Described by our expert reviewer, Joanna Owen as a "swashbuckling, richly-imagined piratical adventure shot-through with personal conflict and themes of imperialism", Capitana is sure to delight fans of romantasy. But Cassandra James’ debut is "so much more than that classification suggests. Yes, there are fantastical elements, and simmering frissons of romance, but Capitana is, at its core, a story of intense conflict between family bonds and loyalties to its protagonist’s zealous dedication to her empire."

We are thrilled to welcome Cassandra James as our Debut Author of the Month and lucky for us, she agreed to answer a few questions on her exhilarating novel and its journey to publication.

Q. Ximena is such a fascinating character. Her personality — and personal conflicts — feel remarkably real from the opening scene. Did she “appear” to you pretty much as we experience her in the book, or did she evolve through drafts of the novel?

A. Ximena has truly been there from the beginning. While writing the first draft, I challenged myself to create a character who wasn’t necessarily likeable, but was ultimately lovable in spite of her many flaws. Ximena leapt into my head in all of her stubborn, ambitious glory, and she drove the story from beginning to end.

Q. Related to thinking about how Ximena came to be — and considering that the pirate character of Gasparilla has historic roots — did you do a lot of research into real-life female pirates from history, of which there are many notable examples? What was your research process?

A. I’m so glad you asked! Before writing Capitana, I actually went on a three week research trip across the state of Florida to immerse myself in the Golden Age of Piracy, visiting museums, archives, and historical sites. I even learned to sail and fight with a rapier, too! Female pirates in particular have always been fascinating to me. In pop culture, most pirate-related media is dominated by men. But in reality, women were some of the most feared pirates on the high seas, and for good reason! Piracy was one of the few outlets for women at that time to build a life entirely on their own terms, free of society’s expectations, and many acquired fame, power, and fortune equal to or greater than their male counterparts. I was inspired by the very real stories of those women (Anne Bonny and Grace O’Malley from Ireland, Mary Read from England, Cheng I Sao from China, the list goes on!) to create my own fictional pirates.

Q. Themes of imperialism and colonialism are threaded through the story, not least when we discover what drove Ximena’s parents to become pirates. Which came first — Ximena the character, Capitana the adventure plot, or the desire to explore such themes?

A. Capitana began with a question that I wrote in a little blue notebook after coming home from my research trip: what if there was an academy for pirate hunters? Of course, that question immediately introduces a good vs. evil dynamic, with the lawful hunters on one side and lawless pirates on the other. But I was curious about what would happen if the truth was more complicated than that. What if the version of history the Empire of Luza was presenting actually wasn’t the entire story? So Capitana’s plot and characters were really born from those questions about truth, courage, justice, and freedom.

Q. Which elements of the story were most challenging to get right? For example, it’s no easy feat to mix conjuring a visceral sense of battles and emotional conflicts with fantastical elements.

A. Very true! Capitana is also built on surprises and plot twists, so the biggest challenge for me was learning how to reveal just enough information to keep readers guessing, but not enough for them to discover the whole truth too soon. It’s a delicate balancing act. But thankfully, I have a fabulous editorial team who helped me walk it, and the result is so much fun. It truly makes my day when I get a message from a reader saying, I did NOT see that coming! That means I’ve done my job right.

Q. Ximena aside, which character was most fun to write? For example, Pia the archivist provided an interesting juxtaposition to Ximena, being somewhat naïve but also deeply devoted to serving the empire. Then there’s maddening Dante! How did you find inspiration for him?

A. Dante just has a way of commandeering scenes (and hearts) wherever he goes. I knew Ximena needed a foil, a character that pushed her buttons and challenged her to become the best version of herself. Dante, charmingly irritating as he is, became that perfect foil. He’s as lazy as Ximena is hardworking, and as cowardly as she is courageous. But he’s also discerning, spontaneous, and creative in a way that she is not. It made their dynamic so much fun to develop! Oh, and you just might catch traces of some of your favourite fictional characters in Dante: I was inspired by Draco Malfoy from the Harry Potter series, Naveen from Disney’s Princess and the Frog, and Finnick Odair from The Hunger Games, among others!

Q. Did you always want to be a writer?

A. I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was about ten years old. I was a voracious reader at the time (still am!) and quickly ran out of the kind of books I wanted to read. When I complained to my mom, she offered me a challenge: if you can’t find the book you want to read, then write it! I took her up on it, and I’ve been writing about a book a year ever since.

Q. What are the challenges of bringing a novel to publication? How did you find the process?

A. Without a doubt, rejection was the hardest part of the publishing process. No one likes waking up to a dozen emails in your inbox telling you your book won’t sell! But in my experience, the only way to get through the constant rejection as a writer is knowing your “why”— why do you want to bring this specific book into the world? At my core, I knew I wanted to reach other kids like me, who craved books that were full of swashbuckling action and swoonworthy romance. That “why” fueled me through the criticism and closed doors, until I eventually found the publishing teams who were just as excited about Capitana as I was.

Q. Any tips or advice for fellow writers trying to get their first novel published?

A. Don’t be afraid to ask questions! I know, it can feel very intimidating to jump into this industry with all of its crazy jargon. I felt the same way! But I encourage you to reach out to local authors and booksellers in your area and ask them about their experience. I learned so much in my early days of writing by pestering the people who had gone through the publishing process before me. They truly have so much wisdom to share.

Q. How did it feel to hold the finished copy of your debut novel in your hand - and how did you celebrate?

A. Oh my goodness, it was incredibly surreal! When I opened the first box of Capitana hardcovers, I just started bawling—it was literal dream come true, fourteen years in the making. I was also blessed enough to have a two part Capitana celebration. I flew with my best friend to London for the UK launch (which happened on an actual pirate ship, the biggest pinch-me moment of my life!), then came back to Florida to host the pirate-themed US release party at my local childhood bookshop, Barnes and Noble. Like, how on earth is this my life?! I fear I may never get over it.

Congratulations on your winning debut, Cassandra. Capitana is our February Debut of the Month and we have given it a well-deserved Star!

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