Bea Fitzgerald on her YA Book Prize shortlisted novel, Girl, Goddess, Queen

What inspired the story?

The bulk of this story stemmed from my love of [Ancient] Greek mythology, but the heart of it is inspired by my sister. I wrote this book at 22, reflecting on the experience of being a teenager—and at the same time watching my 15-year-old sister go through all the things I’d just survived. I wrote this as a comfort and though this book is set in a fantasy world inspired by Ancient Greece, it’s also about being a modern teenager: the obscene pressures we place on teenagers, the need to decide your future before you even know who you are and that feeling of being pushed into a mould that doesn’t fit.  

What do you want readers to take away from your book?

Mostly, I just want readers to have a good time! I want this book to be fun; I want it to make you laugh and smile and feel happy. But if readers do take anything from it, I hope it’s the idea that it’s great to fight for the right to be who you are, but it’s also fine to feel lost in that regard, and to just want some space and time to figure that out. I really enjoyed writing a main character who, amongst other things, simply wants some more time before her whole world changes.

Which character is your favourite, and why?

Styx! She’s the goddess of the river of hatred and oaths are sworn on her waters. The result is a goddess who loves drama and being on the inside of secrets—which is an excellent fit for a fake-dating rom-com! She’s the number one Hades and Persephone "shipper" and every time you as a reader are screaming "please just kiss" she’s there yelling it alongside you. 

What does being on this year’s YA Book Prize shortlist mean to you?

I’m so honoured to be on this shortlist—especially given how brilliant the other books on the list are! There’s something really amazing about being listed alongside authors I’m a fan of! Girl, Goddess, Queen didn’t have the most seamless journey to publication, so I’m genuinely so very happy it’s shortlisted—not just for me but also in recognition of the brilliant team behind its publication!

How do you think the YA genre has changed over the last 10 years?

I think in a lot of ways it’s similar, only because YA was always so progressive in comparison to other genres. But the biggest thing for me is the range, breadth and diversity of the genre. As I say, I always felt YA was a spearheading genre—I could find so many queer YA books in comparison to adult books 10 years ago, but they also felt like they were positioned in their own niche and that doesn’t feel like the case now—you get to say: "Here is a fun fake-dating, enemies-to-lovers fantasy rom-com that happens to have a love interest who’s bisexual." (And I never had to fight for that in the way I imagine you might have had to 10 years ago!)

Why do you write for young adults?

I have a lot of answers for this one—the easiest being that it’s the genre I read the most of. I’m so passionate about YA as a genre—the characters are vibrant, the plots pacy and the storylines brilliantly creative. I simply never stopped reading YA, so it was the genre I naturally gravitated towards. But I think the hardest answer is that being a teenage girl was the most difficult thing I’ve ever done, so I write for those teens to be seen and comforted. A friend of mine recently described my writing as "aggressively hopeful" and that’s what I needed as a teenager, so I hope the young adults who need that today can find it in my books.  

What was your favourite book as a teenager?

This is so difficult! Especially because I had a new favourite book every few months. But the one I pushed into my friend’s hands the most was The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Simon & Schuster) by Michelle Hodkin—it was so addictive!

What do you need around you when you’re writing?

A scented candle, background music and preferably the moon high in the sky—I do my best writing at night. 

What songs would be on a playlist for your book?

I do have a whole playlist for Girl, Goddess, Queen that’s up on Spotify, but the five songs on it that I think encapsulate it the most are: "Let’s Get Married" by the Bleachers, "Watch Me While I Bloom" by Hayley Williams, "Good Girls" by Chvrches, "After The Zero Hour" by Wolf Alice and "You Should See Me In A Crown" by Billie Eilish.

Which book, film or TV show would you recommend to someone who enjoyed your book?

If you want more myth inspired YA then I highly recommend Kika Hatzopoulou’s Threads That Bind (Penguin Children’s) and Natasha Bowen’s Skin of the Sea (Penguin Children’s).