We had the pleasure of chatting to Bethany C. Morrow about her upcoming release, A Song Below Water, which is a contemporary fantasy that focuses on social justice, politics, and a Siren of colour. Bethany tells us about herself, her family, and most of all her characters and writing!
Hi Bethany! Tell us about yourself!
Hi! I’m Bethany C Morrow, author of speculative fiction for adults and young adults, sometime anthology editor, and not-quite-recovering expat.
What inspired you to write about mythical creatures in A Song Below Water, and what is your favourite mythical creature to write about?
The real world and the power and influence of Black women is why I not only wrote ASBW, but why I wrote about sirens at all. I don’t typically write fantasy, but I have completely loved it, and I adore fashioning my own mythos, and writing myself into it. I’d tell you my favorite mythical creature to write about—but it’d be a spoiler!
Did you have a favourite character to write about in A Song Below Water? Personally, I loved Effie the most, she sounded like so much fun to be around!
I loved writing Effie and Tavia, both, so much! I love the way they love each other, and the way that their interactions and behaviors around each other are unique to their relationship.
Did you write the sister-like relationship between Effie and Tavia with any experience of such a relationship, or is it something that came to you?
Yes, I have many siblings, and three sisters, but the relationship between Effie and Tavia was especially written for my sister, Jennifer. I call her Jen-the-Twin, despite that she’s two years older than me, and about five inches shorter.
Did you know the ending by the time you started writing, or did it come to you whilst you were writing?
I don’t think I knew the ending! I knew the climax (both of them) but I didn’t know how things would resolve, which I think worked well in maintaining the tension for the girls.
If you could choose one song to describe your book, what would it be, and why?
I don’t think there’s one song that exists that could do that, honestly, so I’ll mention a song that was on my writing playlist instead! It’s called I’ve Lost All Light In My Life by Owsey, which gives you an idea of the kind of music I listen to when I’m getting in a contemporary fantasy trance.
What would be your advice for those who wish to write a contemporary fantasy in the future?
I don’t think I give out writing advice very often, and certainly not specific to genre. I found contemporary fantasy a really light, inviting world, grounded in the world we know, and with as much fantasy as the author decides to layer in. I think there are endless possibilities, and I personally don’t like thinking in the reader’s place, so I trust them a lot to make deductions based on their real world, since that factors into this genre and my world.
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
For more contemporary fantasy, I would definitely say keep on the look out for Tracy Deonn’s LEGENDBORN, which releases September 15, 2020!
