Katie Samsock asked Sarah Arthur:

I’m halfway through Once a Queen and I looooooooooove it! I’m having to hide from my kids so I can keep reading. I got a copy from Netgalley but once it comes out in hard copy I’m 100% buying this for my 8 year old daughter (and selfishly myself so i can re read it). How do you invent these worlds within worlds? And their histories? It’s incredible. I want to walk the halls and gardens of this place!

Sarah Arthur Oh, gosh, Katie! Thank you for reading my book and taking the time to connect. To answer your questions: Early on I had a beta reader who told me--bluntly but lovingly--"You've got to make this story stand on its own two feet." She meant that I couldn't rely on old fairytales to provide the backstory. Then, my publisher confirmed it. So over the course of about 2 weeks I sat down and drafted nearly all of the fairytale "excerpts" that you see between chapters, written in the spirit of all the stories I already loved but adding my own flair. It was SO FUN--and I'm so glad you think it works!

flag