Author Image Credit: Nicola Grimshaw-Mitchell
Jodie Bond is a writer, dancer and communications professional. She has worked for a circus, a gin distillery, and sold speciality sausages for a living, but her biggest passion has always been writing. The Vagabond King, the first in a trilogy, is her debut novel.
After I had the pleasure of reading Jodie Bond’s upcoming novel, The Vagabond King, we were pleased that she was able to answer a few questions! I was happy to see that we were both fans of the same character from her book (the witty and unpredictable Zenith) and I think the latest project she is working on sounds awesome so this will definitely be one to watch out for!
Hi Jodie! Tell us a little about yourself!
Hello Nerd Daily! Thank you for having me.
I’m Jodie Bond, a fantasy writer, new on the scene. I come from a little town called Machynlleth in Wales and currently live in the comparatively raging metropolis of Cardiff. In my day job I work for a cancer research organisation and squeeze my writing time into my evenings.
My big loves in life are burlesque dancing, exploring nature and drinking gin.
Your debut novel, The Vagabond King, releases October 1st. If you could only use five words, what would they be?
Only five? Tough one. How about…
Betrayal. Justice. Hardship. Mythical. Brutal.
What can readers expect in The Vagabond King?
The Vagabond King follows the story of Threon Greenbrooke, a royal who is exiled from his home when it is invaded by an immortal army. Together with a witch, a rebel soldier and a woman cursed by a god, he seeks to restore justice to his homeland.
You can expect diverse landscapes, gods who walk the land, romance, slavery, revenge and mythical creatures. It is quite short for a fantasy novel at only 110,000 words. Where some fantasy novels delve into incredible detail with the history, landscapes and cultures of their worlds, I’ve opted to use a lighter touch and get straight to the heart of the story and the characters who are caught up in it, with the intention of creating a fast pace for the plot.
What inspired you to write this novel?
The resource curse is something I’m quite interested in. It refers to the paradox that countries with an abundance of natural resources (in our world, things like fossil fuels), tend to have less economic growth, less democracy, and worse development outcomes than countries with fewer natural resources. I wanted to explore this theory in a world of my own devising.
In the Vagabond King, a mineral that prolongs life is discovered on the island of Thelonia and its inhabitants destroy their rural landscape in order to mine for it. Those in a possession of wealth gain access to this mineral which serves to deepen and perpetuate inequality as those in power outlive the everyday folk who suffer having their farmland replaced by open pit mines.
How would you describe your writing process? How long did it take you to complete the first book?
It took just under two years to finish this novel and it’s been a lot of fun.
I finished the first draft fairly quickly, then spent a long time finessing the details and fine tuning the characters as I edited. I don’t think you can understand your characters fully until you’ve spent several thousand words with them. Threon changed a lot between draft one and the final eighth draft.
My writing happens in the evenings, after work, preferably with a glass of port by my side.
In The Vagabond King, one character can fly, and another is immortal. If you could pick a supernatural ability, what would it be?
What an excellent question!
I think I’d choose the ability to shapeshift. It opens so many possibilities! Just imagine: one day you could become a fish and explore the world’s most hidden depths – and another day you could shift into a dictator to change all their policies.
Who was your favourite character to write about?
I loved writing scenes that feature Zenith, the sky god. He’s malicious, self-interested and has a quick wit. As a god, I didn’t have to rely solely on emotion to portray his mood; the whole sky can change.
He most often appears to Savanta, who he has cursed with a bat-like appearance. She doesn’t go in for religious supplication though and it was fun to write her standing up to a character who has so much power.
Do you have any other projects you’re working on?
The Vagabond King is a trilogy so there are ideas percolating for Threon and his friends, though I haven’t started working on them yet.
I’m currently working on another novel inspired by the hellfire clubs. They were a series of gatherings in the 18th century where high-society rakes could indulge in sex, drugs and pagan worship. The story follows a couple who set up a modern-day equivalent to these bacchic parties… and in their illicit activities they wake something sinister.
And for some book related questions! Who are some of your favourite authors?
In the realms of SFF I love Neil Gaiman, Joe Abercrombie, Margaret Atwood, Anna Stephens, Scott Lynch, Philip Pullman, Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchett, Ursula K Le Guin, Jay Kristoff… The list is huge and I could probably go on. I was a big Tolkien nerd as a teenager and still am. Angela Carter is my hero.
What’s the best book you’ve read recently?
As a lover of mythology Pat Barker’s Silence of the Girls has stuck with me since picking it up recently. Robert Macfarlane’s Underland is a masterpiece of nature writing that really got under my skin. Sally Rooney is incredible, and I loved Normal People. I’m currently reading Steven Sherill’s The Minatour Takes a Cigarette Break, which is proving to be excellent.
