Alix E. Harrow, a Hugo-Award winning and NYT bestselling author known for her works like 'The Ten Thousand Doors of January,' dives into her latest novel 'Starling House.' She explores how character relationships illuminate vulnerability and raise stakes, plus the flexibility of word counts in sci-fi and fantasy. Alix shares her world-building process, the art of using secondary characters effectively, and innovative techniques like footnotes—all while emphasizing writing beautiful prose in the drafting phase and balancing backstory with curiosity.