Interview with T. L. Shreffler, Author of The Skydust Duke

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write this book?

The Netflix show My Happy Marriage, along with other Cinderella retellings, was the inspiration behind this book! I fell in love with the idea of a rags-to-riches romance in a Gaslamp Fantasy (Victorian) setting. I wanted to write about a vulnerable heroine, someone who had experienced neglect and hardship in her life due to her stepmother’s abuse, who starts off as a ghost of herself but finds her courage along the way.

Then came the Bridgerton vibes with a morally gray Duke Elias Blackwood. Then a ball. Then a marriage proposal. The plot slowly transformed from a simple love story into a whole new Romantasy adventure. One of my ARC readers described it as "Cinderella meets Shadow and Bone!" I absolutely loved that!

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of your book, what would they be?

Homecoming Heroes - Elias Blackwood
Come to Me - Lily & Madeleine

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I enjoy a wide variety of Dark Fantasy, Regency Romance, and Fantasy Adventure novels. I also enjoy nonfiction: Mysticism, History, and Cultural Anthropology.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Too many to count! At the very top is Lies of Light by Melissa Sasina.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

Without giving away too many spoilers, I absolutely loved writing the scene where Celise encounters a mysterious soldier on the grounds of Gravenmere Castle and hands him a shined ghost blade. IYKYK.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I meditate every night on a golden sun at the crown of my head to increase my creative energy. Slow, deep, intentional breathing stimulates the prana body, called "Vipassana." Twenty to forty-five minutes does it. Yup, I’m that kind of "woo." 😉