Let chaos reign with Greta Kelly, Author of The Queen of Days—our main title in this fall's To Bee Read book box subscription. We're so excited that she took some time to answer a few questions for us. To learn more about our To Bee Read book box subscription and get on the waitlist, follow the link. Before we get to the Q&A, let's talk a little more about Greta Kelly and her new book!
Greta Kelly is a Wisconsin-based writer and author of the Warrior Witch duology. Her newest book, The Queen of Days, will be released on October 24th, 2023. If you love Leigh Bardugo's Grishaverse, especially Six of Crows, then The Queen of Days might become your new obsession. Weaving together misfit thieves, fallen gods, and incredibly high stakes, Kelly's story is a thrillingly epic and fast-paced novel you won't want to put down!
Now, onto the interview!
Q&A with Greta Kelly
LitJoy: If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
Greta: Don’t wait! I spent so long thinking that being a writer was an unattainable dream, and that it was impractical to spend time on it. That’s all just fear talking. Yes, some days it will absolutely feel like the world is conspiring against you—or waiting to tell you "no." Don’t join them! Yes, following your dreams is hard, but there is nothing in this life worth having that comes easily. Take your shot.
LitJoy: Have you gone on any literary-inspired vacations or pilgrimages?
Greta: The setting for The Queen of Days takes place in a city crisscrossed by canals…so it’s probably not too hard to believe it was inspired by a trip I took to Venice. Some cities just speak to you, places that carry the weight of time and are suffused with the scent of possibility. Venice was like that for me. It got into my blood, and unsurprisingly, my imagination too.
LitJoy: First book that made you laugh? Cry? Get angry?
Greta: I’m dyslexic so learning to read with any sort of proficiency was a huge challenge for me. And I vividly remember the summer before sixth grade thinking to myself, “I am not going into middle school being the kid that can’t read in front of class.” And so I went to my parents' bookshelf and grabbed the biggest book I could find, swearing that I was going to read it. And that book happened to be Gone with the Wind. It took me all summer to do it, and you know what? I hated every word. To this day Scarlett O’Hara may be my biggest nemesis. But…in a weird way, she’s also my savior. Because I never would have gotten to where I am today if I hadn’t rage-read every word of that book. In the grand scheme of things reading that story was a small step. But it was also the most important, because it was the first. It got me here.
And with three published books since 2021, we'd say "here" is pretty huge! Thank you Greta Kelly for sharing your stories, and your time, with us! Remember, if you want to get your hands on Kelly's The Queen of Days with all of the special LitJoy perks, sign up to get on the waitlist for a To Bee Read subscription today!
To Bee Read Book Box Subscription Book Perks for The Queen of Days
- Signed by the author, Greta Kelly
- Digitally designed page edges by @rosdottir
- Casewrap with design by @rosdottir
- Endpapers with character and setting art by @laura_sava_art
