A sweeping YA fantasy adventure that tells the story of a fierce desert princess battling to save her kingdom.
In 2018, Annie Sullivan published her debut novel A Touch of Gold, and this year, she’s back with Tiger Queen. Her new novel is a retelling of Frank Stockton’s famous short story, The Lady, or the Tiger?
We had the pleasure of chatting to Annie Sullivan about all things Tiger Queen, including its inspiration and what she enjoyed writing the most, along with book recommendations, writing advice, and more!
Hi Annie! Tell us a little about yourself!
Hello! I’m a young adult author of fairytale retellings and fantasy. I love writing stories with strong female protagonists who aren’t afraid to go out and do the rescuing. When I’m not writing, you can find me reading, running, or traveling the world!
Your new novel, Tiger Queen, publishes on September 10th. Can you tell us what it’s about?
Tiger Queen is about a warrior princess named Kateri who has to fight suitors in an arena to win her right to rule. But when her last opponent is announced as the one man she’s never been able to beat in a fight, she scrambles to keep her throne. In desperation, she turns to the desert and the one person she never thought she’d side with. And she discovers secrets the sands have long tried to hide—and that others might kill to keep hidden. She has to figure out a way to save her throne—and her kingdom—before she ends up in the arena facing tigers instead of her next opponent.
What was your inspiration for Tiger Queen?
Tiger Queen is actually a retelling of Frank Richard Stockton’s short story, “The Lady, or the Tiger.” It’s infamous for its cliffhanger ending, and that’s why I really wanted to retell the story and give it the ending it always should have had.
In the story, a princess falls in love with a peasant boy, which displeases the king. The king throws the boy in the arena to face justice—where behind one door waits a tiger to eat him and behind the other waits a beautiful lady he’ll get to marry should he pick that door. Well, the princess finds out that the beautiful lady is her rival, the one she’d never want to end up with her beloved. And she also discovers what is located behind each door. So in the arena, her beloved looks up to her for guidance. She points him toward a door, the door opens, and the story ends. The reader never discovers if she sent him to die or to live a happy life with the woman she hates.
After reading that story in middle school, I knew I just had to give it the ending it was meant to have all these years later. And readers might just be surprised with what they occurs.
Did you find any aspects of the novel more challenging to write such as a character or scene?
I love writing plot! I could write plot for days. My agent and editor always have to remind me to slow down and add in a meaningful character arc that fits the plot. I’ve gotten a lot better with it over the years, and I think readers will really like the way Kateri’s character grows and changes in this novel.
What is your process when it comes to building a fantasy world?
I always start with magic if magic is involved—who has it, how do you get it, what are the rules for its use. If your magic system is flawed, the entire book is flawed. From there, I tend to focus on characters, like does this world have trolls or fairies? Are their only humans? If so, what lands/landscapes do they come from.
It’s not always an exact science. Sometimes I’m writing an idea strikes that just fits into the world, so then I’ll go back and add it in earlier so it feels seamless.
Was there a something in particular that you really enjoyed creating and writing?
In Tiger Queen, I really enjoyed writing the character of Dimic. He’s my version of the comic relief sidekick, and he was just such a pleasure to write because nothing fazes him. Throw tigers at him, throw snakes at him, he’ll make it through.
I also really enjoyed writing Kateri discovering her softer side. She’s a character who was practically born with a sword in her hand. She’s very untrusting of others and can often be stubborn. Having her really open up to people was another fun aspect.
Finally, I love creating unique creatures. It’s one of my favourite parts of worldbuilding. And the desert setting of Tiger Queen allowed me to take familiar creatures and alter them so that they present something new to readers. Like a spider called a Grieving Spider, so named because if it bites you, everyone around you will be grieving since you’ll die.
What have you learned since publishing your debut novel, A Touch of Gold, last year?
I’ve learned it’s easy to get so busy you get overwhelmed. It’s important to take a step back, take a break, and remember what you’re doing this for. And for me, it’s to tell a great story.
However, I do feel like the time between book launches (which was over a year) flew by way faster than I expected—probably because I’m so busy trying to promote one book while writing what will soon (August 2020) be my third published novel. So it’s all about stopping to enjoy the moment and not getting lost in the work.
Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
Do not give up!!! It took me multiple books to get an agent. So keep writing and keep submitting. It takes time. There will be rejection. But you can make it through that. Just find the people who are going to support you no matter what. That could be family, friends, or fellow writers. Find those people and don’t let go!
What’s next for you?
A Curse of Gold is coming out in August 2020, and it’s the sequel to my debut novel, A Touch of Gold. I’m so excited for readers to continue Princess Kora’s story. And this time, there will be even more Greek mythology, fun twists, and heart-pounding adventure!
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for us?
Oh yes! I haven’t gotten to read as much as I would’ve liked recently, so my recommendations are a little older. But some books I love are Kiss of Deception by Mary Pearson, Cinder by Marissa Meyer, Caraval by Stephanie Garber, and Frostblood by Elly Blake
AUTHOR BIO
Annie Sullivan grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana. She received her master’s degree in Creative Writing from Butler University. She loves fairytales, everything Jane Austen, and traveling. Her wanderlust has taken her to every continent, where she’s walked on the Great Wall of China, found four-leaf clovers in Ireland, waddled with penguins in Antarctica, and cage dived with great white sharks in South Africa. You can follow her adventures on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (@annsulliva) or on her blog: anniesullivanauthor.com.
