Cait Jacobs on Her Debut Novel 'The Princess Knight' and BookTok Stardom

The Genesis of BookTok and Cait Jacobs' Debut

• 💡 Cait Jacobs, a founder of BookTok, discusses her journey from posting book reviews on TikTok to becoming a published author.
• 🚀 Her first viral video on books unexpectedly launched her into social media prominence, creating a sensation around her account, "Kate's Books."
• ✨ Jacobs expresses awe at the growth of the BookTok community and the warm, welcoming environment created by its creators.

From Book Reviewer to Author

• ✍️ Realizing her dream of becoming a published author after years of discussing others' works was an emotional experience, marked by screaming and tears.
• 🐶 Her excitement was so intense it startled her anxious dog, highlighting the profound significance of this lifelong aspiration.

'The Princess Knight': Inspiration and Themes

• 💖 The novel is dedicated to Jacobs' grandmother, with whom she shared a deep bond over books, Irish history, and folklore, elements that heavily influenced the story.
• 🌈 Representation is a core theme, with characters reflecting Jacobs' own experiences as queer and dealing with disabilities, making them deeply personal.
• 🧩 The characters, Clea and Ronin, are portrayed as resilient and stubborn, embodying traits that mirror the author's and loved ones' experiences.

Plot of 'The Princess Knight'

• ⚔️ The story begins with a planned marriage alliance between a princess and a prince, which is unexpectedly called off by the prince.
• 🎓 To secure her kingdom's needs, Princess Clea decides to prove her worth by attending a medieval military academy, despite having no prior sword experience.
• 🤝 There, she meets Ronin, the prince's guard and best friend, who agrees to train her, leading them to uncover deeper threats to their kingdoms.