November 11, 2020

Interview with Rory Michaelson, Author of Lesser Known Monsters

November 11, 2020

It’s been a wild week here in the United States, but it looks like the horrible orange monster that infected our country is on his way out of the White House. So it feels appropriate that my next interview is with Rory Michaelson, author of the queer dark fantasy, Lesser Known Monsters!

Tell us about yourself! What would you like readers to know about you?

Rory Michaelson: Oh, I have no idea. I honestly think that you will probably know everything you need or want to know about me by reading Lesser Known Monsters. I’m a little strange, but fun. I don’t take anything too seriously, unless it needs to be – and even then, my humour tends toward the gallows. I value truth, adventure, and love. My anxieties tend to leak out into my characters, each one with a few small morsels of inner fear to help make their poor little hearts beat!

What book or books have most influenced you as a writer?

Rory Michaelson: I took a bit of a journey, for many years I read almost exclusively high fantasy. Brandon Sanderson definitely dominated my bookcase, then later Robin Hobb, VE Schwab, and Leigh Bardugo. Really the most my reading has expanded was when I started to write. Once I unlocked the knowledge that not only could I write stories like the ones that I wanted to read – but other people were doing it too – I was hooked. Given the time I gobble up books from indie and traditionally published authors alike, and every one of them teaches me something.

Alexis: Interesting! I do find that I get drawn to different kinds of books now that I’m a writer. I get curious about other genres, or I start wanting to do research on different subjects for the next book.

What are some tropes of fiction in your genre that you love/hate? Why?

Rory Michaelson: I hate tropes that are dangerous or damaging to at risk groups. Other than that, I think most tropes are fun if used effectively or subverted. That said, I don’t like the centuries old immortal falling in love with the teenager. Maybe that’s why I write new adult (ha).

Alexis: Oh, I hate that one, too! As if any teenager wouldn’t be horribly dull if you are past the age of 25. Maybe I’m biased about this because I’m a teacher, but I think adult writers who write teenagers often have no idea what they’re really like. They forget how truly young they are.

Who is your favorite character in your book? What do you like about them? (or, which character do you hate most and why)

Rory Michaelson: Marcus. I love Marcus, he is my enfant terrible. My absolute disaster boy. When you have a character who is a little unpredictable, it makes dialogue fun and can also really help move the story along or lead it on a fun detour. I don’t want to say too much because I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone...

Beautiful cover of Lesser Known Monsters, by Rory Michaelson

What are you doing to de-stress during the pandemic? Is there any coping mechanism you’d recommend (or NOT recommend)?

Rory Michaelson: I am constantly busy! My day job has only gotten busier, I’ve been finishing off Lesser Known Monsters and drafting a new book. Marketing and preparation has really taken a wild amount of time, and we had only recently moved house before everything started off – so I’ve had lots on my plate to distract me!

What do you like to do other than read or write? Do you have any interesting hobbies?

Rory Michaelson: I enjoy TV, Movies, and I do a lot of cleaning. I wish I had time for more hobbies, but writing is my top priority when I get any free time! I am kind of handy with upcycling furniture, but I haven’t had time for that in a while. Before the pandemic, we travelled a lot on exciting holidays abroad- which I definitely miss.

Alexis: I miss travelling so much, too.

Tell us about a mystery/urban legend from your hometown (or another place you’ve lived).

Rory Michaelson: When I was growing up, a family friend always used to warn us about Jenny Greenteeth. He told us that children shouldn’t go near the river because Jenny Greenteeth would pull us in and drown us. I thought it was a thing he made up, but when I looked it up, it’s a legitimate English folklore of a green-skinned river hag that drowns children...

Alexis: Wow, that’s a pretty terrifying legend! It’s not unlike the La Llorona stories we have in South Texas.

What TV shows/Movies do you like to watch or stream?

Rory Michaelson: Movies are quite a commitment! I wish I had time to watch more. I grew up on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and I think that kind of variety between horror, comedy, action, romance, and adventure has stuck with me. I like a bit of variety in things. Recently I’ve been a huge fan of The Expanse, that’s an amazing show. I enjoy animation too – love She-Ra and Steven Universe.

Alexis: I still love Buffy the Vampire Slayer! It was such an amazing show, especially for its time. I like She-Ra as well, and my daughter loves it.

What’s your favorite animal?

Rory Michaelson: I like animals in general, but I don’t get to be around them much because we’re out too much to have pets. I grew up with lots of dogs, so they are always special to me, but taking into account non house pet animals, I’m a little bit obsessed with red pandas.

Alexis: Red pandas are very cute!

Do you like playing video games? What’s your favorite game right now? Has a video game ever influenced you as a writer?

Rory Michaelson: I love video games. I tried getting into animal crossing, and it worked for a while, but anything with ‘daily tasks’ tends to make me feel a bit claustrophobic. I’m currently replaying the old Final Fantasy remasters on Switch. Video games have definitely influenced my writing, to me like books, movies, and tv shows they’re all ultimately forms of storytelling – and consuming helps refill and expand your creative well.

Do you like playing board games or role playing games like D&D? If so, which games do you like best?

Rory Michaelson: I’ve always wanted to try, but I’ve never had chance. I’m a bit antisocial, and things like that tend to require other humans. I’m not sure how successful it would be – I’m a bit rebellious so I might get annoyed or impatient rather than hooked.

Do you have pet(s)? If so, share a picture of your pet!

Rory Michaelson: I wish! We’re always working so we haven’t got any pets. I would like a cat, but my fiancé says we can’t have one because I’m already too much like a cat and he can’t live with two.

What advice do you have for other writers or people just getting started in writing?

Rory Michaelson: Listen to other people’s advice with caution. Take your time, trust your instincts, and enjoy yourself. Write for yourself, and don’t worry about making mistakes – that’s probably how you will end up learning your own process best.

How do you choose what books you want to read?

Rory Michaelson: I want to read ALL THE BOOKS.

Seriously though, I’m a nightmare. I buy a bunch of books depending on if the sound of them excites me. I am too scared to read my pretty hardbacks so normally end up reading them as e-books. I tend to always have an epic book as my audiobook on the go (because value), and then I usually read whichever book in my kindle library tickles my fancy when it’s time to choose!

I love the title of your book "Lesser Known Monsters," in part because there are so many incredible and interesting dark creatures in mythology or folklore, and yet so many books are just about vampires. What inspired the title for your book, and did you research or read about any unusual monsters when you were writing it?

Rory Michaelson: The title came to me when I was thinking about ‘lesser spotted’ varieties of creatures and considered the same for monsters. The thought then followed exactly the same path as your question. I wrote something that later became one of the small excerpts in the book (after some editing) about how humans had created fabled monsters, sparkly vampires and handsome werewolves – but these weren’t anything like real the real monsters. The monsters of myth. I read lots of myths and folklore whilst I was writing. I really liked the idea of certain folklore being connected, and them in fact being the same monster travelling around over the years and being spotted I different locations. A few of them inspired my little intermissions in Lesser Known Monsters, and others I wrote short stories about which will be released later this year (currently and early order bonus through my website for buying Lesser Known Monsters!)

Rory Michaelson, Author of Lesser Known Monsters

More About Rory Michaelson

Book: Lesser Known Monsters

Website: https://www.rorymichaelson.com/

Social Media: Twitter

Saints and curses

Alexis Lantgen

July 5, 2020

Author Interview, Fantasy, Science Fiction

Interview with Science Fiction and Fantasy Author Kellie Doherty

Alexis Lantgen

July 5, 2020

Author Interview, Fantasy, Science Fiction

My next interview is with science fiction and fantasy writer Kellie Doherty, author of Finding Hekate, Losing Hold, and Sunkissed Flowers and Severed Ties.

Tell us about yourself! What would you like readers to know about you?

Kellie Doherty: Hi there! Thanks for having me today. My name is Kellie Doherty. I’m a science fiction and fantasy author who lives in Alaska. I’m an office assistant by day, a freelance editor by night, and an author literally all the time. (Seriously, I was stuffing envelopes earlier this week for my day-job and brainstorming story ideas at the same time.) Readers should know I am a champion for diversifying the publishing industry. As a queer lady, I never really saw myself—a shy bi girl—in the books that I read, not as a teen or as an adult. There are more queer characters in stories today, but I feel like there could be more positive representation. So all the stories I write have queer female main characters. I write adult fiction currently—novels, short stories, flash fiction, and even some poetry!

Alexis: Awesome! I think it’s wonderful to have more diverse books. I’m a teacher in my day job, and I’m always delighted to find great books that have good representation for all my students to read (or my daughter, who’s a burgeoning reader). Also, I was actually born in Alaska (though I live in Texas now), so I’m glad to interview someone who’s living in my home state!

Who is your favorite character in your book? What do you like about them? (or, which character do you hate most and why)

Kellie Doherty: Ooo, interesting question! It’s so unfair, though, like asking a mom to pick her favorite kid! I love all of my main characters so I can’t possible pick between them. From my secondary characters, I’d have to say my favorite in Sunkissed Feathers & Severed Ties has to be Roorik Shadowhunt. He’s a late addition who swoops in at the end of the book, and he’s simply fabulous. A glorious gay ex-banished-one-turned-fabric-dyer who helps the heroes in their time of need. He’s also one of my favs because I grabbed the inspiration from Critical Role. (Anyone who knows Shaun Gilmore, knows the energy Roorik would give off.) From Finding Hekate, one of my favorite characters is Cassidy Gates, the first mate. She’s sweet, sees the good in everything, and always tries to help out. But cross this lesbian lady and she’ll shoot you clear off the bridge! I had a reader compare her to Kaylee from Firefly, which made me so giddy I danced around my apartment.

Alexis: Exciting! I loved Firefly, and Kaylee was one of my favorite characters (I actually dressed as Kaylee for Halloween one year).

Sunkissed Feathers and Severed Ties by Kellie Doherty, Interview by Alexis Lantgen of Lunarianpress.com

What are you doing to de-stress during the pandemic? Is there any coping mechanism you’d recommend (or NOT recommend)?

Kellie Doherty: Reading is a lovely way to de-stress for me anytime but especially during this pandemic. I read science fiction and fantasy, so those stories take me into a completely different world. Right now I’m reading the Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon. If you haven’t taken a stab at her seriously enormous book—It could’ve been broken into a trilogy easily!—I’d recommend it. Her descriptions are truly amazing. When not reading, I play video games (Minecraft is my current obsession right now) and take walks outside since it’s been super gorgeous here in the Land of the Midnight Sun. I also write to de-stress, as it’s nice to sink into a world full of magic and wyverns and daggers. For others, coping mechanisms are specific to the person so if reading, writing, playing games, or walking outside sound like they’ll help, do them! If woodworking, knitting, or playing sports sounds like more your style, do that instead!

As for something I wouldn’t recommend: Binge watching too much TV every single day. No shade to anyone who does this—like I said earlier, each person will have specific coping mechanisms—but if I sit in front of the TV (or lets be real, YouTube on my computer) for too long, I tend to feel worse than I had before. I do love binge watching sometimes, though! Four hours of Critical Role and I’m golden, but I can’t do that every day, day after day or I’d feel crappy about it.

Alexis: I agree. I try to get out as much as I can, though it’s so hot and miserable here that it’s hard to be outside as much as I like. I do end up watching quite a bit of TV sometimes, but I try to limit it.

What do you like to do other than read or write? Do you have any interesting hobbies?

Kellie Doherty: See these kinds of questions make me realize I want to get more hobbies! I read, I write, I do freelance editing (but that’s more of a professional gig than a hobby). It’s amazing how much time those things take up, so around eighty percent of what I do in my personal time is centered on the book-ish world. And that’s not a bad thing! I love books. But a well-rounded person has to have other passions, too, so perhaps I should find some more of mine. I really like water aerobics (and honestly, just swimming in general) and Zumba. I’ve had the benefit of traveling extensively when I was younger since my parents loved to go on grand adventures. Actually, you know what, most of my friends will tell you that I’m a bit of a homebody but I think I would like to travel more! (As time and circumstances and viruses allow.) I’d like to go to Scotland. My mom went there last year and said it was gorgeous. And going back to Japan would be fun!

What’s your favorite animal?

Kellie Doherty: Cats of all kinds, big or little! House cats are so finicky and graceful, sassy and confident. They know when to chase after hair-ties and when to laze in the sunshine. It’s hilarious when they run around at dusk and dawn, meowing like little banshees or chattering at birds. Big cats are gorgeous and powerful. Sleek. Super fast. I always visit them when I go to the zoo. I even got to hold a lion cub once at the state fair; it bit my arm! (But it had baby teeth so it didn’t hurt at all.)

Alexis: I love cats! I have two right now, and they are the sweetest, most affectionate kitties. They’ve actually been thrilled that we’re staying home to avoid Covid 19—one of our cats just stays on my husband’s lap while he’s working.

Do you like playing board games or role playing games like D&D? If so, which games do you like best?

Kellie Doherty: I play D&D with some friends of mine from college, and I also play board games with my family. I really like the character creation and collaborative storytelling from D&D. (Drow cleric who used to be a tiefling here—my girl was reincarnated.) It’s an exciting way to spend a few hours, literally in someone else’s shoes for a bit, and the campaign we’re on is super interesting. We’re playing 5e right now and it’s the only version I’ve ever tried. As for board games, my family really likes playing Pandemic—which is terribly ironic these days but we always win—and Catan is always a solid pick. We also enjoy Sushi Go if we want a short game, and we recently learned a new card game called Garbage that sparked our fancy.

Alexis: We actually liked playing Pandemic, too, though we’ve avoided it lately. I’ve only played Catan once, but I thought it was fun. We were playing Scythe for a while, too, partly because we could play it online with our friends.

Do you have pet(s)? If so, share a picture of your pet!

Kellie Doherty: Yes, I have cats! (No shocker there, right?) I’ve had them as pets ever since I was a young child. My first was an adorable little butterball named Snowball, white as milk and super shy but who liked being in the same space as me. He wasn’t terribly huggable, but I liked to say his aura wanted to touch my aura. I now have two gorgeous black cats—Raven and Cinder. Raven was a rescue cat from a local shelter, and Cinder was from a litter. They’re both super cuddly, lap-cats all the way.

Alexis: They are adorable, and Raven and Cinder might be the some of the best black cat names I’ve ever heard!

Raven and Cinder, Kellie Doherty’s adorable kitties!

Do you like Greek/Roman/Norse/Asian/African mythology or folklore? What’s your favorite myth?

Kellie Doherty: Asian mythology has always fascinated me! One of my top five places to visit when I was younger was Japan and in 2014 I finally got to go. I’ve always loved the Japanese culture and food and people, and because of that for my fantasy book Sunkissed Feathers & Severed Ties, I brought some Japanese mythology into it. For example, the yokai are a class of supernatural monsters, spirits, and demons and there was one in particular that caught my eye: the enenra. It’s a creature composed of smoke and darkness that lives in bonfires and can only be seen by the pure of heart. I used this idea to create the eneeraa, a small smoke creature with eyes and claws. It’s quite fun to draw inspiration from unique sources, and while I do have semi-traditional European dragons in my books, I wanted to incorporate different mythology, too!

Alexis: Interesting! I’ve never heard of an enenra, but it sounds like a very unique creature.

If you write scifi, what technology or innovations or scientific discoveries have inspired your work?

Kellie Doherty: I do write scifi—I have a scifi duology out right now, Finding Hekate and Losing Hold—but honestly, I tend to get my inspiration from other scifi works, like Star Trek, Firefly, Stargate, etc., rather than real-world instances. I do grab some inspiration from our tech, though, basic stuff like tablets and radios to more sophisticated holo-imaging. Oh, one thing I incorporated from our scientific discoveries is molecular gastronomy. I saw it on a cooking show—like where liquids can form semi-solid states—and I used that for planet-side water globules in Finding Hekate!

Alexis: You might be the first science fiction author I’ve interviewed to use molecular gastronomy as an inspiration!