Author Interview: Brooke Fast

Get the inside scoop on ‘To Cage A Wild Bird’!

Brooke Fast is the author of our November Romantasy ‘Love Is The Key’ featured book: To Cage A Wild Bird. Read on to get the inside scoop from inspiration to favourite scenes and more!

Which came first when writing To Cage A Wild Bird: the dystopian setting or the characters? And how do you think this shaped your storytelling?

The setting came first! I thought of it back in 2016 and actually wrote it as a short story with completely different characters. It was only when I revisited it and thought of turning it into a novel in 2023 that the characters shaped the full realisation of the story for me. So I guess it was a bit of both. I had the world in mind, but only a very small portion of it, and I don’t think any of the rest of it would have been possible without creating Raven and all of the decisions that she made along the way. The story changed so much when she came into the picture.

Endlock is a prison where the wealthy hunt inmates for sport. What inspired this specific system, and did you have to do any research to create the Endlock we know?

Absolutely! When I first thought of the world back in 2016, I had just finished writing a paper on capital punishment for one of my college courses. And so I was thinking a lot about mass incarceration and the American prison system, specifically the private prison industry, and that inspired the short story. And then when I returned back to it to turn it into a novel a few years ago, I started looking into that more deeply. So it was inspired by, unfortunately, real world circumstances, and the book is just a more horrific version of what we see.

What was the most challenging aspect of building a dystopian world, and how did you work around this?

It was truly a horrifying story to write. There was a lot of really emotional, hopeful moments, but bringing in the darker parts of humanity was difficult and something that I personally had to take breaks from whilst drafting. When I was trying to craft the actions of the bad guys in the story, I was just trying to think of the most in-your-face, horrific imagining of things happening in the world today, in a way that the point wouldn’t be missed. Whilst there’s a lot of fun parts in the book as well, there is so much darkness. The balance kept me in it but there were times during some of the hunt scenes where I couldn’t get through it in one sitting.

Did you always know To Cage A Wild Bird would have the romantasy aspect?

Yes, I always wanted it to have a strong romance plot as I love reading romance so much! I think a lot of the romances I read do such a good job at introducing complex themes, but there are a lot of people out there who don’t believe that romance can contain these complex characters and plot lines. I completely disagree with that, and so I think it was important for me to attempt it.

To Cage A Wild Bird perfectly balances the romance with high-stakes survival. Did you ever worry that one might overshadow the other, and how did you find the right balance? 

It was difficult because I think romance and dystopia are difficult to navigate. You really want to create that equal balance, because the things that are happening in this world and this government, and the things that people are subjected to, are so important. But I wanted the romance to show how important it is to maintain love and hope during in those dark times, and how it helps us connect to our humanity and community.

The sibling bond between Raven and Jed is the catalyst for everything. How did you approach writing their relationship to ensure readers understood Raven’s sacrifices?

I was inspired by my own relationships, as I have a few siblings that I was really close with growing up, especially my brother. So that relationship really inspired the way Raven would sacrifice for Jed, but also the way we see Jed trying to do the same for her. I wanted it to be realistic and I think a lot of people can relate to the sacrifices Raven made even if they don’t have the specific brother-sister relationship, as there’s always someone in your life that you know you would sacrifice a lot for to keep them safe and happy.

Who was your favourite character to write, and why did you enjoy writing their part of the story?

Ok this is so hard because I love all the characters so much! I like to say that they’re like a heist crew in my mind – those types of films and books inspired the dynamic of the cast and so I love them all so much as they’re all so different. But, I had so much fun writing Kit and Yara — both the scenes that they were in and their banter. I love them so much and they have a special place in my heart, but I think my favourite changes all the time!

If you lived in Dividium, what would your role be and why? Would you be a bounty hunter, part of The Collective, a criminal, or a hunter?

I hope I would be part of The Collective! I don’t know how long I would survive though, I don’t think I have the skills that Raven or any of her crew have.

Without spoilers, can you share what you hope readers will take away from To Cage A Wild Bird?

I love this question! I always say it’s important that I’m not telling you as the reader directly what to think and believe, as that crosses into propaganda territory. But I think the themes come across well and the thing that’s most important to me, and what Raven learns in her journey, is how important it is through difficult times to stick together with our communities. And, that we can overcome things when we work together and accept help and strength from the people around us. I think that’s the main message throughout, but of course, there are a lot of different themes in this book that I hope will make readers ask questions.

Writing a book is no easy feat! How did you work through any writing blocks or creative challenges?

I force myself to write everyday, even if I don’t know what I’m going to end up writing. But I think becoming a super outliner has kept me from having writing blocks. And I know some people hate outlining, but I can’t write a book unless I have it outlined from start to finish — I love to write a skeletal draft of every single scene in the book before I get started on it. Things change obviously, the characters are really in charge and they will tell you if they want something to happen or not! But, I sit down every day with my outline and review what I think is going to happen. I write in writing sprints as well, which keeps me from getting caught up. And any time I’m stuck, I pull out a notebook. There is just something about writing by hand where solutions just come to you, I swear! It’s like a magic trick, where I break out my notebook and fix any plot hole or missing piece.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors working on their debut?

I would say you have to find your own writing routine. I was trying out the writing routines of different famous authors when I was first starting out and I tried to emulate them, even if they didn’t fit or were not what my brain wanted. When they just weren’t working out I was like, but I’m supposed to write like this! But what works for you can be different. Once I realised what the right set up for me was, writing just came much more naturally.

What’s your favourite thing about the FairyLoot edition of To Cage A Wild Bird?

I love everything about it! All of the artwork is so good! I love every piece of it — I love the reverse dust jacket, I love the edges, I love the cover. But that artwork on the endpapers, when I first saw it in my inbox I had a meltdown!