We chat with debut author Tiffany Wang about Inferno’s Heir, which is an elemental fantasy in which an outcast princess with a vendetta against the throne must choose: survival, love, or revenge?
Hi, Tiffany! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi! I grew up in Texas, but am currently living in NYC, where I’m forever trying to find the best fries. I go through phases with my hobbies – I’ve run a marathon, learned how to crochet, and dabbled in video games, although writing will always be the passion that I come back to.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I was always reading when I was a kid, and I used to scribble down stories in my spiral notebooks, with characters based on the shows or movies I’d seen (AKA fan fiction, although I didn’t know the proper name at the time). After that, I graduated to composition notebooks and finally my laptop!
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: I don’t remember the name, but I had this picture book with all the Disney princesses in it, which I took everywhere.
- The one that made you want to become an author: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Kindling by Traci Chee, which actually left me curled in fetal position on the couch when I was done.
Your debut novel, Inferno’s Heir, is out October 15th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Scorned royals grappling for power (or alternatively – found family that breaks hearts).
What can readers expect?
Chaotic characters, two (2) heists, and twists and turns when they least expect them!
Where did the inspiration for Inferno’s Heir come from?
I wanted to write a main character who’s an anti-hero – ruthless, morally unsound, and prepared to do whatever it takes to survive. From the outset, Teia Carthan’s motivation for joining the rebellion is skewed: she plans to betray them, in order to bargain with the Crown for her freedom.
I also wanted to flip the royal / rebel trope, which was so much fun to do – essentially, instead of the rebel infiltrating the palace, the royal joins the rebellion under false pretences. This was a big part of the driving force behind Inferno’s Heir, and it’s been amazing to finally see this come to fruition.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
There’s a particular scene between Teia and her love interest in one of the kingdom’s temples, surrounded by hundreds of candles. I think I rewrote it at least 10 times because I wanted to capture both the feel and fragility of that relationship – two deeply flawed people who are learning to let down their guard for the first time.
This is your debut published novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
Long, heart-wrenching, and arduous. I had a relatively quick querying process, and became agented in about three months. After that, though, I was on submission with Inferno’s Heir for a year and a half before it was picked up by my current publisher.
What’s next for you?
I can’t say too much right now, but this isn’t the last of Teia and the rebels!
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 read so many amazing books, but two that blew me away are The Last Bloodcarver by Vanessa Le and A Sea of Wolves by Sarah Street. I’m also super excited for Emily Varga’s For She Is Wrath.
