Interview of Mikayla Bridge by Haylee Hackenberg
YA fantasy is really having a moment. It’s as if we all need some escapism or something *insert manic laugh*. Mikayla Bridge has not entered the fantasy world quietly, she’s ripped through like a forest fire (pun definitely intended). Of Flame and Fury is a high stakes, gritty novel with just the right amount of enemies to lovers to up the ante on the tension. Oh, and there’s phoenixes. Don’t let the promise of fantasy creatures and magic lull you into a false sense of security though, this book is full of political intrigue and adrenaline in the best possible way. I spoke to Mikayla about her epic debut.
One of the things I loved about this story was the gritty ‘down on her luck’ vibe of the protagonist. Was it a conscious choice to make the main character someone that today’s young people can relate to, even in a fantasy world?
Absolutely! Kel is a stubborn, angry, too-sure-of-herself teen who grew up on a farm, always on the brink of losing who and what she loves. To her, phoenix racing is purely a means of survival. Both her anger and hope are tied to the races. They provide her the money to keep Savita, her beloved phoenix. The odds are always stacked against her, which I think is a feeling many young people can relate to. She’s desperate and overwhelmed, and has none of the tools needed to navigate how she’s feeling. All Kel has is Savita, and who wouldn’t compromise their morals to hold onto a comforting, magical companion?
I have to say, as soon as I read the premise, my first thought was, I can’t believe we don’t see more fantasy about phoenixes! Can you tell us a little about your decision to centre the phoenix as part of this world?
I could talk about phoenixes all day. I’ve always loved them. There’s so many different iterations of phoenixes in mythology and media. They symbolise so many things: rebirth, immortality, fire, divinity. For a writer, they offer the perfect sandbox to play in. There’s limitless potential.
I’ve been fascinated with phoenixes for years. What role would they play in a human world? How would our relationship with mortality affect how we treat these deathless creatures? Having a close bond with a phoenix while growing up would stunt or stall anyone’s understanding of death.
Expanding on that idea, I realised that having commercialised phoenixes at the heart of an island’s economy, politics and culture would create some pretty fiery moral dilemmas. Is it possible to respect this kind of magic while profiting off of it? That’s the main question that landed Savita in Kel’s world.
And symbology aside – I’ve had a lifelong fear of birds. Blame growing up on a farm with a very large sum of magpies. Maybe the idea for Of Flame and Fury was my subconscious’ attempt at exposure therapy. If anything would clear out the fear, it’d be a book about giant magical murder birds (it did not work).
There is *a lot* happening in this story. The YA space is one that readers (and retailers!) can sometimes be confused by when it comes to categorisation. Did you always know this story was YA, or did you make adjustments as you went to ensure it landed in that age group?
I always knew I wanted it to occupy the YA space. I want young adults to turn Of Flame and Fury’s last page feeling confident, empowered, angry – a tasty smoothie of very loud emotions. I want readers to feel an autonomy to voice and shout however they’re feeling, and the confidence to choose who they surround yourself with.
I didn’t want to write phoenixes that could be neatly folded into an agenda. I wanted them to be messy, emotional, explosive, just like so many coming of age experiences. These creatures refuse to bend or contort to human will, instead demanding the world make room for them. Every young adult deserves that, too.
Also, escapism rocks. Life is hard. It seems fair that teens should get to go fly on a flaming phoenix for a few hours.
Without giving too much away, the relationship between Kel and Coup was intense. How did you balance their romance against the dangerous backdrop of the story?
Kel and Coup crash-landed into my brain fully formed, mid-argument. Their dynamic was always intense: the kind of rivals who’d bicker in a burning building and then blame each other for the fire.
I tried to shove their relationship into a few different moulds just to ensure their hatred was earned. But these two refused to be show up as anything but stray cats hissing at each other. The hatred is deeply personal for them both. Throw that dynamic into phoenix races, full of danger and adrenaline, and their anger naturally progressed into something with sharper claws.
The action backdrop really forced their relationship to shift – for better or worse – at warp speed. I wanted to use the enormous set pieces as red herrings for the quieter, emotional journeys a lot of the characters are on. Kel and Coup are trying to process how they’re feeling while holding on for dear life atop a phoenix mid-flight.
Finally, what’s next? Will we see more Flame and Fury books?
Thank you for asking! I have no clue what I’m yet allowed to say, so I’ll remain cryptic and apologetic. What I can say is: Book 2 is set in the same monstrous, magical universe as Of Flame and Fury. It’s a new standalone with a whole new set of chaotic characters.
If OFAF is fire and grit, Book 2 is silk and shadows. Think YA fantasy as directed by Baz Luhrmann: loud, lush, tragic, romantic, and a little unhinged. I’m in the midst of revisions for it at the moment, and am having such a fun, wild time. There will always be magical creatures at the heart of OFAF’s world, whether phoenixes or otherwise. Familiar threads from OFAF pop up, as well as entirely new, insidious plots. Timeline-wise, it follows on directly from OFAF, and contains everything I always love to write: tense romance, banter, plot twists and found family. I can’t wait to scream about it!
Thank you so much for such fun questions, and for reading Of Flame and Fury!
