An Interview with Elizabeth Helen
Elizabeth Helen is the pen name of sister duo, Elizabeth and Helen, authors of a hot new fantasy series inspired by Beauty and the Beast. Fairy tales have traditionally explored the darker aspects of human nature and this is no different, the authors have created a dangerous world with flawed and complex characters who are trapped in cursed situation fully of their own making. We’re hooked already and couldn’t resist the opportunity to talk to the authors in advance of the July publication of the first three books of the series in stunning new hardback editions.
[GdM] Congratulations on the beautiful new hardback editions of your series, Beasts of the Briar. Can you introduce the first book, Bonded by Thorns, in one or two sentences for our readers?
[EH] Hi, thank you so much for having us! Bonded by Thorns is a why-choose, fantasy romance Beauty and the Beast retelling. When an adorkable bookworm wanders into the fae realm, she is imprisoned in an enchanted castle by four princes cursed to turn into beasts every night until they can find their fated mate.
[GdM] I’d love to know more about your inspiration for Bonded by Thorns. What made you choose Beauty and the Beast as the basis for the series?
[EH] We have always loved fairy tales, and Beauty and the Beast was our favourite. The themes of seeing the beauty within, the transformational power of love, and found family really resonated with us. We also thought there were so many fun elements that would work in a why-choose book!
[GdM] Why choose and reverse harem are some of my favourite romantasy tropes. Why did you decide to go this route and did you worry about their appeal to wider audiences?
[EH] Fantasy romance has always been our favourite genre to read and write in. We were noticing why choose/reverse harem was very popular in more contemporary genres, such as dark romance, mafia romance, and sports romance, but there seemed to be a gap in the market for a fantasy with these elements. We hadn’t written a why choose at this point, and thought it would be a fun experiment to try a fairytale retelling!
We knew why chose can be niche and weren’t sure how broad the market would be for a fantasy; it was definitely experimental. Now, one of the best compliments we get from our readers is either that this was their first introduction to why choose or their first introduction to fantasy!
[GdM] Can you tell us more about the fae in your novel?
[EH] When designing the world of the Enchanted Vale, we knew we wanted it to feel exactly that: enchanted. The realms are described with a lot of whimsical details, and so the fae are really tangential to that. Everything from their dress to their magic powers are related to the seasons. The other important aspect we wanted for the fae is their complicated relationships with bargains. These magical pacts are a huge driving point for the characters. Finally, the fae in our book can experience a mate bond with another person: a true love connection.
[GdM] Rosaline is just like all of us, a lover of books and stories, how important is that to her character?
[EH] As much as we both love bad-ass, take-no-crap, stabby heroines in books, we have never quite related to characters like that! We wanted Rosalina to feel like a living, breathing person that you could meet by walking into a bookstore. At the beginning of the book, she’s not athletic, she can’t wield a weapon, and she’s never really left her small town. But she is incredibly courageous, stubborn, and compassionate, and these skills help her not only survive but thrive in the fae realm. Her love of books and stories is something many of us can relate to, and is also a homage to Belle in the 1991 movie version of ‘Beauty and the Beast’. Finally, researching and understanding literature is an important skill of Rosalina’s that helps her understand this new world throughout the series.
[GdM] Rosaline’s relationship with Lucas is both emotionally and physically abusive. I’d love to hear more about your intentions in this regard.
[EH] As one of the themes of the fairytale ‘Beauty and the Beast’ is inner beauty vs outer beauty, we wanted to explore the idea of true evil and villainy not being within the hideous beasts but inside the handsome man who puts on a good face for the outside world. In addition, the other theme we wanted to explore was transformation. This is particularly obvious for the Princes, who are learning to overcome the damaging traits that led them to being cursed, but also for Rosalina. While there are fantastical elements for her to overcome, such as goblins and an enchanted briarpatch, her true challenge comes with finding her self-worth, learning to love herself, and understanding she didn’t deserve to be treated the way she was. This was a topic very close to our hearts and it was very cathartic to write Rosalina’s journey.
[GdM] The importance (and challenges) of family, both blood and found, is threaded through the novel. Was this a deliberate choice?
[EH] Absolutely. Although at its core, the series is a romance about Rosalina’s relationship with the Princes, who they all are, the choices they make, and how they each view the world has been affected by their families. One of the reasons we chose to make each of the books focus on a specific realm was so we could dive into the royal families of those realms and see the past of the High Ruler. In addition, being able to explore Rosalina’s relationship with found family after not experiencing familial love has been a huge part of her character. Finally, it also gives us the opportunity to expand on the themes of redemption and forgiveness when looking at her relationship with her father.
[GdM] How does the writing process work for you as sisters? What’s the best thing about working with family?
[EH] We’ve been writing together since we were young teens, so it’s pretty second-nature for us now! We do all of our brainstorming, storyboarding, and outlining together, and then will split up chapters of the book to write separately. Then we edit each other’s work. We love working together because it’s so much fun to get to ‘play-pretend’ together for our job!
[GdM] Anyone who has seen your TikTok will have noticed hints about some surprises regarding the Prince of Thorns. Is there anything you can share here?
[EH] The Prince of Thorns keeps many secrets but I will say there are many clues and Easter Eggs scattered throughout all the books about his plans and intentions. So, if you’re doing a re-read, keep an eye out!
[GdM] And finally, can you tell us anything about what comes next? How many books do you plan on writing and do you know the end yet?
[EH] Book 4 in the Beasts of the Briar series comes out on September 10th, 2024! This book takes us to the Summer Realm. Expect gladiators, sirens, and pirates! The series will be seven books long. We’ve known the ending from the very beginning and can’t wait to take our readers along for the ride!
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