1–What is the title of your latest release?
SOULGAZER! It comes from the name I gave my middle niece when she was a baby, who’d stare into your eyes like she could spell out your whole history in a blink. She’s also who this book is dedicated to!
2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
On the eve of her wedding to a cruel king, Saoirse runs away with a rakish pirate who swears he can get rid of her deadly magic if she uses it to find a lost isle of myth first.
3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
Three things: 1) I was obsessed with Gráinne ní Mháille (Grace O’Malley) throughout high school thanks to the musical, The Pirate Queen. If you listen to the keynote song, “Woman,” you’ll see Saoirse from my book! 2). Song of the Sea was my comfort movie during the pandemic, which brought the purest, sad girl, Irish coastal vibes with whimsical animation and lyrical storytelling. 3). It came to me in a dream (I wish I was joking). But while I was heavily inspired by Ireland, the Irish language, the landscape, and its roots in storytelling, this is not a historical fantasy. We’re here for the vibes (respectfully)!
4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?
Yes, and we hang out often! You could say every time I look in a mirror, I’m jump-scared by the ghost of Saoirse. No, but seriously, I drew a lot from my upbringing and early 20s to create her, so while we’d definitely hang out in real life, I’d probably spend most of the time hugging her and telling her “It’s going to be okay.”
5–What are three words that describe your protagonist?
Soft. Starry-eyed. Stubborn.
6–What’s something you learned while writing this book?
There is strength in softness, even after it’s been used and abused by others in the past. Saoirse starts out the book so small and lonely, believing the worst of herself thanks to her father’s manipulations. Over time (largely thanks to her pirate), she’s able to take up space, use her stubbornness and her voice—but she never stops being soft. It’s something I’ve struggled with over my life, feeling like I’m too squishy for this loud, sharp-edged world, but writing her has brought me peace and understanding.
7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
I should edit after I’m done. I should do that. I’m sure my team would appreciate it if I would, but I can’t resist! I love pretty words, and even if I know I’ll have to rewrite them later, I can’t draft if I don’t like how it sounds. But I don’t feel bad about it anymore since VE Schwab wrote in their newsletter that their process looks the same!
8–What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
Cheese—but hear me out. My body hates dairy. HATES it with a passion (unless I’m traveling abroad in which case it’s fine??). So I’m really picky about when I choose to consume it, but cheese is almost always worth it. The indulgence part is that I eat it, knowing I’ll suffer consequences, but it’s fine because it’s cheese (especially this syrah soaked hard cheese from Trader Joe’s or a smoked gouda bitten with raspberries).
9–Describe your writing space/office!
If I could choose one location to write, it would always be outside. But sadly, weather doesn’t always permit. So when I’m not tucked at some outdoor spot with an iced latte in hand, I’m at my corner desk facing a row of four bookshelves arranged with special editions, friends’ books, childhood favorites, and dozens of thrift store trinkets and gifts from friends. Plants in various states of health litter my desk alongside crystals, incense, and today’s tarot pull. The window’s open to let in some air, and outside is a birdfeeder I’m hoping will coax more songbirds to visit. Maybe when the flowers I’m planting bloom later in spring. If I’m feeling particularly generous, my tortoise shell cat, Clover, is allowed to perch on the windowsill but sometimes I leave her to bask in a sun patch instead.
10–Who is an author you admire?
Libba Bray. I’ve spoken at length about her before, and she’s in the last line of my book acknowledgements, but her novel A Great and Terrible Beauty turned my life around at 12, when I checked it out from my school library back-to-back the entire year. She’s quirky, whip-smart, funny, emotive, and her books have released at pivotal times in my life so that I cannot think of those periods of growth without seeing her as the gardener cultivating my mind, planting seeds and watching them flourish. Her career has longevity and resonance, allowing her to come and go over the years with new projects at a pace that feels right to her, and the quality of the work shows.
11–Is there a book that changed your life?
A Great and Terrible Beauty laid the foundation, but it was The Diviners by Libba Bray that changed my life. She calls it an American ghost story, and it is—but it’s so much more than that. On a craft level, it’s extraordinary how she ties so many characters together in an overarching plot while keeping their voices, the rhythm of their worlds, and their interactions so distinct. On a personal level, I grew up in a conservative bubble steeped in purity culture, and The Diviners helped me peek through the film, reach out, and pop it wander outside. I will forever be grateful for the expansion her work gave me, the bits of history I’d never been told, and the chance to walk in a dozen peoples’ shoes I hadn’t thought twice of before. I attribute so much of who I am now to that series and reread it frequently where I can.
12–Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published)/Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
Our submission process was so much faster than I think any of us anticipated. Within 2 weeks, we had our first offer, and a week after that I believe we accepted the pre-empt from Penguin. But what really made it for my was my first call with my editor, Sareer Khader. She was brilliant, kind, we had matching glasses (thanks Warby Parker), and I could tell from the very first moment that she was just as obsessed with my story as I was! There were a few other calls after her, and to be honest it got a little overwhelming (though my brilliant agent, Sheyla Knigge, guided me through like a champ). The final call actually came when I was in the middle of making out with my then-boyfriend and now-husband (for research!!!) and I honestly can’t remember what came after I said yes. Probably more crying.
13–What’s your favorite genre to read?
Anything with romance! Of course I prefer fantasy to basically anything else and have my whole life, but one glance at my shelves will tell you that while I am a lifelong sad girl, I prefer a HEA or HFN for the couple I’m going to ship.
14–What’s your favorite movie?
The Mummy (to the surprise of no one). It’s the perfect romantasy IMHO, with a delicious splash of adventure and banter, and it was my bi-awakening so of course I have to choose it. Honestly though, it’s my goal to write books that encapsulate the same perfect genre-bending flavor with a yearning, tension-filled romance at its core for the rest of my days.
15–What is your favorite season?
Autumn! I love sunshine, but living in the south means way too much of it in summer, and clouds of pollen in spring, so autumn is that perfect balance of temperature, color, and dramatic slants of pure gold across the trees.
16–How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
For my 30th, my partner ran a Pirate Murder Mystery for me, my friends, and family and I LOVED IT. But that was rare for me! Typically, I love to have a dinner party or go out with my partner, sister, or a couple of friends and splurge on some really good food.
17–What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
Arcane: League of Legends. It is PERFECT storytelling, from the show’s animation and artwork to the writing/voice acting to the music and sound layering—there is not a single thing I would change about that show (except maybe making JayVik cannon). The character Vi lives rent-free in my head and is my current gym inspiration, but truly it filled my creative well like nothing has in a long time!
18–What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
How dare you? I’m such a foodie, this is an impossible question! From a cooking standpoint, I love French and Italian techniques that focus on a baseline knowledge and handful of techniques from which point you can play quite a bit, but I LOVE anything Asian (particularly Thai curries and Korean banchan. Give me all the aromatics and pickled components)! So if we’re eating out, chances are it’s sushi, hot pot, ramen, or a spread of herby, spicy delights!
19–What do you do when you have free time?
Lately, I’ve been obsessed with Baldur’s Gate 3 and Stardew Valley, so they’re taking up a good chunk of my evenings, but as the weather warms, I’m attempting to create magic from the dry, sad gardening beds around my townhouse and can frequently be found at my sister’s house, playing with her kids.
20–What can readers expect from you next?
I’m hard at work on book 2 (SOULGAZER is a duology), so wrapping up this storyline and these characters’ lives is taking up a large portion of my brain, but I’ve been aching to dive into the world of fairy tales next and have spent a lot of time in Germany and France to gather bones for it so fingers are crossed!
SOULGAZER by Maggie Rapier
Every legend has a beginning.
With their freedom on the line, a young woman and a rakish pirate take their fate into their own hands as they attempt to find a lost mythical isle with the power to save their entire world.
Saoirse yearns to be powerless. Cursed from childhood with a volatile magic, she’s managed to imprison it within, living under constant terror that one day it will break free. And it does, changing everything.
Horrified at her loss of control, Saoirse’s parents offer her hand to the cold and ruthless Stone King. Knowing she’ll never survive such a cruel man, Saoirse realizes there is only one path forward…she must break her curse.
On the eve of her wedding, Saoirse seeks out the legendary Wolf of the Wild—Faolan, a feral, silver-tongued pirate. He swears to help rid her of the deadly magic, if she’ll use it to locate a lost mythical isle first. Crafted by the slaughtered gods, it’s the only land that could absorb her power.
But Saoirse knows better than to trust a pirate’s word. With the wrath of her disgraced father and scorned betrothed chasing them, Saoirse adds one last condition to protect herself: if Faolan wants her on his ship, he’ll have to marry her first.
Fantasy Magical Realism | Romance Fantasy [Ace, On Sale: July 8, 2025, Trade Paperback / e-Book , ISBN: 9780593819272 / eISBN: 9780593819289]
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About Maggie Rapier
Born in the South with a healthy streak of wanderlust, Maggie Rapier is an incurable romantic who loves nothing more than wordplay and witchcraft—except, perhaps, her sourdough starter. When she’s not marketing French antiques or writing about moody girls and sexy pirates, you can find her wandering in the woods with a basket in hand.
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