Dana Swift: Don’t Be So Hard on Yourself
In this interview, author Dana Swift discusses the relationship between humans and animals at the heart of her new YA fantasy, When Dealing with Dragons.
Dana Swift started making up fantasy worlds when she was 11 years old and hasn’t stopped since. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin, where she earned degrees in English and Advertising. Dana currently lives in Austin, Texas with her husband and goldendoodle, Kala, who’s antics inspired the dragons in When Dealing With Dragons. Her debut, Cast in Firelight, and its sequel, Bound by Firelight, were published with Delacorte Press. Follow her on Twitter, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky.
In this interview, Dana discusses the relationship between humans and animals at the heart of her new YA fantasy, When Dealing with Dragons, her advice for other writers, and more.
Name: Dana Swift
Literary agent: Kelly Dyksterhouse
Book title: When Dealing with Dragons
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Release date: June 30, 2026
Genre/category: YA Fantasy
Previous titles: Cast In Firelight; Bound By Firelight
Elevator pitch: When school rival James Murphy interns on Farren Walsh’s dragon sanctuary, the two must work together to keep an endangered dragon a secret—even fake-hate one another.
What prompted you to write this book?
This is such an interesting question. One that makes me think about why I write in general. What prompts me? It’s always been my dream to be an author, for people to find enjoyment from my words. But what prompted this story exactly?
Well, I can tell you the idea came from my mother wanting me to write a heartfelt contemporary like the show we were watching together, “All Creatures Great and Small”. I said I could except I’d want to add fantasy and magic to the story. So, dragon veterinarians were conjured up.
Months before I had written a piece for a fun Valentine’s Day prompt at my local writing workshop about teen trolls having to live together. Lots of banter and forced proximity. Fun fact: Some parts of that scene actually made it to chapter 11 in the manuscript! It was in the combination of those two big ideas (along with a thousand other inspirations of course) that created When Dealing with Dragons!
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
To condenses the timeline: I had the inspiration for the idea in 2022, wrote the book in 2023, sold it in summer 2024, and the book will release in summer of 2026! June 30, 2026 to be specific, almost exactly halfway through the year. Therefore, about four and half years give or take.
When I first started writing When Dealing with Dragons it was in the fresh aftermath of rejection. I had just tried to sell a book that was more in the crossover space between YA and adult. The main feedback was that it felt too old for YA. So, I set my sights on writing a young adult book through and through. Coming off that rejection I also felt like I needed to pivot in genre (out of fear). So, in those first three chapters I sent my agent this book leaned toward romance with a sprinkle of fantasy. (The sprinkle being dragons. There were always dragons!) My agent encouraged me to pivot back to my beloved fantasy roots. Thus, on the next draft the metal magic system and how it relates to dragons was hatched. And from that one change, the world, the plot and the characters transformed into what the story is today.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
I thought I understood genre conventions and marketing, but this book surprised me. Because I didn’t set out to write a cozy fantasy. And I still don’t know for sure if that is how I’d describe the book. To me the story is heartfelt, romantic, and quieter than a typical epic fantasy. But it also has high stakes and consequences. So, expect a character-driven warm story that has some bite to it. And to be clear, I don’t mind in the slightest if people want to label it as cozy or feel that it is. I love cozy books. In fact, it just proves my thought that the process of publishing a book isn’t complete until it’s read by others and they form their own impressions.
Another surprise for me on this book was the cover! It was a dream come true when Charlie Bowater illustrated my debut and the sequel, and I assumed that was a once in a lifetime experience. But then Wednesday hired Charlie Bowater for When Dealing with Dragons. To have my dream realized again for my third book has been extra special, and a bit mind-blowing.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
Since I’m more of a pantser than a plotter there are always surprises. It’s one of my favorite things about writing. I let myself be swayed by my more interesting ideas at every turn. Halfway through drafting this book I came up with a pivotal scene at the end and spent weeks agonizing over whether it was the best decision. I polled all my writer friends and my husband about the choice. According to my agent and editor, it was the right decision too, since it stayed in the book. But the scene surprised me, and I’m still surprised I wrote it. Once you read the book, I think you’ll be able to guess what I’m talking about.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
You know that giddy, excited feeling you get in your chest when consuming a story? Or that, I don’t want to stop reading even to go to the bathroom feeling? I’ve experienced that a few times reading and consider it the best possible compliment and ultimate goal in my own work. In summary: joy. I want people to experience joy, above all else.
Then on another level, I want people to get a new perspective on how humanity treats animals. Much of this book questions the relationship between humans and animals, especially animals with a body part we commodify. Nestled in the romance and the joy are questions of animal rights, conservation, and hopefully a new respect or perspective on “scary” animals.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Don’t be so hard on yourself! I think most writers put so much pressure on themselves to work faster, be successful sooner, write the best book in the whole world. But here’s the thing. The best writing, especially fiction writing, typically comes when you are having fun.
And I mostly write this to remind myself just as much as I’m handing the advice to you. Writing a book takes time, energy, and dedication. It’s all right if your journey looks completely different than others. So, please have fun and please be kind to yourself.
