Get ready to learn more about the book Dead Girl’s Ashes in this discussion with sapphic author Annathesa Darksbane.
Join us for an exclusive peek behind the scenes as we quiz Annathesa Darksbane about Dead Girl’s Ashes, writing, reading, and more.
This book is part of the Alabama category in the 2026 IHS Reading Challenge.
Why did you write Dead Girl’s Ashes?
Ashes was the second book I ever wrote, back in 2016-18. I’d been disabled for a few years and honestly didn’t know what to do with myself to feel fulfilled…until I stumbled upon the existence of ebooks. After having queried traditional publishers and long ago given up, I wrote this book with sheer wide-eyed joy at realizing I could tell whatever story I wanted. And out of all the stories clamoring for my voice, Ashley just called the loudest.
…Or so I thought. It wasn’t until several years later I realized just how much expressing her struggles with life, identity, past vs. present, and the change and death of the self as we grow helped me process things, too. Ashley needed me to live; I needed her to move forward.
Who is your favorite character in the book?
Oh, Ashley for sure. I didn’t realize how much of me was in her until after I wrote, like, two books; not just personal history or attitude, but the use of humor as a coping and survival mechanism. And of course the overabundance of stubbornness – sometimes too much for daily use, sometimes just enough to get up again tomorrow.
Of course, we’re not exactly alike, either; after all, I’m not dead yet.
What inspired the idea for Dead Girl’s Ashes?
So, I originally played Ashley in an urban fantasy TTRPG. I think that’s why it was so easy to feel out her character and let the pages flow; I’d already “been” Ashley for a year or two, so I’d had a lot of practice. Of course, she ended up different from the original version, as did the supporting cast and especially the story. But having already captured the essence of her was a great starter seed for a beginning author; I knew how she talked, how she’d react to different situations, where she came from and what she regretted.
What part of Dead Girl’s Ashes was the most fun to write?
The conflict scenes, a couple of them in particular. I’m a big fan of fight choreography and love applying what I know (or think I know) to the fantastical, like a scuffle with a vampire or a hulking demon. I love writing emotional conversations, scenes of creeping dread, or a really good joke…but there’s just something about all the sensory, emotional, and environmental detail that goes into a good high-stakes brawl that I really enjoy. It’s one of the places that gets me to lean back in my chair and smile like I just finished an art piece. Which, I guess I did.
How much research did you need to do for Dead Girl’s Ashes?
Not too much compared to my current books, but I did want to make sure some of the details I thought I knew were correct. I ended up doing a lot of searches about bodily decay, the cardiovascular system, death by blood loss… Yeah, I’m probably on a list somewhere.
Where do you usually write, and what do you need in your writing space to help you stay focused?
I write in the same place I do almost everything – right in front of my monitor in my little room. I’m sure some people wouldn’t be content with so much of their life tucked into a 10 foot cube (okay, technically it’s a rectangle), but I adore it. If I could wedge a kitchen in here too, I would. I don’t keep a lot of things, but most of what I do care about is nearly within arm’s reach. It’s cozy.
As for needs? I have focus issues sometimes, so it varies. Sometimes I need silence, sometimes music, sometimes very specific music. I’ve found even the lighting levels can affect it. While I can write without those things, getting it right really helps the process flow.
What’s your favorite writing snack or drink?
I can’t provide a recipe, but I do consume copious amounts of monster energy. At this point it’s probably part of my DNA; I’m not sure I could function without it (some days, I barely function with it!). It’s not just the caffeine, either, because I don’t do soda and coffee makes me nauseous.
How do you celebrate when you finish your book?
I don’t always, but I should really get back into the habit. My preferred method is to treat myself to a nice meal, which usually involves a lot of sushi. :] Then I take a day off, maybe two if I’ve got something fun going on, with no worries about marketing or the next book. After that, it’s right back to it.
Do you feel bad putting your characters through the wringer?
I don’t really feel bad about it at all. For one, I have the advantage that we lack so often in real life: knowing what’s waiting on the other end. I also don’t do what I’d consider truly “bad ends;” there’s always a reason for the suffering, a growth because of it, or a sense of nobility and closure if it really is the end. Sadly, also things we don’t get in real life.
Most of my best examples are unfortunately spoilers, so I won’t put them here. But, stepping carefully…Ashes’ reunion with her father and uncle. And much later, her extended homecoming scenes in book five. I still tear up at a lot of those, but it’s bittersweet, not bad. Life flows, things change, wounds scar. And that’s okay.
Have you ever hated one of your characters?
Hate’s a strong word for me, but I have a couple villains that came close. Mostly ones I wrote early on, because I wanted the audience to dislike them. The best example is the main bad guy in Blood Red Ashes, who’s pretty despicable; nothing is beneath him if it might hurt someone he dislikes. He has absolutely no moral floor and isn’t afraid to show it. But reflecting on that now, I feel writing my antagonists that way made them weaker. My favorite (and most fan-loved) villains are those that are honestly likable in some way, despite everything. The ones I can’t fully disagree with. And for heroes, it’s similar; I prefer writing protagonists who have a couple of almost-hateable qualities, too.
What type of books do you enjoy reading the most?
I’ve certainly gotten more picky over time. I used to read by genre (high fantasy, then fantasy in general), but just having a premise, setting, or character dynamic I think is cool isn’t enough anymore. It’s not purely a quality thing either, though that helps. So, while I read a lot of genres now, it’s more about the emotional connection.
Carl from Dungeon Crawler Carl is a great example, as is Kaladin from Stormlight Archives. There’s a person in there I resonate with, empathize with, and find myself rooting for. The world or setting might be cool, but you could drop them into a different world and I’d probably keep right on reading.
What book do you wish you had written?
Do things like the Poetic Edda, the Lokasenna, or Le Morte d’Arthur count? :p I’ve long had the thought of doing a sapphic version of some of those old tales, perhaps a modern fantasy version, or a story that follows their descendants through a similar journey. I find a lot of connection with the larger than life yet very human and flawed characters in those tales, along with the allure of the mythology itself. Having practiced Odinism probably doesn’t hurt, either. Both ideas are on the (admittedly long) list.
