Katherine Marsh: Find a Good Critique Group
In this interview, author Katherine Marsh discusses how societal pressure and mental health are at the center of her new middle-grade fantasy novel, The Gods’ Revenge.
Katherine Marsh is an award-winning author of novels for middle-grade readers including The Myth of Monsters series; The Lost Year; and Nowhere Boy. Among her honors are National Book Award finalist, winner of the Edgar Award for Best Juvenile Mystery, winner of the New York Historical Society Book Award, winner of the Jane Addams Award for Children’s Chapter Books, winner of the SCBWI Golden Kite Award, and winner of the Middle East Book Award. A former magazine journalist, Katherine lives in Washington, DC with her husband, two children and an astonishing array of pets. Find her online at KatherineMarsh.com, and follow her on Instagram.
In this interview, Katherine discusses how societal pressure and mental health are at the center of her new middle-grade fantasy novel, The Gods’ Revenge, her hope for readers, and more.
Name: Katherine Marsh
Literary agent: Alex Glass
Book title: The Gods’ Revenge: The Myth of Monsters Book 2
Publisher: Harper Kids
Release date: April 22, 2025
Genre/category: Middle-grade fantasy
Previous titles: Medusa: The Myth of Monsters Book 1; The Lost Year; Nowhere Boy; The Door By The Staircase; Jepp, Who Defied the Stars; The Night Tourist; The Twilight Prisoner.
Elevator pitch: Ava is back with her friends at the Accademia del Forte, the Venetian boarding school run by the Olympian gods for descendants of the Greek mythological monsters. But over the summer, her BFF, the empusa Layla, has transformed herself into the prettiest girl at school, upsetting Ava’s social order.
What prompted you to write this book?
Who did you feel more like in middle school: a god/goddess … or a monster? I certainly felt more like a monster. But it’s also a time of sudden drastic physical changes that can challenge self-esteem and social dynamics.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
I started thinking about The Myth of Monsters series after I visited Venice, Italy (where the story is set) in 2017 and fell in love with the mystique of the city in winter. I played with different genres for the story–at one point, it was even historical fiction!—before I settled on fantasy in the contemporary world.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
Learning how to promote my work to different audiences has been an important part of the process. The first Myth of Monsters book, Medusa, came out shortly after I became a National Book Award finalist for The Lost Year, which is historical fiction for older middle-grade readers. There were readers who had no idea I was the same author of these two very different books and learning to lean into being a multi-genre author and not boxing myself in has been part of the journey.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
I was surprised by how much humor I wanted to incorporate for both kids and adults despite there being some very serious themes. We live in dark times so creating moments of pure fun—like when Cupid subs in to teach the kids’ health class—felt really good.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
Whereas Medusa explores the silencing of women’s and girls’ voices, The Gods Revenge examines how societal pressures shape our sense of physical appearance, love, mental health, and self-esteem.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Find a good critique group. I’ve had several in my career who have given me the strength to keep going. Also, writing is hard. Don’t let anyone ever tell you otherwise.
Robert Lee Brewer is Senior Editor of Writer's Digest, which includes managing the content on WritersDigest.com and programming virtual conferences. He's the author of 40 Plot Twist Prompts for Writers: Writing Ideas for Bending Stories in New Directions, The Complete Guide of Poetic Forms: 100+ Poetic Form Definitions and Examples for Poets, Poem-a-Day: 365 Poetry Writing Prompts for a Year of Poeming, and more. Also, he's the editor of Writer's Market, Poet's Market, and Guide to Literary Agents. Follow him on Twitter @robertleebrewer.
