Roshani Chokshi: On the Darkness of Fairytales
In this interview, bestselling author Roshani Chokshi discusses writing exactly what she set out to write in her new YA fantasy, The Swan’s Daughter.
Roshani Chokshi is the award-winning author of the New York Times-bestselling series The Star-Touched Queen, The Gilded Wolves, and Aru Shah and The End of Time, which Time magazine named one of the Top 100 Fantasy Books of All Time. Chokshi’s adult debut, The Last Tale of The Flower Bride, was a #1 Sunday Times bestseller. Her novels have been translated into more than two dozen languages and often draw upon world mythology and folklore. Chokshi is a member of the National Leadership Board for the Michael C. Carlos Museum and lives in Georgia with her family. Visit her online at RoshaniChokshi.com, and follow her on Facebook and Instagram.
In this interview, Roshani discusses writing exactly what she set out to write in her new YA fantasy, The Swan’s Daughter, her hope for readers, and more.
Name: Roshani Chokshi
Literary agent: Jordan Hill
Book title: The Swan’s Daughter
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Release date: January 6, 2026
Genre/category: Young adult fantasy
Previous titles: Aru Shah series, Star-Touched duology, Gilded Wolves trilogy, Once More Upon a Time, Spirit Glass, Last Tale of The Flower Bride
Elevator pitch: An earnest prince destined to die by the hand of his wife attempts to survive a bridal contest by finding true love.
What prompted you to write this book?
In the aftermath of my daughter’s birth, I was unmoored from myself and craved the comfort and familiar darkness of fairytales. I was also annoyed by the number of dead parents (and dead mothers in particular) strewn across the pages of fairytales and wanted to write something different.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
The idea emerged fully formed on the page and went through very little changes. I imagine that’s because I did a great deal of the pre-writing and thinking in these intense spurts at 3 am where I was either rocking or feeding or consoling my furious daughter, and so the time when I sat down to write was more or less time spent transcribing rather than actively thinking.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
The Swan’s Daughters marks my 15th novel and yet the magic and chaos of a book release is still the same. I’m still always petrified before release. I’m still always humbled by readers. I’m deeply grateful and surprised that some things never change.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
Oftentimes I get to the end of a draft only to realize this is not the book I meant to write. But with The Swan’s Daughter, I wrote exactly what I wanted. The process isn’t likely to repeat itself ever again, I’m afraid.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
I don’t want readers to get anything out of the book; rather, I want them to get into a particular place when they read it. It’s like this: You fall asleep in the car as a child. It’s cold outside and the air smells like snow. You’re too big to be carried but someone you love does it anyway, hauling you up, puffy jacket and all, through the garage door, past the basement that sometimes scares you, up the stairs, and into the bed you clumsily made that morning. Maybe later you’ll wake up. Maybe you’ll read a book under the covers. You’re scared of what’s under your bed, so you don’t go downstairs for a glass of water. You fall asleep to the sound of an unhurried conversation down the hallway, the pitter patter of rain, the assurance that tomorrow will come and you’re bound to be frightened by something or another, but never once will you doubt you’re loved.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Ask yourself what makes you feel the most and then pin it down with words.
