Today we are chatting with F.T. Lukens, author of

So This Is Ever After!

Read on for more about F.T., So This is Ever After and a giveaway!

Meet F.T. Lukens!

F.T. Lukens (they/them) is the author of In Deeper Waters and five young adult novels published through Interlude Press. Their book The Rules and Regulations for Mediating Myths & Magic was a 2017 Cybils Award finalist in YA Speculative Fiction, the Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Gold Winner for YA fiction, the Bisexual Book Award for Speculative Fiction, and on ALA’s 2019 Rainbow Book List. F.T. lives in North Carolina with their spouse, three kids, three dogs, and three cats. Visit them at FTLukens.com.

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About So This is Ever After:

Carry On meets Arthurian legend in this funny, subversive young adult fantasy about what happens after the chosen one wins the kingdom and has to get married to keep it…and to stay alive.

Arek hadn’t thought much about what would happen after he completed the prophecy that said he was destined to save the Kingdom of Ere from its evil ruler. So now that he’s finally managed to (somewhat clumsily) behead the evil king (turns out magical swords yanked from bogs don’t come pre-sharpened), he and his rag-tag group of quest companions are at a bit of a loss for what to do next.

As a temporary safeguard, Arek’s best friend and mage, Matt, convinces him to assume the throne until the true heir can be rescued from her tower. Except that she’s dead. Now Arek is stuck as king, a role that comes with a magical catch: choose a spouse by your eighteenth birthday, or wither away into nothing.

With his eighteenth birthday only three months away, and only Matt in on the secret, Arek embarks on a desperate bid to find a spouse to save his life—starting with his quest companions. But his attempts at wooing his friends go painfully and hilariously wrong…until he discovers that love might have been in front of him all along.

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~Author Chat~

What gave you the inspiration to write this book?

This book was born from a desire to write a romantic comedy. I was talking to a friend of mine at a convention who is an amazing contemporary romance author, and I lamented the fact that I didn’t feel as if I could write a contemporary romantic comedy. That author made a comment about writing one but setting it a fantasy world. Thus the seeds for SO THIS IS EVER AFTER were planted. I was so inspired by our conversation that on the drive home I created the characters and mapped out the beginnings of the plot and the story.

Who is your favorite character in the book?

I have so many! This book features a classic questing group of six unique individuals and personalities. They function as a team and a family and the group wouldn’t work if one character was missing from it, so they are all equally important. If I had to choose a favorite, then it would be Arek. Arek is a messy, chaotic lead who tries to trope his way into romance. Despite everything thrown at him that he very vocally does not want, he tries his best.

Which came first, the title or the novel?

Definitely the novel. The title didn’t come until way after, and it changed several times. The working title was Fantasy Rom Com in a Castle.

What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why?

There are two. There is an action scene about midway through the book that involves a moat monster that was just such fun to write and really highlights each character and how they work together. Then there is a scene at the end that I don’t want to spoil but it involves a very dramatic entrance.

Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now?

Patience. My very early days of writing were a constant rush of trying to throw my writing out into the world before it was finished and rushing from one project to the next. And now I really appreciate slowing down and taking my time with developing ideas and being patient with the process, both the creative process and the publishing process. And I think learning patience has served me well. That’s not to say that I don’t tend to want to rush headfirst in projects, but if I don’t have a good idea, I let my thoughts simmer for a bit and creatively go back to the well until I’m inspired again.

What do you like most about the cover of the book?

Everything. I’m so fortunate to have the same cover artist for IN DEEPER WATERS return for SO THIS IS EVER AFTER. Sam Schechter is an amazing artist and I’m so grateful. The best part about this book is while the front cover displays the main romantic pair, the back cover shows the rest of the questing group. It’s so well done. I’m in awe.

What’s a book you’ve recently read and loved?

I recently listened to the audio book of Little Thieves by Margaret Owen, and I loved it. It’s a fairy tale retelling of the Goose Girl which is a story I wasn’t very familiar with. The main character is morally gray and makes interesting choices throughout. The world building is rich and the relationships between the characters are complex and relatable. And the magic/supernatural elements are so well done. I really enjoyed it.

What is the main message or lesson you would like your reader to remember from this book?

The characters in SO THIS IS EVER AFTER are assigned roles by a prophecy and they’re pulled along by destiny and magic which seems to be making all the choices for them. For several of the characters, when the prophecy ends, they have a chance to break out from those assigned roles and show that they are much more than what has been dictated for them and choose the future they want for themselves. For the main character, Arek, he feels as if he doesn’t have that opportunity. But he learns that he does, and he has the ability to make choices and shape his future despite what some higher power has deemed for him. And that’s what I would like readers to take away from the novel. That people are so much more than the roles that society or the world would assign them, and that you don’t have to accept what people think you are or want you to be.

What advice do you have for new writers? 

I would echo the answer about what I’ve learned through my career. Be patient. Don’t rush into things and know that processes can be slow. But keep working. Keep writing the books and stories that you want to see in the world.

Title: So This Is Ever After

Author: F.T. Lukens

ISBN-13: 9781534496880

ISBN-10: 1534496882

On-sale date: Tuesday, March 29, 2022

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Imprint: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Ages: 14 and up; Grades 9 and up

*GIVEAWAY DETAILS* 

Three winners will receive a copy of So This Is Ever After (F.T. Lukens) ~US Only (NO P.O. Boxes)

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