Who can save a cursed queen?
- Katharine E Wibell
- Jul 9
- 6 min read
Updated: Aug 6
1) What is your Author name; use your Pen name if you have one.
Bria Rose
2) What is your genre and what drew you to it?
I love dark romance, fantasy, and retellings. I picked up Divergent after not reading for a long time after high school and that’s when the fantasy reading bug bit me again. My tastes had changed since I had grown older and when I picked up Rina Kent’s God of Malice, that was it. I was HOOKED! I became entranced with the way she wrote morally grey male characters with some of them being diagnosed with ASPD. Yet, there was still a depth to them and it proved that they could still love their partner even if they did have ASPD.
What drew me to fantasy/retellings? I used to be a Disneyland Cast Member and love all things Disney, so I have an endless supply of inspiration and ideas. My Beauty and the Beast retelling had to be first because of my unhealthy obsession with Belle, but there are so many more retellings to come!
3) Do you prefer writing dialogue, action or other scenes?
Dialogue would have to be my favorite thing to write. As it allows me to continue to write freely (as a stream of consciousness) and then go back in to add the details later. If I think too hard on making things perfect, then I freeze up and don’t get as much writing done as I would want.
4) How did you come up with your cover design?
At first, I wasn’t sure and would spend hours looking up different cover designs. I knew I wanted something bold and easy to read. Her Dark Promise is a Beauty and the Beast retelling and when I was rewatching the movie something clicked. The moment I saw the scratched portrait I knew that was exactly what I wanted. I am obsessed with the way it turned out.
5) What is the one thing you wish you knew at the beginning of your writing journey?
I wish I knew not to take myself too seriously. Just write. Write even when you think it’s bad because it probably is. That’s what second and third drafts are for. Nothing is perfect the first time around. The first draft is for exploring the world you are creating and seeing what works and what doesn’t.
6) What is your favorite way to connect with readers? (Social media, newsletters or something else)
Book signings! I love meeting readers face to face. Hearing their stories and connecting with them on another level. Social media and other outlets are great, but meeting people in person makes the connection between author and reader even more special.
7) Who did you dedicate your first book to and why?
I dedicated my first book to anyone who has felt as though they were broken and lost. I wanted them to know that they deserve to find people who appreciate and love them for being exactly who they are. Never asking them to change.
My dedication: For the scarred souls, May you find the strength to heal and embrace those who cherish every fragment of your being.
8) What is your favorite book and why?
The Legacy of Gods series by Rina Kent will forever have me in a chokehold. The way she writes her morally grey characters is inspiring. Each story touches on a variety of heavy themes and the traumas the characters go through don’t get magically fixed at the end. Some are things they will have to live with for the rest of their lives while their significant others stand by them. It’s inspiring and gives me hope that I could find someone fiercely loyal despite my flaws.
9) Where is your favorite place to read?
Anywhere that’s quiet. I love to read in my room so I can have reactions in a safe space (kicking, screaming, crying, laughing, etc.). I love laying in a hammock with the wind lightly blowing in a beautiful place such as the beach or forest. I want to be wrapped in my favorite blanket with my highlighters and read for hours uninterrupted.
I don’t like eating or drinking while reading and could go all day without because I am so engrossed in my book!
10) If you could live in any “book world” what would that be?
This is a tough question because there are so many amazing and unique worlds to choose from. I would have to go with Harry Potter with FanFic morally grey Draco minus the war. Mainly because there’s dragons, magic, the muggle world, and Draco!
I would want to be born a witch, have a pet dragon, married to Draco, and live with magic all around me, but have the option to take part in muggle food, places, and activities. This world also has baths, indoor plumbing, and air conditioning. Not only that, but they still have grand balls so I can dress up in elaborate dresses. It clicks all the boxes!
11) Do you own any interesting ‘bookish’ memorabilia or clothes? If so, what?
I am obsessed with all things Beauty and the Beast. When I turned 30, my best friend had a glass blown rose that is a replica from the movie (also a book) made for me. It is one of my most prized possessions.
12) How many books do you try to read each year?
I would love to read as many books as I can a year. The goal would be anywhere from 50-100, but writing has now taken up a large portion of my time.
13) What is your favorite quote and why?
This quote has stuck with me ever since I heard it as a little girl. “To die would be an awfully big adventure” from J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan. I heard it from the movie, but it is in the novel as well. The movie itself was a masterpiece and simply struck a nerve.
14) What is the name of your book/series? Tell me a little bit about them.
Her Dark Promise is a standalone dark romance Beauty and the Beast retelling. How does my story differ from the original? Belle is the beast who doesn’t turn into a beast, it’s her trauma that makes her act “beastly.” Gaston and Beast are brothers who get trapped in her castle. Be on the lookout because there are plenty of easter eggs such as the last name Everhart is the last name of the voice actor who played Maurice.
A short description: Calathea Rose Everhart, once a thriving princess, is now a cursed queen, haunted by a witch’s dark promise. After centuries of solitude with only a few stray human companions, she’s doomed to watch the life around her grow and change while she stays the same. Little does she know, the arrival of the two brothers changes everything, and forces her to face the very past she’s been running from.
15) Do you have a website? If so, what is it?
16) Where can we find and follow you? (Name your social media platforms.)
You can find me on Instagram, TikTok, my website, and my Facebook group.
17) If there anything important that you would want my readers to know about you?
I am a Native American/Mexican author who enjoys writing dark romance, morally grey characters, and retellings. I take diversity seriously and understand that there are many voices that need to be heard, including but not limited to: LBGTQ+, POC, disabilities and disorders. I do extensive research to represent everyone to the best of my ability!
I also have so many other projects coming up! I am currently writing a spicy Pinocchio retelling where he is a s*x doll who gets sold to a high profile couple. Then I am writing a dark romance Shrek retelling which is set to come out early next Spring! With all of this happening, I am beginning to draft a Klaroline inspired story set to come out early 2026. I have an audiobook of Her Dark Promise coming out early Fall 2025 with Jacob Morgan as the male narrator.
Please follow on my socials to get all of the updates for these crazy and exciting projects!
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