Tell us a bit about your latest work.
Esprit de Corpse released in 2023, a steampunk adventure set in 1843 France, featuring a pair of genius twins, Jacqueline Duval and Angélique Laforge, who discover a plot to animate automatons with the spirits of the skulls found in the Paris Catacombs. Since then, Jacqueline and Angélique have appeared in a few short stories found in A Cast of Crows, Other Aether, and A Cry of Hounds, as well as in Noir at the Bar.
What are the themes and subjects you tend to revisit in your work?
All of my works feature strong female protagonists, some who have been victims of harsh assaults, others just facing the world’s slings and arrows. Religion, as opposed to faith, is another undercurrent in my novels. A recurring theme in all my works is bifurcation; my fantasy works feature a half-human MC, and the twins are divided by their callings: science vs art.
What happened in your life that prompted you to become a writer?
I grew up on the same street as the town library, which I discovered when I was 4 and visited daily. I was the first person under 6 years of age to get a library card, and I read like a fiend. When I got older, and school took up more of my time, I began writing my own stories because I couldn’t get to the library.
What inspires you to write?
I don’t have any external inspiration. Stories come to me, characters come to me, settings come to me, and I just go with them.
What would be your dream project?
I’m living the dream! I have four books completed in the Steampunk series, with a fifth on the way. Meanwhile, the twins’ teen years make for some wild short stories that I hope to have in a collection one day. They keep me busy!
If you have any former project to do over to make it better, which one would it be, and what would you do?
My fantasy heroine has a whopping great story, and I wish I could get that published.
What writers have influenced your style and technique?
I’m not sure I’d say “influenced.” I was fortunate to be in a workshop for several years with some of the top writers in the genre; every session was a master class in writing. Their critiques helped me learn how to better frame and present my stories, but I don’t think they influenced my style or my voice. Rather, they helped me find it.
Where would you rank writing on the "Is it an art or it is a science continuum?" Why?
Composing sentences for the best method of communication is a science; it can be learned with handbooks on grammar, syntax, and punctuation. Creating “clean copy” is a science. Creating and presenting stories is an art; I’ve taught enough creative writing courses to know that artistic presentation is an innate talent.
What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?
Finding the purpose of the story and keeping it in the forefront of the writing. A lot of writers talk about getting halfway through writing a piece before they discover the real story within all the words and deeds. Sometimes I don’t find mine until the very end. But once I do, I can edit to make the whole piece work.
How do your writer friends help you become a better writer? Or do they not?
I have a circle of writers for whom I am grateful because they are willing to read and critique my work. They are able to help me refine my characters and deepen the plot. Sometimes they see things I just don’t. I also love to sit down with them and talk about writing in general, or to “talk out” plots or other issues I’m having. And I have an editor/publisher who is just the best in sharpening up my laziness.
What does literary success look like to you?
Success is when some random influential actor reads my books, enjoys them, and decides these would make a great TV series or movies.
Any other upcoming projects you would like to plug?
Yes! Book Two of the Twins of Bellesfées series is due out in 2024: Aéros et Héroes. A Cry of Hounds comes out at the Tell-Tale Steampunk Festival in April, and I think Other Aether is also going to be released there too, two anthologies featuring the Twins.
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