Thea Guanzon: This Series Is a Celebration of My Heritage
Thea Guanzon is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of the Hurricane Wars series. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies, with a specialization in International Politics and Peace Studies. Aside from being a writer, she is an avid traveler, an enthusiastic fangirl, a Dungeon Master, and an iced coffee junkie. Born and raised in the Philippines, she currently resides in Metro Manila. Follow her on X (Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.
In this interview, Thea discusses her hope for readers of her new fantasy novel, A Monsoon Rising, her advice for other writers, and more.
Name: Thea Guanzon
Literary agent: Thao Le at Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency
Book title: A Monsoon Rising
Publisher: Harper Voyager, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
Release date: December 10, 2024
Genre/category: Fiction / Fantasy / Romance
Previous titles: Hurricane Wars
Elevator pitch: Two hearts circle each other in the eye of the storm in this highly anticipated follow-up to the New York Times bestseller, The Hurricane Wars—prepare for more enemies-to-lovers romance, magical adventures, and political schemes in this Southeast Asian–inspired world.
Bookshop | Amazon
[WD uses affiliate links.]
What prompted you to write this book?
A Monsoon Rising is the sequel to The Hurricane Wars, a fantasy romance set in a world patterned after Southeast Asian cultures and mythologies, particularly that of the Philippines, where I was born and raised and still live to this day. This series is a celebration of my heritage, but it is also informed by the issues embedded in contemporary Philippine society, such as class divide, regionalism, and environmental disasters. The plot revolves around a forbidden, antagonistic romance between Alaric and Talasyn, two bitter foes on opposite sides of a vicious war, and A Monsoon Rising in particular really dials that up; it’s my take on enemies-to-lovers, which has been my favorite trope for as long as I can remember. There’s just something about tracking that fine line between two opposite passions—loathing and desire—that is so compelling to me, as both a writer and a consumer of media.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
The Hurricane Wars took almost two years and several rewrites to come to fruition; it was my first novel and I was still getting my bearings. A Monsoon Rising, on the other hand, was done in a little over six months, because I had already set up the world and the various dynamics and motivations in the previous book and it was a matter of just continuing that story. It was also a bit more fun to write than its predecessor, because most of the heavy lifting was out of the way and I could simply just let the characters take me where they needed to go. Meanwhile, the idea of this series remained mostly the same from pitching to publication, but during the editing process we did throw a major new plot point in there in order to up the stakes and at the same time give Alaric and Talasyn more of a reason to work together in close quarters. I think that this addition made the overall story more gripping and allowed the romance to proceed in an organic manner, so I’m glad that I trusted my editors, Julia Elliott and Natasha Bardon, in this regard.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
It was such a huge and very welcome surprise to learn that the North American first print run of A Monsoon Rising would come with sprayed edges! I have my beloved readers to thank for helping shape that particular publisher decision. Also, I remember that I was so exhausted from drafting, but then the news came in that A Monsoon Rising was both an IndieReads and LibraryJournal pick for December 2024, and it gave me a new lease on life. Writing is a taxing and solitary endeavor most of the time, but then you get moments like this and it’s such a blessing to know that people are cheering you on and are excited for your book.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
I had a plan for how A Monsoon Rising would go and I was able to mostly stick to that, but whenever Alaric and Talasyn interacted with each other it always came as a surprise to me how much personal baggage was unearthed on both sides. This is not a straightforward love story; there’s progress and there’s also regression, given how tense the circumstances are and how their respective goals are at odds with each other. Getting them to a place where there was a semblance of trust, where they could communicate better and more openly and learn to see each other beyond the confines of war and duty—I would describe that process as similar to wrangling two uncooperative cats into their crates so I could take them to the vet, which, incidentally, is an activity I am all too familiar with.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
It is my dearest wish that readers will be encouraged to seek out more Southeast Asian writers, because our region is so vibrant and there are so many rich stories here that deserve to be told on the world stage. If there’s one lesson that I hope readers can take away from A Monsoon Rising, it’s that the human heart is messy and chaotic, and that’s okay.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
In terms of navigating the traditional publishing industry, I would advise a mix of surrounding yourself with people who have your career’s best interests at heart and being your own advocate. Ask questions, do your research, and don’t be afraid to walk away if something doesn’t feel right. It can be scary to walk away from an opportunity even if there are red flags, but it’s a long game and you need to work with agents, editors, and publishers who are invested in making your books the best possible versions of themselves.
In terms of craft, I’ve learned that in writing there is always room for improvement. I have been writing since I was a child, and I never let myself believe that I’ve mastered it—sometimes I read lines I wrote as recently as the month before and I cringe. It’s a constant process of honing and refining your voice, so keep writing because that’s the only way you’ll get better at it. You will never write your best work—just your best work so far.
