Once I immersed myself in Titania’s spunky character it was fun to write scenes that let her personality shine.

Tricia Copeland – 26 November 2024

The Back Flap

The last of her line, a faerie princess prepares to take the throne. But multiple forces plot against her, some trusted friends…

After losing her brothers, Titania studied and trained to rule Aubren. But she hadn’t planned on becoming Queen at fifteen. Now with her reign challenged from within the castle walls, she must decide what is best for her kingdom. Should another rule in her stead? Or has fate led her to this moment?

Only she can decide a path that becomes littered with choices. Will a marriage shore up her reign? Could naming a successor be enough? And what of the creatures of the deep and a tale of one who can end all evil? Faced with a choice to aid beings of Upper Earth, she must weigh whether to believe her inner compass and face charges of treason. Accepting the edicts of the High Council may be a safer route, but is it the best choice for the realm?

Titania’s emerging power lies just beyond her reach. Will it manifest we she most needs it? Or do they face  an eternity in darkness?

To Be a Fae Queen is a magical journey into the realm of Middle Earth. If you like fearless heroines, you’ll love Tricia Copeland’s thrilling fantasy.

Get To Be a Fae Queen to descend into a new world today!

About the book

What is the book about?

To be a Fae Queen, the first book in the nearly complete young adult fantasy Realm Chronicles series, features a fae (fairy) princess whose aim is to protect her kingdom. When she’s handed the crown at age fifteen many do not believe she should rule, and once trusted advisors challenge her monarchy. She must decide who can best rule the kingdom she’s studied and prepared to serve.

When did you start writing the book?

I began writing To be a Fae Queen in 2019. It began as a short story entitled Titania Rises and I published To be a Fae Queen in March of 2021.

How long did it take you to write it?

To be a Fae Queen took about six months to write although many of the ideas were percolating in my brain for about the same amount of time before I decided to make it a full-length novel. The editing process took about six weeks following completion of the first manuscript.

Where did you get the idea from?

The idea for To be a Fae Queen came from an image of a female fairy in an advertisement for an anthology with the theme of fantasy characters who faced mental health challenges. I created Princess Titania’s character, a female fae who suffered from anxiety and panic attacks because her brothers were brutally murdered in a battle with an invading army.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

In To be a Fae Queen I struggled with making sure the main character seemed real, but also appropriate for her position. Titania studied and prepared to be Queen and rule her kingdom since she lost her brothers at age twelve. But she’s still a fifteen-year-old female queen in a realm where there have been no other female monarchs. It was a balancing act to show her vulnerabilities as well as her strengths.

What came easily?

Once I immersed myself in Titania’s spunky character it was fun to write scenes that let her personality shine. She’s a feisty queen and at age fifteen, and in trying to prove herself, does some impetuous things. At one point she marches through the castle and posts an announcement that she will not be marrying a certain prince after he publicly kisses her.

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

The characters in To be a Fae Queen are entirely fictitious, or as fictitious as characters can be. I think all authors borrow parts of personalities from people we know. I gave the main character a bravery that I never had as a young adult, and I think that is what has made her so fun to write.

We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?

I think every book I’ve read has influenced how I write. But in particular I love the worlds and characters created by Cassandra Clare, Kristin & P.C. Cast, Stephenie Meyer, L.J. Smith, and Anne Rice. Cassandra Clare’s world building is amazing. Kristin & P.C. Cast did an excellent job on a twist on vampire lore with their urban fantasy House of Night series. Stephenie Meyer created an amazing fantasy love story. L.J. Smith entwined magic and vampires in her Vampire Diaries series. And Anne Rice, well, she may be the matriarch or vampire fiction, and I learned a lot about villains and protagonists and the grey line between them from her.

Do you have a target reader?

My target readers are age 12+ fantasy lovers. I would have never thought I would write a book about fae, or fairies, but these characters may be my favorite yet. Anyone who loves reading young adult fantasy particularly, but fantasy books in general, are my perfect readers. Even with a female protagonist who begins this series at age fifteen, there is political deceit, invasions by creatures such as kobold, goblins, trolls, and dragons, as well as magical locusts, complicated courtships, and decisions to be made about how to best protect a species of beings.

About Writing

Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?

My writing process tends to be a melding of plotting and pantsing. When I begin a manuscript, I have the beginning, ending, and a few plot points, usually the hook of the story, the climax point, and a few scenes in between, mapped out. I like to use sticky notes on a plot chart, or write in plot points on a plot chart, when I’m mapping out where the storyline will go. All the other scenes, ideas, and characters I fill in as I go along.

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

My editor will be relieved to know that for my next novel, the finale in the Realm Chronicles series, I’m creating an outline of each chapter. I’ve never outlined before, and this is not an outline I’m using to write the novel, but one to help me remember what happened when and by who. With my last edit I realized that a brief overview of what happened in each chapter would help the editing process go quicker and more smoothly.

Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?

I reread, fill-in, and fix-up my manuscript before I send it to my editor. However, my editor is responsible for the grammar, copy editing, and she also helps with developmental editing when she sees a section that needs more, less, or a diversion from what I’ve written.

Did you hire a professional editor? (May skip if being published by a small press rather than self-publishing)

I hire a professional editor for all my books. The company I use, Indie Books Gone Wild, provides two rounds of edits and a proofread from another editor with their editing packages.

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

I love creating playlists based on the themes of my novels, but I do not listen while I’m writing. On breaks I listen to music and that’s when I’m thinking about what comes next for my characters, whether what I just wrote works, or brainstorming new plot lines, scenes, and characters.

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

With the first book I published, Is This Me?, I queried over two hundred agents in the span of about three months. I got some interest, requests for chapters, and a few who wanted to read the whole book. I didn’t find an agent that thought my story was the right fit for them in that three month time span. I know that I could have tried querying for longer or tweaking the book. I talk to authors who waited a year or two to find an agent that wanted to represent their books. But I was impatient to get my story out and decided to self-publish.

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher?

I decided to go Indie because I believed my books would inspire others. My first series, the Being Me series, is based on my story of recovery from anorexia. It not only chronicles a girl’s spiral into the disease, but most importantly, her process of recovery. I self-published because I was ready to get the story out.

Was it a particular event or a gradual process?

I am a get-it-done type of person. I make lists and love to check the items off when I finish with them. This personality quirk lends itself to the Indie author experience. I love creating graphics for social media, writing my own blog posts, and having control over scenes, characters, and who lives and dies in my books.

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?

I always get a graphic designer to create my book covers. I can do social media graphics, but professional graphics isn’t something I’ve aspired to yet. In my experience, a professional graphics person can help you create an aesthetic that will draw readers in and looks like an A-list book.

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

I begin marketing my books about six months prior to launch, sometimes before the book is even finished. I love my readers and newsletter subscribers, and I get them involved in creating the story and characters sometimes, give them updates on where the book is, and bonuses before launches. I also hire publicity people to help find others like book influencers, bloggers, and ARC readers to promote and review my books. I stay active on social media and run promotional giveaways to attract new readers.

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?

I was not a marketing person, business owner, or publisher before entering the Indie author world. I’ve taken business classes, marketing classes, and writing classes to help my books and Indie business succeed. My best advice is to surround yourself with good people who can help make your goals realities.

About You

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in a small, rural town in the southeastern U.S. I loved our small town, the amazing community it provided me with, and sense of belonging I felt there.

Where do you live now?

I now live outside of Denver, Colorado with a Rocky Mountain range view.

What would you like readers to know about you?

I love books, especially audiobooks, fantasy characters and worlds, Diet Coke, chocolate, running, hiking, and oh, my kids, hubby, and pets, too! 😉

What are you working on now?

Right now, I am working on the final book in the Realm Chronicles series. It will release in July of 2025, ten years after I launched my first book.

End of Interview:

For more from Tricia Copeland, check out her website.

Get your copy of To Be a Fae Queen from Amazon US or Amazon UK.