Interview with Vanessa Ricci-Thode and IWSG Day
nterview with Vanessa Ricci-Thode!Today is also... Insecure Writer's Support Group Day!
Insecure Writer's Support Group
A database resource site and support group for writers and authors. Featuring weekly guests and tips, a monthly blogfest gathering, a Facebook group, and thousands of links – all to benefit writers! #IWSG
Website / Facebook Group / Fast Five Free Gift - Mobi / Epub / Pdf
“Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting!
Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!
The awesome co-hosts for the December 1 posting of the IWSG are Tara Tyler, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Pat Garcia, Liza, and Natalie Aguirre!
Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. Remember, the question is optional
December 1 question - As a writer, what was one of the coolest/best gifts you ever received?”
Ooh, great question!
Reviews! Positive comments! And that feeling when someone enjoys your story enough to go "can I record it as an audio?" and "look! I made art for it!"
Also, any time anyone has ever given me a notebook or a mug that says "be careful, or you'll end up in my novel" or a heated blanket, or any of the other vital tools that a writer needs!
And now, here's Vanessa!
Vanessa Ricci-Thode is a Nebula Award-winning word sorceress who loves a good story. She’s a Halloween enthusiast and a bookish geek who loves dragons, dogs, astronomy, and travel. If she’s not hibernating, she can be found in her butterfly garden, achieving her final form as a forest witch. She lives in Waterloo (no, the other one) with her spouse, daughter and very good dogs.
Welcome, Vanessa!
On writing
What's your earliest memory related to writing?
It's less to do with writing and more storytelling because before I learned to actually write as a child, I would make these little picture stories, sort of like comic strips. Fairies vs wasps, if you were wondering.
What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book (if that’s your process)? What's the weirdest thing you've researched?
I don't do a lot of research because most of what I write is secondary world fantasy, so I do very little before I start writing. I look up things that are more random and I don't need a lot of detail. Things like the basics of blacksmithing and wingspans for different creatures (to get an idea of dragon wingspans).
Which scenes are hardest for you to write?
Usually big emotional beats, because they've really got to be done well to land right.
What are your favourite parts to write and why?
Definitely big fun action set pieces. I often have these these planned in early stages and look forward to getting to them.
Are there certain characters you would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work with?
I've found that I really love writing Neesha and Tollar. If I have time, I definitely want to write more of those two, individually and together. For themes, I definitely enjoy writing found family and different notions of teamwork/community.
On characters
Do you have a method for creating your characters and their names, and what do you think makes them believable?
Characters often come to me first and I build everything around them. Sometimes, they come to me as fully formed individuals with name and appearance just there from the start. I think quirks are what makes characters believable, they help round them out.
Would you like to be one of your characters, or do you the writer torture them too much?
I wouldn't mind having magic, but otherwise I've never felt like my characters are self-insert or that I'd want to be them. Too much danger!
On publishing
Which other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?
I don't have a lot of writer friends that I'm really close to. Lots of people I think of as colleagues who I like hanging out with at cons. A lot of authors I would be proper friends with if I knew IRL and saw them regularly are people I chat with a lot online, either on Discord or via Bluesky. IRL writer friends are K.A. Mielke and Bones McKay. All the writers I know help me improve through their feedback and camaraderie.
Day-to-day, what is the most challenging aspect of your work?
Definitely promotion and marketing. I'm terrible at marketing so promotion often doesn't work very well and I feel like I spend all my time doing it and none of my time actually writing anymore.
What project are you working on now?
I have my two releases for the year: The Dragon Next Door, my sapphic ace romantasy with two disaster queers raising a baby dragon, and Favour Fire, the final book in my Fireborn series (queer dragon riders!) that I'm doing a lot of work promoting. In terms of writing, I'm working on a novella that's basically The Nightmare Before Christmas x The Enchanted Greenhouse. Spooky queer why-choose romance/romantasy. I'm really excited about it!
When not writing...
What do you do when you're not writing?
During the summer I do a lot of gardening and hiking/walks. In the winter I mostly hibernate. Year round I do a lot of writing and spend way too much time on social media.
What is your favourite childhood book?
The Berenstain Bears and the Spooky Old Tree. My rural libraries didn't have access to a whole lot of MG or YA, especially not SFF, so I didn't do a lot of reading between outgrowing picture books and getting into adult books.
Who is your favourite author? What’s your favourite under-appreciated novel? Who is your favourite literary character not your own?
Favourite author is probably Martha Wells. I think her entire pre-Murderbot backlist is fantastic and under-appreciated. I also think Melissa Caruso's Echo Archives books don't get anywhere near the love they deserve. As for favourite characters, it's a toss-up between Death from Discworld and Murderbot.
If you could live in any book which would it be and why?
Probably something from Sarah Beth Durst's Spellshop universe, especially the outer islands where things seem pretty calm and cozy but also lots of magic.
Where would you most like to travel?
I have a list, it's very long. This could take a while. Ha! Mostly, I want to explore more of the North American west coast. I'd love to visit Newfoundland and the Canadian territories, as I've been to the rest of the country. I would really like to check out the west coast of South America, and go to Iceland, and see basically all the mountains in Europe and Asia, except K2 (IYKYK).
Thank you, Vanessa!
I'd love to see more of Canada, too! And I really have to read Murderbot, it's been waiting in the To Read pile for too long now!
Keep an eye on Vanessa's news page for more events this season! Here are just a few of their books!
| Upcoming release: My Kickstarter for Favour Fire was successful and I’m most of the way through getting the book ready! It will be back from the copy editor soon and everything is (thankfully, for once, knock on wood) going well and staying on schedule! I’m really excited to share the final book in the Fireborn series with you! |
You can also find Vanessa on Bluesky and Instagram!
Here are some of my previous interviews!
What other author interviews have you enjoyed recently? Please share!
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