Brigid Kemmerer: Never Stop Reading

In this interview, New York Times-bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer discusses the freedom—and nervousness—she felt when writing her new romantasy, Warrior Princess Assassin.

Brigid Kemmerer is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of more than a dozen dark and alluring novels like Defy the Night, A Curse So Dark and Lonely, and Letters to the Lost. Her stories always feature complex characters finding love while facing the challenges of life, both in realistic settings and rich fantasy worlds. A full-time writer, Brigid lives in the Baltimore area with her husband, her boys, her dog, and her cats. When she’s not writing or being a mommy, you can usually find her with her hands wrapped around a barbell. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

Brigid Kemmerer | Photo by Emily Karcher Photography, LLC

In this interview, Brigid discusses the freedom—and nervousness—she felt when writing her new romantasy, Warrior Princess Assassin, her hope for readers, and more.

Name: Brigid Kemmerer
Literary agent: Suzie Townsend of New Leaf Literary Agency
Book title: Warrior Princess Assassin
Publisher: Avon/Harper Collins
Release date: August 12, 2025
Genre/category: Romantasy
Previous titles: Defy the Night, Forging Silver into Stars, A Curse So Dark and Lonely, et al.

Bookshop | Amazon
[WD uses affiliate links.]

What prompted you to write this book?

Over the course of my career, I’ve written 18 YA novels, tackling a lot of serious topics. As my readers have grown, I’ve been eager for the chance to let my characters grow too. I was excited to tackle a bigger project, with the opportunity to give my characters darker, more complex challenges and the chance to “open the door” to the romance.

How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?

I first had the inspiration for this story in early summer 2022, but I was in the middle of other contracted projects. I was finally able to write a proposal in the summer of 2023, and to sell it that fall. I finished the first draft in the summer of 2024.

Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?

Warrior Princess Assassin was my first book with a new editor and a new publisher in almost 10 years, so there was definitely a lot to learn right up front! But I’ve had the most wonderful time working with the team at Avon and Harper Collins, and Julia Elliott has been such a champion for this book and for me. I’m very lucky.

Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?

When writing in the YA space, I’m always very cognizant of the fact that I can have readers as young as 10 or 11 years old, so I’m very aware of the language I use to craft any given scene, especially in regards to violence or intimacy. I’m very careful to write things in such a way that if you know, you know. With Warrior Princess Assassin, I had a lot more freedom, but it took me a long time to get out of that headspace! Even when I first sent the manuscript off to my editor, I was so nervous! I remember joking to my husband that I felt like I had just “drunk texted my boss.”

What do you hope readers will get out of your book?

I hope that readers are able to see themselves in one of my characters, and to feel hopeful about their journey.

If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?

Never stop reading, and read widely!

With a growing catalog of instructional writing videos available instantly, we have writing instruction on everything from improving your craft to getting published and finding an audience. New videos are added every month!
Robert Lee Brewer is Senior Editor of Writer's Digest, which includes managing the content on WritersDigest.com and programming virtual conferences. He's the author of Solving the World's Problems, The Complete Guide of Poetic Forms: 100+ Poetic Form Definitions and Examples for Poets, Poem-a-Day: 365 Poetry Writing Prompts for a Year of Poeming, and more. Also, he's the editor of Writer's Market, Poet's Market, and Guide to Literary Agents. Follow him on Twitter @robertleebrewer.