The author best known for her hit 2020 “Romeo & Juliet” retelling “These Violent Delights,” which is set in 1920s Shanghai, released the conclusion of one trilogy series last month and is preparing for the launch of her second book in another series in November, all while writing two more books to debut in the coming years. That’s coming out in November, but already I’m deep in the weeds of getting that third and final book finished and I’m very excited about how that’s going to look. I always love writing the final book in a trilogy because it’s so explosive and there’s so much in the world to figure out, but does it kill me a little every time?
I’m currently working on that. I’m also in the revision process of a secret project that we haven’t yet announced, but I hope too soon and I always feel like, as authors, there’s so many secrets that we’re hiding until we’re suddenly not hiding it and they’re like, please, let me tell you about this book that I have coming out.” With “Deadlock,” the sequel to 2025’s “Coldwire,” set for a Nov. 17 release and the currently untitled third book in the works, Gong is balancing that project with a top-secret book that isn’t a return to the “These Violent Delights” universe or any of her previous series. It’s my first venture into something contemporary,” Gong says, “I have been kind of teasing it as, imagine an Emily Henry love story meets the zombie apocalypse.
I’m super excited to talk about it more, and I think at this point, I’ve done that teaser enough times that I’m like, it’s OK, my publisher’s not gonna sack me for that.” Amid her packed writing schedule, Gong has taken some time to view readers’ reactions to the end of “Eyes of Kings” — the final installment in her trilogy inspired by Shakespeare’s “Antony and Cleopatra” — but she says she’s not actively seeking out fans’ hot takes. They will tag me in their crying videos, or they’ll tag me in their Instagram pictures where they have these beautiful aesthetic flat lays and the captions are like ‘Chloe Gong, how dare you!’ I love those reactions, especially when it comes to the end of the series. I have been preparing people, I think from Book 1.
I’m like, guys, this is adult epic fantasy, I’m not promising to go light on you and there’s a fight coming. And the very tagline of ‘Eyes of Kings’ is, ‘At the end of this war, there can only be one king.’ I’ve been bracing everyone, I think. I’ve loved the reader reactions.
You know, no one’s happy, but everyone’s had a great time, I think.” While Gong’s projects have yet to be adapted for the big screen, a project based on “These Violent Delights” has been rumored for some time and Gong says there’s still potential for it to move forward. People are always looking at my work. People are considering, and people are in conversation.
And I always have my fingers crossed that something will come of it. At least for what I can focus on, I just try to write the books that would look good and feel fun and be exciting to adapt, but my focus is on the words on the page and I can just hope that someone who shares the vision would see the visual equivalent.” Gong says she is very open to collaboration and the changes that can come with adapting a book for TV or film. I’m such an unfussy author,” Gong says.
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