We chat with author Emily Varga about For She Is Wrath, which is a sweeping, Pakistani romantic fantasy reimagining of The Count of Monte Cristo, where one girl seeks revenge against those who betrayed her―including the boy she used to love.
Hi, Emily! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi! So excited to chat with you. I am a fantasy writer who lives in western Canada who loves reality TV, traveling (I’ve also lived all over the world including the UK and Australia), and am an Aries, triple Scorpio (so I can hold a grudge like nobody’s business!). I love the ocean but live in a landlocked place, and have two small kids, a menagerie of pets and am a lawyer by day.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
Probably as early as grade 3! There was a story writing competition and I won with my story about animals that escaped from the zoo and tried to eat a kid. It was pretty thrilling!
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Besides picture books like Beatrix Potter, the first novel I ever really read was Anne of Green Gables.
- The one that made you want to become an author: Probably Anne of Green Gables! LOL but I also read a lot of classics when I was younger and had an obsession with the Bronte sisters – Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights were favorites!
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston – it was the first book I’d ever read with a biracial protagonist and I fell in love with the gorgeous writing. I even named my daughter Zora!
Your debut novel, For She Is Wrath, is out! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Vengeance. Friendship. Passion. Betrayal. Forgiveness.
What can readers expect?
They can expect a fast paced, action packed, page turning second chance enemies to lovers romantasy in the vein of Sabaa Tahir and Leigh Bardugo.
Where did the inspiration for For She Is Wrath come from?
I really loved the Count of Monte Cristo and wanted to read a retelling about a baddie brown girl betrayed by the one she loves—so For She is Wrath was born! I was also interested in exploring the themes of hope and the limits of human justice. In law school I volunteered for the innocence project, which is a charity that helps falsely accused people convicted of crimes appeal their convictions. It was definitely eye opening about the justice system and gave me a new perspective on stories dealing with wrongful imprisonment such as the Count of Monte Cristo—and helped me explore the theme of what it means to have human justice in an unjust world.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
Dania (my FMC) is so different from me, so she was a really cool character to write because I got to adventure in swordfighting (especially South Asian swords and weaponry!), and really explore writing female rage in a powerful way. She was my favorite part of writing the book!
Did you face any challenges whilst writing?
Same answer! LOL Because Dania was so different from me she was an absolute challenge to write—she was the prickly, unlikeable, morally grey heroine and was obsessed with revenge to the point of impacting all her other relationships. I definitely had to push myself to get into that headspace!
This is your debut published novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
It was definitely an adventure! I started querying in March of 2020 (which was a crazy time to query!) and then after I got agented I went on submission with a YA Fantasy that unfortunately didn’t get past the acquisitions stage. However, it did lead to FOR SHE IS WRATH getting a book deal and it was very unexpected! I am grateful for my journey because without it, FOR SHE IS WRATH would never have been written!
What’s next for you?
My next book is coming out early 2026 and I pitched it as A Court of Thorns and Roses meets Indiana Jones—I’ve LOVED writing it because I am a die hard Relic Hunter and Lara Croft fan so it is very much an homage to that world!
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed so far this year and are there any that you can’t wait to get your hands on?
Books that I’ve loved this year are: Divine Mortals by Amanda Helander, The Dividing Sky by Jill Tew, Hope Ablaze by Sarah Mughal Rana, and I cann’t WAIT to get my hands on Rachel Gillig’s latest, The Knight and the Moth, Sarah Mughal Rana’s Dawn of the Firebird and Vaishnavi Patel’s The Ten Incarnations of Rebellion.
