We chat with author Catherine Bakewell about Embers of Magic, which is a cosy, romantic, and enchanting reimagining of The Snow Queen perfect for fans of Rachel Griffin and Sarah Beth Durst.
Hi, Catherine! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi there! I’m Catherine. I live in St. Louis right now, but I’m always dreaming of living in France again! I love fairytales, pastries, and gardens, and I’m also the cat-mom of a very chatty former stray named Sir Bruno.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
My older cousin was working on a novel when I was in middle school, and I naturally wanted to do the same. Conveniently, Twilight had come out around the same time, so I started out by writing vampire fanfiction… as do many authors, I suspect!
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: The Magic Treehouse books!
- The one that made you want to become an author: The Selection by Kiera Cass.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar.
Your latest novel, Embers of Magic, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Tender, sweet, earnest, magical, warm.
What can readers expect?
A magical world wrapped in an enchanted winter, a kind-hearted prince twisted by a cruel curse, and a frightened firewitch on a quest to find her family. And of course… yearning.
Where did the inspiration for Embers of Magic come from?
I was thinking back on my favorite childhood fairytales, and The Snow Queen had always been my favorite. I also was reflecting on my favorite tropes–hurt/comfort and “cuddling for warmth” being among them. And there was a dynamic in my YA debut, Flowerheart, that was cut, and I wanted to recycle it. In a very early draft, the love interest, Xavier, was cursed to never feel emotion. I wanted to explore a love story where the hero’s very heart was “punished” the deeper they fell in love.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I really loved Fiamma’s character. In each draft of the novel, I learned more and more about her. She is someone who has endured a great deal of pain, and I loved exploring how her vulnerability grew into a desire for justice and belonging.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
I think writing Prince Joseph was the hardest part for me. He transforms a lot over the course of the book, and I needed to make Fiamma — and the audience! — fall for him and come to get a sense of what his true heart was like, despite his curse. And I had to do so in a fairly small time frame, within the novel!
What’s next for you?
My adult romantasy debut, The Scarlet King, releases from Podium Publishing in the summer of 2027! I’ve been a vampire nerd since middle school… so getting to publish a vampire story is a dream come true! Be advised, this story is dark and gothic–very different from my YA offerings!
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up soon? Any you’ve got your eye on that are releasing in 2027?
I’m so excited for Til Quest Do Us Part by Ivelisse Housman comes out in December 2026 (an adult romantasy-romcom that sounds so fun and swoony all at once), and I just adored When Death Came to Honeybloom by Madeleine Gunhart (an adult cozy fantasy that is magical, sweet, and so romantic). In YA, I cannot WAIT to read Bottle Blonde by Elle Grenier (I cannot resist any book that features Legally Blonde the Musical)!
