A pirate story steals the show

Aveyard was working on a different book with a pirate subplot, but the pirate arc was so strong she knew it deserved its own novel. She couldn't stop thinking about it.

“I pulled out the pirate arc, knowing it deserved its own novel later, but I couldn't stop thinking about it”

A walk and a soundtrack spark it all

Aveyard went for a walk listening to the Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack. As she stomped around her neighborhood, an entire plot unfolded in her head.

“I saw the sequences, the acts, the arcs of each character so clearly.”

Her agent says write the pirate book

Aveyard sent her agent one-sheet proposals for both ideas. Her agent and her assistant immediately responded: write the pirate book. That book became Tempest.

“WRITE THE PIRATE BOOK.”

Tempest is a world in flux

The novel follows Cat Rose, a former noblewoman facing execution unless she helps hunt down Valerian Kane, the last great pirate captain and the only man she's ever loved.

Pirates thrive in worlds ending

Aveyard is drawn to worlds in flux, where old worlds end and new ones begin. Pirates naturally thrive in that odd space in between.

“I've always been drawn to worlds in flux, worlds ending, new worlds beginning, and the odd space in between the two.”

Writing is a full time job

Aveyard treats writing like her career, not a hobby. She writes Monday through Friday during normal work hours to stay disciplined.

“I have to treat writing like what it is, my full time job.”

Cat Rose came fully formed

Aveyard's main character arrived in her head complete. She immediately knew Cat Rose so well, could see her, hear her voice, and understand her perspective.

“I immediately knew Cat Rose so well, could see her, could hear her voice”

Fantasy lets you say hard things

Aveyard loves fantasy's escapism and its ability to communicate difficult truths. It sugarcoats the pill, allowing readers to accept what they might reject in other genres.

“It sugarcoats the pill, so to speak.”

Three books she'll always recommend

Aveyard's perennial recommendations are The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden, The Buffalo Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones, and A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin.