With the Crescent City series, you entered the adult fiction genre. How different is writing fantasy for adults as compared to young adults?
For me, it’s all about the characters. Sometimes the story those characters are living feels like a teen story, and sometimes it feels like an adult story! I make decisions along the way, of course, but I have to stay true to what feels right to the story.
House of Sky and Breath carries forward the story of Bryce and Hunt. How have their lives changed in two years?
Bryce and Hunt have been trying to relax, but that’s not something they’re very good at, so it doesn’t last long. In House of Sky and Breath, they’re faced with new dangers to overcome and have to navigate both who they are to each other and what they mean to the people of Crescent City.
You usually write your books as series—Throne of Glass and A Court of Thorns and Roses being the previous ones. What is it about a series that appeals to you in comparison to your novel like Catwoman: Soulstealer?
I love building a long arc over a series, and taking the time to get to know characters and worlds inside and out. I find it really satisfying to take bits and pieces of a larger story and figure out how it all fits together.
Do you ever change the story looking at the audience reactions?
No. I love when readers are invested enough in my characters to care about the direction the books take, but that doesn’t affect my storytelling.
Fantasy is a popular genre the world over. What are the reasons for its popularity?
I think everyone’s looking for a bit of an escape lately! The real world has been pretty tough the last couple of years, and people find relief in all sorts of things, fantasy among them.
Is writing fantasy easier compared to other genres?
I only write fantasy, so I must admit that I don’t know what it’s like to write other genres! I’ve always been drawn to fantasy (with some romance in it). That’s what I started with when I began writing, and I’ve just never stopped.
Who are your favourite authors in this genre? Where do you look for inspiration?
Too many to name! One series I’ve enjoyed recently was Shelby Mahurin’s Serpent & Dove trilogy. I tore through those books. And inspiration comes from all around me—I never quite know what’s going to make its way into a story.
How has your writing developed over the years?
It’s hard to believe that my first book came out 10 years ago… and I was writing before that! Being able to share these worlds with readers has been such a gift, and it has definitely shaped my adult life in a way I never dreamed of.
Will the pandemic be a part of any of your books?
That’s not in the plans at the moment, but I never really know how things I’ve lived through will pop up in my stories. But even if it does, it might not be recognisable to the reader as this pandemic—it could be just a feeling or a moment.
House of Sky and Breath
By: Sarah J Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pages: 768
Price: Rs 799