Hey folks!

here is the link for Sundays chat with Shauna Lawless herself. We will also announce the winner of the giveaway!

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81233461994?pwd=t7QSbMpVc9W5gQXweMhvkOUhvwBTtS.1

Make sure you have a few questions ready!

WHO WILL BE JOINING?!

Truth and Courage

Ed and Will

Welcome to a new series I'm venturing into called Read This If You Like That! In this weekly series, I'll take a book I loved and give you a book that matches its vibes. They will make a great pair!

If you liked...

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due, you should read Junie by Erin Crosby Eckstine.

Why? Both books tackle racism and African American history. They both have beautiful writing that will suck you straight in and make you fall in love with the characters. The ghosts aren't the true villian in either of these books...the people are.

We Used To Live Here by Marcus Kliewer, you should read The Residents of Honeysuckle Cottage by Elizabeth Davidson

Why? Both books feature a sapphic couple that are renovating homes. They both feature psychological horror that will make you question what is truly going on...

Into The Drowning Deep by Mira Grant, you should read Going To The Six by A. C. Hessenauer

Why? Both deal with documentary crews aboard ships. Grant's book deals with killer mermaids, while Hessenauer's book deals with red algae that affects the mind...

Hi friends!

I'm thrilled to share my interview with Grace Morrow, author of We Become Darkness. We Become Darkness is Grace's immersive and sweeping marriage-of-convenience romantic fantasy debut, in which a human and a vampyr forge an unsteady alliance.

Grace is an author of magic, mayhem and mischief. Raised on the West Coast,
she lives with her husband and two unruly cats. When she isn't writing you can
find her binge watching the latest trash reality tv show, deepening her love for
art history, or trying to keep alive her many, many, succulents. She is repped
by Emily Forney at BookEnds Literary Agency.

Q: Where did the initial kernel of inspiration come from?

A: I’ve always loved the idea of “the villain” getting the girl in the end and also this idea of lovers-to-enemies. We see so many enemies-to-lovers books (which I am a sucker for) but I wondered what it would look like to write a book where lovers became enemies and the reader is plopped right into the middle of them having to work together and battle through this internal conflict of deep rooted betrayal.

I was also rewatching The Vampire Diaries and Stefan as “the Ripper” has always been really intriguing and dare I say…insanely attractive to me. I thought “what would happen if Ripper Stefan was the LI in a book and also had Klaus tendencies?” Which then developed into exploring the conflict between Caroline x Klaus and the “allure of darkness.”

Q: We Become Darkness delivers an irresistible childhood friends-to-lovers-to-enemies romance. How did you approach writing the romance between Cassius and Thalia, especially considering their history?

A: This was such a tough one! There is so much shared history between them, especially because they grew up together. I really wanted to have that familiarity between them. They both know each other so well, and explore the idea that “okay, it's been four years since they’ve seen each other, but what are the intrinsic parts that neither will forget?” and approaching it that way. There's moments when Cassius talks about some of Thalia's favorite things, or flashbacks to certain parts of their past, so really delving into who they were vs. who they’ve now become. At the same time, they're both different people now so areas of their relationship will automatically feel new as they explore the new facets of each other which was fun to write!

Q: We Become Darkness features Vampyrs, who are older, more terrifying, more difficult to kill, and have a different origin story than traditional vampires. How did you approach developing your Vampyrs?

A: When I was playing around with the idea of vampires, I really wanted to be different. I wanted something truly terrifying as opposed to “this is the skin of a killer, Bella.” Not that there's anything wrong with that! But I wanted to really sink into the horror aspect. I started looking at the different origin stories of vampires in literature and how different cultures had different spellings and associations.

I looked into those older Slavic stories and started developing from there. One of the ways is the spelling of “Vampyr,” which was deliberate to make them feel a bit older and more gothic. We usually think of Vampires as these beautiful/ethereal creatures, but I really wanted to delve into the “horrific” elements in which they can appear as we see in earlier literature. I also really loved the idea that my Vampyrs were created to be elite soldiers which makes them already more deadly.

I also think that leaning into some of the more “eldritch” elements with different creatures and a sentient forest sets it apart from a typical “gothic vampire novel.” I think that the dynamic of the Vampyr courts is a bit different from that of a normal vampire book. There’s a dynastic quality about the courts (also called Houses) that lends to a more politically rife book than just having one simple monarch.

Q: You are an art historian, and you mentioned in your bio that your goal is to integrate the “same feelings one might associate when looking at a particular piece of art” into your books. Would you share your process for writing an evocative, immersive fantasy that captures those feelings?

A: Absolutely! When I'm getting inspiration for my worlds, I often look at paintings, architecture, sculpture, etc., to get a feel for how that world will look. For WE BECOME DARKNESS, I pulled a lot of inspiration for the setting and architecture from the Italian Gothic. When you think of the Italian Gothic, or really anything from the 12th century, you think of these grand cathedral and sharp spires like the cathedral in Milan. In addition, I love looking at politics that we can find in art history. The Vampyr courts were inspired by the Italian city-states during the Italian Renaissance where powerful families ruled different parts of Italy. Each of the courts (or Houses) have latin-rooted names and lend to a very elegant and renaissance-esque aspects like their manners and attire.

Q: What has been one of your favorite moments as a debut author?

A: Seeing where my book has ended up! It's so incredibly surreal to see my book pop-up all over the world! I’ve been tagged by readers in Europe, across the USA, even places like Australia! I also absolutely loved going on a book tour and meeting such incredible fellow authors and readers! It’s so insane that my silly Vampyr book has resonated with so many readers.

Q: After readers finish We Become Darkness, what books do you recommend they read?

A: If you're looking for marriage of convenience I recommend The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L Jensen, it's one of my favorites! For spicy romantasy I’d recommend Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalco. And if you're looking for more gothic, One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig or Belladonna by Adalyn Grace!

Q: What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

A: Keep writing! WE BECOME DARKNESS wasn't the first book I've written, and it also wasn't even the book that landed me my agent. It took me two and a half years to find my first agent, another year to write this book before it sold. It might take some time, but your words and stories matter! Keep at it!

Q: What’s up next?

A: I can't say anything for sure, but I have some exciting books in the pipeline! If you like art, more enemies-to-lovers, and maybe some betrayal, stay tuned! You can follow me on Instagram, TikTok, or X @authorgmorrow, or check out my website: www.authorgracemorrow.com for updates!

Thank you so much to Grace for joining me in discussing her spectacular debut (both here on Bindery and in-person at The Ripped Bodice in April)! 🫶

You can find links to the mentioned articles below, as well as the poll for September's book of the month pick. Please vote!

Bindery website

Rep Angie Nixon's victory

Rosco's Pizza