Gretchen Powell Fox: This Will Always Be the Book of My Heart
In this interview, author Gretchen Powell Fox discusses the internal questions while reading romantasy that led her to write her own, Smoke and Scar.
Gretchen Powell Fox grew up with her head in the clouds and her nose buried in books. Now she crafts fantastical stories, along with the fiery heroes destined to change them for the better. Her creative process involves sleeping fitfully and consuming copious amounts of Sour Patch Kids. You can usually find her crying when she’s happy, sad, mad, or excited; singing along to Taylor Swift; eating xiao lóng bao; or strumming her ukelele. Gretchen lives with her husband and two wild, wonderful children in northern Virginia. Visit her online at GretchenPowellFox.com and follow her TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram.
In this interview, Gretchen discusses the internal questions while reading romantasy that led her to write her own, Smoke and Scar, her advice for other writers, and more.
Name: Gretchen Powell Fox
Literary agent: Katie Shea Boutillier @ Donald Maas Literary Agency
Book title: Smoke and Scar
Publisher: Scarlett Press
Release date: April 7, 2026
Genre/category: Romantasy; fantasy romance
Elevator pitch: A shadow-wielding fae warrior reluctantly fights through a series of deadly trials that could finally bring peace—alongside the handsome human knight who blames her for his parents’ deaths.
What prompted you to write this book?
I am an avid reader and lover of stories, with an especially voracious appetite for romantasy, or fantasy romance books. And while I’ll eat up a book that pair a centuries-old fae male main character alongside a hapless (at the beginning) human female main character every single time, every time I read another book with this similar starting formula, there would be this little voice in the back of my head, asking me questions. Questions like: What if we flipped it? What if SHE was the shadow-wielding warrior, and he was the noble human knight? What if SHE was the 250+ year old one, and even at the age of 28 he still had a whole lot to learn? What if SHE was constantly coming to HIS rescue, instead of the other way around? And from that little voice came my idea for Smoke and Scar.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
The initial idea probably spawned a solid four+ months before I actually started the process of building upon it. But once I leapt into world-building, character development, and storyline plotting, it all moved very quickly. Smoke and Scar went from concept to finished first draft in about four months, and independently published about five months after that, in March of 2025. By the end of September, I had received a publishing offer from Scarlett Press for the full trilogy.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
Having self-published this book initially, every single moment has been full of surprises! I never could have anticipated the amazing reception to this book, nor the incredible community of readers that has ended up championing it. And going through the traditional publishing experience afterward has taught me so much about the industry, about how to best market my book and reach new readers, and I am so beyond, beyond grateful to have been able to experience publishing both “sides” now.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
I think honestly, I was surprised at how smoothly and quickly everything came about? Writing this book, as opposed to its sequels (Splintered Kingdom releases on August 11, and Shadow and Son will be out October 20!) was an experience I doubt I’ll ever have replicated, because I was able to craft this world and these characters and this story without outside pressures or expectations. And there’s something really incredible about that, and it’s why regardless of what may happen from here on out or whatever stories I continue to tell, this will always, always, always be the book of my heart.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
During the course of the trials in this book, my main character, Elyria, is forced to acknowledge, face, and accept her inner self. She ends up understanding that she is not the things she has done, and she cannot and will not let her past define her future.
Cedric’s arc, on the other hand, digs into what happens when you find out that things you once thought to be immutable truths end up being false. With everything going on in the world today, I would hope that readers who might see themselves or parts of their lives reflected in these characters will be bolstered and emboldened by their journeys. And I hope they can take heart in knowing that morning will always come, no matter how dark or long the night may seem.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Before writing Smoke and Scar, I had taken an inadvertent hiatus from writing that lasted for over 10 years. I find myself often wondering what would have happened, where would my career be if I had just kept going, kept writing, kept publishing. But it’s fruitless to dwell in “what ifs,” because if I hadn’t written this exact book at this exact time, if I hadn’t published it when I did… well, you get it. So, my advice to other writers would be this: Write the book. Tell your story. And if you ever get hung up on wondering if it’s too late or the wrong time or you missed your chance, believe me when I tell you that you did not. Your readers are out there. They want to hear from you, I promise.
