Paste Magazine: The question I know everyone wants me to ask first: What can you tease for us about Sweet Chaos? Whose POV is it from? How does it compare to the first book?
Tracy Wolff: First of all, I just want to say how excited I am to be here! I’m a huge fan of Paste and am so thrilled I get to do the cover reveal for Sweet Chaos with you!
Sweet Chaos is told from Mozart’s POV. She is a dragon shapeshifter with a secret past and is also a close friend to Jude, one of the main characters in Sweet Nightmare. Mozart’s love interest, Simon, is a very (and I mean very) sexy siren who got sent to Calder Academy because of an unfortunate habit of sinking ships (among other things)
As for how Sweet Chaos compares to Sweet Nightmare? All I can say is the truth is in the titles! If rogue paranormals running wild through a dark academia setting while a hurricane barrels straight toward them is a nightmare, just imagine what happens when you add hidden portals that transport characters to never-before-seen places that might just kill them, a secret society bent on death and destruction, and a whole lot more mayhem and magic. Absolute chaos!
It’s terrifying and romantic and so much fun. I can’t wait to share it with readers!!
Paste: Tell me a little about your reasons for writing the Calder Academy series this way, with switching POVs in each book? What itch does that scratch for you in terms of building this universe?
Wolff: While I absolutely loved telling the Crave series from one point of view, I wanted to do something different with the Calder Academy series and tell a story where multiple characters added important threads to the over-arching storyline. Plus, stay tuned for a big surprise at the end of the series that will make it abundantly clear why these three stories needed to be told this way!
Paste: Can you tease us a little about where we’ll see Clementine and Jude and their story in this book?
Wolff: Oh, definitely! Jude and Clementine are still a big part of Sweet Chaos, as are the other characters we meet in Sweet Nightmare. Though the focus is on Mozart and Simon’s romance, the main story features all the characters. Plus (tiny spoiler) Jude and Simon are now roommates, as are Clementine and Mozart, so we get to see Jude and Clementine—and their relationship—a lot!
Paste: You’ve spoken before that Calder Academy, as a series, is meant to wrestle with some of the contemporary issues we’re all facing in 2024. How is that reflected in Sweet Chaos? I mean — gesturing wildly at everything right now — chaos as a concept certainly seems appropriate!
Wolff: Exactly! I think we’re at a pivotal time right now—in the U.S. and in the world. There is so much to figure out, so much to be concerned about, so much hunger for change and for things to get better.
Sweet Nightmare dealt a lot with the darkness within, while Sweet Chaos addresses the darkness that sometimes feels like it’s closing in from all sides. It’s a story about standing up to power, about facing our fears and doing the right thing even when it’s difficult, about the richness diversity and different viewpoints bring to the conversation, and—as in all my books—the fact we are stronger with our found family than we ever could be apart. My sincere wish is that it brings readers hope that we can find strength out of chaos.
Paste: What are you most excited for readers to see or experience in this story? Is there a specific moment you can hint at a bit that you think will blow people’s minds?
Wolff: Oh, wow. There is so much I want to talk about, but I don’t want to ruin it for everyone. I will say that Mozart and Simon’s big romantic moment is one of my favorite that I’ve ever written and that I think the secret society and the new portals I introduce in this book are definitely going to get people excited!
Sweet Chaos will be released on May 6, 2025, but you can pre-order it now.
Lacy Baugher Milas is the Books Editor at Paste Magazine, but loves nerding out about all sorts of pop culture. You can find her on Twitter @LacyMB
