The following is an interview with New York Times bestselling author Sara Wolf regarding the upcoming release of her sci-fi / fantasy novel, Heavenbreaker, through Red Tower Books. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Wolf about her creative process in bringing the expansive story and characters to life on the page, what she hopes that readers will take away from the story, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the upcoming release of Heavenbreaker! For those who may be unfamiliar, how would you describe the story’s premise?
Sara Wolf: Thank you so much! In short, Heavenbreaker is a revenge story about a girl on a space station riding a giant robot in a jousting competition to avenge the murder of her mother by nobles. Think Game of Thrones meets Pacific Rim.
BD: You are no stranger to writing for fantasy, having worked on series like Send Me Their Souls, yet this story truly pushes the genre forward. How would you describe your creative process in bringing this expansive story and its characters to life on the page?
SW: That’s such a great question. It might sound strange, but Heavenbreaker was truly a story born out of my discomfort zone. I’ve never written sci-fi, but I’ve experienced a lot of it through anime and manga, and I’ve always been discouraged as a writer from multiple POVs, as well as third-person POVs. So, this is a story where I combined all my fears and attempted to overcome them by writing exactly what I was afraid of.
For an expansive project like this, it’s important to remember people resonate with characters above all. Place, time, circumstance – all of that can be understood, no matter how outlandish, as long as the characters are relatable and followable.
BD: At Fanbase Press, our #StoriesMatter initiative endeavors to highlight the impact that stories can have on audiences of various mediums. How do you feel that Synali’s story may connect with and impact readers?
SW: That’s a fantastic endeavor. I think Synali’s story will resonate with everyone who feels powerless in the face of oppressive power structures, who have given up all hope of anything ever changing and are ready to throw themselves into whatever allows them to change their reality.
BD: What makes Red Tower Books the perfect home for Heavenbreaker?
SW: Red Tower has been such a fantastic home for Heavenbreaker in so many ways. Their eye for marketing and really beautiful presentation of hardcovers has helped Heavenbreaker soar. I’ve learned a lot about podcasts and interviews from them!
BD: Are there any upcoming projects on which you are currently working that you would like to share with our readers?
SW: I’m working on the sequel to Heavenbreaker, called Hellrunner! I’m fairly certain that’s going to take up my writing time for the rest of the year.
BD: Lastly, what is the best way for our readers to find more information about Heavenbreaker and your other work?
SW: My website is authorsarawolf.com! I’m also on Instagram at @authorsarawolf! Thank you so much for the interview, and I wish you a healthy and successful last half of the year!
