Frances Hardinge, rarely seen without her signature black fedora, delights in creating richly imagined fantasy worlds rooted in historical details. Traitors’ Nest (Amulet/Abrams, Sept. 8) follows a teenager living in a bucolic village as godlike Players participate in a Great Game, moving castles around the land like chess pieces. When the village’s familiar brown castle vanishes, replaced by one made of red stone, the community is upended, setting in motion a sweeping narrative that explores sacrifice, trust, and the burdens of leadership. Hardinge, who lives in the U.K., answered our questions about the book via email.

Where and when did you write the book?

Nearly all my writing takes place on my laptop at the kitchen table, with a mug of tea beside me. Occasionally the table is also covered in scribbled notes, badly drawn maps, or collages of Post-it notes with plot points jotted on them. When asked about my working schedule, I usually say, “I aim for 9-to-5 and miss.” The degree to which I miss varies from one day to the next.

Not all my thinking takes place at home, though. I find long walks very helpful for following through ideas and untangling plot knots.

What was most challenging about writing this book? And most rewarding?

I created a world that took inspiration from 12th-century Europe but wasn’t in any sense a replica of it. For one thing, my setting doesn’t have Christianity, so there’s no hugely powerful medieval church. I also couldn’t have titles or noble power tied to any particular area of land, because my castles are teleporting around the landscape. This meant that I was pulling two big Jenga bricks out of the structure of medieval society, and I needed to make sure that the setting could still stand up and make sense.

On the other hand, I had fun with the medieval bestiaries in particular. They’re wild, wonderful, and beautifully illustrated. Mythical beasts are jumbled together with real creatures described so bizarrely that they seem fantastical too. In Traitors’ Nest, my heroes encounter some creatures that they think are lions. They are very, very mistaken. That entire subplot was certainly rewarding, in the sense of making me cackle with evil glee.

What do you enjoy most about writing historical fantasy for teens, and what do you hope they take away from those stories?

I’m addicted to historical research. It’s like treasure hunting, and the great thing about creating your own world is that you get to choose which bizarre or vivid historical elements you weave into the setting. It’s a good way to hold the clichés at bay, too, since you’re always discovering historical details that are far more startling and interesting.

What do I hope my teen readers will take away from the book? Well, first and foremost I really hope that they enjoy it. My books are fantastical adventures and mysteries, with hopefully enough darkness to keep things exciting, and characters that I would like the readers to care about. The book does explore larger issues—inequality and exploitation, grief, power dynamics, trust, compassion, the nature of leadership—but I like to give the reader something to think about, rather than telling them what to think.

What inspired you during the writing of the book?

It’s possible that Neil Young’s Don’t Let It Bring You Down might have seeped into the story. I heard it for the first time when I was young, and the refrain haunted me even though I wasn’t sure what it meant: “Don’t let it bring you down / It’s only castles burning…”

Ellie Halleron is an editorial intern.