We chat with author Cassandra James about Capitana, which is filled with complex characters, sizzling chemistry, and evocative action. A must-read for fans of Daughter of the Pirate King and Fable!
Hi, Cassandra! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi, Nerd Daily readers! I’m Cassandra, and I’m a Young Adult Fantasy author based in Orlando, Florida. I come from a mixed family of immigrants, which basically means I’ve been hearing and telling stories for as long as I can remember. When I’m not writing, you’ll most likely find me running around Disney World for the thousandth time, obsessing over Broadway musicals, or booking plane flights for my next international adventure.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I’ve been a complete and total bookworm since I was a little kid. But I wrote my first book when I was ten years old. As the story goes, I was complaining about not being able to find the kinds of stories I wanted to read, and my mom dared me to write my own. I’ve been writing about a book a year ever since, and I’ve learned something new with each one.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: The Quiltmaker’s Gift by Jeff Brumbeau
- The one that made you want to become an author: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
Your debut novel, Capitana, is out February 4th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Swashbuckling, but make it Latina.
What can readers expect?
Capitana is set an at an academy for pirate hunters, where my main character, aspiring hunter Ximena Reale, must capture a legendary pirate to redeem her own family’s treasonous past. It’s packed with sword fights, plot twists, “to the death” friendship, and rivals to lovers romance, If you loved Pirates of the Caribbean or The Legend of Zorro, you’ll feel right at home in the world of Capitana.
Where did the inspiration for Capitana come from?
When I was a sophomore in college, I won a grant to research and write a novel based on the Golden Age of Piracy. So I took a three week trip around the state of Florida visiting historical sites and exploring archive material—I even learned to sail and fight with a rapier! I drew from that real world inspiration to create my fictional Empire of Luza. For example, la República de los Piratas in Capitana is inspired by the republic of pirates that briefly existed in the Caribbean.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I’ve absolutely loved writing from Ximena’s perspective. During the brainstorming process, I challenged myself with creating a character who was not particularly likable, but was incredibly lovable, a character who goes through a complete transformation as the story unfolds. I think I’ve accomplished that with Ximena. She’s stubborn, ambitious, and sometimes dogmatic, but she’s also fiercely loyal, thoughtful, and courageous. Her arc is truly the beating heart of Capitana, and I can only hope readers fall in love with her the way I did.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
Believe it or not, Capitana almost never happened. As I was writing the first draft, I was hit with a terrible case of writer’s block, and ended up tossing the whole thing in the trash. I was completely discouraged, and may or may not have had a mini existential crisis about my ability to write a novel. But then I went back to my original research notes, and a question I’d written down months before jumped out at me: what if there was an academy for pirate hunters? I outlined what is now Capitana in just a few hours and jumped headfirst into writing. The rest, as they say, is history.
This is your debut novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
It’s been a dream come true! Of course, there has been plenty of rejection along the way—no one gets out of this process without it. But I’ve been blessed to have an incredible publishing team behind me, as well as an amazing community of family and friends, who have been my champions from the very beginning. They believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself and cheered me on through every insecurity and doubt. So when people say it takes a village to bring a novel in the world, they are telling the truth!
What’s next for you?
The sequel to Capitana will be released in 2026! Stay tuned for an exact date and cover release.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up in 2025?
I’m so looking forward to Eowyn Ivey’s Black Woods, Blue Sky, a Beauty and the Beast retelling set in Alaska. Her writing is just unbelievably lush and spooky, I know it will be a perfect winter read.
