We chat with author Tiffany Wang about Tempest’s Queen, which is the thrilling sequel to Inferno’s Heir—the elemental fantasy called “mesmerizing” by Rebecca Yarros— in which Teia’s unlikely reign crosses the Black Sea while her enemies circle ever closer.
Hi, Tiffany! Welcome back! How has the past year been since we last spoke?
It’s been busy, but exciting! I was wrapping up a lot of developmental edits on Tempest’s Queen in the first half of the year – and now that I’m out of the weeds, I’m tinkering with a couple new projects on the side. Most of it is vibes right now, but things have got to start somewhere!
Aside from writing, I’ve also been trying to cook more, which means air frying just about anything I can get my hands on.
Your latest novel, Tempest’s Queen, is the sequel to Inferno’s Heir and it’s out October 28th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Elemental fights and palace escapes.
For those who haven’t picked up Inferno’s Heir, what can readers expect?
My go-to pitch is the elemental magic of Avatar: The Last Airbender meets the heists and found family of Six of Crows. You can also expect cunning royals, a brewing rebellion, and a female main character who trades in secrets and blackmail.
And for those who have, what’s to come in Tempest’s Queen?
In Tempest’s Queen, you’ll follow Teia Carthan – the main character – as she travels to the Kingdom of Water to stop an ancient sea beast. Expect heartbreaking reunions, more heists, and the consequences and cost of power.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring further?
There’s a scene (slight spoiler!) when Teia and Kyra meet again, which culminates in this fantastic elemental battle. It was difficult to write because I wanted to get things just right, but it’s one of my favorites from the book, both in terms of the action and the changed dynamic between the characters. My goal was for this scene to play out like a movie, and I’m hoping that’s how readers will view it.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing the sequel? How did you overcome them?
One challenge I faced was character consistency, which I overcame by (extensively!) reading the first book, before beginning to write the sequel. There would be times when I wanted one of my characters to do something, but realized it would be an action better suited for someone else. That’s the difficulty with sequels: in some ways, your characters are less meldable. Unless there’s a significant arc that shakes the fundamentals of who they are, I wanted each character to remain recognizable to the reader, while still staying nuanced and interesting.
Were there any elements in either book that didn’t make the final cut?
Originally, I had wanted to introduce a couple new characters, including a prophet who would guide Teia on her journey. In the end, things just didn’t work out. There was no seamless way to slot the prophet in, and so he was cut before the end of the first draft was complete.
What’s next for you?
My next book (the first in a duology) comes out in Winter 2027 with Harper Collins! It’s about a goddess searching for her missing sister, who is forced to team up with the last person to see her: a mortal boy determined to kill all gods.
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed reading this year? Are there any you’re looking forward to picking up?
One of my recent favorites is Holy Terrors by Margaret Owen, which absolutely stomped on my heart. For my next read, I have a copy of Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab on my desk.
