Elisa A. Bonnin masterfully builds worlds where fantasy and Filipino culture coexist in her debut novel Dauntless.  We follow Seri as she vows to help protect her people from the Beasts that hide in the trees that Seri calls home.  Seri soon discovers that her people are not the only ones to exist in the world, as she meets Tsana. They team up to help keep their nations from entering into a deadly war. We speak with Elisa about the importance of pulling away from the European perspective and centering stories through a Filipino lens featuring queer characters, how her love of fantasy began, and how she unwinds after a long hard day with Japanese sword-fighting.