thriller — Blog — Marina Raydun

Liz Butcher resides in Australia, with her husband, daughter, and their two cats. She’s a self-confessed nerd with a BA in psychology and an insatiable fascination for learning. Liz has published a number of short stories in anthologies and has released her own collection, After Dark, in 2018. Her novel, Fates’ Fury is set for release, September, 2019.

Marina Raydun: I have to ask—is Liz Butcher your real name or your penname? Seems like a perfect last name for the genre!

Liz Butcher: It’s my real name – my married name! My husband jokes that I only married him for the surname, haha!

MR: I love that you write short stories. What do you find more challenging—writing full length novels or short stories?

LB: I think both can have their challenges. For me, the challenge in moving from short stories to novels was ensuring I developed every aspect.

MR: What is your process like? Are your outlines tedious or are you more of an intuitive author who feels her way through the plot?

LB: I’m an extremely tedious and manual plotter. I start with writing down the general storyline, then I write scenes I envision on cards or post-it’s and move them around, adding to them until I have my story. Next I write them out on pieces of paper divided into squares. It sounds crazy, but it works for me. It’s how I get the plot completely embedded in my mind.

MR: What is your research process like?

LB: Not as concise as I would like. I have a terrible habit of going off on a random search tangent every time I come across some interesting tidbit. I end up finding myself researching things completely unrelated to my work. So, I need to work on that!

MR: How did publishing your first book change your writing process?

LB: I don’t think it’s changed, at least not so far. I think it’s just given me confidence that my processes work for me.

MR: What’s the best and worst book review you’ve ever received?

LB: The best review I’ve received is by Grady Harp, from the San Francisco Review of Books. He said “…This is one impressive debut from an obviously gifted artist who knows how to blend human drama with metaphysical fantasy and mythology to create a splendidly unique novel with visceral force…” That blew me away! I’ve been fortunate so far, in that I haven’t received a bad review—but I’m sure it will happen eventually!

MR: What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?

LB: Kathrin Hutson is both friend and mentor. I started working with her a few years ago as my editor, and we just hit it off. She’s a crazy talented writer of dark fantasy and lgbt fiction. As an editor, she’s helped my writing improve in leaps and bounds and she’s absolutely helped me become a better a writer. The writing community is fantastic, especially across Twitter. I’ve become friends with so many talented writers and everyone’s very supportive of each other. Luke West, Jaidis Shaw, Ace Antonio Hall, Gina A. Watson, Lisette Brody & Stacey Jaine McIntosh have all been wonderfully encouraging since the start.

MR: What book do you wish you had written?

LB: The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. I’ve loved that book since I was a little girl.

MR: If you could cast your characters in a Hollywood adaption of your book, who would play your characters?

LB: This is always such a fun question! Fates’ Fury has too many characters to list them all, but for some of the main characters, this is who I’d cast:

Jonah Sands – Max Irons

Ava Carter – Natalie Portman

Tristan Carter – James Franco

Zeus – Eric Bana

Isis – Zoe Saldana

Enki – Naveen Andrews

Hades – Jared Leto

Charon – Paul Bettany

Alex – Tom Hanks

Mallory – Gillian Anderson

I can dream, right?

MR: Is there a book that people might be surprised to learn you love?

LB: All the Harry Potter books. I’m a huge Potterhead!

Learn more about Liz Butcher here:

Website: https://lizbutcherauthor.wixsite.com/lizbutcher

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lunaloveliz

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lunaloveliz/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Liz-Butcher-1394868604152823/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13845425.Liz_Butcher

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/lizbutcherauthor/

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00X6XN5O6

Christie Stratos

Christie Stratos is an award-winning writer who holds a degree in English Literature. She is the author of Anatomy of a Darkened Heart and Brotherhood of Secrets, the first two books in the Dark Victoriana Collection. Christie has had short stories and poetry published in Ginosko Literary Journal, Andromedae Review, 99Fiction, and various anthologies. An avid reader of all genres and world literature, Christie reads everything from bestsellers to classics to indies.

Marina Raydun: You hold a degree in English Literature. Any particular favorites among the classics?

Christie Stratos: Julius Caesar and Hamlet first inspired me to take my writing seriously and to write psychological fiction. They also leave enough to the reader (or viewer if you’re watching the plays) that they become an active participant in the truth of the storyline and characters whether they want to or not. I wanted to create that too.

MR: What literary pilgrimages have you gone on?

CS: The only literary pilgrimages I’ve enjoyed are to libraries for research.

MR: Who is your literary crush?

CS: Hank Rearden from Atlas Shrugged for his incredible ability to change so drastically throughout the book and to become a man with more self-worth than he ever had in his life. My other literary crush is Howard Roark from The Fountainhead for the way he always knew what he wanted, what he would become, and how he never abandoned his beliefs or creative ideals for even one moment.

MR: Who is your literary hero?

CS: Right now, Sarah Pekkanen and Greer Hendricks. The Wife Between Us was a stunningly well-written thriller that combines charismatic storytelling with twists and turns you can’t see coming, and they keep you hanging on every letter. I’m fortunate enough to have received an ARC of An Anonymous Girl, their next book that’s due out in 2019, and it’s even better than the first! Their books are so well written, it’s tempting to go through them with a fine-tooth comb to figure out exactly how they do what they do. But it’s also kind of nice finding modern authors whose strategies I admire without knowing exactly how it’s done.

MR: When did you first start writing?

CS: I’ve written all my life. Every since I was capable of writing, I created poetry, then novels, then short stories. Even when I told myself I’d quit writing, I always ended up coming back to it. I can’t help myself.

MR: Is there a thing you’ve written that makes you cringe now?

CS: I wrote a novel in high school that has really good ideas in it, but it was written at a time when I didn’t have the maturity, creatively or in general, that I do now. It doesn’t flesh things out enough, is too straight to the point, and the lack of natural feel to the characters all make me cringe. I’ve wanted to rewrite it, but it’s tough to rewrite a piece of your past—it almost feels like you’re rewriting your own history.

MR: Is there a book that cemented you as a writer?

CS: Anatomy of a Darkened Heart was my first novel written as an adult, and it was my debut book. When I published that, I knew I would continue novel writing in particular forever. Short stories and poetry (and pretty much anything else) are things I’ll probably also always write, but novels are complex and rewarding projects that nothing can quite replace. The satisfaction in bringing characters into themselves, developing them, and putting them through their paces is worth every moment spent painstakingly picking the right word and testing the strength of my creations.

MR: If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

CS: Stop doubting whether you’ll get published and just keep writing! And also stop feeling nervous and fearful of writing the wrong thing. It’s impossible to write anything wrong—that’s what the delete key is for.

MR: You are an avid reader. What is your favorite underappreciated novel?

CS: It would have to be Haven Lost and the whole Dragon’s Brood series by Josh de Lioncourt. He is a brilliant fantasy author, and a lot more people should discover his work. It’s written just as well as any traditionally published fantasy author’s work, including excellent pacing, great twists on lore, in-depth character development, and loads of action. The first time I listened to one of his books on audio, I was blown away!

MR: Is there a book you wish you’d written?

CS: The Distant Sound of Violence by Jason Greensides. It’s contemporary fiction that’s also very literary in its complexities and layers. The way one thing can snowball and entirely change lives, the way he expresses how we don’t ever really know what others are going through even if we think we know them well—he’s an amazing writer, and that’s one book I’d like to have written myself.

To learn more about Christie, please follow the links below:

Anatomy of a Darkened Heart:

Amazon: amzn.com/B015KYJXZ8

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/anatomy-of-a-darkened-heart-christie-stratos/1122766074

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/580327

Brotherhood of Secrets:

Amazon: https://bookgoodies.com/a/B073YPBHST

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/locke-and-keye-christie-stratos/1126977290

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/742458

“The Subtlety of Terror”:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G4PGRG5/

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-subtlety-of-terror-christie-stratos/1129229846