Q&A: Sarah J. Daley, Author of ‘Wings of Steel & Fury’

We chat with author Sarah J. Daley about Wings of Steel and Fury, which is a roman-mythology inspired fantasy in which a heavenly prince falls from grace into a world on the brink of industrialisation.

Hi, Sarah! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

Hello! I’m a former chef and an award-nominated author from the Chicagoland area. I live with my husband, my son and our very fat cat. I spend most of my time either writing, reading, cooking, or traveling.

I’ve been writing since I was about twelve and my dream was always to be a novelist. Things didn’t quite work out so smoothly. My first published novel was picked up during an open door submission with Angry Robot in 2020 – a thoroughly lovely year if I recall correctly. It launched in 2022 (publishing, amiright?) when I was 49 years old. So, I was definitely a late bloomer! It took a lifetime to reach my dream goal, but I did it. I got my agent (the extremely talented god of hype, John Baker) after I was published and he immediately secured another deal for me with AR. Wings is my sophomore novel, and I’m very proud of it.

When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?

I was always a voracious reader, but I suppose it took until middle school before I thought about writing. Mostly, I enjoyed books with horses and really, really wanted a horse, so I inserted myself in those types of stories at first. When I stumbled across Susan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising, though, I immediately became enamored with fantasy stories. I used to write ‘books’ starring my friends which were passed around school. They were a strange mix between fantasy and science fiction (oh, did I mention I was also a huge Star Wars fan?)

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

• The first book you ever remember reading: Richard Scarry’s What Do People Do All Day. My mother taught me to read with this book!
• The one that made you want to become an author: The Black Stallion
• The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Hmmm, tough one! Probably Robin Hobb’s Ship of Magic (the whole damn series, honestly, and everything connected to it.) If I write anything even half as brilliant, I’ll die happy.

Your latest novel, Wings of Steel & Fury, is out August 12^th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Machine guns, monsters and mayhem.

What can readers expect?

An action-packed story with riveting characters set against the backdrop of a world at war, a world of carbines and steel and burnt ghouls. A crippled god on a quest for vengeance. A brother and sister bound by loyalty and love who find a cause worth dying for – a fallen angel who is both infuriating and intoxicating. This is a violent book, a book about past traumas and overcoming addiction, fighting oppression and upending a world order, but also, there is deep love, true sacrifice and redemption on a cosmic scale. It might break your heart, but it will put it back together again, too.

 

Where did the inspiration for Wings of Steel & Fury come from?

From a song by Linkin Park of all things. Castle of Glass off their album, Living Things. I actually wanted to call this book Castle of Glass, but, well, you can imagine why I changed my mind given the popularity of SJM (Throne of Glass)! The opening lyrics just painted images in my head. A man, weary from a fight, at a river bend washing poison off his skin – which inspired Diver’s character, a soldier fresh from the battlefield, fleeing a gas attack. Flying on silver wings, through the ‘black’, warmed in a nova’s glow then dropped into the dream ‘below’ became my fallen Angelus, Eleazar, and his journey from blessed Splendour to the horros of the Below – Avernus, the human world. I’m paraphrasing the lyrics haha. But that song was my inspiration, and I built a whole world and characters from it.

All Quiet on the Western Front was another source of inspiration. The descriptions of the front, No Man’s Land, and the brutality and futility of trench warfare and what it does to the young men thrown against artillery, fighting for a cause they barely understand, stuck with me.

Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

I always loved writing from Eleazar’s perspective. He’s such an arrogant ass at the beginning of the story, so it was quite fun trying to make him sympathetic and someone to root for despite all of his flaws. Putting him through some pretty horrific events certainly kept things interesting!

Tully is also a personal favorite of mine. Their story is tragic, but they are an entertaining, mysterious character with deep, dark secrets!

Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?

I struggled with my first edit pass. It took me years to finish the first draft, and I had to turn around and complete the second in far less time. I’m a pantster, not a plotter, and I discover twists and turns as I write the book, but sometimes those twists change everything! Sometimes, I would be stuck for days. Going for long walks, dreaming and listening to inspiring music got me through the worst of it. The solutions always come to me when I give my brain time to stew. Also, impending deadlines help me overcome writing blocks. I refuse to miss a deadline! It’s always much easier for me to work under pressure than be given an amorphous timeline.

What’s next for you?

Right now, I’m working on edits for my next book out Spring 2026 (Angry Robot). It hasn’t been officially announced yet, but I’m calling it a true crime fantasy. It’s a True Detective-inspired murder mystery about a half-demon, ex-nun veteran Inspector Death Speaker who is teamed up with a newbie Demonhunter as she searches for a demonic killer in a wealthy seaside enclave rife with secrets. My editor told me you never know what to expect when starting one of my books, and I take that as the highest of compliments!

Lastly, what books have you enjoyed reading this year? Are there any you’re looking forward to picking up?

I’ve been reading through a lot of Tana French mysteries/thrillers for inspiration on my own murder book. In the Woods was one of my favorite reads this year. In addition, I’ve read a lot of my author friends’ books and I’m telling you there are some good things in the works! I have a T. Kingfisher novella waiting on my shelf and I’m finally getting around to reading Murderbot by Martha Wells. I’ve always loved her fantasy books, and I’m so glad to see her receiving the attention and accolades she deserves.

Will you be picking up Wings of Steel & Fury? Tell us in the comments below!