Kitty Noville #09
By Carrie Vaughn
Kitty Norville is back and in more trouble than ever. Her recent run-in with werewolves traumatized by the horrors of war has made her start wondering how long the US government might have been covertly using werewolves in combat. Have any famous names in our own history might have actually been supernatural? She's got suspicions about William Tecumseh Sherman. Then an interview with the right vampire puts her on the trail of Wyatt Earp, vampire hunter.
But her investigations lead her to a clue about enigmatic vampire Roman and the mysterious Long Game played by vampires through the millennia. That, plus a call for help from a powerful vampire ally in San Francisco, suddenly puts Kitty and her friends on the supernatural chessboard, pieces in dangerously active play. And Kitty Norville is never content to be a pawn...
Each book in the series is well-written and fast-paced and contributes to Kitty's progress as a stronger, more independent werewolf. She is upbeat, snarky and smart and is surrounded by a cast of interesting and likeable secondary characters from loyal lawyer Ben to quiet, intense hitman Cormac and enigmatic vampire Rick.
Recommended for fans of Kelley Armstrong.
With the release of Kitty's Big Trouble, Carrie Vaughn answers some of our questions on her life as a writer, who she reads and what the future has in store for Kitty.
1. What started you writing, and is it the same thing that still inspires you today?
I started writing when I was a kid because I had a big imagination and it was the best way to explore all the ideas I had. These days, I write because it's my job -- but the process is the same, and I still spend a lot of time daydreaming and tapping into my imagination. It's my job because I love doing it.
2. What books, or authors, would you say have most influenced you in the type of writer you've become?
Ray Bradbury and Robin McKinley were early influences -- reading their works made me want to be a writer, because I wanted to learn exactly how they could write such powerful, beautiful stories using just words. Lately, Lois McMaster Bujold is an influence because I learned how to write a long, ongoing series from her Vorkosigan books.
3. Your latest release is Kitty's Big Trouble, can you tell us a bit about the story and how you came up with it?
In the course of researching some historical supernatural figures, Kitty and friends make their way to San Francisco's Chinatown to help the vampire Anastasia keep a powerful artifact out of the hands of their archnemesis.
I've been wanting to branch out into different kinds of folklore and stories, bring in some different kinds of supernatural creatures, so I turned to Chinese mythology. And Chinatown is so iconic, I had a good time writing about it.
4. Do you consciously choose themes to explore in your work or does it 'just happen'?
I usually choose a couple of core ideas for each book. At this point, ten books into the series, I have a good idea of the series arc, and Kitty's character arc, so I always have to keep those in mind. Sometimes I get surprised, but I try to pick interesting ideas to work on in the first place, to give the books some depth.
5. What do you consider the most challenging about writing a novel, or about writing in general?
Writing in general, the challenge has been trying to juggle all the various parts of it -- creativity, the business side, maintaining a public front, and trying to have a life on the side as well. It's easy to get overwhelmed. As for the challenge with each novel -- I find revision to be difficult, because that's when I have to take the raw material of the first draft and try to make it as cohesive and powerful as I possibly can. It would be easy to keep revising forever because there always seems to be more to fix.
6. Do you use an outline when you write, or are you more of a discovery writer?
I use an outline, but not a very good one. It's never detailed enough. So, usually, I start with a summary and discover a lot about the story on the way. I have to know where the story ends up, though, so I know where I'm going. I'll usually write the end before I'm finished writing the rest.
7. How much research do you do, and is it before or during the writing process?
A little of both. I do general research -- like Chinese folklore or the military -- before I start so I can get ideas and a general sense of what I'm writing about. As I'm writing I'll discover details -- like neighborhoods in San Francisco -- that I need specific information on. I'll flag it and look it up later.
8. Who is your favourite character from your books?
Too many to choose from.
9. You've dropped hints about some of the places Rick has been. Will we get to find out more about him?
The collection, Kitty's Greatest Hits, includes Rick's origin story, so you'll get a lot of information there. I've written another story about him, "It's Still the Same Old Story," that will appear in an anthology, Down These Strange Streets, edited by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois.
10. What do you do to relax, when you're not in writer's mode?
I do a lot of crafts, knitting and costuming. I walk my dog. Watch movies. I like spending time outdoors, and traveling.
11. How do you balance what you're reading against what you're writing?
I don't read much that's similar to what I'm writing. I just like different kinds of books. I tend to read a lot of science fiction, space opera, and stand-alone fantasy. I also read a lot of nonfiction for research/information.
12. And finally, what future novels/ideas do you have in the works? What can your readers expect next?
I've got more Kitty books planned. I'm also working on more young adult books. I have a few other ideas floating around but it's way too early to announce anything. I also, as usual, have a bunch of short stories in the pipeline.
Kitty's Big Trouble is available now.
If you haven't tried this series, start with book 1, Kitty and the Midnight Hour.
- Interview by Allison.
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