An Interview with Kassidy Coursey

Kassidy Coursey has lived with fantastical stories in her imagination for as long as she can remember. Her dark fantasy books speak to her greatest loves: redeemable anti-heroes, sweeping character arcs, and unbridled love that crushes souls (but deliciously). She otherwise thrives on terrible jokes, harmless pranks, caramel macchiatos, and being right.

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Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

I remember daydreaming while listening to The Alan Parsons Project—on tape—during long family drives. I was too young to write, but my imagination loved to take flight and turn lyrics into stories.

Then, my love of reading began with R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps in elementary school. From that day on, I wanted to write my own stories. My dad fed the frenzy by allowing me to pick up a new book whenever we went to the local book and game store at our (very tiny) mall almost every weekend. I branched from MG and YA horror into fantasy sometime in my teen years, though I’ve never been able to put down an excellent narrative. The Indian in the Cupboard, Island of the Blue Dolphins, Julie of the Wolves, and The Hatchet are all books that stand out strongly in my mind.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

I made and delivered pizza at (in my humble opinion) the best pizza joint in the United States from age sixteen and into my twenties—Fazzari’s in Clarkston, WA. To this day, I’ve never seen another pizza place with a mustard-based sauce, and they’re all suffering for it. I love to make those pizzas at home, but they’re never quite the same.

For a time, I delivered pizzas during the week and worked as an X-ray technician on the weekend. I moved away to attend medical school in 2009, and now I live the good life of a family medicine doctor who writes about demons as a side hustle.

But I can talk to you about your blood pressure, too.

Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

Oh my gawd.

So, I didn’t come up with my book’s title! For years (if not a decade or more), Saer’s story existed in a Word doc simply titled ‘Saer.’ That title eventually graduated to ‘Pride,’ but that was a mechanism for me to try and separate chapters (when I had zero idea how to do that, if I’m being honest). Around the time I realized I’d like to pursue publishing this thing, I recognized I needed to buckle down and find a name for it. I had been indoctrinated into my first critique group at that time, and the one who formed the group (online, she goes by Saiki) helped me workshop the name. Honestly, she pitched Fallen’s First, and I haven’t looked back since. My sincere thanks, Saiki!

What part of publishing your book made it feel real for the first time?

The first time I saw the draft of my cover art, I cried. Caitlin, my cover artist, sent me a text with the pictures, and I resisted opening it until I could set up a camera to record my reaction (because, you know, content is king). All I’d told her was something like, “a smoldering feather with a dark background,” and she CRUSHED it. I’m abundantly fortunate to have found her.

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

The way I just clutched my chest when I saw this question, because music is life!

The very first song to bring Saer’s full story arc to me was Ghost Love Score by Nightwish.

There’s a dramatic moment almost dead center in Fallen’s First, and the scream Saer unleashes in that instant is inspired by The Grudge by Tool (it’s just before the seven-minute mark, though if you go straight to it, you’ll miss the epic build-up).

Surviving the Game by Skillet inspired one of Runeak’s (Wrath’s) lines in her section, “embrace the pain.” I wrote that entire fight sequence listening to that song on repeat.

In the Middle by Bad Wolves and the Hidden Citizens’ version of Hit Me With Your Best Shot were pivotal to crafting Kalia’s (Sloth’s) section, which is broken into two distinct parts (if you know, you know).

The Twins (Gluttony and Greed) are the party animals of the group, and any feel-good dance music speaks to me on their behalf. I Feel Good by Pitbull, Limbo by Daddy Yankee, and All I Do is Win by DJ Khaled are in their playlists.

Finally, Lucifer’s theme is The Untold by Secession Studios. Full stop.

What’s one thing you hope sticks with readers after they finish your book?

I didn’t expect this, but I’ve had multiple readers tell me, after they’ve finished Fallen’s First, that they keep thinking of it in their day-to-day lives. They’ve connected with certain characters or their aspects, and describe to me how they’ve sunk into their bones depending on where they’re at on any given day. Or they see pieces of themselves reflected in the journeys my demons go through. More than anything, I hope readers can find that connection point, be it emotional or reflective in some way.

I think my book made people more introspective (but in an accessible way) than they were anticipating. I love that. I’d love to see it keep happening.

What was the most rewarding/meaningful part of publishing your book?

Connecting with readers.

Connecting with readers.

Did I mention connecting with readers?

In all sincerity, to open up my DMs and find a reader – someone I’ve never met before – is shouting from the rooftops about how much they love my book, or screaming at me because they were upset at a particular plot twist…there’s nothing like it. I invite any and all readers of Fallen’s First to dive into my messages and just say hello, drop theories, yammer at me, or yell at me.

I like it. Please yell at me.

What creative projects are you currently working on?

DANGEROUS QUESTION.

I am happy to report that books two and three of the Sins of the Maker trilogy are drafted! I will go through another round of personal edits of book two soon, then send it to my editor in March 2026 (eeeek!).

Book three needs to be revised, but the bones are there. I don’t generally toot my own horn, but they’re good bones. I’m so freakin’ excited to get books two and three in the hands of my readers. It physically hurts to know I can’t just throw them out there now!

I have another project I’m drafting, tentatively set in the same world as my Sins of the Maker trilogy, but a completely different story (maybe with some cameos???). It’s a Jekyll and Hyde crossed with Grey’s Anatomy retelling and pulls from my experience in medical residency. The main character is a neurology resident who isn’t trying to separate good from evil, but instead is attempting to invent a medicine that will eliminate the body’s need for sleep. It’s a dark academia, twisted speculative fiction with an unreliable narrator that’ll feature a love triangle within a love triangle, and I can’t WAIT to get it drafted!

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