Q&A: Tricia Levenseller, Author of ‘What Fury Brings’

We chat with author Tricia Levenseller about her adult debut What Fury Brings, which is a sexy, empowering romantasy featuring a warrior general who must kidnap and train a husband in order to take her rightful place as queen.

Hi, Tricia! Your latest novel, What Fury Brings, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Kidnapping, Revenge, Seduction, Action, HEA

What can readers expect?

Readers can expect a three-chili-pepper experience! More seriously though, this book is full of political intrigue and scheming, a romance between two doms in the bedroom, and worldbuilding that is rife with rage and revenge.

Where did the inspiration for What Fury Brings come from?

While I was visiting the Louvre, I learned about The Abduction of the Sabine Women. Allegedly, there was a time in early Roman history where the Romans were running low on women, so they took them from their neighbors. Immediately, I thought this would be vastly entertaining if I gender-swapped the idea.

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

I loved writing Olerra. She’s a plus-sized warrior princess who is confident and daring. She has a big heart, a deep emotional intelligence, and a mind good for scheming. There is nothing I want more than to read about big women who are confident and comfortable in their bodies. We need to normalize seeing all body types in the media we consume.

Can you tell us about your worldbuilding process for What Fury Brings?

It’s about asking myself questions until I find the right answers. I knew I wanted to create a society in which women kidnap husbands. I knew there needed to be a shortage of men. I knew I wanted to write a matriarchal society. With these concepts serving as a foundation, I created a world in which the noblemen of this kingdom tried to overthrow their matriarchal opressors. They lost and paid with their lives and those of their sons. As a result, there are no men of marriageable age in this kingdom. The women kidnap men from neighboring kingdoms if they want husbands.

I also knew I wanted to make a commentary on gender roles, so I wrote an enemy kingdom that reflects the history of our world in its treatment of women—a complete reversal of my matriarchal kingdom. By having my main character kidnap a prince from this kingdom, I was able to show a complete culture clash and address the horrors of our own world.

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

It was difficult to start writing this book because I’d never written anything for adults before. I kept dealing with extreme imposter syndrome—as though I had no business leaving my YA lane. I kept telling myself that if I didn’t write this story, no one else will. Thankfully, I was able to find a rhythm after the rocky beginning.

This is your adult debut! Were there any changes in your approach to writing What Fury Brings?

The biggest change is pivoting in how I think about characters. Rather than a coming-of-age narrative in which teens discover who they are, my adult protagonists have their already-set ideals challenged and have to rethink what they’ve always believed.

I was also able to let loose when it came to how graphic my scenes were.

What’s next for you?

I’m happy to share that I’m working on my second dark adult romantasy. It hasn’t been announced yet, so I’ll just say that it takes place in the same world as What Fury Brings but features a new couple.

Lastly, what 2026 books do you have your eye on?

I’m dying for the next book in Brigid Kemmerer’s Braided Fate series. I’m also really looking forward to Elizabeth May’s The Wolf and the Crown of Blood. Both are favorite authors of mine! I’m so excited to read more of their work for adult audiences.

Will you be picking up What Fury Brings? Tell us in the comments below!