If dragons and lady knights are your thing, then check out Neon Yang's "Brighter Than Scale, Swifter Than Flame."

What was your inspiration behind your most recent book?

I don’t know it there’s an inspiration per se other than “I like dragons, and I like lady knights, I want to write a book about those things.” And so I did.

Why do you feel representation of a variety of people is so important when it comes to writing books?

I mean, the obvious reason is that there are a wide variety of people who read books. But more than that-- art is a reflection of life, isn’t it? And there is a wide variety of people in the real world, is there not?

Tell us a little more about the book and why you decided to write it.

“Brighter Than Scale” tells the story of Yeva, a dragon hunter with special abilities who was absorbed into empire against her will as a child and, as an adult, is sent as an ambassador to a nation that worships dragons as part of her emperor’s territorial aggressions. There she meets the girl-king Sookhee, the charismatic leader of the nation. But their growing relationship is threatened when Yeva uncovers secrets that will challenge the way she sees the world, and herself.

Why did I decide to write this book? Honestly, I wanted to work on a shorter project in between novels; this was an idea that came to me and I adored it.

What can fans expect from your book?

The book may appear to be a queer love story, and it is indeed a queer love story, but at its core I think it’s about identity, it’s about finding your place and finding yourself in a world which constantly wants to erase you.

What's up next for you in the bookish world?

I’m working on my next novel! It’s a standalone about a reincarnated villain taking revenge on their former lover hundreds of years after their betrayal. It’ll be a while before it’s out, but I’m excited to share it with the world when it does!