7 fun questions with author Elise Kova about Dragon Cursed
Nearly a decade after building the gaslamp, magic-versus-machine of the Loom Saga, Elise returns to dragons but this time with different intentions.
To celebrate the launch of her brand new book Dragon Cursed, and the start of a brand new upper YA duology, I was lucky enough to be able to ask a few questions to the legendary author herself.
Elise breaks down how her prose, world-building and creative goals have evolved over the years, what it means to revisit dragons and author growth and why longtime fans might spot a few homages to her OG Loom Saga, in Dragon Cursed.
You’ve included dragons previously in your work in the adult series, the Loom Saga, and readers are going to be absolutely feral that you’re writing more dragons again. How have you grown as an author since you released the Loom Saga, and what sets this new fantasy with dragons apart from it, besides plot and story?
The Loom Saga and Dragon Cursed couldn’t be more different—and not just because one is adult and the other is upper young adult.
The Loom Saga was only the second big world I ever built. Nearly ten years have passed since I wrote it, and in that time I’ve grown immensely as an author both in my prose and in how I think about building worlds. I also went into each story with very different goals.
When I wrote the Loom Saga, I was deeply interested in exploring magic versus machines. I wanted a world that felt intentionally unlike the classic fantasy I grew up reading, so I leaned hard into gaslamp and steampunk influences. That mindset extended to the dragons themselves. In the Loom Saga, dragons aren’t winged, fire-breathing beasts—they’re a humanoid species with unique magic and culture.
With Dragon Cursed, I wanted to swing the pendulum the other direction and embrace a more “classic” fantasy dragon. These are creatures meant to inspire terror.
That said, readers who’ve read my Loom Saga might catch a few of my homages in Dragon Cursed. For example, there is machinery in Vinguard that is powered by magic. And a particular scene with gear-filled automatons would be right at home in my Loom Saga.
While they couldn’t be more different, I think both continue to round out the types of stories I tell to hopefully appeal to all different types of readers.
Dragons have been in fantasy books for decades, but they’ve been particularly trending in recent years due to the explosion of popular romantic fantasy and romantasy series. What are some of your favourite dragon-centric fantasy books you’d recommend to readers that have inspired you?
I think my very first introduction to dragons was Smaug in The Hobbit, which feels very apt for someone who grew up loving fantasy. Tolkien’s lore surrounding the dragons of his world is honestly incredible.
I’d also recommend the Dragonriders of Pern to anyone who hasn’t read it yet. Anne McCaffrey is a fantasy icon and the way she portrays dragons bonding with humans and their integral role in society is worth a read.
Speaking of dragons in society… His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik is worth a read. I absolutely love how that series explores the societal and cultural implications of dragons existing alongside humans in a more historical setting.
Dragon Mage by M.L. Spencer is another one I’d enthusiastically recommend, especially for readers who enjoy epic stakes and powerful dragons.
And, of course, A Song of Ice and Fire deserves a mention for anyone who’s only seen the show. The books offer a much richer, more nuanced look at dragons and their place in a brutal, politically complex world. I think there’s something about the breathtaking power of dragons in a world that has very little magic.
Finally, while it’s not a book, I have to give a shout-out to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim for readers who also love video games. If you somehow haven’t played it yet, the dragon lore alone is worth the journey. The way dragons are tied into the history, mythology, and fate of the world is incredibly compelling. But, fair warning, you’re going to be randomly shouting “Fus Ro Dah” for weeks following your first play.
Who and/or what inspired your particular take on dragon lore in Dragon Cursed?
As with all of my books, there wasn’t a single source of inspiration. It’s a bunch of influences coming together.
On a foundational level, the dragons in Dragon Cursed were inspired by the ferocious, winged beasts I grew up loving in fantasy (some of those stories listed above): beasts that are powerful, terrifying, and fiercely magical. I wanted them to feel equal parts dangerous and mysterious.
One thing I was very intentional about, though, was not limiting dragons to a single defining trait. I didn’t want them all to just breathe fire and call it a day. I liked the idea of dragons being varied—different types, different abilities, different threats that I could find fun ways for my protagonists to survive.
Part of that inspiration came from a very unexpected place. A friend gifted me a dragon mobile right before my son was born (without even knowing I was working on a dragon book at the time, talk about serendipity). Layers of multicolored felt dragons hung above his changing table, keeping me company during countless late nights. Somewhere in my sleep-deprived daze, the idea clicked that different dragon colors could reflect different abilities—like green dragons tied to acid and hallucinations.
So, as you can see, there are forces big and small that end up impacting my worlds.
I absolutely loved Clara’s character in Arcana Academy and I note you enjoy writing badass female characters with depth, nuance, flaws and all. What can you tell us about your main character in Dragon Cursed and her motives and personality traits, without spoilers?
Thank you so much for saying so! I love writing female characters with sharp edges as well as strengths. Character flaws are essential to the stories I want to write, because without them there’s no room for growth. And I think that growth is really where the heart of the story lives.
One thing I especially want to highlight for readers coming from Arcana Academy is the difference in age and life experience between Clara and Isola. Arcana Academy is an adult fantasy romance, while Dragon Cursed sits firmly in upper young adult. That distinction really matters for the kind of character Isola is.
Isola is still figuring out who she is and where she fits in the world. There’s a lot of uncertainty baked into her story—the kind that comes with standing on the edge between adolescence and adulthood, when you’re old enough to carry responsibility but not quite confident in your own footing. That sense of finding and embracing who you are is central to her journey.
That said, Isola is also deeply determined. She carries the weight of saving what remains of humanity from the end of the world, even though she’s not convinced she’s the right person for the job. At the heart of her story is a question: are you chosen because others believe in you, or because you finally choose to believe in yourself?
The tension between doubt and resolve, fear and determination, is really what defines Isola and I hope that it will resonate with a lot of readers.
Without spoilers, can you tell us if Dragon Cursed is setting up for future stories or sequels?
Dragon Cursed is planned as a duology. So there is one more book coming to fully complete Isola’s story.
Beyond that… I can’t say too much. I’ve learned over the years never to say never since my muse works in mysterious ways.
What do you hope readers talk about most after finishing Dragon Cursed?
Honestly? I hope they talk about how much they enjoyed it. While I know not everyone will love every story I write, I still hope the majority of people at least have a good time reading them.
Beyond that, my favorite thing to see from readers is their reactions to the twists and reveals, then their theories about what might be coming next. I try very hard to surprise readers at least once in a story, while also laying down foreshadowing and planting a few red herrings along the way.
Seeing readers try to pick it all apart is so satisfying and rewarding. Plus, as a storyteller, it lets me know if I “did my job” in the way I crafted the story.
Thanks so much to Elise for chatting with us about her wonderful new series, I know I’m absolutely going to devour it.
Always remember to support your local indie book store and purchase it there… but if that’s not an option, get it on Amazon here.
Check out my book and tarot card guide to Arcana Academy by Elise Kova here.
