We chat with author Kristen Vale about A Tale of Mirth & Magic, which follows a maker of magical jewellery who finds her life turned upside down when she ends up on the run with a half-giant in this spicy and cosy fantasy romance—perfect for fans of Legends & Lattes and The Spellshop.
Hi, Kristen! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Happily! I’m a debut author based in the best city in the world—Chicago. I write stories filled with warmth, whimsy, and magic, featuring queer and plus-size characters. Most of my time not working or writing is spent walking around my city, reading at home, thrifting, cooking, cozy gaming, playing D&D, and daydreaming.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I can’t remember a beginning point. Books have always been the strongest, most important passion in my life. I can’t imagine a time when I didn’t have words, stories, and writing—it’s deeply engrained in who I am.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Those Bob Books! My gramma and I would curl up in a big armchair and go through them together when I was little and learning to read.
- The one that made you want to become an author: I truly never thought I could/would be an author until after I’d written my own book & got my deal. Every beloved book I read just left me in intimidated awe.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Right now I’m entranced by the last thing my book club read, Shubeik Lubeik—an absolutely incredible story by Egyptian graphic novelist Deena Mohamed that I’d recommend to everyone.
Your debut novel, A Tale of Mirth & Magic, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Sweet ‘n spicy bisexual romantasy
What can readers expect?
They can expect a story that will wrap them up in a big, cozy hug. It’s a standalone, dual POV light fantasy romance about metalmage elf Elikki & shy half-giant Barra, who find themselves thrown together on a roadtrip adventure—running from bounty hunters, cuddling up by tavern fires, and maybe finding themselves and love along the way.
Where did the inspiration for A Tale of Mirth & Magic come from?
I actually wrote it, quite selfishly, for myself! I wanted to prove to myself that I could finish a real, complete book, and I stuffed it full of all the things I wanted most at that time—a low-stakes fantasy world that was completely queernormative, a badass fat FMC, a sweet & soft MMC, delicious food, even more delicious sex, emotional journeys that felt impactful & real but not devastating, beautiful nature scenes, horses, magic, found family, and a happy ending.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
Honestly—all of it. I enjoyed writing this story and being in this world so deeply, from beginning to end. Which I know is not a normal experience as a writer! But it’s true. If I wasn’t having fun, I shifted gears or restarted the scene entirely with something fresh. Some of my favorite bits, though, are the ones with my beloved silly side characters that popped up on Elikki & Barra’s travels.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
The biggest challenge was making myself stick with it. I’ve written a lot over the years, but before this book I’d never been able to get past the 10-15k word mark. Often while writing Mirth & Magic, I felt myself wanting to stop. To give up. And I did not think I had the self-discipline to make it to the end.
Explaining how I overcame that would take much more space than I have here. But, in short, I entirely changed my sleep schedule & routines, I had 3 accountability people (friend, sister, and partner) who I updated on my progress, and I celebrated every tiny little win. Wrote 5 days in a row? I got a treat. Hit the next 5k milestone? I got a treat. Finished rewriting a tricky scene that was giving me trouble? You guessed it—treat.
I still use this system today, by the way, to a lesser extent. Your girl loves a damn treat.
This is your debut novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
Very weird! And wonderful. And a ton of work, as you’d imagine. It’s been a wild journey, and I feel so lucky. No matter what happens in the future, I’m just proud of myself for seeing this through.
What’s next for you?
I got a two-book deal with my wonderful publisher, Forever (Hachette’s romance imprint), and it’s looking like Book 2 will be coming out fall 2026. My lips are sealed for now, but I can say that it will be another cozy fantasy romance set in the same world, following a side character from Book 1.
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed reading this year? Are there any you’re looking forward to picking up?
This summer, I read & loved Page Powars’s The Borrow a Boyfriend Club, a funny YA contemporary romance. I’ve been rereading Tamora Pierce’s Circle of Magic series—she’s a forever fav, god-tier, and I’ve never listened to the audiobooks, so that’s been a magical experience. And I’m in the middle of L. Penelope’s Bliss Wars, a very underrated and captivating dystopian series.
I’m SO excited to pick up Anita Kelly’s latest, Donut Summer, and I have my eye on Eva Leigh’s The Sea Witch and Shalini Abeysekara’s This Monster of Mine. Lenora Woods’s Roll for Romance just published & looks amazing, and I can’t wait for Emily Krempholtz’s Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore, out in the fall. Honestly, just too many to list here!
