Elise Kova | Dragons and danger

What is the title of your latest release?
DRAGON CURSED

What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
Declared humanity’s savior reborn, Isola Thaz should have a legendary power to slay dragons—instead, she may be cursed to become one of the vicious beasts she’s meant to destroy.

She enters the Tribunal hoping to prove her destiny. But she ends up uncovering Vingard’s darkest lies. Now Isola must confront who she is, what she’s fighting for, and whether salvation lies in protecting the world as she knows it… or burning it down.

How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
I really liked the idea of creating a story that had a major component of survival against inhospitable nature. Where the atmosphere of the world itself asks, “What will people do when pushed to their limits?” I wanted something that was other-world fantasy (because that’s what I love) but with dystopian vibes.

Would you hang out with your heroine in real life?
Absolutely. While no one is perfect, Isola genuinely cares about the people around her - especially her friends. I think she’d be very happy to get a break, too, and just enjoy a cup of tea.

What are three words that describe your heroine?
Determined. Questioning. Growing.

What’s something you learned while writing this book?
This will seem random, but I learned a lot about plants.

DRAGON CURSED is set in a blighted world where nature is becoming inhospitable, so there ended up being a lot of limitations on what the remaining survivors of humanity could reasonably grow for food and other resources.
I realized in editing I had people wearing cotton clothes and eating wheat-based bread. If you’re familiar with plants, you know that cotton and wheat both require a lot of sunshine, water, and land. None of that is plentiful in DRAGON CURSED. So I really had to do a lot of research on what the people of Vinguard could realistically grow based on their limitations, what they’d make from it, or how they’d cook with it.

Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
Generally speaking, I wait until I’m totally done. Only if I get stuck do I go back and edit because I’ve usually written myself into a corner.

What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
Bread. I love baking and have an almost 10-year-old sourdough starter. (Hence why I was so thrown off when I realized wheat wasn’t really an option at scale for the world of DRAGON CURSED!)

Describe your writing space/office!
I’m either writing on my desktop in my office - ergonomic mousepad and keyboard, candle burning or on a candle warmer, my cat nearby, music in the background; Or I’m writing at a café on my laptop with headphones on, a delicious matcha or coffee latte, enjoying the hum of people around me.

Who is an author you admire?
Danielle L Jensen. I’m biased because she’s also a dear friend of mine. But one of the things about being a close friend with someone is you see how they work and act as a person. Not only are Danielle’s books great, but she’s also a savvy businesswoman, passionate about her craft, and an all around great friend.

Is there a book that changed your life?
Magic Casement, the first book in A Man of His Word series by Dave Duncan. I had a teacher recommend this book to me in high school when I was at a really low point and it ended up not only being the escape I needed, but reigniting a passion for reading and fantasy in general that was beginning to dull from the stress of life.

Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published). Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
When I knew DRAGON CURSED was going forward, I was super ecstatic because of the team I was going to have the opportunity to work with.

I’m now 10 years in as a published author with over 30 books both independently and traditionally published, so I know that most of my ideas (eventually, when ready) will see the light of day in one form or another. So, for me, what I get really excited about are the people I get to work with to bring those ideas to life - if I’m doing it myself or working with a publisher.

DRAGON CURSED has a truly fabulous and passionate team behind it and that was the real highlight for me.

What’s your favorite genre to read?
Fantasy, of course! But, seriously, I write books I would want to read. Other worlds filled with magic, different beings, and monsters has always been and will always be my favorite place to be.

What’s your favorite movie?
Probably the Nightmare Before Christmas. I watch it every year sometime between Halloween and Christmas and it just hits me in all the best nostalgic feels.

What is your favorite season?
Fall.

How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
Out to dinner at a great restaurant with even better friends.

What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
Two books I finished recently and loved are These Shattered Spires by Cassidy Ellis Salter, and A Stage Set for Villains by Shannon J. Spann.

What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
I cannot possibly pick just one. The world is full of too many fabulous flavors.

But I will say my favorite food is curry. I love curry in all its forms - Indian, Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese, Jamaican, and more - every region reinvents it in such delicious ways, and I’ve never met a curry-based or inspired dish I didn’t enjoy.

What do you do when you have free time?
Spend time with my family, play video games, host Dungeons and Dragons for my friends… and sleep. I probably should do more of that last one.

What can readers expect from you next?
2026 is actually a big year for me. We’re starting off strong with the release of DRAGON CURSED. But then I have the re-releases of my Married to Magic stand-alone adult romantasy novels throughout the year. And the second book of my epic fantasy meets dark academia Arcana Academy series is out in July.

DRAGON CURSED by Elise Kova