Helllooo!

I recently read and loved Sealed With A Hiss by Eule Grey a touching funny and thoroughly entertaining mix of the supernatural, comedy and romance. Eule has impressed me with several stories, so this was a perfect time to have the chance to ask a few more question on the book; these remarkable characters and a few other things. Huge thanks for Eule being able to share how these books came about.

 

How would you usually booktempt people to read Sealed With A Hiss?

Serious answer: Through a love and passion for my home.

Not so serious answer: After a few pints of beer with the wind behind me!

Either way, the Kitten and Blonde series is set in Yorkshire—where I live and am therefore constantly reminded of the beauty of the landscape and the people. From Roundhay Park in Leeds to Dracula’s Whitby Abbey, every brick and blade of grass is precious and meaningful. Have you seen the morning mist creeping into the Sculpture Park, clinging to the statues, echo-like, edged with frost, ringing with night’s breath? How about the wuthering moors above Haworth, where Heathcliff chases Cathy or the Lotherton owls tantalising our children with slow, calm blinks?

And it’s not only the tourist attractions that enchant me. As someone who previously worked in the criminal justice system, I’m well acquainted with the castle-like structure of Leeds Prison and the concrete dome of ‘Doncatraz’. Each russet brick brims with memories—a kind word or a joke with the many people I’ve loved during my day’s journey. Yorkshire folk have welcomed me and mine, and, most importantly, my god, they know how to brew. I suppose my ideal selling plan would be to have a stall at a local beer festival and sell my books alongside… Maybe next year?

What brought you the characters of Mave and Lisa? How did you find Mave’s voice?

Mave’s voice, like all of my characters, is born from the many people I’ve encountered throughout a varied career as a teacher, restorative justice practitioner, mediator, and artist. I’m always looking to create narratives and art about disability and diversity. Not necessarily to write about those things, but to write from them, with them, and to be honest about the challenges and celebrations. Above all, to ask the question of ‘what if?’

Mave sprang from a desire to create a character whom readers might resonate with and yet who is under-represented in all forms of art and lit. She’s over fifty, neurodivergent, not successful economically or romantically. She messes up daily and can’t be trusted to lock up the office without initiating the alarms. (Like me!) She tries really hard to be what she imagines others want, but, of course, she can only be herself. And yet, Mave wields a secret little bit of magic—she’s a witch. In Sealed with a Hiss, she’s only just getting started down the path of magic. In subsequent books, she becomes a fully fledged, powerful magic user who fights the forces of darkness. I love that someone like Mave has hidden powers.

Lisa is the woman behind the kindness, patience, and care. She’s strong and forthright, couldn’t care less about things like office keys, and loves a night at the karaoke—my ideal boss. She, too, develops her unique powers, though hers arise from sibling love and natural Yorkshire gorgeousness. Lisa has an interracial bipolar brother, Tom, who, like many bipolar folks, is quite brilliant if you give him half a chance and an open ear. Tom’s bestie is a Muslim woman called Mariam. She, too, is used to being overlooked despite her many skills and abilities.

I love these characters with all of my heart. While writing the third book, Let the Bite One In, I stayed in a caravan in Caister, overlooking the sea. Each morning, I woke at dawn when only the seals were active. I swear I heard Tom and Lisa’s voices on the breeze. When I got home, I realised I’d broken my keyboard from the force of my tapping… Yeah, unhinged. Do I care? Nope.

These four unlikely heroes become a force to be reckoned with, a tidal wave arising not from a typical hierarchical magical system but from our galaxy's elements, memories, and voices. That kindness and inclusivity succeed over force and oppression makes my naïve heart happy. Oops! I’m getting too far ahead… You’ll have to read Kitten and Blonde books 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5. I can’t wait for Let the Bite One In, my favourite book of the series and maybe all my books. Vampires and fangs, anyone?

This tale started as a short story. What drew you to the longer tale and what challenge appeared with a longer tale?

Thank you for asking this question! Mave and Lisa first appeared in the horror anthology Listen: The Sound of Fear, an awesome NineStar Press book by trans and nonbinary authors, which was kindly reviewed by Running Along the Shelves. I submitted Her Little Joke, thinking I’d have more chance of being accepted with a female character over fifty because characters like this are underrepresented in horror. Why not some cheeky, stabby ladies over fifty? We like a little slash and tumble.

To be frank, I’ve never before succeeded with a series. Interests and passions pull at my brain. The very idea of sticking with one set of characters sends me icy cold—I wouldn’t say I enjoy reading a series, never mind writing one. And, with a demanding day job and a family to care for, keeping track of a series didn’t sound much fun… Famous last words. I’ve always written diverse characters who reflect my world. Where better to base my books than Yorkshire, with its eclectic cultural mix? And, I enjoyed writing a series which is (fairly) light-hearted and fun. Life has been hard for everyone over the last few years. This series has provided me with a much-needed opportunity to have a laugh with writing again. I had gotten too serious and needed to break freeeee.

The longevity challenge is whether I can sell this series to the world. LGBTQI literature aren’t the best-selling books on the shelf, especially when you add neurodiversity and disability into the cauldron. I’m fortunate to have a publisher in NineStar Press that is willing to take a chance on an author like me and that is passionate about amplifying the voices who don’t get a look-in. I hope some readers might eventually be ready to read alternative narratives from those traditionally available.

 

How do you balance the romance with the supernatural elements in a story?

God knows, lol! I just write and hope for the best. But seriously, I’m a people person. A friend once remarked how all my photos include a person, even those from an art gallery. It’s true! I thrive when there are dates to look forward to, I enjoy chatting with strangers and ad-hoc laughter on a train with passengers I’ll never meet again. I suppose it’s, therefore, natural that my books tend towards the romance genre, though I do dabble in others too.

Romance is an instinct, a drive, and a thread which brightens our lives. You never lose the urge for romance, in my experience. Romance can mean many things, from the love hearts of Valentine’s Day to sharing gifts between old friends—gifts that take many hours of thought and preparation. To me, romance does not only mean kissing and sex, though they are most welcome too. Romance is also art, music, ideas, sharing. Looking forward to a phone call or a joke with that friend with the same sense of humour. Romance is warmth on a cold day, tingles in a stone quarry, a squeezed hand, a concert where you cry with emotion, gripping the hand of your best friend who also loves opera and is sobbing alongside.

When romance and the supernatural overlap, a whole world of delicious what-ifs becomes available. What if we give characters from underrepresented groups a chance to shine? What if those characters also find fulfilling sex and love with supernatural characters? How many stereotypes can we squash and explore? What if…

I struggle to write a story with no romance, where my main character doesn’t have the added tensions and excitement that come with a relationship. To be candid, my stories without romance tend towards unrequited misery. Yes, I can be a miserable bugger, lol. Romance keeps this monster at bay. Mave and Lisa can resolve supernatural issues because of their love and friendship. Alone, Mave might struggle. With Lisa, she flourishes. Although a part of me wishes it were not so, this dichotomy is often the reality of being disabled. Neurodivergent people are just as brilliant and talented as neurotypical, but life is an uphill journey without a world which understands our differences or even our words. We need the help that comes with the offer, ‘Please talk. We are listening’. Lisa and Mave personify such an offer.

Kitten and Blonde is a series exploring what happens when love is thrust into a supernatural world. Although I don’t believe in concepts like good and evil, they are great tools to mess with. Who is evil, and who is conflicted? Will Lisa and Mave’s love be strong enough when the real battle at Whitby Abbey commences? You’ll have to wait and see. All I can say is that it’s very satisfying as a writer when your two ladies develop from the tentative bud of Her Little Joke to the fearsome duo who fight tooth and claw with the Count. Bring on the darkness and face it with love’s light burning and a pint of beer in your hand.

 

What else can we look forward to from you in the future and where can we find out more?

Well. That is an interesting question. I’m currently writing the fourth and maybe final Kitten and Blonde book. Will there be more in this series? Honestly, I’m not sure. I want to write so many books. Maybe I’ll finally complete a crime story I started years ago about the unexplored realms of immersive daydreaming. My YA story, If We Were Stars, is due out next year and offers a bold fantasy scenario featuring aliens. It’s fun, weird, exciting. A group of teens is working on a promo video for me, so it’ll be exciting.

In the short term, the second Kitten and Blonde novella, Sugar and Ice, is due out in November. This is one for you if you like cheeky ghosts and live in Sheffield.

Confession: I want to write books about unashamedly wicked LGBTQI and disabled characters. I’ve been responsible for creating too many sweet characters; may Mother Nature forgive me. It was fun while it lasted, but my heart craves badness. To achieve equality, LGBTQI and disabled characters must be viewed within the entire realms of experience, especially those that may cause reader discomfort. As a teen, I craved stories about complex female characters who weren’t good or worthy. I was always a bit twisted! Perhaps a set of short stories based at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, where art and writing become fused and cause great evil to awaken? Art walks while humans tremble…

This year, I’ve written a lot. My eyes have suffered, and I’m not sure I’ll be able to write at such a pace any longer. As well, I’m a true artist who seeks to explore a pure form which comes from a place of difference. Writing in a competitive arena doesn’t always sync with this vision. Maybe it’s time to stop trying so hard to sell books and simply write whatever comes.

You can find me on social media or at my main publisher site, NineStar Press. Links are provided at the bottom of the page. News of a following publication is always available here. If you want to see me reading, watch this space. I used to attend pub readings and vocal poetry with a writer friend, but we have both lost our nerve. Hopefully, we’ll get back to those heady days soon—we’re plotting a return! I’m trying to be braver about attending physical book events and to be better at promoting my work because I’m pretty poor online. And, I can often be found at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, dreaming, plotting, creating.

More links for Eule can be found at

Eule Grey, author (eulegreyauthor.carrd.co)

Eule Grey – NineStar Press

Amazon.com: Eule Grey: books, biography, latest update

 

 

If there was one book, not your own, that you could get everyone to read. What would it be and why?

Any zine by the artist Steven Fraser. His zine performance art has changed the lives of several of my friends and family members. He makes me cry, laugh, think, write. His work is probably different from anything you’ve read or seen. You can buy it on Etsy for less than five pounds. I told the author how influential his work has been to me and mine, but I’m not sure he believed me.

Why would I get everyone to read a zine by Steven Fraser? Because his work offers a genuine, unique description of what it means to be neurodivergent: the struggles, the hilarity, and ultimately, the joy. I am in awe of how this author rejects everything about typical literature—his zines come through the post on handwritten paper, his art is drawn with a pencil. With each purchase, the reader receives a thin scrap of paper with his sincere thanks. His work screams of truth, talent, and honesty in ways that famous books do not. All of this is what my artistic heart craves. Sod propriety, and bring on the raw.

Thank you so much for offering me this interview. Eule Grey: teacher, mediator, youth worker, artist.