Four fates collide in this avian-inspired, epic fantasy retelling of Tristan and Isolde perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Sabaa Tahir, and Leigh Bardugo!
We had the pleasure of chatting to author Kaitlyn Davis about her new YA fantasy novel, The Raven and the Dove. She chats about its inspiration and worldbuilding, along with its cover, the next instalment, and more!
Hi Kaitlyn! Can you tell us a little about yourself?
Sure thing! My name is Kaitlyn, and I write young adult fantasy novels under my maiden name, Kaitlyn Davis, and contemporary romance novels under the pen name Kay Marie. I’ve written 20 full-length novels, plus some novellas, and plan to continue publishing books until my inspiration runs out—which I hope is never! Whenever I’m quiet, I’m probably plotting. My co-author is my adorable little pup who likes to spend the day sleeping on my lap while I type. And, speaking of typing… Fun Fact: I only ever learned to type with two fingers! Luckily, it’s worked out well so far.
Your new novel, The Raven and the Dove, releases on March 9th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Ooh, so tough! As a writer, I tend to be verbose… Let’s go with: Romantic, action-packed, evocative, deceptive, and gripping.
Now let’s hear a little more! What can readers expect?
The Raven and the Dove is an epic fantasy retelling of Tristan and Isolde set in an avian-inspired world. Picture aerial fight scenes, angsty romance, elemental magic, masked balls, floating islands, and wings!
At the start of the novel, the characters are preparing for the courtship trials, in which the royal heirs compete to win their choice of mate. Lyana, the dove princess, yearns for freedom and sneaks out of her palace in search of adventure. She stumbles upon the raven prince who is locked in a death match with a dragon, but she soon comes to discover not everything is as it seems…
The Raven and the Dove is a retelling of Tristan and Isolde. Why this tale and where did the inspiration for the novel come from?
Confession—I fell in love with the story Tristan and Isolde when I saw the movie starring James Franco. It is SO good! After watching it, I immediately went on a deep dive into the origins of the tale, and my adoration for the story grew from there. It truly has everything a great romance needs—star-crossed lovers, high stakes, betrayal, multifaceted characters, and, in this case, a tragic ending.
The inspiration for The Raven and the Dove came to me at first with one simple image—that of a woman with white wings standing before a man with black wings as magic sparkled between them (similar to what is now the cover!). As I tried to imagine who these two characters were and what their story might be and how they were drawn together, the tale of Tristan and Isolde fluttered into my thoughts, and I realized it fit these two characters perfectly. The rest of the retelling unfolded from there.
Like any good fantasy, there is always a tonne of worldbuilding involved. What was your process like for this?
Oh my goodness, SO MUCH RESEARCH! I have pages upon pages upon pages of research.
Because this novel is inspired by birds, I spent a lot of time researching the different avian species present in the book, like doves, ravens, owls, birds of paradise, hummingbirds, etc. I wanted to understand how they were similar, and how they were different. How their feathers and wing shapes affected flight. What they ate. What climates they lived in. All so I could define the various kingdoms of the novel with unique characteristics, and also make sure the bird-human-hybrid characters weren’t just humans with wings, but actually picked up some of the traits associated with their bonded birds. Of course, there was also research into some typical fantasy elements—various fighting styles, techniques for swordplay, architecture, sea travel, etymology to create some unique words, etc.
The most important step aside from research, for me, is brainstorming. First, I made pinterest boards with all sorts of images that inspired me. Then I started designing a map, using my research to brainstorm the specific characteristics of each kingdom as I went (their major cities, major forms of trade, climate, building styles, sense of community). I brainstormed the new religion my characters believed in, the names of their gods, and the backstory for how their kingdom came to be. Once I had the confines of the world established, I finally honed in on the plot for the actual book and lives of the individual characters, which is a process all its own!
Was there a certain element of the novel that you really enjoyed writing, such as a character, scene etc?
Honestly, this was one of those rare novels were there was no moment I didn’t enjoy. I was so inspired by the setting and the characters, the most difficult part was typing fast enough for my fingers to keep pace with my mind!
The Raven and the Dove has an absolutely gorgeous cover. Can you tell us about the design process at all?
Thank you! Salome Totladze (@morgana0anagrom on Instagram) is the cover artist and she was an absolute dream to work with. As I mentioned in a previous response, the image on the cover is similar to the image that first came to me while I was daydreaming, initially sparking my interest in these characters and their story! It’s also a depiction of one of the crucial scenes of the book. I sent Salome an idea for how I wanted the characters to pose and what they looked like, then she took those notes and turned them into this stunning piece of art that is more beautiful than I ever imagined it would be. I’m pretty sure I gasped when she sent me the final version!
From start to finish, how long did writing The Raven and the Dove take?
Oof, that’s a difficult question, because the actual time spent writing the book doesn’t include all the work that initially goes into the process of building the world and the characters, and outlining the story, or all the time spent editing after the first draft is complete, and putting together a marketing plan to make sure people will read it. I believe it took me about four months from blank page to finished rough draft, but the entire process from a kernel of an idea to a published novel has taken about three years.
The next instalment, The Hunter and the Mage, is currently set to publish in September 2020. Can you give us any little teasers?
Hmm…here’s a line from a scene I just finished writing! I’ll let you make of it what you will… “If Malek had thought an army of three would be enough to stop her, he hadn’t been paying attention.”
In the sequel, the stakes are higher, the magic more powerful, the romance more tragic, and the world even bigger. Each character has their own journey, but as with the first book, all their stories come together in the final scenes. It’s an ending I hope will leave readers shocked and yearning for more.
What’s next for you?
Right now, I’m finalizing the draft for The Hunter and the Mage, and as soon as I hand that off to my beta readers, I’ll start fine tuning the outline for Book 3, then eventually Book 4.
At some point, I’d also like to start working on the romantic comedy series I’ve had brewing for my pen name, Kay Marie, which is a fun Bachelor like tale about a girl whose mother volunteers her for a dating show without realizing her ex is the producer. Hilarity and drama ensue!
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for us?
I just finished Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson and I absolutely loved it!
Bio: Bestselling author Kaitlyn Davis writes young adult fantasy novels under the name Kaitlyn Davis and contemporary romance novels under the name Kay Marie. Publishers Weekly has said, “Davis writes with confidence and poise,” while USA Today has recommended her work as “must-read romance.”
Always blessed with an overactive imagination, Kaitlyn has been writing ever since she picked up her first crayon and is overjoyed to share her work with the world. When she’s not daydreaming, typing stories, or getting lost in fictional worlds, Kaitlyn can be found playing fetch with her puppy, watching a little too much television, or spending time with her family. If you have any questions for her–about her books, about scheduling an event, or just in general–you may contact her at: [email protected]
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