We chat with debut author Kelsie Sheridan Gonzalez about The Gods Time Forgot, which sees Irish mythology collide with Gilded Age New York in this sweeping debut enemies-to-lovers historical romantasy, perfect for fans of Outlander and A Fate Inked in Blood.
Hi, Kelsie! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I’m a writer living in NY with my husband, son, and wheaten terrier named Oliver Queen. When I’m not writing, I’m bingeing reality tv and working through my TBR at a snail’s pace.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I’ve always loved reading books but I didn’t start writing stories until I was around twenty and The Gods Time Forgot is the first novel I attempted! It was after a creative writing class in college that I realized I could just make up a story if I wanted to. I don’t know why it never occurred to me before that. Once I graduated, I started working in NYC and was commuting three hours a day on the train, and I realized it was my turn to try.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Bunnicula
- The one that made you want to become an author: Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke’s Heart by Sarah MacLean
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Your debut novel, The Gods Time Forgot, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Banter, ballrooms, yearning, Irish gods.
What can readers expect?
Historical romance vibes with Irish mythology weaved throughout. An Irish war goddess who doesn’t remember she’s a goddess and is forced into the confines of high society in the late 19th century.
Where did the inspiration for The Gods Time Forgot come from?
Though it didn’t survive revisions, my initial inspiration came from these stone chambers that are located where I live. They’re scattered across the Northeast and there’s no consensus on how they got here but they’re very ancient looking and so my imagination ran wild. I always wondered what it would be like to enter one and come out in a different time period. I love a good fish out of water story and that’s a round about way of how my story came to be.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I loved writing my main character, Rua. She’s headstrong and volatile and it was so fun to write someone who would not bend to the rules for the sake of convenience. There are so many moments where you just want to scream at her that she’s making her life harder but I think that’s part of her charm.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
The biggest challenge for me was getting to the end of the story. I was constantly rereading what I had written and editing that instead of keeping the momentum going and finishing the draft. This book took me so much longer to write than necessary because of the endless editing loop I was stuck in but I knew there was a good story in there and I didn’t want to shelve it. Eventually, I realized I needed help and I hired a developmental editor to help me cut through the weeds so I could see the path forward.
This is your debut novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
It was a bumpy road with a lot of delays! I signed with my first literary agent in October 2020 and after getting ghosted on a revision(ten months with no feedback), I realized I needed to leave. I was devastated but I started querying The Gods Time Forgot again in 2022 and signed with my second agent six months later in January 2023. That relationship didn’t work out either and nine months later, I was back in the query trenches.
I couldn’t believe I was querying for a third time and was so tired of the process that I started to doubt whether traditional publishing was right for The Gods Time Forgot. I withdrew all of my queries and started looking into self-publishing. I hired a cover artist and everything! But then in December 2023 I received an offer of publication from Alcove Press who accepted unagented submissions. I had a call with my now editor, Melissa, and I knew I wanted to work with her. After that, I found my third and current agent who negotiated the contract and have no plans on ever parting ways!
What’s next for you?
I am working on revisions for my next book and eager to get it into readers hands. It’s a gothic romantasy reimagining of the Irish legend of the Dearg Due.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?
Blood Slaves by Markus Redmond
Sing the Night by Megan Jauregui Eccles
The Reaper by Jackson P. Brown
Their Will Undone by R.J. Valldeperas
