Author Q&A with Julie Kagawa

With the release of 'The Immortal Rules' at the end of last month, Julie Kagawa has been insanely busy promoting the new series - but she was kind enough to answer a few questions for us about the book, the transition from The Iron Fey series to the Immortal Rules and the challenges and excitements of writing.

A huge thank you to Julie for taking the time out to talk to us!

"This is a new and exciting step from your Iron Fey series, can you tell us a little bit more about what your inspirations for it were?"

I had been toying with writing a post-apocalyptic YA story after The Iron Fey, when my agent suggested I might want to try vampires.  Although not terribly intrigued with the idea at first, I then had the thought of combining the two, and from there everything sort of fell into place.

"Did you find the separation from the first series a challenge or a welcome break? And how did you find working on something that was so different?"

Is both an acceptable answer? It’s always fun to explore new and unfamiliar characters and learn who they are as you write them, and I enjoy building new worlds and filling them with stories. At the same time, the characters of the Iron Fey series are like old friends, and going back and writing more on them and their world is like putting on an old, comfortable hoodie.

"Did your writing process vary at all from how you'd written the Fey series? Did you try out any new techniques or ideas?"

When I was writing The Iron Fey, setting played a big part.  I tried to create a setting, the Nevernever, that was haunting and beautiful and surreal.  But when I switched to writing about vampires is a post-apocalyptic world, my main focus was making this setting bleak, desolate, and extremely dangerous.  No one is safe, there is violence and bloodshed, and not everyone will make it out alive.  I really wanted to showcase the hopelessness and despair, because even in the darkest times you still have those who cling to hope, and humanity plays a big part in The Immortal Rules. 

"Can you tell us the most exciting part about for you about the new book and the most challenging?"

The most difficult scene to write was probably the stay at the Archer farm.  I knew something had to go down, something big, for the repercussions between Allie and another character to happen.  The easiest (and most exciting) parts were anytime Allie was fighting something, be it rabids, raiders, other vampires, ect.  I love a good fight scene, especially if there is a katana involved.

"And finally can you give us any sneaky peeks or hints at what you're working on next?"

I'm in the middle of writing the sequel now, and all I can say is that Allie will meet new and old faces, fight her Hunger, and discover a monstrous enemy who has dark plans for her and the entire world.