Author Interview with Jennifer Estep:
What made you decide to keep writing in the world of the Crown of Shards trilogy?
Jennifer: I’ve always wanted to write epic fantasy. In fact, the very first book I ever wrote was an epic fantasy, so writing my Crown of Shards trilogy was a childhood dream come true for me. As I was winding down the Crown of Shards trilogy, I found myself thinking about the royal massacre that takes place in KILL THE QUEEN, the first book in that series. Several characters were present at the massacre, and I started thinking about how such a traumatic event might affect them, even years later, especially Gemma Ripley, who was just a child during the massacre. I started wondering how the massacre would shape Gemma as an adult, and how she would want to live up to the examples of the heroines who had come before her, especially Everleigh Blair, the heroine of my Crown of Shards series. With my Gargoyle Queen series, I wanted to tell Gemma’s story and show how all these previous events have shaped the person she is as an adult. In TEAR DOWN THE THRONE, Gemma is more determined than ever to get to the bottom of a plot against her kingdom, and she will do whatever it takes to prevent another royal massacre like the one she survived as a child.
What has been the biggest difference in the process of writing YA versus writing adult fantasy such as TEAR DOWN THE THRONE? Jennifer: My writing process doesn’t really differ between my YA books and my adult books like TEAR DOWN THE THRONE. However, with my adult epic fantasy books, I tell a much grittier and more mature story. For example, both the fight scenes and the romantic scenes in my Gargoyle Queen books are much more intense and descriptive than the fade-to-black scenes that I might write in a YA series. I hope readers enjoy my take on adult fantasy with Gemma’s story in TEAR DOWN THE THRONE.
Who was your favorite TEAR DOWN THE THRONE character to write? Who was the most difficult?
Jennifer: I always love writing about the secondary characters. Sometimes, I think they get all the best/funniest lines in my books. So, I had a lot of fun writing Grimley, Gemma’s beloved gargoyle, and his devotion to napping. In TEAR DOWN THE THRONE, readers will get to meet some new gargoyles, including Fern, a female gargoyle who has a little bit of a rivalry going on with Grimley. I would say the most difficult character to write was Queen Maeven Morricone. Maeven has done horrible things in the past to Gemma and Gemma’s family, but she also has reasons for her actions. Maeven is one of those characters that you never quite know what she’s thinking and whose side she is truly on until the very end, and I hope readers enjoy learning more about her in TEAR DOWN THE THRONE.
Did anything surprise you while writing TEAR DOWN THE THRONE?
Jennifer: I am a panster, so I don’t do a lot of outlining or pre-plotting before I sit down and start writing. Because of this, a few things usually surprise me as I’m writing my books. In TEAR DOWN THE THRONE, one of the secondary characters became much more important to the story than I originally intended, and this character really helps Gemma figure out what one of the villains is plotting against her kingdom. What do you hope readers will take away from this book? Jennifer: I always hope that my books are a fun escape from reality and take readers on an adventure filled with action, magic, danger, and romance. Happy reading, everyone!
Early Praise for TEAR DOWN THE THRONE:
"Tension-filled battle scenes and a delightfully offbeat magic system. There’s plenty for series fans to look forward to.” — Publishers Weekly
About the author:
Jennifer Estep is a New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author who prowls the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea. Jennifer is the author of the Crown of Shards, Elemental Assassin, and other fantasy series. She has written more than 40 books, along with numerous novellas and stories. In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys hanging out with friends and family, doing yoga, and reading fantasy and romance books. She also watches way too much TV and loves all things related to superheroes.
