We chat with author Lyndall Clipstone about her new release Unholy Terrors, which is a bloodstained tale of a girl torn between her vows and her heart, where falling in love may be the deepest sin of all…
Read on to learn more about Lyndall and Unholy Terrors, plus you can check out an excerpt here!
Hi, Lyndall! Welcome back! How have the past two years been since we last spoke?
Hello! I’m so pleased to be back. The past two years have been very eventful! I’ve seen the conclusion of my debut gothic fantasy duology, Lakesedge and Forestfall, which was a wonderful experience. I’ve been hard at work on Unholy Terrors and a new, secret project. I’ve also been travelling– including going all the way across the world to Venice, Italy, which is the most magical city I’ve ever seen.
Your latest novel, Unholy Terrors, is out October 17th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Lyrical, strange, bloody, romantic, tender
What can readers expect?
Unholy Terrors is a standalone gothic romance where Everline Blackthorn, a holy warrior unable to work the necromantic magic of her sect, must team up with Ravel Severin, her sworn enemy, for the chance to discover what really happened to her traitorous mother seventeen years ago.
It’s a gothic fever dream with intense Sofia Coppola vibes; lush, lyrical, aesthetic, and intensely romantic. There’s a fierce, ride-or-die, trio of chaotic girls who have my heart, a soft monster boy with daddy issues, and forced proximity with a vampiric twist.
Where did the inspiration for Unholy Terrors come from?
I had a lot of feelings after watching Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi, particularly the scene where Rey and Kylo Ren set aside their differences to fight side by side. I loved the idea of two ideological enemies being forced to team up for a common goal, and how that might challenge their preconceptions about each other. I also drew a lot of inspiration from Gideon the Ninth, particularly the delightfully prickly relationship between Gideon and Harrow, and Lost Souls which is the OG goth, vampiric romance story written in delectable prose.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I think one of my favourite moments is the excerpt below, where Everline and Ravel exchange vows to seal their truce. I love the tension between the two characters in this scene. They hate each other, but need each other, and are both forced to set aside their principles to make this alliance. I deliberately wrote it so that the vow feels very intimate and romantic; almost like a marriage – the fact that they start their truce by sealing it with a kiss adds the perfect touch.
What a stunning cover! Can you tell us a bit about how it came to be?
Thank you! I absolutely adore the cover. My publisher commissioned one of my favourite artists, Welder Wings, who create beautifully surreal gothic collages using classical paintings. They came up with the gorgeous wraparound design which captures so many elements of the story. My favourite part is Ravel with his wolf-mask on the back of the jacket, which is so dramatic and moody.
This is your third published novel! What are some of the key lessons you have learned when it comes to writing and the publishing world?
With my debut novel, I put such enormous pressure on myself to get everything perfect, as though it was an assignment I was handing in for a grade. But writing is so subjective, it’s impossible to create a book that will please everyone. Now, by my third book, I’ve realised I don’t want to please everyone. What I want is to write stories that bring me joy creatively, and that I would have adored as a teen reader. In writing Unholy Terrors, I gave myself permission to lean hard into the lyrical, aesthetic, weirdness of this story – vampire wolf boys! girls in lace dresses and black lipstick fighting monsters! – and I love how it turned out.
What’s next for you?
I’m about to go on tour for Unholy Terrors – it will be my first in-person launch in the US and I’m so, so excited to meet readers and join some of my favourite authors for events. It will also be my first time experiencing North American Fall and I can’t wait.
Next year, I have my first ever short story, Cryptophasia, publishing in Neon Hemlock’s Crawling Moon anthology. It’s a dark academia homage to Bertolucci’s The Dreamers, and is my first published adult work. I may or may not have a few more book-shaped secrets which I hope to share soon; and most excitingly, I’m getting married. I’m looking forward to immersing myself in my own love story as well as writing about them.
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
Lately I’ve been devouring all things fairytale vibes: Folk by Zoe Gilbert, You Let Me In by Camilla Bruce, The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi, and Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan. I also read an advance copy of What Monstrous Gods by Rosamund Hodge, which I know is going to be one of my favourite 2024 releases.
