Juliet Blackwell and her magical witchiness
Mario here:
Today at Biting-Edge, we're busting at the seams because we have as our special guest, Juliet Blackwell, author of the Lily Ivory Witchcraft Mystery series. Juliet is not only everybody's friend (as far as we can tell), she loves costumes and parties, is a professional artist, a great dancer, a fan of Happy Hour (and all that implies), and one of the hardest working writers taming the muse.
We've invited her to answer questions about her newest book, Cast-Off Coven, the sequel to Secondhand Spirits.
Juliet also writes with her sister under the pseudonym of Hailey Lind and they pen the Annie Kincaid Art Lover's mystery series. Their first book, Feint of Art, was nominated for an Agatha Award.
Besides this opportunity to learn more about Juliet and what makes her go tick-tock, we're holding a drawing with the prize being signed copies of Cast-Off Coven and Secondhand Spirits plus special witchy shwag. To be eligible, simply post a question or comment. The contest ends Saturday, June 12, midnight Mountain Time (for you especially anal-retentive types) and I'll announce the winner on this blog next week.
And now, the interview:
1. For those not familiar with the series, why a witch?
I’ve always been fascinated with witches – their connections to the earth, the seasons, the lunar cycle, as well as to healing and the botanical arts. And as a woman, a witch character seemed particularly compelling. Throughout history –and around the globe-- accusations of witchcraft have been used to denigrate, abuse, or even murder women for the sin of being powerful and respected members of the community. Men can be witches too, of course, and plenty of men died alongside their womenfolk during the burning times. But most often we associate women with witchcraft – for instance, calling someone a witch is generally synonymous with calling them a bitch... and is almost exclusively used for a woman.
But in addition to that history, having a witchy protagonist allows me to play around with all sorts of legends and folktales, and I love including different cultural traditions. A lot of us are familiar with the history of European witchcraft, but the Craft is still alive and well throughout Latin America, Africa, and Asia. The practitioners can take various forms, from “witch doctors,” to voodoo priests, to gypsy fortunetellers. (I used to be an anthropologist, so once you get me going on this stuff I can go on all night…)
On a personal note, my aunt read cards and tea leaves– and she was astonishingly talented at telling the future and intuiting the past. She stopped reading fortunes when she predicted a friend’s imminent death – which came true. And my ex-mother-in-law (who I’m still close to) comes from a small Nahuatl-speaking village in Mexico. She’s taught me a great deal about herbs and botanicals, and the traditions of her people with regard to medicine and spirits. And besides all of the above…I had to write about witches because all the cool vampires and werewolves had been written about, including a certain Felix Gomez…;-)
2. The story goes into engaging detail about witchcraft (including spells, culture and history), vintage clothing, and the San Francisco Bay area. How much of those details were simply background for the story and how much reflects your true interests?
Both, really. I’m not much good at writing about things I’m not interested in. I’m a research geek – whether I’m in the library, on the internet, or talking with people and participating in events, I love to learn everything I can about the subjects I describe in my stories.
I’m from the Bay Area originally. I’ve lived elsewhere, but I always return. One reason I love it is that the people are so open-minded, and open-hearted – it truly is home to misfits of all kinds. The people and the geography of the area, both, provide a diverse, beautiful backdrop to stories of urban fantasy. I also adore vintage clothing – actually I’m a fan of anything aged or antique, including old buildings (and wine, of course…and tequila, and scotch…). And as I mentioned above, I’m fascinated by witchcraft. As an author, all three of those themes allow me to explore history, culture, and paranormal realms.
3. As you researched the witchcraft aspects of the series, what was a surprising find?
How many local witches there are in the Bay Area. How many different traditions there are, and what the followers of each think of one another. And how many people are still truly afraid of witches and witchcraft.
4. Could you share some details or anecdotes about doing research with the local witch/wiccan community? Were there some dos and don’ts?
The first coven meeting I ever went was held by the CAYA coven, which stands for the “Come As You Are” coven. They are just as welcoming and inclusive as their name indicates, welcoming any and all “of good will” into their midst. As do many Wiccan groups, they draw on numerous and varied pagan traditions –from Irish to Indian-- for their ceremonies and focus only on the positive, espousing the Wiccan rede which states: harm ye none. I made the mistake of asking some of these coven members whether they ever approved of hexcraft or “black magic” – they were offended by the suggestion, and stated emphatically that there was no such thing in their Craft. But other, non-Wiccan witches I spoke to were more than happy to talk about hexes and curses, and found it amusing that I was so careful about phrasing the question to them. Of course, when one of these women asked to hold my glove during the interview, it made me very nervous.
Here are a few dos and don’ts:
Don’t assume Wicca and witchcraft are the same thing – the first is more akin to a religion, the second a magical practice.
Do be careful when speaking about God, the Devil, or any other Christian-inspired concept.
Don’t mention love spells unless you want a REAL earful
Do bring your own goblet (you never know what they’ll be serving)
Don’t assume any witch wants to talk to you about her (or his) profession for free. There is often a cost associated with their time and expertise, and it’s best to know so up front.
Don’t forget to retrieve your glove (or lock of hair, or fingernail clippings) upon leaving…just in case.
5. You have a breezy sense of humor that makes the narrative a delight to read. (Love Oscar the pig/gargoyle) Yet there are malevolent themes skimming below the surface such as the danger of using magic for sinister ends (as what happened to Lily’s father) and Lily’s horrific moments as a child witch in Texas. Will this dark side of witchcraft tempt or affect Lily and her witch friends as the series progresses?
One of my goals in writing a witchcraft series was to keep my protagonist, Lily Ivory, from acting like a “Bewitched”-inspired fun, happy-go-lucky, point your wand and turn someone into a frog, kind of witch. I wanted to provide an entertaining tale, while still taking the theme seriously. Basically, if one has powers for good, then one also has powers for evil. That’s just the way it works. And of course, in fiction –especially in crime fiction – those malevolent themes make storytelling so much deeper, multi-layered, and exciting.
Also, I think that in any crime series, there is an inevitable darkening effect – it’s hard to pass through story after story of violence and murder, no matter how humorously they might be treated, without addressing one basic truth: exposure to such trauma would change a person. One would hope there would be some positive effects– making the protagonist embrace life all the more, finding a deeper sense of compassion and justice – but there would be some fallout, nonetheless. None of us pass through this life unscathed, after all.
6. As a result of these books, have you incorporated witchiness into your life? Maybe even something from the dark side?
Nothing from the dark side, at least not knowingly! As I mentioned above, I do respect the traditions and rites I’ve come to learn about, and would never want to trivialize them. That said, I do incorporate a few things into my life: some fashion choices, of course, because they’re so much fun and what’s the point of writing about witchcraft if you can’t dress just a little bit like a sexy modern witch? And I grow rosemary near my door, and hang sachets over the doorways. I have a few crystals and stones that are meaningful to me, and I can’t tempt fate without knocking on wood…just in case.
7. You’ve put an interesting twist to the Southwestern fable of La Llorona by placing her in the San Francisco Bay. Obviously something about La Llorona has caught your imagination. Care to elaborate? Or was it simply a plot device?
I’ve been intrigued by the tale of La Llorona since I first heard the story at college. My counselor had a disturbing painting hanging on his wall: all greens and blacks, it was not a great painting, technically speaking, but it was undeniably compelling.
My counselor (a latino) told me the legend of La Llorona, the wailing woman who drowned her children, and now haunts the riverbanks, calling out for her babies and abducting children who are out at night. I went on to read a great deal about the story (there are many different versions), and once wrote a theme paper about her.
(painting by Diana Bryer) As horrified and fascinated as I was by the theme at the time, now that I’m a parent myself, the kind of anguished emotions that would drive a mother to murder her own children are beyond anything I can imagine.
I’ve always been surprise that every latino I’ve ever met shudders at the very mention of La Llorona, but most other Americans have never heard of her. So I thought I’d use the idea…it had such creepy potential.
8. Can you clue us in on the story arc as it progressed from Secondhand Spirits through Cast-Off Coven to the third book (title)?
Secondhand Spirits is primarily about Lily finding a place she feels safe, and searching for community. She begins to make friends, and to “come out” a little as a witch. She’s forced to become more comfortable with her magic, but it’s really about the effort to find a sense of place, of belonging. In A Cast-off Coven Lily’s still cementing her friendships and ties to the community, but she also embarks on a bit of a romantic adventure –up ‘til now, she hasn’t had the best track record with men. Her magic is growing in scope, and she’s coming to realize that her special talents are in demand and that she has a moral obligation to use them to help others –and that she really can’t keep her powers under wraps. In the third as-yet-untitled book (I’m thinking Phantoms of Fashion or Enchanted Ensemble – anyone care to weigh in?) Lily will find her friendships and romance challenged, and will have to choose between what comes first, being a witch, or being a friend and lover…
9. What’s in store for Lily, Max, and Aidan? Is Lily going to choose? Or is there going to be a love triangle? Or maybe even a new male character to act as yet another complication?
Love triangles are always great fun, but why stop at two? A Cast-off Coven introduces another man who might be the best match for Lily yet – he’s a rather sullen, dark character, but he does bring out an interesting side of Lily. And with luck, the series will continue for some time, and there will be lots of fun romantic tension with everyone from witch to mythbuster to psychic…
10. This last year you wrote three books for three different series. Assuming that each book was at least 70,000 words, that’s over 210,000 (polished) words in one year. That’s an amazing feat. Plus you have edits to manuscripts, proposals for new work, and promotions for each book as it is released. And our sources reveal that you are not a social hermit by any means. So how do you manage to write so much? What is your writing schedule like? What are the sacrifices you’ve had to make? Conversely, what about such rigorous schedule that may energize you?
As you and most other working authors know, there’s not much time for sleep. When I’m in my intensive writing mode, I get up at four in the morning so I can have a couple of solid hours of uninterrupted writing/thinking/creating before the rest of the world starts moving around. My garden’s a disaster, my home is only a few steps away from a hazardous waste zone, and things like bills get paid in what could most kindly be called a haphazard fashion. Weekends are nonexistent, and holidays often slip by unobserved. My friends tell me they feel neglected, as well.
But on the flip side, this is my dream life. It’s incredible to spend generous portions of every day in creative endeavors, building worlds and hearing voices in my head…and no, I don’t need medication ;-) I’m aware of how many people would love to be in my shoes, how many really good writers are struggling to get published. So most of the time I really am energized by the demands of the profession, and I know I’m lucky, so I remind myself to love every minute of it (except for revisions, of course. Revisions suck.)
11. You also have an art business on the side that you’ve had to step back from. Do you miss your studio time? Any plans to pick that up?
I don’t miss the business aspects – writing up contracts, working with difficult clients and designers, worrying about making payroll – but I do miss the painting itself. Lately I occasionally procrastinate by slipping into my studio for an hour at time. Actually, in answer to question #10, I should have mentioned that the most painful thing I’ve given up for writing (aside from sleeping) is time to paint every day. In my fantasies, along with making scads of money writing, I’d also be able to paint – not for money, but just for the love of it.
12. What’s on your reading pile? More specifically, what are you excited to read?
Well, there’s a new novel called Werewolf Smackdown that I’m looking forward to ;-) Seriously. I’m a huge Felix fan. Also, Sophie Littlefield’s A Bad Day for Pretty is on my nightstand – she and I are touring together this month, so I’m especially excited to read her latest. I met Nicole Peeler recently and am looking forward to reading her Urban Fantasy books, as well. I read outside the genre a lot, too. Sherman Alexie, Barbara Kingsolver, and Nick Hornby are among my favorites.
Lastly, you have two more books coming out this year. Give us details and a teaser for each. Any websites to link?
The first will come out in September. Arsenic and Old Paint is the fourth in the Art Lover’s Mystery series, about an ex-art forger in San Francisco. I write this series with my sister under the pen-name of Hailey Lind. Here’s the blurb:
When Annie Kincaid painted a perfect Mona Lisa at the age of ten, she was named a prodigy. A similar copy at seventeen landed her in jail. Years later, she’s putting her artistic talents to legitimate use as a faux finisher in San Francisco, but memories are long in the art world. Now, with the blessing of the FBI Art Squad, Annie's using her underworld connections to boost her new art investigation agency. At first it's strictly business, but when Annie stumbles across a body in an exclusive Nob Hill men's club, and then her Uncle Anton is attacked, Annie's on the trail of more than just art. This time, she's looking for justice.
The second is another paranormal, but it’s first in the new Haunted Home Renovation series, featuring Mel Turner, an ex-anthropologist running a construction business – and finding more than she bargained for behind the walls. If Walls Could Talk (to be released December 7, 2010) is a paranormal mystery, and once again I’m writing as Juliet Blackwell. Here’s the official blurb for that one:
Two years after Mel Turner stepped in “temporarily” to help with her father’s construction business, she’s still renovating high-end historic homes in San Francisco and dreaming of escaping to Paris. But when a colleague is assaulted with power tools, and his ghost starts following her around, Mel finds deadly secrets from the past hidden behind the mansion’s walls. Mel has to nail this case before she becomes the next victim….
Both books are available for pre-order on Amazon. I have a great website under construction at the moment (it should be up any day now!) but in the meantime, check out www.haileylind.com and www.julietblackwell.net for events, signings, and other news.
Plus, visit my Facebook pages, at Juliet Blackwell (for the paranormal series) and Hailey Lind (for the Art Lover’s Mystery Series)
And join me on Twitter! @ JulietBlackwell
Thanks Julie! You've got us under your spell.
Labels: Cast-Off Coven, Juliet Blackwell, Magic, San Francisco, Witches
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