Q: Is City of Skies YA (Young Adult)?

A: No. City of Skies is an adult fantasy book. Even though it’s not very dark, and it does not have spice in the first book, it’s not intended for teen readers. The main characters are 23 years old.

Q: Is City of Skies “Romantasy”?

A: Not exactly. City of Skies is an epic adventure fantasy with romance in it as an integral part of the plot. It won’t be quite what you’re used to in popular romantasy books like ACOTAR and Fourth Wing, but if you love a power couple with magical powers saving the world, that is the direction this series goes in. City of Skies is written in the style of classic high fantasy series similar to The Lord of the Rings, The Name of the Wind, or The Stormlight Archives.

Q: Is City of Skies cozy fantasy?

A: No. Cozy fantasy is defined as low stakes, with plots centering things like winning a baking contest or planting a garden. Books like Legends and Lattes or The Spellshop are great cozy fantasies. City of Skies is more whimsical and hopeful than popular epic fantasies like Game of Thrones, but high stakes. It is classified as high fantasy romance, a story about good characters overcoming challenges in a dark and brutal world.

Q: What are the romance tropes? Is it enemies to lovers?

A: This is not an enemies to lovers story, as there are so many good ones out there already! City of Skies is a second chance friends-to-lovers romance filled with yearning, angst, and banter. Other tropes include slow burn, forced proximity, fake dating, touch her and die, hot springs, one horse, and “it’s always been you”.

Q: Is there spice?

A: It’s a slow burn, so there’s no spice in book one.

Q: How many books will be in The Stargem Chronicles series?

A: It will be a five book series. Book 2 is scheduled to come out in April 2026.

Q: Which fantasy authors inspired you?

A: Growing up, my favourite fantasy books were The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle, Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling, The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkein, and anything by Patricia A. McKillip. Now, I love The Stormlight Archives by Brandon Sanderson, When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker, The Bridge Kingdom series by Danielle L. Jensen, and Tears of the Wolf by Elisabeth Wheatley.

Q: How long have you been writing?

A: I can’t remember a time I wasn’t writing. As a kid I had a vivid imagination and loved to play pretend. Then in high school I wrote a lot of fanfiction, and was in the creative writing club. I chose to study music as my university major, but always kept up with lots of reading, journaling and blogging. During the pandemic, I had the idea for City of Skies. Then while on maternity leave in 2022, I wrote the first draft in about six weeks. From there I joined critique groups, worked with beta readers, and worked on editing for three years. I also wrote first drafts forsook 2, 3 and 4. My dream is to follow in my dad’s footsteps as a speculative fiction writer.