We chat with author Kalyn Josephson about her spellbinding fantasy novel This Dark Descent, which is full of intrigue, romance, and pulse-pounding—think The Shadows Between Us meets Six of Crows!
Hi, Kalyn! Welcome back! How have you been the past few years since we last spoke for your debut?
Hi there! It’s great to be chatting with you all again. The last few years have been a bit of a whirlwind, especially in the publishing department, but overall things have been pretty good. I’m thankful to be releasing two books this year, along with the paperback edition of my middle grade debut, Ravenfall.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I don’t remember a concrete moment, because I’ve been doing it for as far back as I can recall. My mom tells me stories of the Scooby-Doo fanfiction I wrote when I was seven, but it wasn’t until college that I actually thought about pursuing writing as a career. It’s just always been something I can’t not do!
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
The first one that comes to mind is the Frog and Toad series! I loved frogs as a kid, and still have a couple copies of these.
Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone is the one that made me want to become an author. I remember reading it and thinking, “I want to do that.” After that, I started taking my writing more seriously and learning about the publishing process.
As for a book I can’t stop thinking about, I absolutely loved THE PRINCE OF NOWHERE by Rochelle Hassan, which is such a fun, magical middle grade adventure.
Your latest novel, This Dark Descent, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Pulse-pounding. Dangerous. Twisty. Magical. Epic.
What can readers expect?
Complex character dynamics, a magic system that evolves throughout the plot, tons of action, the usual banter—and most importantly, a cat.
Where did the inspiration for This Dark Descent come from?
I wanted to write a Jewish fantasy, but maintain a focus on animal magic like I used in The Storm Crow, which is how I ended up with the idea of animal golems. At the time, I was in the midst of watching Peaky Blinders, and I ended up melding the vibe of that story with my original idea, before settling on an enchanted horse race!
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
Reid is my absolute favorite character to write, as writing dialogue is my favorite part of drafting and his is extra fun. I love the contrast of how grumpy and rude he comes across with how caring he actually is.
Can you tell us a bit about your worldbuilding process?
Yes! I always start with the magic, and from there I ask questions like: how is magic used or controlled in this world? Does magic have an impact on economy, clothing, culture, religion? Everything I build in my world spiderwebs out from that initial magic system.
This is your fourth published novel! What are some of the key lessons you have learned when it comes to writing and the publishing world?
One of the most important things I’ve learned is to focus on my own process. There’s a lot of fantastic writing advice out there, and I think it’s important to be exposed to it and try new things, but it’s even more important to remember that what works for one person might not work for you. I’ve had to learn to trust my own system!
What’s next for you?
My wintery Supernatural meets Indiana Jones middle grade sequel, Hollowthorn, releases in October, and the sequel to This Dark Descent will be out next year! There are also 2 more books slated for the Ravenfall series.
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
Always! A recent read I absolutely adored was The Curse of Eelgrass Bog by Mary Averling, which is equal parts haunting and magical. I also loved The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem, which shares a lot of elements with This Dark Descent, such as the magical competition and morally grey characters.
