We chat with author Chiara Bullen about The Inn at the Foot of Mount Vengeance, which follows a young aspiring scholar who is sent to research the mysteries of an adventurer’s inn—only to uncover a centuries-old secret, while finding true friendship and a new home, in this uplifting cozy fantasy.
Hi, Chiara! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I’m an author based in Glasgow, Scotland. I live with my partner and two very demanding cats, and when I’m not appeasing the latter I enjoy spending time outdoors, cooking, playing video games, and adventuring in D&D.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
Like many writers I started writing stories when I was young. I remember creating books and comics as far back as primary school. I then went to university to study English Literature, but it didn’t occur to me that being an author was something I could be until around my third year. That’s when I started to teach myself how to write creatively and took my interest in writing seriously.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Probably something by Roald Dahl or Jacqueline Wilson.
- The one that made you want to become an author: There are so many! Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows was particularly inspiring at the start of my writing journey.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Mad Ship by Robin Hobb
Your debut novel, The Inn at the Foot of Mount Vengeance, is out July 7th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Mountainous(!), cozy, heartfelt, warm, restful.
What can readers expect?
The Inn at the Foot of Mount Vengeance brings together my love and fear of the mountains, the goals chased by academics and adventurers alike, and the love of journeying together with friends (whether in worlds real or imagined). But it is also, essentially, an offering of respite. We all have much to face and much we are chasing in life, yet there are always small joys and comforts to be found on those journeys. The book is a chance to take a breath and slow down. Hopefully it can be one of those comforts along the way.
Where did the inspiration for The Inn at the Foot of Mount Vengeance come from?
A whole host of things came together. When I started drafting the novel, I had also just started what would end up being a three year homebrew D&D campaign. I was feeling inspired by the concept of a party structure and what it means to live in a world full of adventuring parties, as well as the shenanigans had by parties inbetween all the actual adventures.
The image of the cozy, white inn at the foot of a looming mountain is inspired by the Lagangarbh Hut in Glencoe, while the actual landscape of Mount Vengeance is loosely inspired by the Cairngorms.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
The book is primarily about Ainworth’s personal journey, so that should be my answer. However, the minor characters and adventuring duo Fig and Fern were an absolute joy to write…!
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
I drafted the novel in 2023, and during this time it really felt like ‘cozy’ as a concept was exploding across genres and gaining recognition. It’s been a really exciting time and a privilege to be part of the genre’s continued emergence and development, but while I was drafting I sometimes got too in my head about what ‘cozy’ really meant, and I’d doubt what I was writing. But, I realised that the heart of my book—that comfort, joy, and respite can be found even in difficult times—was what should drive the direction of the book. Reminding myself of that allowed me to finish the manuscript. It took some confidence to keep going, but I mustered it!
This is your debut novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
I started writing in 2015, but I didn’t have a complete novel until around 2020. It was a YA Fantasy and I tried to get a literary agent with that manuscript. It didn’t work out, but I learned so much during that process. I won some mentorships and scholarships for development programmes, and some agents kindly took the time to give me feedback, so I see that time as vital, valuable experience. I then tried writing a couple of other things; mainly Sci-Fi and literary fiction. I won a scholarship to take part in an online Faber Academy course with a literary fiction manuscript I was working on, but at the same time I got the idea for The Inn at the Foot of Mount Vengeance. I wrote those manuscripts alongside each other. But, I finished Inn first and I realised it was in better shape than anything I’ve ever written so I figured I’d try and get an agent with it! Things moved quickly from there.
What’s next for you?
I’m editing my second novel set in the same world as The Inn at the Foot of Mount Vengeance. It’s another standalone story and will be out in 2027.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up? Any you’ve read so far this year that you’ve enjoyed?
I’m a huge Critical Role fan, so I can’t wait for Nibedita Sen’s Children of Empire.
I have enjoyed so many fantastic books this year, I wish I could list them all! Here are just a few I’ve loved: The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty, Home Sick by Rhiannon Grist, The Shipwright and the Shroudweaver by Rafael Torrubia, Saltswept by Katalina Watt, and This Divine Revelry by Bea Fitzgerald.
