Today it gives the Speculative Fiction Showcase great pleasure to interview C. L. Lauder, whose novel The Quelling has its debut on January 16th.
What
is The Quelling of the title?
In
the Universe of The Quelling, the local population must cede control of
their bodies to the occupying race for one day every month in exchange for
peace. To be quelled is to give up bodily autonomy, with no memory of events
that transpired while your consciousness was subdued and your body manipulated
by another being.
Tell
us something about the world of The Quelling. What inspired you to write
about it, and how did you set about world-building?
It
started with the premise for book two, which explores how those in power often
disguise abuse as benevolence, including to themselves. In my mind, a book is
only as good as its villain—so I started there. I asked myself what the
antagonist had lost to inspire his fanaticism. What had cost him so greatly
that he'd left his home and settled in the uninhabitable Ice Realm on a foreign
world, and what was his plan? The plot for book one was built on that foundation,
and the world took shape around it.
Your
first degree was in computer science, but you switched to creative writing for
your Masters. What prompted that change of subject?
It
wasn’t a change for me. I’ve been writing stories since I could hold a pen. It
was more of a reward—you’ve done the hard work, and now you can have some fun.
I’d taken creative writing courses before and was excited to see what else the
Masters could teach me.
You
have lived in South Africa, Britain, and Hong Kong, all magical places in their
way. How much has traveling influenced your writing?
For
me, traveling is like taking a breath when you've been holding it too long.
When you're in the grind, your creativity gets sapped of oxygen, but the moment
you step into a foreign place, you can feel yourself expand. I get my best
ideas while traveling, so it’s greatly influenced me. I’m uncertain how much
I’d correlate with the exposure to different cultures and how much with the spiritual
uplift I associate with change.
What
can you tell us about the races in your world? Who are the Rhemans, and what
makes them alien?
The
Rhemans are an alien race who’ve been occupying Aurora Saura for nearly
nineteen years, which also happens to be the age of our protagonist, Kyjta. In
truth, this story is as much about Kyjta as it is about Kranik, a young Rheman
rebel who quietly opposes the regime. Historically, the Rhemans have relied on bodies
grown in animation casks, but viable bodies are becoming harder to come by, and
the Rhemans are turning to renewable options—namely, the Aurora Saurans.
Who
are the Aurora Saurins?
Aurora
Saurins are the local people of the invaded planet of Aurora Saura. Within the
Rheman infiltration are two camps: those that quell Aurora Saurins indefinitely
and those that attempt a form of symbiosis. While some Aurora Saurans submit
voluntarily for short-term quelling, others are marked by alien fluid and
targeted for indefinite use by the Rheman overlord. Kyjta is one of the Stained
and risks permanent oblivion.
What
about the idea of Transference Day, which you have mentioned as your first idea
for The Quelling Trilogy?
I
don't want to give too much away, but Transference Day was going to be the
first novel in the series until I realized I needed to explore what was driving
this alien race to extremes. I'm interested in the idea that good people can be
part of a corrupt machine. At its core, Transference Day is the story of how
not getting the one thing you genuinely want can break you and how altruism is
the only escape from that pain.
To
what extent did growing up in South Africa make you aware of the conflict
between different groups and their interests?
Oppression
is everywhere, but witnessing the end of apartheid left an impression on me. I
lived in a small town and the cohesion wasn’t instant, but you could feel the
excitement building. People finally had hope. That state of exhilaration is
something I hope to examine further in my writing.
What
particular fantasy authors do you love, and how have they influenced you?
The
book that really awakened something inside me was The Secret History by Donna
Tartt, but my favorite author is Laini Taylor of the Daughter of Smoke and Bone
series. I think her protagonist, Karou, is much like Kyjta—wilful but kind,
with a touch of melancholy.
This
is a YA book. How do you see your readers, and what do you hope they will take
away from reading The Quelling?
Personally,
I love to read YA fantasy, so I don't see it as an age band but a mindset. I
see my readers as people who enjoy a break from the ordinary. People who want
to experience the extraordinary while ensconced in home comforts, like me. This
book has several hard-hitting themes; everyone will take away something
different. It’s been interesting reading the editorial reviews and seeing the
different perspectives.
What
are the crucial issues for your main characters: Kyjta, Kranik, and Calypsie?
Kyjta
has faced grave injustice throughout her life and has a taste for covert
vengeance, which is often misplaced. Kranik faces guilt for being part of a
regime that traffics in suffering, and Calipsie trusts all too easily, as any
child would.
Kyjta
is one of the Stained. What does this mean, and why does it put her in danger?
One
of the tag lines for the book is, "When you're Stained, patches of skin
glisten like liquid starlight, and sooner or later, his creatures find
you." The Stain is like a brand; permanent once it touches the skin. The
markings are a homing beacon for the winged beasts sent by the Rheman overlord
to scavenge for bodies. Kyjta’s Stain is unusual, marking her face like tears.
The story of how she got it introduces one of the pivotal plot points in the
book.
The Quelling is set to be the first volume of a trilogy. How
are you getting on with the next book in the series?
It's
in good shape because I wrote it first. My current focus is to ensure all the
threads align now that book one is final. I plan to begin the editing process
in early 2024.
How
do you prepare to write, and how much do you plan in advance?
I
usually spend about a month drafting and redrafting a scene-by-scene plot
before writing. The plot is a loose guideline because a lot changes on the way,
but I like the safety I associate with having a map I can refer to if I get
lost. It's a simple Excel template with sixty scenes broken into four acts. I
try not to start the writing before I'm happy with the plan, but if I have an
idea for a scene, I'll write it out because it's hard to think when an idea is
stuck in your mind, and sometimes the only way to free yourself is to get it
down.
What
are your plans once The Quelling Trilogy is finished?
I'd
want to keep writing. I keep Confluence pages for my ideas, so there's a lot to
play with when the time comes. Right now, I'm trying not to get distracted by
other ideas, but one of the titles that have me thinking is Angel Hart and
the Paranormal Insomniac. I could have a lot of fun with that.
Amazon - Amazon UK - Barnes & Noble - Apple Books
About C.L. Lauder:
C. L. Lauder grew up in South Africa before immigrating to the United Kingdom, where she attended the University of London to complete an MA in Creative Writing. She now lives at the foot of a lush mountain in Hong Kong with her husband, and two rapidly lengthening sons, who enjoy their newfound proximity to nature, especially the sea.
No comments:
Post a Comment