We chat with author Lissa Layland about Thunderstruck, which follows an American exchange student arrives in Norway only to find herself in a love triangle with an intense activist and an aloof environmental law professor who turn out to be the Norse gods Thor and Loki.
Hi, Lissa! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I live upside down in the antipodes (Australia) with my husband and rescue greyhound. I’ve always been drawn to mythology, and as a somewhat nerdy nine-year-old I wrote and performed “theatre productions” that were essentially pantheon fanfiction for my endlessly patient classmates – so it makes sense that these days I write romantasy!
I’ve also worked in climate justice, including on campaigns for legal complaints brought before the United Nations Human Rights Committee, which explains the themes of environmental activism in my work.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I truly can’t remember, because I’ve always loved reading and writing stories. I was practically raised on fanfiction! I became serious about writing when I realised that committing time to it was good for my mental health. Creative flow does wonders for the brain – highly recommended!
I consider myself a reader first and foremost. There’s nothing I enjoy more than staying up past my bedtime to rabidly devour a good book.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: The Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum – I think it was the first chapter book I ever read, and it unlocked reading for me
- The one that made you want to become an author: The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy – I remember reading this in early high school and thinking “Oh! This is what you can do with language!!”
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower – I have LEAPT onto this fast-moving bandwagon. Feel free to slide into my DMs to debate!
Your debut novel Thunderstruck, is out November 17th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
“Mythology meets fanfiction meets eco-activism.”
What can readers expect?
FUN. My goal when writing THUNDERSTRUCK was to write a story that was a little bit silly (affectionate), a little bit sexy, and a little bit smart. To achieve this, I included all favourite things: magic, mythology, flirting on campus, making out in libraries, real-world politics, hopepunk, people power.
How do all these elements combine into a cohesive story? An exchange student, Thea, arrives in Norway and finds herself in a love triangle with an intense activist and an aloof environmental law professor — who turn out to be the Norse gods Thor and Loki.
Where did the inspiration for Thunderstruck come from?
As mentioned above, I was practically raised on fanfiction – and whenever I find my new favourite thing, heading to Reddit/AO3 is still my first stop!
When Disney+’s spin-off television show Loki premiered in 2021, I found myself scrolling through reimaginings of the Marvel Cinematic Universe wondering, “Why hasn’t anyone written a fanfic with a love triangle between Loki and Thor?”
Then I thought, “Why hasn’t anyone written a book about a love triangle between Loki and Thor?”
And then: “Oh. I need to write this book immediately.”
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
In THUNDERSTRUCK, Thea’s twin brother Alex also gets embroiled in magical hijinks. He’s an absolute hoot. Thea and Alex are such different characters but still have so much love for each other – and it was fun to explore their different dynamics, together and separately.
Can you share some insight into your worldbuilding process?
I love living in the golden age of mythology reimaginings in literature! For THUNDERSTRUCK, I wanted to draw upon both historical and contemporary conceptualisations of these iconic characters and make sure that melting pot was backed up by a clear internal logic for the world. E.g. It was important to me to explain why gods have never been captured performing heroic feats on social media, why superpowered beings might be hanging around in the mortal realm, and a rationale for why it’s not an ick for a thousand-year-old being to fall for a 26-year-old. (It’s explicitly addressed, I promise!)
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
Because I was trying to mash up quite a few genres and ideas, there was A LOT happening in the first drafts. My early readers and editors helped find what was most important to the story and balance each individual element.
This is your debut novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
I’ve been incredibly lucky with my road to publishing, but prior to this manuscript my biggest challenge was perfectionism. I would write a complete manuscript, and then be so disheartened by the gap between the first draft, and what the finished story looked like in my head… That I would “give up” and not give each story the self-editing it deserved. There are a few poor, neglected YA dystopian cli-fi stories in my bottom drawer that I should apologise to.
Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. I believe that’s true of writing, of life, and of how we show up in our communities to try and make a better future.
What’s next for you?
A sequel to THUNDERSTRUCK is coming in 2027: SUNSTRUCK. The story will continue with Alex, Thea’s twin, as he finds himself trapped with the Olympians in Greece and drawn to the god of light, Apollo.
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed this year? Any you’ve got your eye on that are releasing in 2027?
Boy, do I have some recommendations for you! This year I have really enjoyed everything by Thea Hawthorne (cozy fantasy romances), Mothsblood by Lynn D Jung (dark academia fantasy), Hellbound by Stephanie Binx (dark urban fantasy with a romance subplot), Salt Water Blood by Manuia Heinrich (YA fantasy thriller), Lovestruck by Andi Epimoni (fantasy contemporary romance), The Love Code by Connie Kitson (STEM romance), Bad Words by Riognach Robinson (literary romance), and have just started There Used To Be People Here by Kennedy Cole (science fiction mystery thriller).
Releasing soon, I’m really looking forward to A Gorgon’s Guide To Getting a Life by Ellen Meny, A Curse Carved in Ink by Tzeyi Koay, Death Wish by Lilly Lu and Bound by Fate by Cairo Aibangbee.
