Q&A: Stacia Stark, Author of ‘We Who Will Die’

We chat with author Stacia Stark about We Who Will Die, which is a slow-burn romantasy set in a Roman-inspired world ruled by merciless vampires, filled with breathtaking combat, vengeful gods, and magical creatures.

Hi, Stacia! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

Hi! My name is Stacia, and I’m a Kiwi, although I haven’t actually lived in New Zealand for more than fifteen years. I spent my twenties living in various countries around the world while working as a freelance copywriter, and I currently live in Chicago, which I love…although the brutality of the winter still manages to catch me by surprise. I’m constantly traveling, and if I don’t have a trip planned, I feel unmoored.

When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?

I was one of those kids who was always writing “books”, but like many future authors, my real obsession was reading. I tore through library books so quickly that I often used my card, plus most of my mum’s borrowing allowance.

In primary school, I used to rush through the actual assigned work so I could bury my nose in my book again while everyone else finished. Stories have always been my way of both understanding and escaping the world.

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

• The first book you ever remember reading: Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy by Lynley Dodd.
• The one that made you want to become an author: Ooh that’s so tough. Anything by Kresley Cole, Karen Marie Moning, and Patricia Briggs
• The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

Your latest novel, We Who Will Die, is out December 30^th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Second-chances. Survival. Grief. Forced-proximity. Blood.

What can readers expect?

A brutal, Roman-inspired world filled with political scheming, deadly arena battles, romance, found family, and shifting alliances. Just like Arvelle, readers won’t always know who to trust as she does whatever it takes to survive and protect her brothers…all while guarding her heart from the man who shattered it six years ago.

Where did the inspiration for We Who Will Die come from?

The inspiration came from a number of places. I took Classics in high school, and fell in love with Ancient Rome and the gladiators. Later, I learned there’s evidence that women fought in the arena too, although history and popular culture have largely erased them. That idea simmered in my mind for years.

A few different ideas went into the creation of the sigilmarked and vampires. For the sigilmarked, I loved the thought of a society where people could immediately see how much power someone had, and I knew this would give me a lot to work with in terms of both politics and tension.

For vampires, I wanted them to be the top of the food chain (so to speak), while also having weaknesses of their own that would force them to work with the sigilmarked.

I’ve also always been interested in how people change over time, and what happens to relationships when that growth happens while those people are separated. I wanted Arvelle to begin this book utterly devastated, and so it made sense for me that she had also lost what she believed was the great love of her life.

Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

I really wanted Arvelle to be forced to confront her past. She’s an expert at pushing people away, so I enjoyed writing her friendship with Maeva—this perky, optimistic, sunshiny character. When they meet, Arvelle actually thinks, “Everything about this woman screams perfect victim.” So I loved exploring the evolution of their friendship.

And without giving away spoilers, I still love two arena scenes that take place later in the book, one directly after the other. One involves Maeva, and the other involves Rorrik, and they’re two of my favorite scenes I’ve ever written.

Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?

I think I faced the same challenge I always face (and yet somehow forget about every time). At various points during the first draft, I become utterly convinced it’s the worst thing I’ve ever written, I’m a hack, and my career is over. It’s all very dramatic.

Even though this happens like clockwork with every book, it still manages to surprise me. I’m always convinced that this time is different.

And book twos are even worse.

Usually, the only cure is a short break, although I try to ignore the need for this when I’m on deadline. At the very least, I need to reread the manuscript from the beginning with fresh eyes to see what’s actually going on.

What’s next for you?

I’ll soon be getting my developmental edit letter back for book two, and I’m excited to get stuck into those edits. In the meantime, I’m currently drafting the second and final book of my Kingdom of Death duology.

This week, I’m in New York to hang out with the Book of the Month team, and then I’m heading to London for an event for the UK release on the 11^th.

We Who Will Die releases on December 30^th in the United States, and I’ll be going on tour. I’m SO excited to talk about this book with readers!

Lastly, what books have you enjoyed reading this year? Are there any you’re looking forward to picking up in 2026?

I loved A Forbidden Alchemy by Stacey McEwan and Tourist Season by Brynne Weaver. I can’t wait to read both of the second books in these series!

Will you be picking up We Who Will Die? Tell us in the comments below!