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 Claire Winn and her novel CITY OF SHATTERED LIGHT, and we have been interested in it ever since! We are so excited to have Claire on the blog today to answer some of our questions!
Claire Winn spends her time immersed in other worlds—through LARP, video games, books, nerd conventions, and her own stories. Since graduating from Northwestern University, she’s worked as a legal writer and freelance editor. Aside from writing, she builds cosplay props and armor, tears up dance floors, and battles with boffer swords.
The Book Bratz: First of all, congratulations! How does it feel to be a debut author?
Claire: Thank you! It’s been an amazing (and terrifying) year! I didn’t think the prospect of reviews would scare me after the highs and lows of querying and submission, but I was wrong. I don’t read reviews myself—a few friends send me screenshots—but so many reviews have been incredible and have made me tear up. I keep seeing people spreading love for the characters on social media, and ARC readers have been sending me DMs thanking me for writing the book and its queer rep. It’s been overwhelming in the best way. Despite all the stress that goes into debuting, the reader responses (even before release!) have made it all worth it.
The Book Bratz: In your opinion, what's the best part of the writing process? What's the hardest?
Claire: For me, the best parts are the daydreaming—when I let my mind roam into all the exciting possibilities for the story—and the later drafts when I’ve fallen in love with the characters and everything begins to align with my vision. The hardest parts are…well, everything in between. Beginnings are usually a struggle for me, though I love writing climaxes and endings. Still, even in the deepest, messiest parts of drafting, I’ll frequently glimpse what the story could become and get chills. That vision is what keeps me going during the tricky parts. And of course, another of my favorite things is feedback that shows my work is resonating with other people!
The Book Bratz: here did you get the idea for CITY OF SHATTERED LIGHT?
Claire: City of Shattered Light started with a few stray flashes of inspiration. I envisioned a runaway space-princess, hiding her identity on a rickety transit ship, with a stolen alien heart beating inside her backpack—and I wanted to find out how she’d gotten there. Then, as a contrast to her, I wanted a female Doc Holliday-inspired space gunslinger. And something I frequently think about is the damage a superhacker could wreak as more devices go online, and I imagined a nasty, sentient A.I. that had taken over a high-tech city and could hack anything as it pursued the main characters—including combat tech, deepfake holograms, and personal communications. The setting and aesthetics were inspired by lots of video games and anime, but the emotional basis for the character arcs was a bit personal. I won’t go into too much detail, but Asa’s arc is about fiercely resisting what the world expects of you and finding happiness on your own terms, while Riven’s is about finding something to fight for despite depression and nihilism. One particular experience inspired parts of Asa’s journey. In college, I studied abroad in London and frequently traveled alone. One leg of that trip involved landing in Rome after midnight and getting lost on my way to the hostel. I was lugging a suitcase, I didn’t speak Italian, and my smartphone wasn’t in service (I only had an emergency phone for calls). I remember feeling a little bit desperate and willing to trust anyone I came across, but there was also a strange calmness, where I couldn’t stop or let myself feel anything until I’d figured it out. Several years later, those memories came flooding back while writing this book.
The Book Bratz: Who was your favorite character to write? Who was the most difficult?
Claire: Unexpectedly, Asa was the most difficult to write, probably because I thought she’d be the easiest. She’s intelligent and poised but low-key nerdy, and her personality was very similar to mine as a teenager. But in early drafts, I kept asking “what would I have done in this scenario?” instead of “what would Asa do in this scenario?” It took several drafts to dig far enough into her background to fully understand her, and to discover her voice and underlying grit. It finally clicked, though, and I love how she turned out. Riven has always been the most fun. She’s all bad decisions, irreverent snark, and power, and she’s not afraid to grab the plot by the throat. She makes things happen, for better or worse. And although she’s extremely confident, capable, and brash, she’s still deeply damaged, deeply human, and fiercely protective of the people closest to her.
The Book Bratz: Are there any other books or authors who give you inspiration for your own writing?
Claire: I admire Brandon Sanderson’s work immensely. The depth of his world-building—and the way it’s perfectly balanced with character development and action-packed plots—is unparalleled, and absolutely something I aspire to. I also love V.E. Schwab’s magic, mystery, and deep characterization. More recently, I’ve been impressed by the work of Tracy Deonn, Marie Rutkoski, and Emily Skrutskie.
The Book Bratz: What do you hope that readers will take away from CITY OF SHATTERED LIGHT?
Claire: Something that’s gotten a lot of love from readers so far is the casual LGBT+ rep. I think it’s important to normalize queer identities and relationships, and to present hopeful futures where gay kids can go on adventures and fall in love without their sexualities creating obstacles for them. I hope readers will also enjoy the range of female and LGBT+ characters with various strengths, aptitudes, and flaws. I think it’s easier to create real, messy girls and queer characters when they aren’t the only one in the group. And I hope Riven’s and Asa’s character arcs resonate with readers—the themes of breaking away from societal and parental expectations even when it’s scary, and discovering your own adventures and found families.
The Book Bratz: Do you plan on returning to the world of CITY OF SHATTERED LIGHT in the future, or do you have any other projects in mind? Can you tell us anything about them?
Claire: I can’t give too much away, but I absolutely do plan to return to these characters and world. CoSL was acquired during the height of the 2020 publishing shakeups, so any sequels are option books which will be pitched after release. But I couldn’t leave these characters alone—I had to write more of them, even if only for me. I drafted the sequel as soon as the substantive edits for CoSL were finished. I adore it, and I think as a duology it gives these characters an ending they deserve (while still leaving room for other adventures)! If you’ve finished CoSL, you can guess that the epilogue sets up one of the major plot threads of book two. I’m determined to share it with readers somehow! Cross your fingers that the stars align 😉 Otherwise, I’m also working on a few adult fantasy projects. They’re a little bit slower to draft than YA, but I’m finding I love the creative freedom for darker, more complicated themes.
Title: City of Shattered Light
Author: Claire Winn
Publisher: Flux
Publication Date: October 19th, 2021
Summary: As darkness closes in on the city of shattered light, an heiress and an outlaw must decide whether to fend for themselves or fight for each other. As heiress to a powerful tech empire, seventeen-year-old Asa Almeida strives to prove she's more than her manipulative father's shadow. But when he uploads her rebellious sister’s mind to an experimental brain, Asa will do anything to save her sister from reprogramming—including fleeing her predetermined future with her sister’s digitized mind in tow. With a bounty on her head and a rogue A.I. hunting her, Asa’s getaway ship crash-lands in the worst possible place: the neon-drenched outlaw paradise, Requiem. Gun-slinging smuggler Riven Hawthorne is determined to claw her way up Requiem’s underworld hierarchy. A runaway rich girl is exactly the bounty Riven needs—until a nasty computer virus spreads in Asa’s wake, causing a citywide blackout and tech quarantine. To get the payout for Asa and save Requiem from the monster in its circuits, Riven must team up with her captive. Riven breaks skulls the way Asa breaks circuits, but their opponent is unlike anything they’ve ever seen. The A.I. exploits the girls’ darkest memories and deepest secrets, threatening to shatter the fragile alliance they’re both depending on. As one of Requiem’s 154-hour nights grows darker, the girls must decide whether to fend for themselves or fight for each other before Riven’s city and Asa’s sister are snuffed out forever.
Thank you so much to Claire for stopping by and answering our questions! We are super excited about CITY OF SHATTERED LIGHT and can't wait for it to be out in the world on October 19th!
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