Please tell us a little bit about yourself and your writing.
I'm an urban fantasy and YA/Medieval fantasy writer. Let's just say I dabble in all things fantasy, and definitely have a lot of authors to thank for that. Non-writing wise, I'm a bird mom to six feathered kids who actually helped inspire the werebirds in one of my series. As an advocate for mental health, I talk about my experiences with depression, anxiety, ADHD, and my eating disorder across social media. I believe it's important to be transparent (if you're comfortable) to help others know it's okay to talk about these issues. Mental health issues often show up in my characters. I'm also a supporter and part of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Writing wise, I've published three books in my Purple Door District series. It's an urban fantasy series about parahumans (werebirds, vampires, werewolves, fae, witches, magi, etc.) living in safe spaces called Purple Door Districts, and the Hunters trying to eradicate them.
This is a smaller series based on a bigger one that my co-author and I are currently writing together. We decided we wanted to dip our toes into the market and see if people found our stories/characters interesting, and so far the series has had a positive reception! I also write pieces for anthologies (I've had a mix of medieval/YA/urban fantasy accepted). I also have a medieval fantasy series sitting on the back burners, waiting for me to heavily revise it before it sees the light of day.
I should also mention that I'm a founder of a writing organization called The Writers' Rooms in Iowa. It's a non-profit corporation focused on providing a free, safe environment to all writers. I currently lead one of the groups under it called The Violet Realm in which I teach folks about fantasy/science fiction elements. It's a great community and I'm honored to be part of it.
Who would you say your biggest literary influences are?
Oh gosh, that's a hard one.
Susan Fletcher: Her dragon stories made me start writing my own dragon series in elementary school. Every morning I'd wake up and scribble down my tale on pieces of notebook paper and store them in a Lisa Frank folder. Ah, the days before computers.
Brian Jacques: author of the Redwall series, he made me really love storytelling and taught me how to paint pictures with my words. His series is actually how I met my co-author. We met one another while on a Redwall RPG forum, and we've been friends ever since.
Patricial Briggs: She introduced me to the world of urban fantasy/paranormal romance.
How has the history of the middle ages impacted/influenced your work?
A lot, actually. Most of my early writing has medieval elements. The first full trilogy I wrote (which I still need to edit), is set in a medieval-like period. I researched a lot to prepare myself for the book including types of swords/weapons, jousting, castle construction and fortification, heraldry, medieval food, holidays and customs, agriculture, and more. I wanted my series to be as accurate as possible while also embodying fantasy. I use that knowledge to help me in my short stories, and in apothecary/witch work in my urban fantasy series. I have way too many books about medicinal herbs and uses.
Do you feel like your writing has been impacted/influenced by Tolkien? If so, in what way(s)?
Oh definitely. While I didn't list Tolkien as a writing influence simply because I'm more familiar with Lord of the Rings as films rather than as books, his stories heavily influenced my writing. I would watch the trilogy over and over again to get inspiration. I spent long hours listening to the soundtrack to put me in the writing mood. I studied the different weapons and clothing the characters used/wore, and that helped me in my own studies, or gave me ideas on how to dress some of my characters, with my own fantasy flare, of course. I was always drawn to the elegance of the elves and usually included some kind of ethereal race. The long, powerful speeches also helped inspire some of my characters' own speeches.
What do you think the current innovations in your genre(s) are?
I think urban fantasy is becoming more accepting of including LGBTQIA+ characters as well as strong female characters. There's less of the damsel in distress trope (depending on the series), and more of the female main characters rescuing the men, or rescuing themselves, which I absolutely adore. Urban fantasy books are starting to show more diversity as well. The more people represented, the better!
What is something in your genre(s) you'd like to see more of?
I'd like to see more trans representation in my genres. We're starting to see more LGBTQIA+ characters and relationships, but not as many trans characters. I'd also like to see mental health discussed more so it's less taboo. It would be so nice to have more plus-sized characters, and not just as a joke. Let's also continue adding more diversity to books!
What is something in your genre(s) you'd like to see less of?
I'd like it if token characters aren't killed off (usually Black or LGBTQIA+ characters). Appropriation is a big issue too. Writing a diverse cast is great, but when you start appropriating cultures without paying proper respect, or you try to write through the eyes of someone outside of your lane, it becomes a problem. There are ways to write diverse characters without acting like you personally know their struggles. Hiring sensitivity readers can really help with this.
Is there anything else related I didn't ask a question about that you'd like to add?
Not that I can think of.
Where online can our readers find you and your work?
I'm on most social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Tiktok, Goodreads, Amazon, etc. You can find all my links either through my website at erincasey.org or at https://linktr.ee/erincaseyauthor You can also find my work at erincasey.org or on Amazon.com/author/erincaseyauthor
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