Good Morning!
Today I am SUPER EXCITED because I interview Brigid Kemmerer, author of A Curse So Dark and Lovely, and today I get to share it with you! As you all know, I read her book in February and it quickly became a favorite. I even got my book signed at Apollycon! So without further ado, here is the interview!
- What made you want to do a Beauty and the Beast retelling?
I’ve always loved the story of Beauty and the Beast. I love the idea of falling in love with someone for who they truly are – instead of the person they present to the outside world. I also love stories of redemption, how we can make a mistake, learn from it, and better ourselves after learning to see the world differently.
- What is your process for creating characters?
Honestly, it depends on the character. Sometimes they come to me fully formed (like Grey, Rhen’s guardsman). Sometimes they take a little more work to figure out what kind of person they want to be (like Prince Rhen). It really depends on how the character comes together on the page, and sometimes they surprise me!
- How often do you get writer’s block and how do you deal with it?
I think a lot of times that Writer’s Block comes from a place of anxiety and fear: fear that it’s not going to be right, that we’re not telling the story the right way, that no one will want to read it, that it’s going to suck. I always tell myself that it’s okay for it to suck. It’s okay to be bad. No one has to see the first draft but me.
- What was your favorite book when you were younger, and what is it now?
When I was a kid, I loved anything by Christopher Pike. I still love well-written YA that keeps the pages turning. Anything from contemporary to fantasy – if it’s a good, character-driven story, I’m in.
- When you began writing the novel, did you have a clear idea of how you wanted it to go or did the story come to you as you were writing it?
I had a clear idea of where I wanted to go, thanks to the basis of the fairy tale, but when I write, characters always surprise me with new directions. I have two characters who I thought would become fast friends, but when they finally met, they didn’t get along at all. It’s always fun to see that happen on the page.
- Can you tell us anything about the upcoming second book in the series?
Yes! A Heart So Fierce and Broken will be out in January 2020, and you’ll learn a lot more about everyone’s favorite guardsman, and how he deals with everything that happened in Curse!
I hope you all enjoyed the interview, I know I did! Have you ever read anything by Brigid Kemmerer? If so what did you think?
XOX Shelby Grace
