Queen of Deception follows a woman who dies and comes back to life as a child with all her memories from her past life, into the world of her favorite fantasy novel. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

Reincarnation has always been an interesting subject for me. I even have it as a part of my Helena Hawthorn series. There is just something about the idea of being reborn into a new life after death that I absolutely love. 

The inspiration for Queen of Deception came from feeling listless during the pandemic. I was pregnant with my first son and on a publishing hiatus. In Asian countries, it is a much more explored subject, and there is plenty of media that covers it. So, I dived head-first into Japanese Manga, Korean Manhwa, Light Novels, and Anime. At some point, I could not find what I wanted and decided to write a story of my own, telling the tale of morally grey characters that do not revolve around only romance.  

Since I have always been a fan of Fantasy, it wasn’t hard to put together Emilia’s new world. What was difficult was all the research, which is still ongoing, that comes with the story. 

There was a lot of time spent crafting the character traits in this novel. What was the most important factor for you to get right in your characters? 

I wanted each of the characters to have their strengths and flaws.  

Emilia is strong-willed, determined, and kind to those she deems close to her, but she has also lived through years of abuse and is bitter from that horrible experience. It is very hard to reach her heart. 

Laurence is a character who takes life as it comes, but deep down, he resents himself for the life he lives. I always find his emotional journey surprising with each book.  

And lastly, Prince Thessian—he is a guardian of the Hellion Empire his family has built and maintained. He is a man who had to wear the masks of a perfect prince and a brutal conqueror who’s willing to make sacrifices. Yet, when he comes to learn more about the darker side of his family, he, too, evolves from his strict mindset. 

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book? 

The main focus is found family. I want my characters to find their place in the world while discovering themselves, their limitations, and possibly even changing their goals along the way. 

Can you tell us where the book goes and where we’ll see the characters in the next book?

After the slaughter of the Dante Royal Family, Emilia takes on the role of Queen with the support of the enemy nation’s prince. With aligned goals and a promise to help Thessian become Emperor, Emilia has her work cut out for her, especially since she is not the only one with royal blood in the kingdom. At the same time, she believes that joining Thessian’s side is the best course of action to save the fantasy novel in which she was reincarnated.  

In Queen of Ashes (Book 2), she uncovers a sinister plot against her and a secret long hidden by the former king. So, Emilia does what she does best—she fights back with everything she’s got while trying to balance the royal lifestyle, politics, greedy nobles, and uncooperative subordinates.  

I won’t go into any more detail as that may spoil the story for some. 

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