05/08/2023 — Everytime I open To Favor Blood & Flowers to edit or skim over my favorite parts, I get so excited that other people will be able to read it in the (hopefully near) future. Who am I kidding—I’m excited to read the finished piece! I’ve written about how long it’s taken me to complete the manuscript, and I’ve talked about how I built the world that Carina lives in. But what led up to the story?
I practically breathed fantasy and dystopian books through middle and high school. I could not get enough of the ethereal, yet badass, female main characters and the love stories that hinged on the most dire of circumstances. Take note: zombie apocalypse romance is top tier, and no one can convince me otherwise.
Yet with every book I checked off my TBR (in which I was happily sobbing into my pillow upon finishing), I wanted more. More of something. The stories were beautiful and thrilling, but it was never enough for me. I started wondering what I would add into my favorite books to make them feel more complete. Was it a side character with some comedic relief? Maybe some more torture and blood and guts? Or, another love interest thrown into the mix? None of the wonderful books I read had everything I wanted in a story.
And so, I wrote my own.
I took my favorite aspects of the books I grew up loving and made something of the inspiration. The bonds of found family and real family. Love stories that did not fit into one theme. Women who were emotional and strong. I piecemealed all these things into my book-child, To Favor Blood & Flowers.
Of course, my original ideas of the book have changed overtime, but I’ve kept the inspiration at the heart of the story. To Favor Blood & Flowers has been—and will always be—a book for my high-school self. I wrote it for the girl who was terrified to speak up in class but could simply open a journal and create an entire world of her own.
Much love and happy reading,
Gail ❤
Comments