"How do you choose what the men shall smell like?" - Intervju med Elise Kova

I början av juni fick jag lägga händerna på Arcana Academy - en ny romantasy av Elise Kova som skulle släppas i juli. Jag har läst en hel del i genren, men det var något särskilt med det här omslaget som direkt fångade min uppmärksamhet. När jag sedan upptäckte att magisystemet i boken bygger på tarotkortleken som alltid har faschinerat mig, kastade jag mig över sidorna, och jag blev verkligen inte besviken! 

Precis som i Throne of Glass börjar boken med att den kriminella huvudkaraktären Clara Graysword suttit länge i det fruktade Halazar -fängelset. För att ta sig därifrån och behålla sin frihet krävs en falsk förlovning med ingen mindre än den fruktade rektorn på den mystiska skolan för magi. Dark Academia, Enemys-to-lovers och väldigt mycket tarot! Jag älskar också böcker där huvudpersonen är sådär riktigt, riktigt bra på det de gör. Arcana Academy är verkligen en bok att hypea upp, och en bok jag inte kunde släppa. Och vet du vad? Jag fick dessutom chansen att snacka med Elise Kova själv om magi, book boyfriends, dofter (ja, det är en grej), och varför man alltid vill läsa “bara ett kapitel till”: 

For new readers: can you tell us a little about yourself and your books? You've written both series and stand-alone novels.
Absolutely! I’m Elise Kova, and I’ve been writing professionally for ten years now. I have more than thirty published novels with varying levels of romance and magic. Some of my series and books take place within shared universes, while others are completely standalone worlds. I strive to build worlds my readers will want to explore every corner of with characters they’re ready to obsess over. Stories with heart, action, hope, and enough danger to keep things interesting.

Who would you say your books are suitable for? Who will like your books?
On a broad level, I like to think that any reader who enjoys epic fantasy and doesn’t mind a bit of romance can find something to love in at least one of my worlds. That said, each of my series has its own unique flavor. For example, my debut, Air Awakens, which is a young adult epic fantasy romance built around elemental magic; it’s very different from the next big series I wrote, the Loom Saga, which is an adult, gaslamp, multi-POV adventure with dark fantasy elements; then there’s my Married to Magic universe: standalone romantasy novels that I wrote to be swoon-worthy, fairy-tale inspired, escapist reads. And of course, my newest series, Arcana Academy, stands apart again. It’s an epic fantasy rooted in tarot-inspired magic, set against a dark academia backdrop with secrets, trials, and enemies turned reluctant allies turned lovers. Because my work spans a variety of tones and tropes, I always encourage readers to browse the descriptions, check out reviews, and decide which world feels like the right fit for them.

Arcana Academy is being released at the end of July and it's the first book in a new series.  I've just read it and I devoured it, but can you tell us about it yourself?
Arcana Academy is the start of a new trilogy following Clara Graysword and her pursuit of a legendary power that can reshape the world. The story opens in Halazar Prison, where Clara is serving a life sentence for using illegal tarot magic. Despite her bleak circumstances, she still plots an escape. That is, until the day the second-born prince shows up and announces she is to be executed. Clara seizes the moment to flee, only to discover the whole thing was a test. Impressed by her skill, the prince offers her a deal: return to prison, or help him commit treason by stealing from the king. Clara agrees to the latter, but her freedom comes at a steep price. To keep her safety, she must pretend to be the prince’s fiancée and enroll in Arcana Academy, a place she swore to her late mother she’d never step foot in again. Within the academy’s halls, Clara is forced to navigate deadly trials, unravel long-buried secrets, and contend with a slow-burn entanglement with the very man she suspects may have put her behind bars… and might be connected to her mother’s death. It’s perfect for readers who love dark academia, fantasy romance, and heroines with sharp edges and secrets of their own.

If you were to put a genre on Arcana Academy what would you say it would end up in?
I’d call Arcana Academy an adult epic fantasy romance with strong dark academia vibes. It has the layered world-building and high stakes of epic fantasy, as well as a central romantic thread that grows across the trilogy—but the romance is not the plot itself.

I really liked the magic system in the book.You have chosen to base the magic on tarot cards – please tell us a little about it! How did you come up with this? Do you use tarot cards yourself? 
I’m so glad you enjoyed the magic system! Honestly, building magic systems is one of my favorite parts of the writing process, so hearing that it resonated means a lot. I actually learned how to read tarot when I was about eight, and it’s been part of my life in some form ever since. For years, I knew I wanted to craft a story that revolved around tarot, but the right idea just hadn’t quite come together… until Arcana Academy. The magic system in this world—inking, reading, and wielding tarot cards—is built around the concept of tarot as a rare, powerful, and highly regulated art. Each card functions as its own unique spell, but the way it’s used also depends on the arcanist’s creativity and intent. That balance between structure and imagination was really fun to explore, and it opened the door to so many possibilities within the story.

In Arcana Academy the students are placed in their own house. Can you tell us a little about the different houses and which qualifications are required to get in?
Yes! I love some of the “classic” themes of houses and dormitories that is seen in many previous magical schools. But, of course, I wanted to add my own twists that reflect the deeper themes of the world I was making to hopefully make it feel unique to Arcana Academy. I wanted to weave tarot into every layer of society in this series—from the political structures to personal relationships—and the house system was another way to show how fundamental tarot is to the structure of the world. The houses are inspired by the Minor Arcana suits: Swords, Wands, Cups, and Coins. Each one reflects different values, magical focuses, and social dynamics that you see reflected in the cards. Swords are quick-witted leaders and think with their head over their heart, Wands are creative and ambitious but perhaps too quick moving, Cups are empathetic at their best and emotionally manipulative at their worst, Coins are grounded in reality but perhaps to a fault at times. But unlike being “sorted” by an impartial force, students at Arcana Academy aren’t assigned a house, they choose one. And then the house must accept them. Gaining entry isn’t just about magical aptitude (though that’s definitely important); it also depends heavily on relationships, influence, and who you know. That idea of power beyond magic is a major undercurrent in this series. That power takes many forms and can be wielded in different ways. The house system is just one of the many ways those themes I wanted to explore play out.

The main character, Clara Graysword, feels pretty relatable. She's not black or white morally; one moment you agree with her and the next you don't – just like a real person. What do you think about Clara yourself? Is she based on some real person or maybe on yourself? How did you come up with her?
I’m so glad Clara resonated with you! That kind of feedback means the world. One of my biggest goals as an author is to create characters who feel real. Not necessarily always likable or “right,” but understandable. So when a reader tells me a character felt relatable, that’s one of the highest compliments I can get. For me, relatability often comes from allowing a character to be flawed. None of us are perfect in our choices, our appearances, or even our intentions. But we also aren’t just a collection of flaws. We’re layered. We have strengths that sometimes work against us and weaknesses that occasionally serve us. That balance is something I try really hard to reflect in my characters. I don’t base any one character on a specific real-life person, but of course, little fragments of myself and the people I know sneak into every character I write. Those pieces evolve as I layer them through the lens of the world the character lives in and the circumstances they face. With Clara, I wanted someone who was strong, but sometimes to a fault. She’s had to be fiercely independent to survive, but that survival instinct can make her overly guarded or unwilling to accept help. She’s loyal, but that loyalty can become blinding. I really leaned into exploring how a trait that’s admirable in one context can be dangerous in another. That tension—between strength and vulnerability, right and wrong, love and distrust—is where Clara lives.

And yes, we have to talk a bit about prince Kaelis. Of course, he's a dark, handsome prince with a troubled childhood, and yes. We love him. Do you have something you want to tell us about Kaelis?
Ah, my dear Prince Kaelis… I do have a soft spot for a tortured prince, no question about it. With Kaelis, there’s a lot left intentionally in the shadows. He’s keeping secrets, not just from Clara, but from the reader too, and those layers are peeled back slowly over the course of the trilogy. There’s definitely a method to his madness, but you won’t get the full picture in book one alone. He’s the kind of character where every answer raises more questions, and that’s very much by design. So if you find yourself intrigued (or even frustrated!) by him, I hope you’ll stick with the series because by the end I think you’ll understand exactly why he is the way he is… and maybe even fall for him a little more.

And an important question from a romantasy-lover: HOW do you choose what the men shall smell like?!
I’ve started keeping track. Pine is very common. (Sarah J Maas are using a pine and winther- scent in Throne of glass and Lauren Roberts also got Pine in Powerless). Also Cedar (as prince Kaelis) and lether (Xaden Riorson, Fourth Wing). Do you smell stuff to decide, like candles, or do you go to a wood shop? I really been thinking about this!
Scent is a bit of a romantasy cliché, but I think it’s one that exists for good reason. It is such a powerful part of attraction and connection. Our sense of smell is the one most closely tied to memory. So when a character has a distinct scent, even if it’s just described on the page, I think it helps make the character stick with the reader. It makes them feel more tangible. And since most of my stories are told from the heroine’s point of view (and she’s obviously into the guy) of course she’s going to notice how good he smells! It’s kind of like how the same soap somehow smells better on someone you’re in love with. As for how I choose the scents? I’ve always been obsessed with candles and incense, so I’ve built up a pretty solid mental “scent library.” But I also take it one step further: I go to a shop near me that lets you make your own custom candles. I create a unique scent blend that matches the “book boyfriend” I’m writing at the time and then I burn that candle while I work on the book.

Do you have any book recs? Something you are reading now?
Absolutely! I always recommend anything by Danielle L. Jensen. She balances world-building with romance in a way that’s a delight every time. Her Bridge Kingdom or A Fate Inked in Blood are great places to start if you haven’t already. I also recently finished The Deathless One by Emma Hamm and had such a good time with it. It’s a romantasy that perfectly blends desire and vengeance, perfect for readers who like their romance with an edge.

Now I've come to the end of my questions but do you have anything you want to say to your Swedish fans and maybe even to new readers who discover you?
The biggest thing I always want to say is simply: thank you. To my readers, and to anyone discovering my books for the first time, I’m so deeply grateful. Thank you for your faith in me and my stories, for your support, and for letting me take you on these magical, emotional, sometimes chaotic adventures. There are so many books out there, and I never take it for granted when someone chooses to spend their time with mine. And even if you pick up one of my books and realize it’s not quite your thing, that’s okay, too. Not every story is for every reader. But the fact that you were willing to give it a try? That means everything to me. So, happy reading! 

Thank you so much Elise! 

Här nedanför hittar du Elises böcker och en mängd tarotkort - kanske platsar du i Arcana Academy?