ABOUT BEAST OF A BROKEN COURT

Those retellings, as beautiful and sweeping as they are, definitely influenced my version—but I wanted to go beyond the happily-ever-after, to a place that felt raw and unpolished. That’s where my love for the original Grimms’ fairytales came in. The Grimms’ stories don’t shy away from darkness; they aren’t afraid to confront fear, pain, or the twisted side of human nature, and they were the perfect counterbalance to the more polished Disney versions. They gave me permission to let the heroine of Beast of a Broken Court be fierce, flawed, and driven by revenge, even when it leads her down dark paths.

In blending these inspirations, I wanted to create a story that feels both magical and haunting, a fairytale with real stakes where the main character's inner struggles match the weight of the curse she bears. Instead of smoothing over the rough edges, I leaned into them, hoping to tell a version of Beauty and the Beast that resonates with those of us drawn to both the enchanting and the unsettling.

When it comes to storytelling, I’m endlessly drawn to what lies beneath the surface of our personalities—the hidden fears, the flaws we try to hide, the desires we don’t always admit, even to ourselves. With Beast of a Broken Court, I wanted to dig into these raw, often hidden parts of human nature and explore what happens when characters are forced to confront the parts of themselves they’d rather ignore.

My interest in psychology was a huge influence on this story. Understanding why people act the way they do, especially when they’re faced with trauma or loss, helped me shape the characters’ inner journeys and challenges. Each character has their own ways of coping with what they’ve been through, and I wanted to make those responses feel as real and complex as the characters themselves. In Beast of a Broken Court, trauma doesn’t affect everyone the same way; for some, it brings out a sense of vengeance, for others, regret or guilt.

Exploring the darker sides of humanity isn’t just about showing struggle—it’s about giving space to every reaction, every response, no matter how flawed or uncomfortable it may be. By delving into these struggles, I hoped to create characters who feel truly human, navigating the fine line between hero and villain, broken and redeemed.

By weaving this non-linear experience into her journey, I aimed to enhance her disorientation, letting the reader feel her struggles right alongside her. This fragmented sense of time creates an underlying suspense, with pieces of her past and present gradually coming together but never fully aligning. The fractured timeline pulls readers into her headspace, making them question what is real, what is remembered, and what is perhaps imagined. It was my hope that, through this perspective, readers would feel a sense of dislocation and tension, deepening the emotional connection to her battle with her own inner beast.

When writing the main character’s journey in Beast of a Broken Court, my main goal was for readers to feel every ounce of her brokenness and disorientation. I wanted the experience to be immersive, like readers were stepping into her mind, walking alongside her as she wrestles with her inner demons. She’s not just battling a curse but also her own trauma and the overwhelming fear of what she’s becoming. That sense of being on the edge—never fully grounded—was something I wanted to capture in every part of her journey.

As she grapples with memories that bleed into her present, her reality becomes fragmented and sometimes painful. For readers, this meant experiencing her fear, regret, and the confusion of reliving past moments without warning. My hope was to let readers feel what she feels: the disorientation of trying to piece together her own story while facing the terrifying possibility that there may not be a way back. Through her journey, I wanted readers not only to understand her pain but to feel her strength in fighting against it, however flawed or hopeless her efforts might seem.

Writing Beast of a Broken Court has been an intensely personal journey and, as a debut author, an experience unlike anything I expected. This story pushed me to dive deep into themes that were complex, dark, and often difficult to face head-on, which meant growing as a storyteller with every chapter. I had to push past my comfort zones, exploring new techniques to convey the raw, messy, emotional intensity that I wanted this story to carry.

Each year I spent on this book was a chance to refine and reshape its elements, especially the characters’ journeys, making sure their struggles felt as real and close as possible. With every revision, I became more focused on balancing the story’s dark, fairytale aspects with the gritty reality of trauma and healing, adding layer after layer to deepen the experience for readers. Looking back now, I realize how much this book has shaped me as a writer, and I’m grateful for every hour spent with it. Beast of a Broken Court is a labor of love that taught me so much, and I’m thrilled to finally be able to share it with readers.

With Beast of a Broken Court, I hope readers experience a spectrum of emotions—the tension and fear of the unknown, the ache of vulnerability, and, most importantly, a glimpse of redemption. I wanted this story to feel raw and real, drawing readers into a world where strength and fragility exist side by side. My goal was for readers to feel the main character’s struggles, to understand the darkness she faces within and around her, and to feel the weight of the choices she makes.

I invite you to immerse yourself in this story, to step into the shadows of Beast of a Broken Court, and feel alongside the characters as they fight, fall, and maybe even find hope.