Interview with Julie Kagawa

1. When did you first start writing, and was there something in particular that inspired you?

I started writing in high school, where I would carry my 5-star notebook around with me and write during my classes (my teachers weren’t terribly thrilled). I don’t think there was anything particular that inspired me, though I did love to read. I used to hide books behind my textbooks in class and read constantly. (My teachers weren’t terribly thrilled with that, either.)


2. In regards to your own characters, who is your favorite and why?

I would have to say Ash, because I love my dark, broody bad boys. But Grimalkin runs a very close second.


3. What other genres (besides your own) do you enjoy reading?

I’m starting to branch out into contemporary YA. I just read 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher and was knocked speechless by its brilliance. Makes me want to pick up some more contemp.


4. If you could not be a writer, what would you be?

An animal trainer. I was a professional dog trainer before I got published, so I would probably go back to that.


5. As a reader I know how difficult it can be to name a ‘favorite’ book, would you mind listing your top three? (Past or present authors)

Whew, that’s difficult. Um, Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder, 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher, and recently, Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor. (I have SO many more favorites, these are just the first three that came to mind.)


6. What are some must haves when you sit down to write?

Caffeine and…caffeine. It’s horrible. I have an army of empty soda cans surrounding my desk. My husband calls them “dead soldiers,” lol.



7. If you became trapped as a character in a book or series, which would you choose and why? (Any book, any series, new or old)

Well, since I just finished Daughter of Smoke and Bone, I’m going to say Karou, the heroine from that series. She’s smart, tough, and an artist to boot. And there’s a gorgeous, swoony angel who’s in love with her. :D (Helloooooo, Akiva.)








Julie's Newest Release:

The Iron Knight:
Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.

Unless he can earn a soul.

To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.

Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl— smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.

With the (unwelcome) company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.

To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.

And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.


About the Author:

Julie Kagawa was born in Sacramento, California. But nothing exciting really happened to her there. So, at the age of nine she and her family moved to Hawaii, which she soon discovered was inhabited by large carnivorous insects, colonies of house geckos, and frequent hurricanes. She spent much of her time in the ocean, when she wasn’t getting chased out of it by reef sharks, jellyfish, and the odd eel.

When not swimming for her life, Julie immersed herself in books, often to the chagrin of her schoolteachers, who would find she hid novels behind her Math textbooks during class. Her love of reading led her to pen some very dark and gruesome stories, complete with colored illustrations, to shock her hapless teachers. The gory tales faded with time, but the passion for writing remained, long after she graduated and was supposed to get a real job.

Julie now lives in Louisville, Kentucky, where the frequency of shark attacks are at an all time low. She lives with her husband, two obnoxious cats, one Australian Shepherd who is too smart for his own good, and the latest addition, a hyper-active Papillon puppy.

Find Julie:

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