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AUTHOR BIO:
I'm Katie and I'm a (soon to be) published author of historical fiction. The first story in my queer Age of Sail trilogy, Leeward (originally on Wattpad), is out through Canelo in May 2023. I love to write historical fiction, especially exploring queer narratives and characters who discover their identities and go on both physical and mental journeys. I also write horror (more specifically, historical horror!). I work in retail but I'm hoping one day to be able to write full time! As well as writing, I enjoy drawing, reading and visiting historical sites.
Hi, Katie! We're delighted to have you with us today! Let's start. What are your biggest inspirations?
In writing, my biggest inspirations are a mix of other authors and historical events. Cocytus was inspired by the amazing AMC series, The Terror, which follows a paranormal version of the history of the lost Franklin expedition. It was also influenced by horror authors such as HP Lovecraft – I wanted to write a cosmic horror of his eerie epic proportions but bring in much more of a focus on the characters and their personal connections. I am also inspired by other historical and naval fiction authors such as Patrick O'Brian.
If you could be any character from your story, who would it be and why?
I would quite resolutely not be any characters in Cocytus, considering the doom and pain they all go through 😂 But if I *had* to pick, I'd say maybe Henry? She always has a clear head, is resourceful (being a woman in disguise on a naval ship), and knows how to survive.
Tell us something cool about your story's world, magic system or theme.
Maybe a cool behind the scenes thing is that Cocytus was originally a Lara Croft meets At the Mountains of Madness fanfiction. She was going to stumble upon a ship frozen in the ice in Antarctica and investigate what happened to it. I got so into making up the backstory of the ship that it became Cocytus, a story by itself.
What challenges did you face when writing your story?
I haven't really faced any challenges in writing Cocytus. It's gone surprisingly smoothly! There was a little blip in the middle where I stopped writing for a little while but I picked it up again after reading what I'd already written through and being inspired to continue. The historical research could be a challenge but it's a topic I'm utterly obsessed by so I knew quite a bit already and all the extra research has been lots of fun!
What's your favorite music?
I'll listen to anything, honestly 😂😂 I love soundtracks, pop, rock, metal, classical, anything and everything as long as I like the sound of it. But I do have a playlist of weird instrumental and soundtrack pieces inspired by Cocytus!
Here's the link: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7HvveyZ1v6xauh0qrWFWqn?si=38QRd9PsTjKGBSm7H850Gg
Lastly, what advice would you give to your fellow writers?
I guess I'd say to not give up. My writing and style has evolved over time from trying out lots of different kinds of genres and plots as well as reading. I find inspiration in all sorts of things! As long as you're interested in what you write and love your characters, your passion will come through and you'll find your audience. Wattpad can be kind of discouraging sometimes because it can feel quite competitive (and I've doubted myself soooooo much) but engaging with other writers and interacting in the community is great :)
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Thank you for joining us, Katie! Congratulations yet again and wishing you all the best!
