Q&A with Janella Angeles | Where Dreams Descend Blog Tour

I have the pleasure of sharing a Q&A with author Janella Angeles to kick off the blog tour for her debut novel Where Dreams Descend (out August 25th). (This will be the second time Janella is appearing here on the blog, as she was lovely enough to be a part of our Mabuhay! celebration this year.) Now, before we get to the Q&A, I wanted to mention yet again that I've already been lucky enough to read and fall in love with Where Dreams Descend. Janella's debut is magical, whimsical and a whole lot of fun, and I'm dying to find out what happens next for Kallia and company in the next book (which is also the series ender)! All that to say... if you haven't preordered this YA fantasy yet, please do.

Alexa: Welcome to the blog (again), Janella! So, tell us, what is your one line elevator pitch for Where Dreams Descend... without using any comp titles?

Janella: I FEEL SO CALLED OUT RIGHT NOW. Just kidding. Ooohkay, a pitch without comps: An ambitious showgirl who dreams of fame and glory seizes her opportunity by joining a magicians competition—only to find that as romance blooms behinds the scenes, an unexpected danger also lurks behind the curtain.

Alexa: Well, you successfully managed to make me want to reread the book and I'm sure you've enticed other readers to want to check it out as well. Moving right on... What was the easiest aspect of Where Dreams Descend to write? And the hardest?

Janella: Kallia and the romance were the easiest. Writing her was literally like breathing, I’ve never had a character speak to me so clearly in my life! And romance is always one of my favorite things to write (and read) so it’s truly no surprise I had a blast there as well. The hardest aspect I’d have to say is the middle of the book. This honestly goes for every book I write—middles tend to be my biggest battlefields writing-wise, but once I unlock what needs to happen with the plot and character arcs, it becomes a much smoother road from there.

Alexa: I love that writing Kallia was the easiest part - she's one of my favorite things about the book! Okay, one last question, and it'll be an easy one. If you could pick three songs from three musicals to capture the vibe of Where Dreams Descend, what would they be?

Janella: Let Me Be Your Star from Smash! This is technically a musical TV show, but this song about yearning and dreaming of stardom is 1000% Kallia’s ambitious I-Want song.

The Point of No Return from Phantom of the Opera. This one is no surprise! It’s actually my favorite song in the whole show, but it perfectly captures that dark, sultry, push and pull I love writing between the characters. It also makes for some pretty inspirational dance music ;)

Backstage Romance from Moulin Rouge the Musical. This one feels like a bit of a cheat because it is a medley of many songs that all add to the Where Dreams Descend vibe—Bad Romance, Toxic, Sweet Dreams, etc—but the performance of it on stage is such a showstopper. It’s sexy, romantic, high-energy, and a spectacle of a dance number with excellent choreography which perfectly captures the theatricality of this book! Also, the title of the song is pretty spot on for what goes on :)

Alexa: I could totally see how each of these songs match the book perfectly - great choices! I'm also a little biased because I like all of these tunes... Anyway, thank you so much, Janella for taking the time to answer these questions for the blog tour!

In a city covered in ice and ruin, a group of magicians face off in a daring game of magical feats to find the next headliner of the Conquering Circus, only to find themselves under the threat of an unseen danger striking behind the scenes.

As each act becomes more and more risky and the number of missing magicians piles up, three are forced to reckon with their secrets before the darkness comes for them next.

The Star: Kallia, a powerful showgirl out to prove she’s the best no matter the cost

The Master: Jack, the enigmatic keeper of the club, and more than one lie told

The Magician: Demarco, the brooding judge with a dark past he can no longer hide

Where Dreams Descend is the startling and romantic first book in Janella Angeles’ debut Kingdom of Cards fantasy duology where magic is both celebrated and feared, and no heart is left unscathed.

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JANELLA ANGELES is a Filipino-American author who got her start in writing through consuming glorious amounts of fanfiction at a young age—which eventually led to penning a few of her own, and later on, creating original stories from her imagination. A lifelong lover of books, she's lucky enough to be working in the business of publishing them on top of writing them. She currently resides in Massachusetts, where she's most likely to be found listening to musicals on repeat and daydreaming too much for her own good. Where Dreams Descend is her first book.