Sarah J. Maas’s sexy, richly imagined Court of Thorns and Roses series continues with the journey of Feyre’s fiery sister, Nesta in A Court of Silver Flames – out now.
Read on for a special Q&A with Sarah all about the book!
Tell us about A Court of Silver Flames!
A Court of Silver Flames is Nesta’s story—if you’ve read the previous books in the Court of Thorns and Roses series, you know that Nesta is a spitfire! I love writing her. I don’t want to give away too much about the book, but there’s lots of action, some new characters, and plenty of scenes to steam up the windows.
Was it a conscious decision to write A Court of Silver Flames for the adult market, or is that where the story took you?
It’s really just where the story took me. Nesta is an age that’s well outside of the YA range. So telling her story as an adult story felt right—it allowed me to tell the story honestly and how it needed to be told.
Let’s talk about these characters! What most excites you about Nesta and Cassian?
They have so much chemistry together, even though they each try so hard to fight it. Writing that kind of chemistry is beyond fun. They tease each other mercilessly, but their connection runs deep.
Over the course of the book, Nesta comes to rely on physical exertion—be it climbing or learning to fight—to maintain her mental wellbeing. What are some of your favorite outlets for stress, anxiety, and the like?
Exercise, meditation, therapy, and eating healthy. Don’t get me wrong: I love nothing more than chilling on the couch, eating chocolate and drinking wine, but I’ve found that I feel so much better—clearer-headed, energetic, eager to greet the day—when I keep a steady schedule of exercising, eating relatively cleanly, and avoiding alcohol. Going to therapy twice a week, meditating every day, and finding the right combination of medications has also made a massive difference in my mental health. It’s still an ongoing journey, and some days are harder than others—a fact that I wanted to be reflected in Nesta’s own journey as well.
Who are some of your favorite fictional heroines?
Elizabeth Bennet. Hands down my favorite. I’m weirdly obsessed with Pride and Prejudice, and part of that is totally Darcy, but I think the biggest reason is Elizabeth herself.
What TV shows would the ACOTAR characters watch if they were in our world?
Nesta: Bridgerton and Outlander.
Cassian: Any sort of sport. And American Ninja Warrior.
Feyre: Poldark and For All Mankind
Rhys: Broadchurch and Below Deck.
Azriel: Luther and Tehran.
Mor: Great British Baking Show and Never Have I Ever
Amren: Any/all true crime/serial killer documentary.
If you could choose a career besides writing what would it be?
I’d be a florist. Seriously. I adore flowers, and find arranging them to be super soothing and satisfying.
Do you have any advice for readers who are aspiring writers?
Write what you love, and screw the rest. It’s a long road to publication, but not an impossible one—if you stick with it, if you write what you love and believe in yourself, you will get there one day!
