Our last Wings of Renewal interview is here. It is, ironically, with the author of Summer Project, the very first short story featured in the anthology! So settle down while we count the last ten days (EEP!) before launch, and read what she has to say about her wonderful story.
1. What inspired your short story? Where did the idea come from?
When I saw that the anthology was about solarpunk and dragons, my first thought was “poachers and an injured dragon.” I wish I could say that I figured it out pretty quickly, but it actually took me weeks to pin down exactly what I wanted. I was stuck for a while until I saw a post on Tumblr about 3D printed prosthetic limbs, and I knew that’s something that I wanted to explore a little bit more. I also wanted to explore how a solarpunk city would look, so I decided for an urban setting over my original rural setting. Basically, my inspiration was that I wanted to experiment and explore solarpunk a little bit more.
2. Had you heard of solarpunk before this call for submission? What do you like about the genre?
I knew of solarpunk before the call for submissions, and I was fascinated by it from the first moment I saw it. At first, I fell in love with the aesthetic, but as I did more research and found more solarpunk blogs, I really started to see the ‘punk’ side of it. I love solarpunk in that it’s subversive, without having to be violent and gritty. [Editor note: Oh gosh I love that formulation] Some people think solarpunk isn’t ‘punk,’ because it’s too pretty and ‘optimistic.’ I think that optimism and all the innovations and wonderful ideas I’ve seen are revolutionary, and solarpunk is so much more than just lace parasols and stained glass. It’s about working towards a sustainable, hopeful future, and I really like that.
3. What genre do you usually write in? Talk about your projects!
I usually write in the fantasy/science-fiction genre. This is my first completed project, so I don’t have a lot of experience in the genre, but finishing this short project has convinced me that I can go further in this genre.
4. What do you love the most about dragons?
I’ve always been fascinated by dragons and their mythology. I’ve always found it amazing that a form of dragon exists in nearly every culture, and how each dragon has its own special mythology and traits surrounding it. When I was in elementary school, I remember reading a novel about a brother and sister who meet an old dragon who tells them stories about their adventures and all the humans it met, and I wish I remember what it was called [Editor Note: If anyone knows, comment with the title!], because that’s probably where my fascination with dragons began. Dragons just have so much potential, to be beautiful, and terrifying, and powerful, and they are so versatile in fantasy and literature.
5. What do you do when you’re not writing? Any day jobs or passion?
When I started writing this short story, I was legal assistant at a bankruptcy law firm. Now, I’m a substitute teacher, working on becoming a social sciences teacher. I’m a history and political science lover, and I consider those passions along with my writing.
6. What’s your favorite book or TV show? Why?
My favorite book growing up was Bridge to Terabithia. I read it every chance that I got, and it was the first book that made me cry. I was also a huge fan of the Artemis Fowl and Harry Potter series, which is probably what inspired my passion for fantasy/science-fiction.
7. Where can we find more of your work?
This is actually my first finished work!