THE FOREST KING'S DAUGHTER by Elly Blake

I was thrilled to feature Elly Blake’s last series, The Frostblood Saga, starting with Frostblood, followed by Fireblood, and ending with Nightblood. Her new series, starting with THE FOREST KING’S DAUGHTER, offers star-crossed enemies-to-lovers story in a whimsical world of fae.

Once upon a time, among the bloodred trees of Thirstwood, a young forest princess became friends with a lonely demon boy. He gifted her an amber ring, a worthless trinket…or so he thought…because no sooner did he slide it onto her finger than the demon queen and forest king declared war.

Years later, Cassia is a crucial force in her father’s army, wielding her ring of light that can blind and disorient hundreds of demons at a time. Then battle-hardened Zeru abducts her, planning to steal the ring back to fix his costly childhood mistake. Exhausted, terrified, and more than a little mistrusting, Cassia is forced to travel with Zeru to a place they both believed only existed in storybooks, one where their childhood friendship slowly rekindles into something much more. But it’s only a matter of time before the war they’ve escaped comes for them, and a hidden threat to forest folk and demons alike grows in the shadows.

In our last interview, you said, “I have a tendency to put off sending my work to critique partners until late in the game because I hate people—even my friends!—to see my unpolished words.” This is something I struggle with too–is it just a perfectionism thing or do you think there’s more to it?

I’m not sure! I know I have always been very sensitive to criticism, and that it’s difficult for me to seek it out. Writing is so personal! A critique of my writing can feel like criticism about myself. I also have a fear of making mistakes, or maybe it’s the fear of being SEEN making a mistake. My unconscious thought seems to be that if I hold onto the manuscript longer, I can make it perfect. But perfect is the enemy of good, as they say. Or I’ve also heard it phrased another way: perfect is the enemy of done. Perfectionism can be so paralyzing. Eventually, you have to find someone you trust and show them your words. At a conference, I heard author Anne Bishop say something like, “You have to find someone who can give you feedback without making you crumple.” For me, it’s important to find a critique partner who finds ways to praise and support as well as point out problems.

So important! THE FOREST KING’S DAUGHTER is the first book in your new Thirstwood series. Without giving away spoilers, how is this world different from the one you wrote in the Frostblood saga?

The Forest King’s Daughter is similar in some ways, but I think the main difference in terms of world is that it’s mainly set in a forest–a vast, old, sentient forest called Thirstwood where some of the trees are bloodthirsty and crave violence. Even though the trees of Thirstwood are supposed to protect the main character, there is that sense of danger baked into the setting. I’ve also indulged in a bit of portal fantasy, which is super fun to write. Rather than traveling across great distances, as my characters had to in the Frostblood Saga, sometimes travel can be achieved through magic. And the magic isn’t solely elemental, so that’s another difference. An important part of the Thirstwood series are Seers whose job it is to divine the future, and also to maintain magical wards that protect from intruders.

Fun! What do you love most about writing books for a YA audience?

The best thing about YA readers is how enthusiastic they are! I absolutely adore their energy. The fan art, videos, bookstagram, etc, that YA readers create is the absolute best and most wonderful thing about being a writer! I also think of that time of life as being so open and curious to new ideas, so in a way, it’s the best group to write for.

Definitely. What are some of your hopes and goals for the coming year?

I have to finish editing the second book, The Cursed Queen’s Daughter, and write a draft of the third book in the Thirstwood series. I’m really trying to have a more consistent schedule. I have a tendency to write until I burn out, rest and recover, then throw myself back into deadlines. But that leaves little time for other things like promoting my book, reading for pleasure, and keeping in touch with readers through social media and my newsletter. I always find time to walk my dogs, though. They do not let me forget. lol

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