Liz Butcher is a self-confessed nerd with a BA in psychology and an insatiable fascination for learning. Liz was previously the former Executive Assistant at the Horror Tree, which is a mainstream resource for authors and has published a number of short stories in anthologies including her own collection, After Dark, in 2018.
We had the pleasure of talking to Liz about her recently published debut novel, Fates’ Fury, writing, favourite authors, and more!
Hi Liz! Tell us a little about yourself!
Hello! Well, I’m an Australian author living in sunny Queensland with my little family. I love writing every chance I get, but I also love astronomy and knitting—and I’m a huge nerd!
When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve always loved writing. In primary school I wrote little books, complete with binding and a front cover, so I guess it’s always been a dream. Though it wasn’t until after university that the desire to write took charge again. I started seriously perusing it in 2015, when my first short story was published in the anthology Lurking in the Deep.
If you could only use five words to describe Fates’ Fury, what would they be?
Intense. Rollercoaster. Heartbreaking. Eerie. Mythical.
Now let’s hear a little more! What can readers expect?
They can expect a rapidly unravelling story where the modern world violently collides with entities of the ancient world.
Where did the inspiration come from?
The concept had niggled at me for a while. It was 2012, and everyone was talking about the end of the Mayan Calendar and would the world end etc. It made me think about the history of our existence, from the first civilisation, Mesopotamia, to now (like I said, I’m a nerd!) As a species we haven’t really changed a lot in thousands of years. There’s still war and violence and exploitation of the earth and of each other. This led to the idea that Fates have had enough and decide the planet is better off without us. Are we worth saving?
Do you have a favourite line or scene from Fates Fury?
Not specifically, but a reader recently messaged me and said they loved the line, “Mate, I’m the bloody Flash!”
Were there any particular parts that challenged you while writing?
There were many! Killing off a character is always challenging. There needed to be the right balance between allowing enough emotion to do the character justice, but without losing pace. Plus, I’d had these characters in my mind for a long time, so it was sad to kill someone off!
What’s your writing process like?
I start with the idea and sort of brain storm for a bit to see what ideas come from it, and if there is enough to form a story from it. Then it’s research and character development, and then I start working on the plot. My plot outline is pretty meticulous as I like to have as much of the story laid out before I start writing. In saying that though, the plot and the characters are fluid and grow and change as the story is written.
Who are your favourites authors at the moment?
Stephen King is always a favourite. Recently I’ve enjoyed reading books by Neil Gaiman, Peng Shepherd, Paul Tremblay, Rachel Caine, Jacob Klop, Wendy Webb and Fiona Valpy.
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for us?
A book which has been a favourite since childhood – The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein.
Liz Butcher resides in Australia, with her husband, daughter, and their two cats. She’s a self-confessed nerd with a BA in psychology and an insatiable fascination for learning. Liz has published a number of short stories in anthologies and has released her own collection, After Dark, in 2018. Her debut novel, Fates’ Fury released September, 2019.
You can find Liz Butcher on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, Pinterest, and at her website. Find Fates’ Fury on Amazon!
