Exclusive Interview: Kerri Maniscalco Discusses Kingdom of the Feared

Kerri Maniscalco is a popular and successful author of young adult books. She has written two New York Times best-selling series. The Stalking Jack the Ripper quartet is a series of gothic thrillers and murder mysteries. The Kingdom of the Wicked trilogy is a dark fantasy with elements of romance and witchy magic. Readers are enamored with Kerri’s alluring, suspenseful, and atmospheric writing style.

Her latest novel is Kingdom of the Feared, the highly-anticipated conclusion to the Kingdom of the Wicked trilogy. 

Pop Culturalist had a chance to speak with Kerri about Kingdom of the Feared, her passion for storytelling, and her creative process.

PC: To start, please briefly introduce our readers to the Kingdom of the Wicked trilogy.
Kerri: Thank you so much for having me! The Kingdom of the Wicked books are a fantasy romance series that follows a Sicilian witch named Emilia as she embarks on a (literal) hellish journey to discover the truth behind her twin’s murder.

Things kick off when Emilia accidentally binds herself to Wrath, one of the Wicked who are the seven ruling demon princes of the underworld, and she’s quickly thrust into a world of sin, vice, and deception. Emilia was warned that when it came to the Wicked, nothing was as it seemed. But have the true villains been much closer all along? That’s what readers find out in the conclusion, Kingdom of the Feared.

PC: What sparked the idea for this series?
Kerri: My family is Sicilian and had a grocery store and restaurant when they immigrated here, and I always wanted to feature that in one of my books. I actually started drafting this in early 2015 and was intrigued by the idea of two enemies who had the potential to either fall in love, or kill each other as they were forced to solve a mystery. I had to put it aside when the Stalking Jack the Ripper series sold, but never stopped thinking about those two characters who hated each other so passionately…

PC: In three to five words, please describe what readers can expect from Kingdom of the Feared.
Kerri: Vengeance. Spice. Truth. Betrayal. And redemption.

PC: What aspects of Emilia and Wrath (as individual characters) do you enjoy writing about? What types of scenes between them are the most fun to write?
Kerri: I loved how involved with her family Emilia was and how passionate she was about cooking. It was interesting to see how she often used each of those aspects to cope with the gigantic changes to her life and ground herself again.

For Wrath, I enjoyed seeing how his sin/power worked and also how he was ultimately in control of it. Learning his moral boundaries was also really fun to discover and write about. He’s not human. He doesn’t operate under the same principles we do, and I found that to be both challenging and exciting for not only him, but each of the demon princes. As for scenes? I love banter and romantic tension—so any of those types of scenes are my favorites!

PC: Did you stick to the original ending you had planned for Kingdom of the Feared or did it evolve as you wrote the series?
Kerri: Almost everything that came in each of the previous books has been leading up to this ending, so I stuck to the original plan. (Even the tagline from the first book relates to the ending!) Since I plot out major points per book and give my characters backstories before I begin drafting a series, I’ve found it’s really helpful to keep the different major threads/reveals on track (at least the way I envision them unraveling). One of my close author friends likes to think of it like a clothesline that everything hangs off of—other points/elements/scenes can get put up on the line or evolve slightly, but the major line remains intact/consistent throughout.

PC: What were your thoughts/feelings as you reached the end of writing the Kingdom of the Wicked trilogy?
Kerri: It’s always bittersweet to finish a series. On one hand I was wildly excited! Not only because I’m really happy with how it all unfolded, but I’m so ready for readers to finally get the answers they’ve been waiting for. Knowing all the players and having to keep ALL THE THINGS a secret for over three books is hard. And it’s also bittersweet because this part of Wrath and Emilia’s journey has ended and closing that final chapter is never easy.

PC: How did you discover your passion for storytelling?
Kerri: Writing is something I’ve always been drawn to and have done for fun, but it took a while for me to arrive at the idea that I could try to become a published author and not just write as a hobby. When I was five or six I used to create stories and backstories for my PlaySkool farm set and would make my poor dad film it like it was a TV show and then have my mom sit in as the audience. They were super supportive parents!

PC: Who or what has influenced you the most as a writer?
Kerri: So many things can influence my writing. A song, a bit of a conversation I’ve heard, a question I can’t get out of my head, a painting I’ve seen and have wondered about. I gravitate towards anything with a moody atmosphere, so whether it’s an author like Poe, or a walk in a foggy wood, I’m definitely getting inspired. If I were to choose a person? I’d say my grandmother. She always encouraged my imagination as a child—a stream wasn’t a stream, it was a babbling brook. The flowers in a field weren’t simply wildflowers, they were fairy rings. She taught me to see and appreciate the magic in everyday things.

PC: What writing lessons have you learned over the course of completing two series?
Kerri: Before I wrote to a deadline, I used to start at chapter one and draft all the way through to the end in a linear fashion. I quickly realized in order to get the work completed and on time, I don’t have to work so rigidly. For the last several books, I plot out what scenes I want to incorporate into the story—usually by writing them down on postcards—that way if I’m in a mood to write romance or mystery, etc., I can choose from my notes/postcards to accomplish my scene/chapter goals and still maintain creativity and passion during the drafting process. I’m much more productive when I’m not forcing the writing. It’s kind of like using a writing prompt except it’s all been previously plotted to fit the framework of my book.

PC: How do you replenish your creative well to keep yourself excited about writing?
Kerri: I enjoy reading books with my friends and sister, and when we finish we’ll usually chat about what we liked or didn’t like, what was fun or different, or how we’d play out a different scene or thread or plot point. Or just simply squeal over how much we loved the characters or the love interest or a combination of everything! I also like watching Masterclasses—it’s fun to see how others are inspired and take notes.

PC: Can you share with us what you are working on next?
Kerri: Ooooh…this is REALLY tough because I want to tell you ALL the things! Unfortunately I can’t say much right now, but I’m hoping I can share a title reveal and some information during the holiday season. What I can say is I’m obsessed with this story—it’s dual POV, it’s sexy and fun and dark with a ton of tropes I adore as a reader—and it’s scheduled to hit shelves next fall.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Writing session must have? (ex: music, food, drink, etc) 
Kerri: Strong coffee to start, frozen strawberries w/half and half to finish.

PC: Plotter or pantser?
Kerri: Both! I plot out major points and follow a three act story structure, then let the characters (somewhat) arrive at those points on their own on the scene level.

PC: Audiobooks, physical books, or e-books?
Kerri: All three at different times.

PC: Genre(s) other than fantasy (or murder mystery) you would like to write?
Kerri: Adult, Romance (fantasy romance)

PC: Currently watching or reading?
Kerri: I’m binge-watching Love Island UK and living for it!

Follow Kerri Maniscalco online, Twitter, and Instagram.

Kingdom of the Feared is on sale now.

Photo Credit: Kelli Maniscalco