Kate Quinn: Give Yourself Permission To Be Bad
In this interview, bestselling author Kate Quinn discusses how a single book-lovers question inspired her new novel, The Astral Library.
Kate Quinn is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction. A native of Southern California, she attended Boston University, where she earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in classical voice. A lifelong history buff, she has written four novels in the Empress of Rome Saga and two books set in the Italian Renaissance before turning to the 20th century with The Alice Network, The Huntress, The Rose Code, The Diamond Eye, and The Briar Club. The Astral Library is her first foray into magic realism. She and her husband now live in Maryland with their rescue dogs. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram.
In this interview, Kate discusses how a single book-lovers question inspired her new novel, The Astral Library, her advice for other writers, and more.
Name: Kate Quinn
Literary agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency
Book title: The Astral Library
Publisher: William Morrow (HarperCollins)
Release date: February 17, 2026
Genre/category: magical realism, fantasy
Previous titles: The Empress of Rome Saga (4 novels); the Borgia Chronicles (2 novels); The Alice Network; The Huntress; The Rose Code; The Diamond Eye; The Briar Club; Collaborate works: A Day of Fire; A Year of Ravens; A Song of War; Ribbons of Scarlet; The Phoenix Crown
Elevator pitch: Have you ever wished you could live inside a book? Welcome to the Astral Library, where books are not just objects, but doors to new worlds, new lives, and new futures.
What prompted you to write this book?
I had the title, The Astral Library, but no book idea to go with it—which is very unusual for me; normally I have the book first and then struggle to find the right title. But suddenly a question dropped in my head: What if you could walk into the world of your favorite book and live there? And I knew I’d found my story for the title.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
I had the idea maybe in 2021? I pitched it to my agent and editor, thinking perhaps they wouldn’t want it—magical realism is a long way from my usual stomping ground, which is historical women’s fiction. But they loved the idea. I had two other books to finish first, though, so this one was slotted into the schedule for 2026, after I turned in The Briar Club THE BRIAR CLUB and The Phoenix Crown.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
Writing magical realism meant a whole different demographic to target for readership, and that affected everything from how the cover would look to what bloggers and bookstagrammers we reached out to with Advanced Reader Copies. Definitely a learning experience.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
Working in a brand-new genre is always surprising. When I write historical fiction, I certainly have to do a lot of world-building, but I don’t have to figure out what the rules of magic for this world are, and whether or not I should include dragons!
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
First of all, a story that entertains—that’s the first goal of any storyteller. Second, some lingering thoughts about the importance of libraries and how to support them. Third, a spirited discussion about which book they would choose to live in if they could!
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Give yourself permission to be bad. Silence that little voice in your head, the one that says “This is terrible, what am I doing, I can’t let anyone see this” and just finish. Your first draft will be terrible, and that’s fine. Everyone’s first drafts are, mine included, and that’s fine! Just finish that first draft and fix it later. I’ve heard the quote attributed to everyone from Nora Roberts to Jodi Picoult, but whoever said it, it’s true: “You can fix a bad page, but you can’t fix a blank page.”
