Q&A with Sava
ABOUT EOF
1. Where did you get your inspiration for Empire of Flaws?
I wouldn’t say that I got a single flash of inspiration for EOF. It was very much a “digging into the abyss” kind of process. Although the story did originate with a joke. A joke about how weird and quirky my true personality was, and that if I were to make an anime (because I am obsessed with anime duhhhh) about my life, my personality would have to be divided among several characters. That was the original idea behind making Zora’s flaws into human women. And the rest is... matcha, tears, and a lot of research.
2. Describe EOF in six words (not four, that’s the number of death in Chinese culture).
Porridge, multi-culturalism, self-love, handsome Dukes, chaos.
3. What’s your favorite scene in the book?
Every scene with Calamity.
4. Name one scene that made you laugh and one scene that made you cry.
Chapter 41. Both at the same time.
5. If you had to kiss, marry or kill three of your characters, who would it be and why?
Kill Yun Wu. Definitely. I could never tolerate a male who tries to control my diet.
Kiss Soran. He’s tall, rich, and handsome —the trinity of perfection according to China’s contemporary beauty standards. But he’d probably (maybe?) take several wives, and I really don’t like sharing.
I’d marry Yong Heng, Duke of Zhou, without hesitation. Why? I have a thing for gloomy quiet males with long white hair (I blame C-dramas for this particular development). AND I want access to his library, obviously.
About the author
1. Who are your favorite authors?
Unsurprising, given some of you must have read EOF, but English isn’t my first language, and the only book series I read before 2020 was The Hunger Games. I don’t have a favorite author because I think there are too many books I have yet to read. But I can give a list of some of the books I enjoyed/liked: When the Moon Hatched, A Fate Inked in Blood, A Court of Silver Flames, the Shatter Me series, The Bridge Kingdom series, Quicksilver, the Zodiac Academy series (I don’t care, Darius Acrux is hot af).
2. What is your writing routine?
Currently, I am on a writing break because I have to attempt to finish my Ph.D. But when I do write, I wake up before 7, do some stretching and low-intensity exercise, then eat breakfast, make myself a matcha, and sit down to write until my brain can’t take it anymore. This usually happens around lunchtime. I spend the rest of the day planning, world-building, and scavenging through Pinterest.
3. Are you a morning or an evening person?
Definitely a morning person. I’m usually in bed by 22:00 (unless my cat decides to meow me into the afterlife).
4. Tell us a secret?
Like Empress Zora Magna Bugrie of the Empyrean Empire of the Earth Realm, I understand the value of secrets. If you want a secret, you’ll have to give one first.
Q&A with Empress Zora Magna Bugrie
twenty-ninth Empress of the Empyrean Empire of the Earth Realm
1. What’s your favorite color?
It’s a bit obvious, isn’t it?
Crimson. Like my entire Palace. Like the symbol of the Empyrean throne. But to be honest, if I wasn’t so used to the color, I’d probably pick black. I don’t know … there’s just something about black that is so … soothing. I feel like I could drown in it and disintegrate into the abyss. Become one with it. Maybe that’s just Tenebrys talking, though.
2. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your near-immortal existence, what would it be?
Seriously? How is this even a real question?
Obviously it’s mooncakes. Red bean filling, of course.
3. Which being of the Empyrean Bestiary would you most want as your pet?
Definitely not a Skorpyon.
Maybe a Pazit’eyl?
Oh—wait! I’d want a Deathstalker hound. They’re impossible to train, but they’re loyal and smart.
4. Describe your personality in four words.
Um … Have you been living in the Mangurian Caves? I have seven flaws—how am I supposed to narrow my personality to four words?
Anyway, back to the new question. I’m pretty stubborn and don’t really like to change my opinion once I’ve formed it. That makes me naïve at times, of course. Also, I’m kind of emotionally unstable and quick to anger. Did I mention I was an empath? Yeah, that doesn’t particularly help with emotional stability either.
Also, my ego is larger than the Nine-tailed Fox in his Beast form, and my tendency to be irresponsible trumps the Duke of Aytos’ tendency to drown in his own gold.
That about sums it up. Stubborn. Naïve. Unstable. Destructive. Empathetic. Egotistic. Irresponsible. Wonderful to keep company, wouldn’t you agree?
5. Who is your favorite master?
I don’t really like any of them, to be honest. They were all exceedingly dull when I was growing up and would always try to shove some half-baked explanations down my throat. Like “Know the enemy better than you know yourself.” But when I’d ask why, they’d just shut me down by arguing it’s simply established military principles, the natural essence of strategy.
Yun Wu would always try to soothe the tension in our lessons, having been forced to accompany me and all, but it just didn’t work. All in all, I hope my master stays in his retirement cave until it’s time for me to perform the Hor’o of Death in his honor. Which would be … soon, hopefully.
6. Are you a morning or evening person?
Well, that’s a moronic question, really, like the rest of the questions I’ve been asked so far. Why? Because I can be neither when my insane flaws are running around the Empire doing exactly the opposite of what I’d sacrificed my own flesh for.
Take Calamity, for example. Running around in ungodly shi’chen of the night with her little group of outcasts. How am I supposed to sleep when she’s— And don’t even get me started on Fei and that kid she’s adopted.
Ugh. I don’t want to talk about this. Can we move on to the next question?
7. If you had to kiss, marry or kill three of the Dukes, who would they be and why?
Finally, a question that’s a bit more interesting. Let’s see …
Definitely kill Yaotzin—no, wait. I’d like to kill Soran, Duke of Aytos. For no reason really, apart from the fact that golden statue of him really pisses me off. Yes. Kill Soran.
As for kiss and marry …
Obviously not the Duke of Yantra. Ew.
That leaves us with … the Dukes of Lom, Talyesinth, Zhou, and Valdamon.
Honestly, I’d rather marry the Duke of Zhou because he’d let me do whatever I want and bury himself in his library. Meaning, he wouldn’t bother me. Also, that means I can loot his archives. Oh, and he’s kind of sweet when he blushes at my nasty comments.
As for kiss … I mean, the Duke of Talyesinth’s lips are … acceptable. Anyway, I’ll pick the Duke of Lom. For obvious reasons, like the fact that I’m insane. And … I kind of want to see if she’d predictably change forms halfway through.
8. If you had to make a bargain with the Nine-tailed Fox, what would it be and why?
If I had to make a bargain?
That’s clever wording. Since I definitely wouldn’t strike a bargain with the Fox if I could help it. I mean, the Fox always asks for the oddest of things.
9. Tell us a secret.
An Empress’s life is built on secrets.