GUEST POST: KT Bryski's New Novel!

*Editorial note included at end of post.*

Hi! I’m KT Bryski—Canadian fantasy author and podcaster and writing comrade of the ever-lovely and talented Marie Bilodeau. She’s welcomed me to her blog with a few questions. Simple questions, she said. Easy questions. Nothing to worry about. Not at all.

I’m not nervous. Not at all.

*eep*

What’s your current project?

That’s…that’s it? Wow, okay. Well, my new novel Heartstealer is a historical dark fantasy. When Sara Wolfe’s husband disappears in a northern backwater village, she doesn’t quite believe the story she’s told. She travels north to find him, quickly becoming embroiled in the village’s old hurts and older magic. The curtain between worlds is thinning, and if Sara doesn’t find her husband soon—well, the ghosts aren’t the only ones stalking the night.

What colour is your novel?

The cover’s mostly blue…

No, what colour does it feel like?

Oh. Deep, deep blues and purples, maybe hints of deep orange. The colour of a late October twilight.

Very poetic.

Thank you.

So if you could eat anything in Heartstealer, what would it be?

Well, when Sara gets to Grey Run (the northern backwater), she falls in with this family: the Braes. I’m a total carnivore and Mrs. Brae makes a mean lamb-and-potato stew, so maybe that…although there’s also cake…ginger cake, I just decided.

You’re a cake person, then.

Yeah.

Not pies?

I don’t like pies.

Oh.

It’s a texture thing.

I see.

Sorry.

Which character would you most want to drink with?

Sara’s a wee bit neurotic and high-strung (very bright, just…yeah, neurotic), so I think that getting her drunk would be hilarious.

Are there zombies?

Wraiths, witches, magicians, fey folk, and little gods…but no zombies.

Squirrels?

I honestly don’t remember if I mention any, but yes—in this particular fantasy world, there are squirrels.

Who is most likely to survive the zombie apocalypse?

Sara’s sister-in-law is pretty badass. She’s a magician, and—

I meant in general.

The squirrels.

Can you write a haiku describing your novel?

Creepy small village,

Dark magic, its wounds unhealed:

Sara, mind the trap.

Who’s your favourite author?

Besides you? There are too many to count, but I’ll always cycle back to Timothy Findley. Not Wanted on the Voyage was pretty important in shaping me as a writer.

What’s the last book you read?

The Stolen Child, by Keith Donahue. It’s also about magic and fey, though very different from mine. Super cool structure and use of alternating viewpoints, though!

Go to page 77 of Heartstealer. What’s the seventh sentence?

“As are you.”

Those things never work, do they?

Nope.

Last question: describe your book—

I did, already, in the first—

In one word.

Gloaming.

Thanks, KT!

And thanks to you, Marie, for chatting with me! As always, it’s been a pleasure, and I hope to see you soon!

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K.T. Bryski is a Canadian author and podcaster. She made her podcasting and publishing debut with Hapax, an apocalyptic fantasy (Dragon Moon Press) and she has stories in Black Treacle Horror Magazine, When the Hero Comes Home Vol. II (Dragon Moon Press), Tales of a Tesla Ranger, and Tales from the Archives. Her podcast Coxwood History Fun Park is available wherever fine podcasts are found, and she is currently at work on her next novel. As you may have guessed, she also has a mild caffeine addiction. Visit her at www.ktbryski.com.

A note from Marie: When K.T. asked if I would send questions or ask her to write a blog post. I answered: "Whatever you want, but if you want an interview-style post, can you ask yourself questions from me?"  ... I've never made a better decision, as shown by this awesome post!