• Sarah started the book years ago
• When she was writing ACOTAR Sarah realised that there was more to Nesta than just the “bitchy older sister”
• ACOWAR was meant to be the end of the series, but Sarah wanted to explore Nessian more and she wrote aorund 200 pages and couldn’t get it out of her head and drunkenly pitched it and they went for it 
• Sarah didn’t want her to be the perfect loveable sister, she wanted her to have baggage to then explore how she can grow as a person and heal 
• Each of her characters get a part of her, but she thinks Nesta got the biggest chunk out of all of them, she got a lot deeper into the head of Nesta compared to any other character
• She loves writing about the IC as a group and as individuals and loves writing about their histories together 
• There were lots more parts of the ACOTAR world she wanted to write, including different characters and different courts 
• Even though she loves Rhys, she sort of loved writing Nesta’s hatred towards him, she liked showing his actions through someone else’s eyes who isn’t going to swoon over him 
• She was going to have Rhys and Feyre perspectives throughout the book but because they were in 1st person not 3rd so it was confusing to read. But also her editor said it was a distraction from Nesta’s story
• The friendship between Gwyn and Emerie is one of her favourite friendships she’s written in all of her books 
• Their friendship was also just as important as the relationship she had with Cassian
• Sarah’s best friend was lot of the inspiration for the friendship between Nesta, Gwyn and Emerie
• She doesn’t think Nesta’s story is complete, and she could’ve written another 1000 pages on Nesta just doing stuff. She will also have a major role to play in the future 
• She was with a physical trainer (pre-covid) and she asked him to give her some basics on how to use and train with swords and so she drew from a lot of that for the scenes where Nesta is training 
• Ever since release day she’s been trying not to think of any of her family reading this book because of the “steamy parts” 
• Before the book came out she would explain that ACOSF is in the vein of ACOMAF, in so much they’re both healing stories in their own way 
• The House of Wind came from her middle school days where she wanted Cher’s house from Clueless and took inspiration, and that she wanted a house that could cater to her every need and that’s where she got the ideas for the House of Wind from 
• She loved the idea of Nesta connecting with something that isn’t actually alive, but making that connection nonetheless and knowing she isn’t alone
• She wants someone to make art of Nesta’s black dress because she loves it. She was partly inspired by the Black Swan for that dress. 
• The whole scene of her wearing that dress was her coming into control of herself again
• Tchaikovsky does inspire some of the book, various movie scores
• Stay Together for the Kids by Blink 182 actually helped her get into the head of Nesta- that song gave her the inspiration of how Nesta felt about her dad and family 
• Sarah has to write at home because she get’s so into her scenes and characters she needs the privacy. But now shes a mum, she kind of writes wherever she can
• She thinks Clare from Outlander would get along with Feyre and Nesta to some extent, and wonders what it would be like if Clare and Jamie fell through into the ACOTAR world 😂
• She’s currently in edits on the second Crescent City book, and rivals ACOSF for sex scenes and steamy moments
• She knows who’s story she wants to write for the next ACOTAR book, but doesn’t want to give anything away just yet 

Gwyn said hoarsely as they moved into the wilderness, the snow mercifully lightening, “You two came looking for me.”

“Of course we did,” Emerie said, interlacing her hand with Gwyn’s, then Nesta’s, and squeezing tightly. “It’s what sisters do.”