Armadillo Exclusive: Lauren Roberts interview!

An Armadillo Exclusive interview with Lauren Roberts as we celebrate the worldwide publication of Fearless, the conclusion to the Powerless trilogy...

You began writing while a teenager. Were you balancing with school/college and how did you manage?

While attempting to write a book for the first time at eighteen, I was also juggling college and a part-time job. I would wake up, attend my classes, go to work, then come home and write until four in the morning. That said, I’m not sure it was the healthiest work-life-hobby balance, but I absolutely loved it.

Prior to writing this romantasy trilogy were you an avid reader of the genre? Has being a published author changed your own reading habits at all?

I indulged mostly in the ‘romantasy’ genre during my late teen years. But I did find that being in such a book-centered occupation nudged me to explore different genres. Now I thoroughly enjoy literary fiction and poetry, though I credit some of this shift to simply growing up.

The first book was originally self-published, can you recall the day that you were told it had a publisher and explain how it felt, what changes it made for you.

I vividly remember the day I had that life-altering call with the Simon and Schuster team (at a friend’s house, watching her dog while she was on vacation). I was nineteen years old and couldn’t believe a publisher wanted me as one of their authors. The opportunity completely changed my life! Suddenly, I had the privilege of reaching so many readers while working with a team of incredible people. It truly was a dream come true.

Were you always aware that this story would need a trilogy, to give readers full exposure to all the events?

From the moment I began developing Powerless, I knew it would be a trilogy. I didn’t have what is now Reckless and Fearless completely fleshed out, but I knew where the series needed to go. And I feel very lucky to be finishing what I started at eighteen!

How did you create your world – the Kingdom of Ilya, the people, the lovers… Did you have to map everything out & did it go through more than one iteration?

Powerless started with a single shower thought—what if I flipped the ‘chosen trope’ on its head? From that one spark of inspiration, the entire story grew. I started with the characters and worked my way out. Who was Paedyn? Kai? Their dynamic? After discovering every detail about them, the story fell into place around those characters. I made a loose outline to map out how each scene needed to escalate, as I very much identify as a pantser, not a plotter. But the Powerless out now looks very different from my first draft. I kept building the world with every pass through the book—editing scenes, adding more history, refining details. It was so fascinating to watch this kingdom evolve on the page.

The Elites having been given power by the Plague, an event in history that we tend to associate with death, is fascinating to me. Did you create the Elites in this way because of the inherent darkness of the association?

There is certainly more to the Plague than meets the eye. The devastation that provided the Elites with their abelites definitely speaks to the darkness that can accompany power.

What is it, in your opinion, about the enemies-to-lover trope that inspires you & creates such a draw for so many readers? Do you think giving your characters different status’ plays a strong role in the trope?

I believe what makes the enemies-to-lovers trope so appealing is the fact that we don’t experience it in this world. When this type of romance is placed into a high-stakes fantasy world, it adds a level of tension that simply cannot be replicated in our current society. I am always chasing the high that accompanies a brawl between bantering love interests or a ‘tending-to-wounds trope’. That said, I absolutely think giving my characters differing statuses aids in writing those angsty moments. When two people are told they cannot be together, it only makes them want each other more.

Reckless, the second book, develops in both story and setting. Did these aspects of the world exist before you started on the second book or develop with the telling?

By the time I finished Powerless, I knew most of what Reckless would entail. Again, the pantser in me hadn’t aligned every detail, but I knew what needed to be accomplished. So, most of the settings and situations were determined long before writing book two, but there were certainly things that developed along the way. For instance, the Sanctuary of Souls was a landmark I had added to the map in Powerless after creating it for the books moving forward.

What do think is the lure, the draw for readers, to fantasy, especially to its use of brutal competitions such as the Purging Trials? Do they make a good equalizer for the characters & help to structure story arcs?

For me, brutal competitions like the Purging Trials really humanize the characters within them. And, as a reader, that is what I am constantly looking for in a fantasy book—connection to the protagonist. Much like the draw of enemies-to-lovers, I think these Trials offer a sort of tension that jumps off the page. And they certainly help conjure scenarios that draw characters closer while maintaining a compelling plot.

Both Paedyn & Kai have their own agendas in Reckless. Who, for you, is the most reckless of the pair & why?

I think Kai has strayed rather far from the Enforcer he was at the beginning of Powerless. He has risked so much since falling for Paedyn—who has nothing to lose—and continues to do so even after her betrayal. 

Powerless was very much Peadyn’s story. Reckless seems to be both hers & Kai’s or do you see it as Kai’s story with ‘their’ story coming in Fearless?

I have always viewed this series as Paedyn’s story, though Kai plays a huge role in it. Each book brings her closer to discovering herself and her own power. That said, Kai did showcase more emotional depth in Reckless—which focused on his and Pae’s relationship. If there is one book in the series that belongs to both of them, it would be that one.

Will you be sad to leave this world or are there more stories for it to tell? When you are not busy writing about the Kingdom of Ilya, what do you enjoy reading?

It is very bittersweet, stepping out of this world. But I still have one foot in, as there is definitely more to tell in the future. I owe so much to these books and those that read them. The Powerless series will always have a special place in my heart! But when I’m not writing about Pae and Kai, I can be found reading witty literary fiction and, of course, romantasy.

Fearless, the conclusion to the trilogy, is out now. Published by Simon & Schuster Children's Books, the harback inside covers have beautiful maps of Ilya, created by Patrick Knowles.

Lauren can be found on TikTok @laurenrobertslibrary

My thanks to Lauren for taking the time to answer these questions, for the amazing books too! And also to Deborah Goodman or DGPR for making this possible.