Jenny Elder Moke is the author of the new young adult novel A Spark in the Cinders. Her other books include the YA novel Hood. She lives in Denver.
Q: What inspired you to write A Spark in the Cinders, and how did you create your character Aralyn?
A: Disney came to me with the idea of a Cinderella retelling from the perspective of one of the wicked stepsisters, and I was immediately drawn to Aralyn and the idea of a redemption arc.
There are so many "wicked" women in classic fairy tales - stepmothers, stepsisters, evil queens, witches - and I think a lot of them are misrepresented or misunderstood. So much of our behavior as women gets labeled as "wicked" when really it's born out of pain, out of trauma, out of societal pressures.
And the idea of exploring those pains and how they influence us through the journeys of so many different female characters was really appealing to me.
Q: What did you see as the right blend of the original Cinderella story and your own story?
A: I've always loved retellings, and tackling the Cinderella story from the perspective of a (formerly) wicked stepsister felt right up my alley. I love the idea of taking a one-dimensional, hated character and fleshing them out and giving them depth, giving them the opportunity to tell their own version of their story.
As humans we've all featured as the villain in someone else's story, and giving a "villain" a chance to play the hero was an intriguing concept.
One of my favorite things about retellings is taking all the trappings of the original story - the fairy godmothers, the glass slipper, the wicked stepmother - while also telling a story that is totally fresh and new.
A Spark in the Cinders is more of an extension of the original story versus a retelling, which means I get to take all the best, most recognizable parts of the original fairy tale while also crafting a story that is all my own.
Q: What do you hope readers take away from the novel?
A: First and foremost with all my books, I hope that readers have fun! I hope they can escape into the story world and lose all track of time and place as they adventure along with Aralyn.
But I also always try to explore some bigger emotional question or theme within my work, so I hope that readers also learn to be the heroes of their own stories, and know that even if they've made mistakes or chosen to follow the wrong people, there is always hope that they can find their own way in their own time.
Q: How was the book’s title chosen, and what does it signify for you?
A: Titling is one of my favorite parts of the writing process, because I think titles really need to hit that sweet spot of being hooky and memorable while also telling you what the story is about.
A Spark in the Cinders is meant to show that out of the end of someone else's story - those cinders, barely burning, nearly ash - it only takes one spark to ignite someone else's tale.
Cinderella's story may have ended with marrying the prince, but her stepsister's story is only beginning as they band together to try and save the kingdom.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: Right now I am in the middle of drafting the second book of my new series, an adult murder mystery/rom-com mashup for fans of Finlay Donovan, the movie Clue, and Knives Out. The first book in the series, She Doesn't Have a Clue, debuts in winter 2025.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: I hope readers enjoy A Spark in the Cinders, and if they do I hope they consider picking up my other YA titles and enjoying those as well!
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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