In 2019, we made it our goal is to work with as many debut authors as possible and to spread the word about their debut novels. It was such a success last year that we decided to continue the fun for years to come! Follow us this year as we pick the minds of the 2021 debuts and chat with them about their writing process and what it's like to be a new author. Also stay tuned for news of giveaways, Twitter chats, and more!
At the end of 2020, we Tweeted about wanting to discover more debut authors and their books. We ended up finding Erin Grammar and her novel MAGIC MUTANT NIGHTMARE GIRL, and we have been interested in it ever since! We are so excited to have Erin on the blog today to answer some of our questions!
Erin Grammar writes about horrible things happening to good people—while looking as cute as humanly possible. When she isn’t working on her latest novel, she likes to hunt for gemstones and Hello Kitty collectibles, spend time with her family (including two real and very demanding cats), craft, watch horror movies, and style wigs big enough to hold tons of secrets.
Erin: Thank you! It honestly feels pretty surreal in a year like 2021 where nothing has returned to normal yet. I’m still daydreaming about bookstore events and conventions when COVID-19 is under control, but for now the best thing I can do is focus on the next books in the series. By the time they’re all on shelves, maybe the celebration can really begin!The Book Bratz: In your opinion, what's the best part of the writing process? What's the hardest?
Erin: Drafting can be the hardest for me, just getting words down on the page without second-guessing the story or the process. Revision is like magic once all the scaffolding is laid out. I specifically love adding small character moments and interactions to strengthen emotional bonds or introduce personality quirks.
The Book Bratz: Where did you get the inspiration for MAGIC MUTANT NIGHTMARE GIRL?
Erin: I love campy, kinda gory old horror films, Halloween, sequins, Japanese fashion, and the color pink, and thought it’d be fun to mash them all together to see what happens. Writing a diverse, entirely queer main cast was also important to me, to normalize LGBTQIA+ characters in fantasy—existing without worry about their identities, just making mistakes, loving fiercely, looking fabulous, and trying to stop the end of the world.The Book Bratz: Who was your favorite character to write? Who was the most difficult?
Erin: Michael Brannon, the hot mess who’s supposed to be in charge of Secret Government Things and Associated Disasters, was my favorite because he’s so different from me. Just absolutely flailing and not being very nice and trying his best to fix everything while really making it so much worse. He’s less suave and in control than a typical love interest, but he’s so messy and so much fun to write. Holly is probably the hardest, especially as a main character. Her voice is so distinct, and she makes some really bad, cringe-worthy choices. I have anxiety too, and since MAGIC MUTANT NIGHTMARE GIRL is an Ownvoices book, putting her symptoms on the page brings up a flurry of emotions. A challenge for sure, but one that’s been incredibly rewarding to navigate!
The Book Bratz: From the summary alone, it looks like this book contains a lot of really intricate sci-fi and fantasy elements. How do you keep all of those details in order when drafting?
Erin: I have a lot of jam-packed notebooks that are probably illegible to everyone else! One of the biggest elements of the series is how magic is understood and manipulated through a scientific lens, which helps ground the rules for me. I’ve been working on an expanded universe to set all of my books in for a long time. It’s got a pretty good order in my brain, so hopefully I’ll be able to get that down on paper!
The Book Bratz: What do you hope that readers will take away from MAGIC MUTANT NIGHTMARE GIRL?
Erin: That it’s okay to be flawed, to be broken, but it doesn’t have to define you, and it can make you stronger if you open your heart to grow. Learning to trust others, especially after trauma, is such a huge theme running through the first book and the whole trilogy. I hope young readers—particularly queer ones—really click with the found family aspect and the unexpected, life-changing love it can bring.
The Book Bratz: Do you plan on returning to the world of MAGIC MUTANT NIGHTMARE GIRL in the future, or do you have any other projects in mind? Can you tell us anything about them?
Erin: In the Magic Mutants Trilogy, book two combines more magic with the science established in book one. By the time book three rolls around, we get into the absolutely bonkers fate magic and the hidden, interconnected meaning of life, the universe, and everything territory that comes with it. I’m also working on a YA paranormal Southern Gothic that’s basically the Hatfield/McCoy feud but with ruthless witches and a very sweet vampire trying his best—hopefully coming soon!
Title: Magic Mutant Nightmare Girl
Author: Erin Grammar
Publisher: Midnight Tide Publishing
Publication Date: March 10th, 2021
Summary: Holly Roads uses Harajuku fashion to distract herself from tragedy. Her magical girl aesthetic makes her feel beautiful—and it keeps the world at arm's length. She's an island of one, until advice from an amateur psychic expands her universe. A midnight detour ends with her vs. exploding mutants in the heart of San Francisco. Brush with destiny? Check. Waking up with blue blood, emotions gone haywire, and terrifying strength that starts ripping her wardrobe to shreds? Totally not cute. Hunting monsters with a hot new partner and his unlikely family of mad scientists? Way more than she bargained for.
Thank you so much to Erin for stopping by and answering our questions! We are super excited about MAGIC MUTANT NIGHTMARE GIRL and can't wait for it to be out in the world on March 10th!
And don't forget to check out our giveaway for a copy of MAGIC MUTANT NIGHTMARE GIRL, happening for the next week on our Twitter account!
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