We chat with author K.X. Song about The Night Ends With Fire, which is a sweeping fantasy adventure inspired by the legend of Mulan follows a young woman determined to choose her own destiny—even if that means going against everyone she loves.
Hi, K.X.! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Thanks for having me! My name is K. X. Song and I’m a diaspora writer with roots in Hong Kong and Shanghai, currently based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I don’t remember the exact moment I became interested in telling stories, but what I remember as a child is writing stories on the backs of paper towels and napkins, in restaurants or trains or even at school. As a kid I spent many aimless hours in Shanghai, with my grandparents, where the only English language books available to me were long classics like War and Peace—not exactly appealing to a child! So I started writing my own stories to amuse myself.
Your latest novel, The Night Ends with Fire, is out July 2nd! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Romance. Dragons. Adventure. Love triangle.
What can readers expect?
Readers can expect a fast-paced romantic fantasy adventure inspired by the legend of Mulan. This book takes my love for the Chinese wuxia drama–with its epic scale, star-crossed romance, and emotionally charged plot full of hairpin turns–and melds it with my interest in questions of female ambition and power, and what it costs.
Where did the inspiration for The Night Ends with Fire come from?
As soon as I knew The Night Ends with Fire would be a Mulan retelling, I wanted to differentiate it from other versions of the legend of Mulan.
I found it fascinating to learn how the many variations of Mulan differed, yet also shared similarities–across time and space. For example, in the 1998 Disney version, upon saving the kingdom, Mulan is praised by the emperor for her brave deeds, welcomed home by her father, and even courted by her army captain and true love. In comparison, in the Romance of the Sui and Tang Dynasties, written in 1695 by Chu Renhao, Mulan is summoned by the emperor to become a concubine after the war. Forced to choose between duty and honor, she commits suicide on her father’s grave, thereby preserving her unyielding virtue. What ties these disparate versions together is a commitment to the status quo. Although Mulan is generally considered a progressive symbol of gender equality, in many of these versions she does not defy existing structures of power because she is ultimately motivated by her filial piety and duty to her country. Critically, when the war is over and her duties to her father and emperor are fulfilled, she returns home, content to resume life in the conventional roles expected of women. In The Night Ends with Fire, I sought to explore what would happen to Mulan if she were no longer content. What if, upon experiencing independence and freedom disguised as a man, she no longer wished to confine herself to the restrictive gender boundaries of her society? Would society accept her as she was, or, by transgressing the norm, would they punish her for daring to aspire for more?
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I really enjoyed writing the love interests, especially as they served as foils for each other. Liu Sky is based off of Liu Bei, one of the heroes of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, a 14th century Chinese classic written by Luo Guanzhong. The character of Liu Bei is an upstanding, noble man who goes to great lengths to always do the right thing. I appreciated the juxtaposition in Romance of the Three Kingdoms between Liu Bei, this virtuous, classic hero archetype, and Cao Cao, who is Liu Bei’s rival warlord and nemesis. Cao Cao is an antihero type; while Liu Bei is noble, Cao Cao is self-serving, pragmatic, and cunning. Cao Cao acts for his own gain, but his sharp intelligence and personal moral code earn him the respect of even his rivals and enemies. After reading the novel, you may find another character that reminds you of Cao Cao. J
Can you tell us a bit about your process when it comes to worldbuilding?
During the novel ideation process, I’m a pantser. The first spark for THE NIGHT ENDS WITH FIRE came to me as a setting, but from there, I continued to ask myself freeform questions. Which perspectives do I want to showcase here? What different kinds of stories can I tell? These questions spark images, scents, slivers of scenes. A girl hungry for power, confined by her restrictive society. A boy training her under moonlight. These emotions and images guided me as I then took a more structured approach to outlining and worldbuilding. The world naturally forms from there to guide the plot forward.
What’s next for you?
I’m currently hard at work on the sequel to THE NIGHT ENDS WITH FIRE, which will be releasing next year in 2025!
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed so far this year and are there any that you can’t wait to get your hands on?
I’ve really enjoyed SEASPARROW by Kristin Cashore (incredible world building) and THE FAMILIAR by Leigh Bardugo (beautiful prose). I’m looking forward to reading A SONG TO DROWN RIVERS by Ann Liang later this year!
