Looking for a fantasy series to launch you into the new year? We had a fun chat with Louisa Lo, author of the Vengeance Demons series, one you’ll blow through in no time!
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Is this your first book? How long did it take you to plan it before you began writing it?
This is my first novella, and the second book in the series. Turns out it takes just as much planning, if not more, to write a shorter story. Since it’s a prequel, I already knew what needs to happen by the end of the book. So in essence I knew the beginning and the end, but not the middle of the story. That’s often what history is like—they tell you the fallout, but not the full story of what really happened to lead to it. It took me a few weeks of tinkering with the plot before I started writing because I wanted all the loose ends to tie together neatly.
Before Vengeance is part of the Vengeance Demons series, and it’s a prequel to Vengeance Be Mine. What inspired you to write a prequel? Did you plan to write one or did it just come to you?
It just came to me, actually. In Vengeance Be Mine the best friend of the main character is
this sweet, gentle girl named Serafina. One day I just realized it’s the quiet ones you have to watch out for, so I started digging deeper into her backstory. The prequel ended up being quite instrumental for the latter books. I tried to reward the fans of the series by rewriting the opening of Vengeance Be Mine from the perspective of Serafina in Before Vengeance, and it’s a totally different scene once you know what’s in her head at the time. She wasn’t the damsel in distress; she was the one who saved everyone’s bacon.
Do you mostly write in this particular genre or do you dabble in other genres? If so, which ones?
I’m a geek girl at heart and fantasy speaks to me in a way that no other genres can. At least for now. I tried romance, but I knew something was wrong when I kept trying to throw a zombie in the love scene LOL!
What do you think makes your work stand apart from other works in your genre?
Coming from a financial analysis background, I’m super diligent when it comes to plot points and story logic. I’m not the type who sends out endless red herrings and never gives anything back. On the other hand, I’m also very inventive and tend not to stick with the generic stuff. If vampires are hot, that’s when I wouldn’t touch vampires with a ten-foot pole. I hope that makes me stand out. Someone once said to me, “There’s an element of risk no matter what project you take on. You might as well do something you enjoy.” I agree with that sentiment wholeheartedly.
Is there anything in your life that inspired you to write the Cosmic Balance series, or was it purely from your imagination?
There are past events in my life that had inspired me to write this series. Let’s just say that I’d experienced my share of injustices, and writing about a fantasy world full of vengeance demons is a lot healthier than trying my hand at revenge myself.
Are any of the characters in your book based on people you know or have seen/talked to in real life?
Not in Before Vengeance. But in Vengeance Be Mine, the character of Fir was based on the
best friend of my father, this utterly fun-loving and flamboyant jokester who’s a perfect foil to my dad’s serious personality. I mean, when I was a kid, this guy, a grown-up, squeezed himself into a tiny little bumper car and raced my brother and me. What’s not to like?
What inspires you to write? Music? Other books? Real life events? Just an incredible imagination?
Actually, *coughs self-consciously* I got my best ideas after reconciling my finances and washing dishes. There’s nothing like clearing the deck for the brain to relax and be creative for another day. OMG I sounded so boring just now. My books are very creative, I swear. Okay, now I sounded boring and defensive. Great.
Are you part of any writers’ groups? If so, what do you like about them? How do they help you or inspire you? If not, why not?
I’m a member of the Toronto Romance Writers and Romance Divas, though ironically I don’t actually write romance at all. I frequent them because those ladies have the best marketing ideas, and they’re a very warm bunch. I’m also a member of Sisters In Crime, though I don’t actually write mystery. I write stuff with an element of mystery though, and the geek girl in me totally enjoys their forensic workshops.
Do you plan your writing out with outlines, character development exercises, and other pre-writing activities? Or do you just write as it comes to you?
I do. I have a master spreadsheet with like, ten tabs in it. But after I finish planning I hardly look at that file anymore, because whatever I don’t remember by heart isn’t worth forcing into the story. I trust my brain to plan, but I trust my instincts to carry the story through.
Did you do any research for this book?
Lots of research on changelings and fairies. I can’t put a twist on a convention if I don’t know what that convention is.
Do you read the kinds of books you like to write? Do you watch movies similar to or the same genre as your writing?
Definitely. But I also read/watch outside of my genre. I’m like a vitamin-deficient person who takes in what her body doesn’t naturally produce, until it does. Here’s my little “reading cocktail”:
-Military sci-fi for the fight scenes
-Romance for the mushy stuff
-Thriller/mystery for the plot twists
-Documentary/daily news for world building inspiration
If you could write anywhere in the world – in a fictional or nonfiction place – where would you write?
A cold and desolate cabin in the Arctic with a laptop, tiny desk, Kraft Dinner and freeze-your-ass-off toilet seat. No Internet. No creature comforts. No distraction.
Then I finish the book and go to Bora Bora!
Bio
Louisa Lo lives in Toronto, Canada with her husband, an aristocratic cat, and more cardboard boxes than she cares to unpack. She decided to write about vigilantes, because it seems like a better life choice than trying to become one and landing herself in jail. She just has that kind of luck.
All her books, her random thoughts, and lots more are here on her website. Also like her Facebook page for all kinds of great updates.
Almost militant. It reminded Del of the early days, back when he’d steal glass from the barracks and keeps of human kingdoms before the Glass Wars diminished their numbers and put the faen into power.
John is a graphic designer by day, and graphic designer by night (depending on the client), but most importantly, he’s a writer at heart. His dreams include writing for a living, experiencing virtual reality on a Matrix-esque level, and flying unaided (or possibly via really sweet jetpack).
diagnosed with autism. For me this is by no means a bad thing; I don’t mind having autism at all. In fact I quite like it. But when I was younger there were a lot of issues with it for which I needed help. Instead of looking to outside help for everything my mum came up with a lot of ideas herself, including plans and techniques to help me cope better with my autism. After a few years of using them we had made progress that we never would have thought possible.
Paddy-Joe Moran is a twenty year old autistic writer from the UK. He has published three books and numerous articles.
Do you plan your writing out with outlines, character development exercises, and other pre-writing activities? Or do you just write as it comes to you?
There are few interesting things that can be said about my home town. I grew up in a mildly racist country town in the Santa Barbara mountains, though I am hopeful that things have changed there. Having grown up during the great migrant issues of California during the 80’s and 90’s, I was able to experience some of the issues when I was getting my higher education in university. The biggest part of my life was finding my self-identity, which was never truly clear to me as a youth.
awaken within her. Desperate to keep the child hidden, her abilities are suppressed and her memory erased. But the gods have powers as well, and it is only a matter of time before they find the child again.
something was wrong, very wrong, and I can’t find the words to call it by name.”
becomes its withered eyes and the shadows whisper, “Lies.”
Angela B. Chrysler is a writer, logician, philosopher, and die-hard nerd who studies theology, historical linguistics, music composition, and medieval European history in New York with a dry sense of humor and an unusual sense of sarcasm. She lives in a garden with her family and cats.
A. Claire Everward takes the world far too seriously. Passionate and sensitive to her surroundings, she takes it all to heart, sometimes too much so. but it makes her fight for what she believes in. She is direct, although she tries not to be, at least not always. Like every artist she has her quirks, some understand them and some don’t. She prefers to keep to herself and spend time with her characters, and for her escaping into writing is always the best refuge. She would say it maintains her sanity but her sister Kate says that sanity does tend to be overrated.
When A. Claire Everward said all she wants to do was write, her sister Kate Anne decided she would use her ten-year PR and marketing experience to start a publishing company that would support it as a business.
After ten years working as a PR expert specializing in crisis and reputation management, voicing other people’s thoughts and needs and making sure they got what they want, Kate knew it was time for a change. She’d always been a dreamer, a bookworm who escaped to her imagination when things got tough, and when her sister, another bookworm (they got it from their bookworm mother) came to her and told her she wanted to be a writer, and already had stories and books to show her, Kate decided to help her dream come true.
Ben Starling is passionate about marine conservation and boxing, both central themes in his upcoming novel. His interest in marine life has taken him across three continents over the past three decades. He is Oxford’s only ever quintuple boxing Blue (varsity champion five years running), was Captain of the university boxing team, and coached and competed until a few years ago. He is 6’3”and 192 lbs. Ben graduated with a Master of Arts and a Master of Philosophy. He was born in the USA but has lived in the UK since childhood.
across her shoulder, angled over her small chest.
Joshua currently lives in Alaska with his wife and children. In 1999, he began crafting the world for Thrice Nine Legends, including Melkorka and Anaerfell. He is also the author of the A Midwinter Sellsword and Gladiators and Thieves in the Hawkhurst Saga. His short story, Grimsdalr, is inspired by the tale of Beowulf.