Sarah J. Maas on Her Dazzling New Fantasy Novel, A Court of Silver Flames

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.

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 favourite 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.

One thing readers adore about your books is their distinct focus on complex heroines. When writing these women, what’s important to you in creating a heroine people want to root for?

There are all kinds of women in the world, and I want everyone to be able to find pieces of themselves in my books. So a big part of it is making sure these women are multi-faceted enough to seem both real and sympathetic.

Who are some of your favourite fictional heroines?

Elizabeth Bennet. Hands down my favourite. I’m weirdly obsessed with Pride and Prejudice, and part of that is totally Darcy, but I think the biggest reason is Elizabeth herself.

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!