Science Fiction and Fantasy
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Follow us on twitterMadeline Black is an Agent of Death, which means she escorts the souls of people who have died to their afterlife. If they want to go, that is. Not all souls are eager to pass through the Door. And obstinate dead people are just one of her problems. There's also her infuriating boss, tenant woes, and a smart-mouthed, popcorn-munching gargoyle named Beezle to contend with. Author Christina Henry agreed to answer a few questions about her new novel, Black Wings, out this month from Ace.
Black Wings is set in Chicago, which is also your hometown. Why did you choose to set the book in your own stomping grounds?
It's set in Chicago because I live in Chicago and one, I love this city, and two, it seemed like it would be easier to set the book in an established geography. While I am a great admirer of writers who are able to build a whole world from scratch, I didn't think that was in my skill set. When you're trying to write a fantasy novel for the first time it's intimidating enough to come up with interesting characters and exciting plot twists without creating a new universe or even researching a city I know nothing about.
Setting the book in the city I live in has a number of advantages. As a resident I have an intimacy with this place that a tourist can't have. I've walked, run, biked and been transported by the CTA all over Chicago. I know the shops, the streets, the restaurants. I'm able to describe the people and places in a way that a nonresident could never do.
On the other hand, when you use a real place you feel pressed to maintain that existing geography. I end up feeling slightly disloyal to Chicago if I want to shift a landmark a little bit or move the streets around. I also feel a little guilty when I put something new in place of another business or residence. And if you make any changes to the layout of Chicago, a Chicagoan will call you on it.
Can you talk about the inspiration for Beezle the gargoyle, Maddy's cranky roommate?
When I first started writing Black Wings, I had only the vague idea that I wanted to write a book about the Grim Reaper. Then I heard Maddy's voice in my head, and the gigantic, brooding male reaper I'd been envisioning became a short, slightly overweight female with a huge attitude. I love to write dialogue, so I wanted to have someone around that Maddy could converse with on a regular basis. Thus Beezle, the tiny gargoyle with the mighty appetite, was born.
Once Beezle appeared—sarcastic, crabby, and addicted to sugar—I wondered (like Maddy) how I would have ever gotten along without him. When you write in first person there's a danger that you'll spend too much time in the character's head. Having another character on hand for Maddy to bounce ideas off keeps the narrative fresh and prevents Maddy from spending too much time brooding over her problems. Really, how can you brood when you've got a hungry gargoyle to feed?
Plus, since Beezle is a home guardian he's pretty much always around, unlike a roommate or relative who might possibly have a life of one's own. Beezle's life is Maddy's life—he delights in sticking his beak in her business—and everyone else's business for that matter. This keeps him readily on hand for whatever I might need.
Maddy is an Agent of Death. Could you explain for the readers what that job entails?
Being an Agent of Death means you're responsible for the transition a soul makes from life to death. It is basically a crummy, unpaid job that you inherit from your parent or your closest blood relative when they die. Maddy's mom died when she was 14 and she's been doing this ever since. She escorts souls after they're dead to a place called the Door, where they get some kind of choice—but don't ask what the choice is—Maddy's not allowed to know!
Far from being an exotic workplace, the Agency is a lot like your average DMV office. Have you had personal experience working in a bureaucratic nightmare?
Yes, I worked for an insurance company for two years and it was nightmarish. I was traumatized by reams of paper. When I was thinking up the Agency all I could see were file folders and cubicles.
Angels or their Fallen brethren—who would you rather spend a night on the town with?
The Fallen, of course! Who wants to party with the goody two-shoes? :)
Black Wings is your first book. What have the greatest challenge and the greatest surprise been?
The biggest challenge has been learning about the business side of writing—the revision process, the promotional process and so on. By comparison it's almost easy to write a book!
The greatest surprise has been the positive response to the book so far. When you write a book you really hope that it will find its readership and that people will enjoy it. So far it seems that Black Wings has found that audience and I couldn't be happier that it has.
Thanks so much for asking me to be here today!
You can visit Christina Henry on her website at christinahenry.net
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