We’re back with another THP scoop, besties! Today, we’re interviewing author Katie Zhao, who’s all set to release her new novel, Zodiac Rising. It’s the first book of her new fantasy series, Descendants of the Zodiac, and we’re already hyped for the sequel to come out, too!
Zodiac Rising follows modern-day Descendants of one of the twelve Chinese zodiac signs. Four teenagers must embark on a mission to steal back their source of magic that once belonged to their ancestors, while also grappling with grief, curses, and family secrets.
Remember to check out our in-depth book review of Zodiac Rising here. But for now, let’s jump into our exclusive Katie Zhao interview!
Welcome to The Honey POP! To get us started, what are three fun facts you’d like readers to know about you?
Thank you for having me! A few fun facts about me: I’m good at singing, I love music festivals, and I have two cats who are brothers.
Zodiac Rising
Congratulations on the release of your new novel, Zodiac Rising! How would you explain the origin story for this release?
Thank you so much! I got the initial idea for Zodiac Rising about six years ago. I decided I wanted to write a YA contemporary fantasy, but I didn’t have any solid ideas. So I wrote about a page of something vastly different before setting it aside to focus on my other projects. Then, like kismet, GQ released an article that summer by writer Alex Palmer speculating about Chinese art heists happening in Western museums.
I couldn’t stop thinking about what I’d read and all the possibilities it presented. That article impacted me so much that it caused me to rethink my YA contemporary fantasy project entirely to center it around such an epic heist. For the NYC setting, I was inspired by my own lived experiences as well as the rich history of Chinese American influence in this city—it felt like the most natural backdrop for a Chinese American contemporary fantasy.
Zodiac Rising is the first book of your Descendants of the Zodiac series, so there is still much to go. Can you describe your writing journey for this series compared to your other series?
I think this book had the longest gestation period, but it somehow came together really quickly once I finally developed the skills to pull it off. In 2022, I had to toss out the old draft from 2018 and fully start over, but the second time was the charm. Zodiac Rising has been the most difficult book to write in terms of craft—it’s my first time juggling multiple POVs, which just a few years ago I couldn’t fathom pulling off. However, because of the increased difficulty, it’s also been the most rewarding of my books to write so far.
Characters And Zodiacs
Of the seven narrators in Zodiac Rising, whose voice do you enjoy writing most?
I’d say I enjoy writing Evangeline the most. She’s sort of good and sort of evil, very complex and hard to understand at times—she’s my favorite type of character to write.
We love how you use the twelve Chinese zodiac signs as different houses for the characters to belong to. What is your personal or favorite zodiac sign, and are any of those traits reflected in the book?
My personal sign is the Boar! Boars are said to be loyal, hardworking, and caring, as well as reckless and immature. I think all of the characters embody all of these traits at times, with an emphasis on recklessness!
When Alice digs into her past, she learns something crucial about her identity and role in the prophecy. Could you touch on this identity crisis and how it relates to the Asian American experience?
All of my books have grappled with themes of belonging in some way, something with which all Asian Americans are familiar. Of course, not only is Alice Asian diaspora, but she also learns that her identity and place among the Descendants is different and special. I think she learns to embrace and come into her unique self throughout the book, and this is a revelation that many Asian Americans experience as well. We don’t have to fully fit in here or there, as long as we embrace ourselves for who we are.
If you were a Descendant in Zodiac Rising, which of the three supernatural beings would you have been cursed as?
If I could choose, I’d hope to be a fox spirit. I’d hate to have to drink blood or transform into a werewolf at the full moon.
What’s Next
The ending left us on a major cliffhanger, so we have to know: What hints can you give us about book two?
Sorry about that! I do love my cliffhangers. . . . All I’ll say for the sequel is that karma is real, and everything comes around full circle. That’s one of the major themes of the book!
By the time we publish the interview, Zodiac Rising will have been released! What are your goals for the rest of 2024?
Does napping for a million years count? Just kidding, I’ll have way too much to do! I’m hoping to put the finishing touches on the sequel as well as my next YA project.
Finally, what is your favorite trope to read and/or write?
I know everyone loves the enemies-to-lovers romance trope, but I’m a huge sucker for friends-to-lovers.
Zodiac Rising has been the most difficult book to write in terms of craft—it’s my first time juggling multiple POVs […] However, because of the increased difficulty, it’s also been the most rewarding of my books to write so far.
Katie Zhao on Zodiac Rising
You can order a copy of Katie Zhao’s Zodiac Rising here!
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Interested in reading more bookish interviews? You’re in luck!
Want to hear some of our audiobook recommendations? Here’s the latest!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT KATIE ZHAO:
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