Can you talk about where the idea for This Ravenous Fate came from? Why vampires and why the 1920s?

Yes! The idea came from a mix of things—I had taken a class on the Harlem Renaissance in high school and read several books that stuck with me for a long time, and in college, I actually had a chance to revisit them in my Black women writers class, which made me think more about how certain parts of Black history have been largely ignored, or erased. I imagined what it would be like if you could actually see anti-Black racism spreading through the United States and that thought, paired with a conversation I had with my friend about immortal creatures rotting as they got older, spawned the ideas for reapers in This Ravenous Fate! I really wanted to explore the darker parts of US history while also shining light on the uplifting parts of Black history. The Harlem Renaissance was a time of celebrating Blackness, and I loved the idea of interrogating the significance of the opulence at the time and how so much corruption and blood tainted it. I specifically chose vampires because I’ve always been interested in how their immortality and bloodthirsty nature is romanticized and wanted to take them down a more brutal path. Seeing them almost like a metaphor, or manifestation of the atrocities of the US, really tied into my intentions with building the plot around the past and how you can always still see parts of it in the present, no matter how long it’s been.

Elise and Layla’s friends-to-enemies-to-lovers romance propels the story and adds another layer of depth to the characters. Can you talk about how you crafted such a complicated, swoony romance?

I love complicated characters that are opposites on the surface, but really mirror each other internally. I can’t speak for every member of the queer community, but I feel like tragic, homoerotic friendship breakups are pretty common—at least among sapphics. For Layla and Elise’s relationship, I definitely pulled from my own experiences there. I also just really love characters with deep, tumultuous backstories. Things that threaten to tear them apart, but still intrigue them. The idea that people might never truly fall out of love with someone, no matter the time and events that have occurred, and that even though they’re enemies that want to kill each other, there was once a time where they knew each other better than anyone else in the world. There are so many tender emotions to explore there. Love is a profoundly universal thing that brings people together no matter the circumstances or monstrous ways someone is perceived and getting to explore that between a human and nonhuman character was so fun.

What kind of research did you do while writing this book? What was something you learned that surprised you?

I read so many books and articles and research papers. I went down every rabbit hole you can imagine, from figuring out what exact type of jewelry people wore to parties to learning the political status/foreign affairs of the US at the time, and just how involved gangsters were in politicians’ close circles. I also did a ton of research about medicine and the timeline of Black people’s presence in the US from 1619 to beyond the Harlem Renaissance. What surprised me was learning about a Black woman’s involvement in organized crime. Her name was Madame Stephanie St. Clair, and she was known as the queen of numbers due to her skill for minting cash and running many enterprises in Harlem. She did not make it into TRF, but I think her story is super fascinating.

Which character from This Ravenous Fate do you identify with the most and why?

Elise, my poor, suffering, sad girl. She’s just like me. An anxious, miserable perfectionist who feels everything way too deeply. I think I’m really similar to her in those ways, but in others… I would not have been able to take living in the Saint household for as long as she did. I would have fought Tobias.

This Ravenous Fate is your debut novel. Can you talk a little about what inspired you to become a writer? Is there a piece of advice that you wish you had when you were just starting out?

I’ve always loved writing! Ever since I can remember, before I could even write, I was always making up stories and falling in love with storytelling. I wrote fanfiction and my own stories for a while but didn’t really think becoming a writer could be my thing until my teachers started leaving notes on my creative writing projects saying I should try getting published. That really cemented my dream to become a published author. I also never saw people who looked like me in my favorite books and I desperately wanted to read about queer Black girls in epic fantasy books or doing things other than being the first to die. Writing what I wanted to read became my goal for a while. As for advice, I think the best thing I’ve heard is that the first draft just needs to exist. As someone who struggles with perfection, it can be really hard letting go and allowing myself to just write without worrying about whether what I’m writing is good enough. So learning that the first draft’s only job is to exist and reminding myself that editing comes later, has made the drafting process a lot easier. There’s so much less pressure!

How have libraries played a part in your life? Was there a book you would continually check out growing up?

I grew up walking distance away from my local library and I spent so many days there, particularly in the summer when I was participating in their summer reading challenges. I still go back a lot now and it remains a highlight of my childhood. In high school, I worked at my lower school library. Just being around books and helping younger kids expand their love for reading was so special. I remember really loving the Warrior Cats books by Erin Hunter as a child. Those cats and their clans began my love for fantasy!

What books, movies, TV shows, or other forms of media would you say This Ravenous Fate would be perfect for fans of?

Netflix’s Arcane is definitely the biggest comparative title for TRF. From the corrupt government systems, divided communities, and mysterious poison sweeping through the undercity, to the lesbians from different worlds learning to work together, TRF is perfect for fans of Arcane. It also happens to be my favorite show! Fans of the gritty, dark setting, forced proximity between enemies, and the important social themes of These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong would probably love TRF as well.

This Ravenous Fate was a thrill ride from start to finish! Can you give us any hints on what you’re working on next?

I’m currently revising a dark fantasy book about dragon-riding princesses waging war against angry gods, as well as working on a gothic dark academia fantasy horror that is probably the darkest thing I’ve ever written. All the horror elements I had to hold back on in TRF are coming to full life in these books and I’m so excited to be working within my favorite genre!

What emojis would you use to describe the plot of This Ravenous Fate?

I love this question and use these emojis frequently to describe TRF: 🩸🪷✨💀