If you enjoy stories where three characters are in a complicated triad where they are trying to reach a common goal while simultaneously getting in each other's way, then check out "Rebel in the Deep" by Katee Robert.

What was your inspiration behind your most recent book?

"Rebel in the Deep" is a bit of a combination of my grappling with the larger issues we’re facing in the U.S. right now…and a bit of a fix-it fic for "Pirates of the Caribbean" in the loosest way possible. A nonbinary pirate captain, a himbo nobleman, and a fierce lady shifter existing in a deeply complicated triad where they all have history with each other, and all tend to get in their own way as they pursue the common goal of toppling the current rules of their world… Well, it writes itself!

What does Reading Rainbow mean to you?

Actively seeking out books by queer and trans authors of a variety of sexualities and identities. I want the sweet books and the sexy books and the messy books and the horror books. I love them all.

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

Despite what some folks want to believe, we live in an incredibly diverse world. I find it deeply weird when authors write fantasy books where there are only cis gendered, straight, white characters. Why is that the fantasy (or at least the only world they can imagine)?

Reading books about characters with identities that the reader doesn’t necessarily share is a great way to, at least in theory, create empathy for people who are different from them.

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

The Crimson Sails series is my love song to two pieces of media that I inhaled many years apart: "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Black Sails." I wanted the magic, the romp, the larger than life characters. I wanted to capture that feeling and put it into a romance series with queer main characters.

What can fans expect from your book?

A queer-normative world, a fun and eclectic mix of magic, found family and, of course, spice!

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

I have a super-secret fantasy project (queer normative world, a competition to the death, some intense Tarot themes) coming in late 2026. In the meantime, I’ll be wrapping up my Dark Olympus series with a sapphic trio in the final book in early 2026.