An Interview With Kristin Cashore -- Author of "Bitterblue" Introduction: Today I am delighted to bring you an interview with Kristin Cashore , the multiple award-winning and Starred-review author of Graceling (2008) and Fire (2009). I think there are few contemporary authors who have enjoyed such immediate success as Ms Cashore with her debut novel, Graceling , setting a benchmark for YA fantasy adventure with a strong, independent young heroine -- but with plenty of romance in the mix as well. Today's interview focuses on Bitterblue , Kristin Cashore's newly released third novel, which returns readers to the world of Graceling and Fire . You may recall that I featured a "Just Arrived" post for Bitterblue on 29 April, here , and wrote: "I appreciate Cashore's storytelling approach...[and]...am looking forward to what she does with Bitterblue's story." I can tell you right now that I loved Bitterblue -- but I hope the best testimony to the book will lie in the interview, so now welcome Kristin Cashore to "...on Anything, Really." --  The Interview Helen: Bitterblue is your third novel and returns to the world of Graceling and Fire , but in particular to the kingdom of Monsea -- ruled by the tyrant Leck in Graceling -- where it picks up the story of Leck's daughter, Bitterblue. What led you to want to tell her story as your "next book"? Kristin: It's impossible to predict where a book idea is going to come from. This one happened differently from any