I would love to thank K.A. Tucker for the interview. K.A Tucker has written a wide number of books but her Fire & Flame series is my favourite.

Interview

What was your inspiration for the Fate & Flame series?

I love stories with medieval settings and magic so to write a series rooted in both is a dream for me. At some point in the writing process, I started looking at the elemental magic system I created in the first series I ever wrote and how I could incorporate that into the plot I was developing for Fate & Flame. Once I did that, the series really took shape.

What drew you to writing fantasy?

I read a lot of high fantasy in my twenties. I love it for the rich worldbuilding and escapism it provides. The Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin is one of my favorite series ever—long before Game of Thrones released on HBO. The first book I ever wrote was a romantic paranormal fantasy and, while I shifted into writing Contemporary Romance, I always knew I would return to the fantasy genre at some point. Fate & Flame was a thread of an idea that struck me back in 2015. I started plotting it butwas forced to file it away to work on contracted books. Each year in the dead of our Canadian winter, I would open the document and work some more, and then file it away again because it was never the right time. Finally, in early 2021, one long year into the pandemic, I decided that was the year for my real escape, so I opened the file and started writing.

 

How did you choose which character to centre the story around?

There was never any question that this story would be Romeria’s to tell. It’s what my gut told me. All of my books center around a female protagonist despite there being a love interest and other characters who go through major developmental arcs of their own.

What was your process for writing A Queen of Thieves & Chaos?

One word at a time. Honestly, I’m a linear writer and a very loose outliner. I let the characters take me where they need to go.

What is your approach to world and character building?

Writing in a fantastical setting is refreshing versus writing in a contemporary setting, where I often get hung up on what’s realistic. In fantasy, the world can look however I want it to look, if I can sell it to the reader. For Fate & Flame, I let my imagination stretch as far as it can go to develop the world and then I made sure the characters within it felt real and relatable. I think that’s the trick for readers to feel connected, especially in fantasy. Acharacter with elemental powers that can level an army is exciting, but focusing on their vulnerabilities and basic emotional struggles is what will hook the reader for the long haul.

 

How would you describe A Queen of Thieves & Chaos?

A cauldron about to boil over. The tension really builds in this one. There’s plenty of talk of war, but the political maneuvering (and betrayal) takescenter stage. Those are my favorite stories to read.They feel realistic, as much in today’s world as in medieval times.

Did you have a favourite moment in the book to write?

I have several. There is a particular character who is painted somewhat of a villain at the end of the first and throughout the second. In A Queen of Thieves & Chaos, I step into his POV to show readers his side of the story, allowing him an opportunity for someredemption.

 

What was your favourite book growing up?

Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery

Do you have a favourite genre to read?

I love a good story, whether it is fantasy or contemporary romance or historical fiction.