An Interview With AJ Fitzwater, Author of “The Voyages Of Cinrak The Dapper”

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Introduction:

I first got to know AJ Fitzwater when we both had stories appear in Tales for Canterbury (Random Static), a fundraiser anthology for the Canterbury earthquakes of 2010-2011.

Since that time, AJ has gone on to attend the Clarion workshop of 2014 and her short fiction has been published widely, including in her home country of New Zealand and internationally. She is a two-times winner of NZ's Sir Julius Vogel Award for Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror: for Best New Talent in 2015 and Best Short Story in 2017.

More recently (April 6), AJ's first collection, in this case of linked short stories, The Voyages of Cinrak the Dapper, was released to the world by Queen of Swords Press. I'm delighted to welcome AJ to Supernatural Underground today, to talk Cinrak and share the fun and goodness of a new-out book.

Interview

Helen: AJ, The Voyages of Cinrak the Dapper is a collection of linked short stories chronicling the life, times, and loves of Cinrak, a pirate capybara sailing the high seas. So, if I may begin with a naive question for those new to your writing, why a capybara, in particular? And why pirates?

AJ: I usually answer this question with the double inspiration information — capybara were a running joke in my Clarion class, and I was into capybara memes from Tumblr. 

But there’s also something mystical and practical about capybara. They haven’t been mythologized in modern fantasy like rat pirates. They’re physically robust — broad of chest and shoulder, yet sleek and quick inside and out of water, which speaks of a sturdy fighter who knows the oceans. They’re a communal animal, the whole herd having a paw in bringing up their young, and chill with many other species — which suggests queer House Parents and loving of found family.

They’re also a great conversation starter. Some people have never heard of them, and I like being the capybara pirate whisperer.

Helen: I can imagine you as a capybara pirate whisperer, AJ! And I recall how exciting it was when you headed off to Clarion in 2014. So was there some special circumstance that made capybara a running joke for the class? And did anything in particular from that time carry through into the character of Cinrak?

AJ: Every class at Clarion (UC San Diego) in recent years has come up with funny names for the group. We never decided formally, but it was a toss up between The Were-Corgis, Were-Capybara, and Were-Chupacabras.
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Capybara came up when we were doodling into an ARC of Authority that Jeff Vandermeer let us “vandalize” for him. People were slotting in random pictures or scene insertions of funny animals, and I put “Suddenly, a wild capybara appears!” with arrows into a very tense scene. I think Jeff was talking at the time about how much he wanted to pet a capybara.

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Really, only the idea of a capybara as an interesting character stayed with me. It didn’t flesh out into something more until I learned of their chill, communal natures years later.
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Helen: What about the character of Cinrak makes your heart sing, as an author?
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AJ: Cinrak is square-chested, queer, and steady as ballast. A total butch, down to her suits and soft heart encased in a tough shell. She has oodles of love to share with her crew and family, something she didn’t get as a kit. She wants to make sure everyone has the space to be their best self. She loves learning from all the species of Rodentdom. She’s not always perfect — she pushes too hard and gives too much of herself, forgetting self care and spiritual release. She tries to be understanding of those who have wronged her, but her temper is slow burn and can make her quite stubborn.

Helen: Fantasy worldbuilding is my blogging theme for 2020, particularly on the Supernatural Underground, where I post at least once a month. So I’m particularly interested in Cinrak’s world of Rodentdom. Can you tell readers a little more about it and what makes it “tick” as a fantasy world?

AJ: Rodentdom during Cinrak’s time is in the midst of social and political upheaval — and they’re excited by it! Matriarchal leadership has been an undercurrent of their society, but its teachings have somewhat been corrupted by violence, greed, and expansionism. Pirates have been part of this, and modern Rodentdom pirates are in the midst of learning co-operation, fair distribution, and profit-sharing via unionizing and revisiting old scriptures (which have been usurped by conservatives, and upon research have surprisingly modern consequences).

They’re also learning hard lessons about how their expansionism has affected other species, chasing them out of or violating their historic homes, and how this affects ecosystems.

Plus, the old feudal inheritance system is transitioning to a democratic monarchy, but not without it’s problems.

Helen: Are there other species in your world of Rodentdom? And how do they interact with the rodent species? Also what is the magic of Rodentdom and how does it all work?

AJ: Just like in any world, for an ecosystem to be effective, survive, and thrive, it needs multiple species. Being somewhat aquatic, it makes sense to have water-faring species. There’s the mer, part humanoid, part fish (does their evolution speak to humans in the far past? There might be something in the human-tales about that). Ogres are almost humanoid, but they are scaly and have more in common with the great leviathans of the oceans with regards to their size and communal spirit. And there are the leviathans themselves, the whales and kraken. Because of their sapiency, superstitions and rules about eating types of seafood are abundant — kraken are friends, not food.

The land and oceans and elements are the magic. Perhaps the whole planet is a living planet, but Rodentdom hasn’t got that far in their evolution, science, and understanding to see the world from outside its limits…though the kraken have! But Rodentdom has learned to treat their environment, the earth, trees, moons, water, food, with respect. Take one, put one back. Those with the most respect for the land and its elements have the greatest ability to touch it’s magic. This is where Cinrak’s “saltiness” comes from — her ability to interact with the winds, understand the needs and movements of the stars, and follow the currents of the oceans with an ease that perplexes other pirates.
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Helen: I understand romance features in The Voyages of Cinrak the Dapper. How would you describe those romantic elements?  And is there one significant romantic relationship, or several?

AJ: Cinrak, the marmot opera diva Loquolchi, and rat queen Orvillia are in an ethical polyamorous relationship. There are moments that go into their meet-cutes, and how they negotiate their relationships, but I haven’t written any stories that focus on their romance. Yet. 

Cinrak is terrible at romance. It’s cutely awkward. She’s happy to let Loqui and Orvillia be all the flowers and hearts and picnics, and they’re happy to make a fuss of her. She acts as their rock and negotiator. Everything works extremely well, because none of them would be happy married or stuck in the same place with each other all the time. Their relationships remain resilient because they value freedom, consent, and open communication.

Another major relationship of the stories is between Agnes the Kraken and the glass whale Xolotli. It’s a queer love that spans centuries and oceans. 

Helen: If challenged to describe The Voyages of Cinrak the Dapper in three words, what would they be?

AJ: The book does have the promo line: Lesbian. Capybara. Pirate. Which is apparently delightful to many people, and their joy is a joy to me.

To take it a step further: Madcap. Magic. Hug. 

Helen: And  “Also, dapperness”, which I must admit appeals to me a lot, as does anything that offers magic and the madcap, along with a hug! Thank you very much for dropping by, AJ, and sharing your insider’s insights, as author, into Cinrak and her world. I am sure readers will be as fascinated by both as I am, and join me in wishing you and Cinrak every success in the wide and wild world of publishing, readerdom, and books.

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More About The Voyages Of Cinrak The Dapper:

Dapper. Lesbian. Capybara. Pirate.

Cinrak the Dapper is a keeper of secrets, a righter of wrongs, the saltiest capybara on the sea and a rider of both falling stars and a great glass whale. Join her, her beloveds, the rat Queen Orvilia and the marmot diva Loquolchi, lead soprano of the Theatre Rat-oyal, her loyal cabin kit, Benj the chinchilla, and Agnes, last of the great krakens, as they hunt for treasures of all kinds and find adventures beyond their wildest dreams. Let Sir Julius Vogel Award-winning storyteller A.J. Fitzwater take you on a glorious journey about finding yourself, discovering true love and exploring the greatest secrets of the deep. Also, dapperness.

https://queenofswordspress.com/product/the-voyages-of-cinrak-the-dapper-2/

Universal Link: https://books2read.com/b/3kpE6L

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More About The Author:

AJ Fitzwater lives between the cracks of Christchurch, New Zealand. A Sir Julius Vogel Award winner and graduate of Clarion 2014, their work has appeared in Clarkesworld, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Shimmer, Giganotosaurus, and various anthologies of repute. A unicorn disguised in a snappy blazer, they tweet @AJFitzwater

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Helen Lowe is a teller of tales and purveyor of story, chiefly by way of novels and poetry. Her first novel, Thornspell (Knopf), was published to critical praise in 2008. The second,The Heir of Night (The Wall Of Night Series, Book One) won the Gemmell Morningstar Award 2012, and the sequel, The Gathering Of The Lost, was shortlisted for the Gemmell Legend Award in 2013. Daughter Of Blood (Book Three), was published in 2016 and Helen is currently completing the final novel in the series. She posts regularly on her “…on Anything, Really” blog, monthly on the Supernatural Underground, and is also on Twitter: @helenl0we.

Dakota Interviews her Series Character

Giveaway! See-Through Calculator - 5 chances to win!
Thanks to the five winners for their comments:
CrystalGB, Eva, Unknown, llamannerdymama,
and Melissa!

Dakota Banks here. I've finally gotten Maliha Crayne, heroine of The Mortal Path, sitting across from me in a corner booth at Kelly's Pub in Chicago. It's mid-afternoon and we're the only customers.

Over a beer, she relaxes completely and I'm the one who's nervous. I wonder how many weapons are hidden in her worn black jeans and under the baggy T-shirt that says Bite Me. Her thick hair is woven into a braid down the back of her neck, and her alert green eyes show warmth and attention, but she's not missing a thing that goes on in the rest of the pub.

I set out my voice recorder and she frowns at it momentarily, as if I'd tossed a grenade between us.

Dakota Banks: Welcome, Maliha. You're a tough woman to track down, and it's good to finally meet you. Would you like a burger or something?

Maliha Crayne: No thanks. This week I'm not eating.

DB: Uh...

MC: That was a joke. Your name's Dakota, right? I like that.

DB: Thanks. I love your name, too. I'm glad you agreed to this grilling.

MC: Could we avoid the word grilling? I have this thing about fire.

DB: Sure. Tell me a little about yourself.

MC: The first thing is that I'm over three hundred years old. I was burned as a witch during the Salem witch trials. Usually witches were hanged, but I rated special treatment. Another woman wanted my husband, and.... Let's not get into that. A demon left over from the Sumerian period grabbed me and gave me a choice: go back and finish roasting or become his immortal assassin. At the time, immortality sounded good. I was also granted superhuman speed and healing abilities, and I could read auras, although I don't think that was totally a gift from the demon. All I had to do to stay young and enjoy life was kill people whenever the demon gave me assignments. Sometimes the target was an individual, sometimes it was starting a teensy war.

DB: So you've killed a lot of people. I'm okay sitting here, right? And I don't suppose you can tell me any details about who got axed?

MC: Just don't ask the secret question that drives me crazy. Relax! You're okay. Lucky guess on the axe. That was when I was the Black Ghost. Then I just decided I couldn't kill anymore. It's complicated, but the demon gave me an assignment I couldn't carry out. Put me totally off being an assassin.

DB: You just turned your back on the demon and that was it?

MC: It doesn't work that way. I have to save as many lives as I took when I was the Black Ghost. I have this carving of scales I have to balance. Wanna see?

DB: Uh... Note: Maliha yanks up T-shirt. She's not wearing anything underneath.

MC: If I just stroke here for a minute ... There! Do you see it?

DB: Readers, for the record, this wasn't my idea.

MC: See it?

 DB: Just ... barely. It's like the scales of justice, with two pans that are out of balance.

MC: That was carved on me by the demon's claw. Bet you've never seen anything like that before.

DB: For the record, I haven't. Is this one of those situations where now that you've told me, you have to kill me?

MC: Are you always this murder-minded?

DB: No. Something about talking to you just brings it out of me. Now you're doing good things instead of bad?

MC: Kind of a simplistic way of putting it, but if I want my soul back, that about covers it.

DB: Do you have a significant other?

MC: You first.

DB: Me? I'm married and very much in love.

MC: Things aren't that straightforward for me. It's hard to find a soulmate when a demon owns your soul. But I'm working on it.

DB: Tell me something no one else knows about you.

MC: I like bowling.

DB: That sounds a little tame for you.

MC: Depends on what the winner gets, doesn't it?

DB: I can't stand it anymore. Show me one of your weapons.

MC: How about this one?

DB: Note: A short black knife appears from nowhere and Maliha stabs it into the table between the fingers of my hand. That'll do. Just checking, in case all that talk was hype. You can put that knife away now.

MC: No hype. It could just as easily have gone into your throat. Ask me about my last interview.  It didn't go very well.

DB: Uh, no thanks. Wrapping up, readers. Thank you, Maliha, for this glimpse into your life. I'll be leaving now. Right now.

End of Interview

Whew! That Maliha is intense. I wish she'd let me take her picture, but all she did was give me a handout photo. Usually people give the interviewer a head shot, but in this case ... "I've got your back!" indeed. I guess that's semi-comforting.

Now for the giveaway. Here is a picture of a transparent calculator I've used as a promo item. It really is completely clear, see-through. Leave a comment below and I'll randomly select FIVE WINNERS to receive a calculator! That's 5 chances to win. :-) Please make sure I have a way to contact you to let you know you're a winner.

The last day to enter is Tuesday, April 2nd.

I'll be back April 28th. See you then.

An Interview with Juliet Marillier Discussing "Shadowfell" — Plus A Giveaway!

  
Shadowfell/The Heir of Night Book Draw Result:

Thank you so much to everyone who read the interview and particularly to those who commented to enter the joint Shadowfell/The Heir of Night giveaway. Both Juliet and I appreciate your interest and participation.

The draw has now been made by Random Number Integer and the winner is [drum roll!]:

Tyler-Rose Counts

Congratulations Tyler-Rose! If you email me your posting details at contact[at]helenlowe[dot]info, Juliet and I will get the books in the mail to you asap.

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Today I am delighted to be interviewing Juliet Marillier here on the Supernatural Underground, with a particular focus on her new YA novel, Shadowfell, which is released in North America this month and was published in Australia in July. But first, although she may in fact need no introduction, I would like to take a moment to introduce Juliet herself.

Introducing Juliet Marillier:

Juliet Marillier’s historical fantasy novels for adults and young adults, including the popular Sevenwaters series, have been translated into many languages and have won a number of awards including the Aurealis, the American Library Association’s Alex Award, the Sir Julius Vogel Award and the Prix Imaginales. Her lifelong love of folklore, fairy tales and mythology is a major influence on her writing. Juliet is currently working on the Shadowfell series, a story of tyranny and rebellion set in a magical version of ancient Scotland. When not busy writing, she tends to a small pack of waifs and strays.

In addition to this interview, you may find out more on Juliet’s website http://www.julietmarillier.com; she also blogs monthly on http://www.writerunboxed.com.

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Interview: Juliet Marillier and Shadowfell

US Cover

Helen: Juliet, Shadowfell is your third specifically YA novel, following on from Wildwood Dancing and Cybele’s Secret, and all three have strong romantic elements. Do you feel this is an increasingly important part of writing YA stories, or part of a continuing tradition?

Juliet: YA stories feature a young adult protagonist or protagonists and usually focus on that character’s journey toward maturity ( the tradition of the Bildungsroman.) Learning about love / relationships is an important part of that stage in our lives, so it’s not surprising so many writers are building strong romantic elements into their YA stories. I don’t remember quite such an emphasis on romance in the books my children read as young adults, so I do think the approach has changed. Within my genre of fantasy, there’s been an upsurge of paranormal romance, partly generated by the Twilight books, but also reflecting the popularity of this sub-genre with adult readers. There are far more female fantasy writers (and female fantasy readers) than there were, say, twenty years ago, and perhaps female writers are more confident about including a good love story in a fantasy novel.

Helen: The tagline says that the heroine, Neryn, is “alone, afraid, hunted”—what do you feel are the important elements that make a distinctive heroine, in general terms, and particularly distinguish Neryn in this story, Shadowfell?

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Juliet: Ideally, the reader will be able to walk in the heroine's shoes during the novel. The heroine needs to be a true individual with her own strengths and weaknesses and her own quirks. She has to have room for growth, because we want to see her make some kind of journey as the novel progresses. So she shouldn’t be too perfect! When we first meet Neryn she’s at a very low point (hence the tagline.) She’s lost everyone who was important to her, and has no resources other than a talent that seems more curse than blessing. And she lives in a place of fear and distrust; a place where one wrong word can get you killed or enslaved. Neryn is no warrior girl. She’s vulnerable, as any fifteen-year-old would be out wandering on her own with nobody to turn to. As the story progresses we see her find strengths she didn’t know she had.

Helen: The hero is also vital to a successful romantic story, but Flint is perhaps more complex—or conflicted—than the usual romantic hero. Was he a difficult or easy character for you to write?

Juliet: Flint was a great character to write – he came to me fully-fledged, complete with a backstory that emerges gradually over the series. The nature of Flint’s profession means he’s constantly having to set aside his conscience, and as the story develops we see how much that is costing him. Flint is quite young, only in his early twenties, but is quite hardened by the terrible things he’s had to witness and (more importantly) to do in order to keep his identity secret. He’s quite enigmatic as a result of always clamping down tight on his emotions. This is not a standard ‘good girl falls for bad boy’ scenario. There are lots of moral grey areas in the Shadowfell series and some hard choices for both Flint and Neryn.

Helen: Shadowfell returns to the predominantly Celtic tradition that informs your adult books. Do you think Celtic traditions and worlds particularly lend themselves to romantic Fantasy?  And/or are you drawn to it for other reasons?

Juliet: Celtic folklore and mythology is packed with intensely romantic stories – not only love stories, but big-R romances with sweeping themes of lovers parted and thwarted, gods sweeping in to reward or punish, kingdoms won or lost, honour and courage tested to breaking point. The Celts had a strong artistic tradition alongside their warrior tradition, and those two combined to create some grand stories that touch the heart and stir the spirit. For me, that tradition lends itself perfectly to romantic fantasy.

That’s certainly one reason why the Celtic tradition appeals to me, and why I chose to set my first novel, Daughter of the Forest, in Ireland even though it’s based on a Germanic fairy tale. An even stronger reason is that my ancestry is Scottish, with a touch of Irish, so I was brought up surrounded by Celtic culture, with parents who loved music and stories. When I was writing Shadowfell, the Scots dialect spoken by most of the uncanny characters flowed off the pen as a result of that early exposure to the tradition. I should add here for the benefit of potential readers that the country of Alban, where Shadowfell is set, is not actually Scotland, and the series doesn’t belong to any known period of Scots history. Alban is a magical variant of ancient Scotland. 

Helen: Do you have a personal boundary between romantic and sexual content in your storytelling, particularly when writing YA?

Juliet:  It’s a matter of writing what’s appropriate to those characters and that story. And to what fits the time and culture of the book, very important – what might be considered OK in this age of sexual freedom would be unthinkable in some historical or quasi-historical settings. I don’t include graphic sex scenes in YA novels, neither the ‘ insert tab B in slot A’ variety nor the kind full of heavy breathing and euphemisms for body parts. As a reader I prefer a ‘less is more’ approach to scenes of high emotion, including love scenes. I have a different approach when writing for adults – where the story requires it I do include sex scenes, both the romantic kind and, occasionally, the abusive kind. I am always aware of the likely readership for a particular book or series. I have once or twice had young adult readers who have gone on to read my adult fiction when they were not quite ready for it, and have been a bit shocked by some of the content. But other readers of the same age have been fine with my adult novels. The YA classification (approx. 12-17) covers such a huge range of maturity, as well as reading ability, that there can’t be a ‘one size fits all’ rule for what a writer should or should not include. 

Helen: To finish, if Neryn and Flint each had their own theme music, what would it be?

Juliet: What a great question!

Flint: “On the Edge” by Scottish folk/rock band Runrig
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tn95pPlq6So

Neryn: “Sol Invictus” written and performed by Thea Gilmore
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-aic4qHQWA

Helen: I love both those themes! Thank you so much for agreeing to be my guest here on the Supernatural Underground today – I have very much enjoyed our conversation and look forward to the next instalment of Neryn and Flint's story.
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Giveaway:

New Out!

Gemmell Morninstar 2012

To celebrate release of Shadowfell in North America and thhe recent success of The Heir of Night in winning the Gemmell Morningstar Award, Juliet and I are doing a joint Shadowfell/The Heir of Night giveaway today. To enter, just post a comment on the interview – and don't forget to "add 1" for spreading the word via any of Facebook, Twitter et al, to increase your chance to win.

The draw will remain open for a week so entries for the draw will close at midnight, US Eastern Standard Time on Friday 7. The draw will be amde using Random Number Integer and the result will be posted at the top of the interview on Saturday 8.
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About the Interviewer:
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Helen Lowe is a novelist, poet, interviewer, and a 2012 Ursula Bethell Writer-in-Residence at the University of Canterbury. The Gathering of the Lost, the second novel in her The Wall of Night series, was published in April, and she has recently won the Gemmell Morningstar Award 2012 for the first-in-series, The Heir of Night. Helen posts every day on her Helen Lowe on Anything, Really blog, on the first of every month here on the Supernatural Underground, and occasionally on SF Signal. You can also follow her on Twitter: @helenl0we