Today I am joined on the blog by Carmilla Voiez who writes a variety of books. I was lucky enough to pick up her book The Ballerina and the Revolutionary and will provide a review of the book after the interview. So before we get into that, here's Carmilla!
Hi Carmilla, can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Of course. I'm a horror-lover who lives in my own personal world of magic and gender equality. I'm bisexual, a mildly autistic introvert who finds writing much easier than verbal communication, and a life long Goth, living with two kids, two cats and a poet by the sea. When I'm not writing, I get paid to hang out in a stately home and entertain tourists.
And your books?
My books reflect me in the fact that they are gendery, wendery woo. Women are an important part of my stories, but not idealised women, flawed women. I write a mixture of horror and fantasy, but magic is prominent in most of my work, from freestyle shamanism to Chaos magic, dreams and demons.
What's your favourite genre to write in?
I love horror. I love fictional monsters both human and supernatural. The ones if the real world are more terrifying by far.
What's your favourite genre to read?
I mostly read contemporary and speculative fiction by women and people of colour at the moment, however my first love is horror.
How do you deal with writer's block if you ever get it?
I do get writer's block. I find the most effective cure is to go for a walk or take a shower and let myself daydream for a while. Sometimes I just don't feel as though I have anything to write about. At those times I'll read and live until a subject or theme grabs my interest.
Now, you're attending Darker 2017, are you doing any other events?
I did Bristol Horror Con last month and I've got a reading at a Book Week Scotland event this week. At the moment that's all I have planned as I'm busy writing and collaborating on a series of graphic novels.
What's your writing process like?
I have notebooks for jotting down thoughts and ideas. I try and carry one wherever I go. If I can I prefer typing my first draft onto my laptop, starting at the beginning and uncovering the story as I write. Sometimes though, I need to write longhand if a story isn't really coming through clearly. My most imaginative scenes are often ones I wrote longhand and typed up later.
Do you work better at night or during the day?
During the day while the kids are at school.
Do you have a favourite writing spot? If so where?
I have a comfy chair and I balance my laptop on my lap so I can relax into the process.
Would you describe yourself as indie, traditional or a hybrid of the two?
Indie.
And finally, what's your favourite book that you've written? And your favourite book to read?
I love the Starblood Trilogy, especially the second book "Psychonaut". It's highly personal, but I also think it's well written and highly imaginative. Reading wise I have a soft spot for tragic heroines. Books I'll read again and again include Wuthering Heights, Anna Karenina and Madame Bovary.
Of course. I'm a horror-lover who lives in my own personal world of magic and gender equality. I'm bisexual, a mildly autistic introvert who finds writing much easier than verbal communication, and a life long Goth, living with two kids, two cats and a poet by the sea. When I'm not writing, I get paid to hang out in a stately home and entertain tourists.
And your books?
My books reflect me in the fact that they are gendery, wendery woo. Women are an important part of my stories, but not idealised women, flawed women. I write a mixture of horror and fantasy, but magic is prominent in most of my work, from freestyle shamanism to Chaos magic, dreams and demons.
What's your favourite genre to write in?
I love horror. I love fictional monsters both human and supernatural. The ones if the real world are more terrifying by far.
What's your favourite genre to read?
I mostly read contemporary and speculative fiction by women and people of colour at the moment, however my first love is horror.
How do you deal with writer's block if you ever get it?
I do get writer's block. I find the most effective cure is to go for a walk or take a shower and let myself daydream for a while. Sometimes I just don't feel as though I have anything to write about. At those times I'll read and live until a subject or theme grabs my interest.
Now, you're attending Darker 2017, are you doing any other events?
I did Bristol Horror Con last month and I've got a reading at a Book Week Scotland event this week. At the moment that's all I have planned as I'm busy writing and collaborating on a series of graphic novels.
What's your writing process like?
I have notebooks for jotting down thoughts and ideas. I try and carry one wherever I go. If I can I prefer typing my first draft onto my laptop, starting at the beginning and uncovering the story as I write. Sometimes though, I need to write longhand if a story isn't really coming through clearly. My most imaginative scenes are often ones I wrote longhand and typed up later.
Do you work better at night or during the day?
During the day while the kids are at school.
Do you have a favourite writing spot? If so where?
I have a comfy chair and I balance my laptop on my lap so I can relax into the process.
Would you describe yourself as indie, traditional or a hybrid of the two?
Indie.
And finally, what's your favourite book that you've written? And your favourite book to read?
I love the Starblood Trilogy, especially the second book "Psychonaut". It's highly personal, but I also think it's well written and highly imaginative. Reading wise I have a soft spot for tragic heroines. Books I'll read again and again include Wuthering Heights, Anna Karenina and Madame Bovary.
Vivienne realizes she is dying. All she wants to do is see her daughter
Giselle one last time and apologise. But Giselle no longer exists and it
is Crow, a gender-queer anarchist, who returns to a family home that is
plagued by ghosts and violent memories.
With the help of a shaman ze met in a dream, Crow unravels terrifying family secrets, hoping to find closure at last. But can anyone survive the shadows that lurk behind these fairy tales?
With the help of a shaman ze met in a dream, Crow unravels terrifying family secrets, hoping to find closure at last. But can anyone survive the shadows that lurk behind these fairy tales?
My Review:
5 stars
I picked up this book because I loved the synopsis and I'm very glad I did. The author is great at setting the scene, when you first meet Crow all you know about them is that they live rough, left home at thirteen and did not have a good relationship with their mother. Their older brother comes calling begging Crow to come home because their mother is dying and wishes to see Crow. For Crow this means returning to the childhood home that haunts them still. As they come to terms with being back home, the story jumps from time period to time period, but never in a way that isn't easy to follow. It feels more like a biography of Crow's life and the decision they made. Despite not knowing the full picture until the very end, it makes for an engaging story. Once I started to read, I couldn't stop. It is an excellent book, well written and beautifully crafted and I would recommend to anyone who likes a dark read. Recommended!
Thanks Carmilla for joining me today, and if anyone reading wants to be featured or do an interview, you can email us at bugbooks@virginmedia.com.
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