.
What is your favorite thing about the main character, Jude?
I love that she’s hyper-aware of her humanity and its limitations. She doesn’t smell like crushed verbena. She gets sweaty. But she’s also clever and determined and willing to try harder than everybody else.
What was the most challenging aspect of writing this particular story?
I’ve written a lot of novels about faeries before, but this is the first one that takes place entirely in Faerie. I couldn’t handwave how the world works; I had to make some big decisions.
What pulls you towards writing stories about faeries?
I love that unlike most other supernatural beings, faeries aren’t human and they were never human. They are different from mortals and have a different way of viewing the world. Famously, they laugh at funerals and weep at weddings. Also, they aren’t just one thing – they’re nixies and pixies and sprites, they’re trooping gentry and bloodthirsty redcaps. They’re a whole ecosystem.
Can you share any secret tidbits about the next book in the series?
We’re going to learn more about the Undersea. And we’re going to find out whether it’s harder to keep power than to get it.
**This interview was conducted exclusively by Owlcrate, and could be found in the January 2018 Fearsome Fairy Tales monthly newsletter
Book Dragon Lair 