We chat with debut author Christy Healy about Unbound, which is a gender-bent reimagining of the classic tale of a monstrous beast and the beauty determined to tame it, set against the lush backdrop of Irish mythology and folklore.
Hi, Christy! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Let’s see – I’ve been a teacher for fifteen years, first as a high school teacher of Latin and English, now as a college professor of English and Rhetoric. I love mythology, and Hamlet and Homer and Robert Frost, and will talk about any and all of them at great length and in great depth at the slightest provocation. So that should also tell you how much fun I am at parties. I’m also a wife and mom – I coach my kids’ soccer teams and go on camping trips and spend lots of time at the pool and playgrounds. I love doing trivia and game nights with my girlfriends, and am also obsessed with gardening. And books, obviously. Very obsessed with books, of all genres, really!
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I honestly can’t remember a time when I didn’t love stories – reading them, telling them, writing them. When we were children, I would entertain my little brother for hours as I made up stories with our stuffed animals and Beanie Babies. He would sit enthralled as their adventures became more outlandish and outrageous as I let my imagination run wild. It was only a matter of time before I started writing them down – and I actually wrote my first book in the third grade: a spin-off on The Wizard of Oz wherein Dorothy ultimately decides to not return to Kansas so that she never has to eat green peas again (you can probably guess at the real-life inciting incident that inspired this particular tale). I caught the writing bug right around then, and it’s never really left me!
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: One of my earliest memories: being curled up on the couch with my mother as she read aloud from Little House on the Prairie, one chapter each night. The early 90s version of an audiobook, so I think that counts!
- The one that made you want to become an author: I don’t think there’s one book in particular, but as an adult, I remember reading Uprooted by Naomi Novik for the first time and thinking how amazing it would be to have one of my own stories published. I think that’s when I seriously started considering pursuing this path.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: So many books live rent-free in my head! I recently finished Crystal J. Bell’s The Lamplighter, and it was so deliciously spooky and atmospheric that I feel like it’s been imprinted on my brain. Such a great read for a dreary, gray January!
Your debut novel, Unbound, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Twisted fairy-tale meets Irish mythology!
What can readers expect?
It’s told through alternating timelines with dual POVs, so it’s a bit of a puzzle that needs putting together in the beginning, but then once all the pieces start falling into place, you see the full picture of what’s happening. I really enjoy character-driven, slow-burn stories that build towards a climactic ‘ah-ha!’ moment, and that’s definitely reflected in the way I chose to write Unbound.
Where did the inspiration for Unbound come from?
I was playing with my toddler one morning, and she picked up her Belle doll and said, “Now it’s her turn to be the Beast,” and something clicked in my brain. The rest of the storyline fell into place almost as soon as I started toying with that initial idea, like a map unfurling, and I just knew where I wanted it to go and how I wanted to tell the story. It was one of the most seamless, fluid drafts I’ve ever written – it needed lots of edits, obviously, but that initial draft flowed out of me so fast and so effortlessly! I had so much fun.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
Rozlyn obviously holds a special place in my heart – I was struggling a lot with a bad case of PPD while I wrote the first draft, and I really let myself explore that feeling of being unable to love yourself for who you are that Rozlyn struggles with so much over the course of the book. It was very healing for me to go on that journey with her. Jamie was also fun to write – the twisted, toxic prince charming figure who everyone hates to love.
This is your debut published novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
Very rewarding, ultimately, but also very stressful! The entire process, from querying to going on submission with editors to navigating the highs and lows of preparing a book for publication, definitely can take its toll on a person’s mental health, as most authors will tell you. I’m very lucky to have had such a supportive group of family and friends throughout the process; otherwise, I don’t think I would have made it this far.
What’s next for you?
My amazing agent has my next few manuscripts ready to go – a couple more fantasy novels that are set in the same world as UNBOUND but starring Rozlyn’s descendants instead, as well as a few contemporary romance novels – so we’ll see what the next few months hold for us!
With it being the new year, are you setting any goals or resolutions for 2024?
Enjoy this first month of being a published author! I’m trying not stress too much about it, and just enjoy the fact that it’s finally here, my childhood dream, and savour every moment. My daughter is also due to be born in early March, so focusing on having a restful and healthy end to the pregnancy and spending lots of time bonding with her on maternity leave is definitely a priority.
Lastly, are there any 2024 book releases that you’re looking forward to?
Ummm so many!!! My good friend Amy Avery’s debut The Longest Autumn, another myth-inspired romantasy, is out this week as well, and I cannot recommend it enough. Fathomfolk by Eliza Chan releases in February, and I know it’s going to be a must-have for fantasy book lovers in 2024. I’m also so excited for The Hemlock Queen by Hannah Whitten and The Ashfire King by Chelsea Abdullah – they’re both the second books in their respective trilogies, and I’ve been impatiently waiting to read them both for over a year, so I’m very excited.
