We chat with author Maxym M. Martineau about House of Blight, which is the first novel in an eerie, darkly creative, and romantic new gothic fantasy duology from Maxym M. Martineau, for readers of Sarah J. Maas and Rachel Gillig.
Hi, Maxym! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Certainly! I’m a romantasy author who loves dark, twisted tales, complex characters, magic, and of course, romance. I love to read and play video games, and when I’m not doing either of those things (or drafting my next novel), I’m playing with my kiddos and doggos. My upcoming release, House of Blight, is the first in a gothic-inspired duology where a woman with the power to heal – at the cost of shortening her own lifespan – ends up employed by a family of cunning immortals as they try to find a way to eliminate an uncurable blight that’s infecting more than just the land. It’s perfect for fans of Rachel Gillig and Sarah J. Maas.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
My mother always made it a point to read to us growing up, so I suppose my love for stories was baked in from the beginning! As far as writing goes, though, that actually came about as a way to process some of my darker nightmares. For as long as I can remember, I’ve had lucid, dark dreams that would leave me riddled with fear, and my mom taught me to write about what happened as a way to sort of exercise the memory from my body. It worked, but it also taught me to not be afraid of the dark and what I experienced. I found myself almost eager to return to my dreams so I could capture the worlds I saw and write them down.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis.
- The one that made you want to become an author: Tithe by Holly Black.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: This is incredibly hard to pick, but recently, One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig.
Your latest novel, House of Blight, is out April 8th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Gothic, twisted, dark, atmospheric, tension-filled.
What can readers expect?
Lots of secrets, immortals with sharp wits and dangerous magic, a creeping blight that’s ravaging the land, garden parties with ethereal backdrops… Plus, of course, romance and a heaping dose of feminine rage.
Oh, and let’s not forget one brooding Insect Daddy!
Where did the inspiration for House of Blight come from?
House of Blight was partially born from my nightmares. For as long as I can recall, I’ve had incredibly vivid, dark dreams that often left me paralyzed with fear. Thankfully, my mom taught me when I was young that journaling could help me exercise those darker thoughts from my head. It helped tremendously, and it also made me sort of fall in love with my dreams – even the darker ones. A lot of the backdrops for my novels are brought to life because of this, and I got to lean into that even more with the gothic vibes in House of Blight!
And speaking of gothic… Dorian Gray hands down was an influence, specifically for the Evers. I loved the duality of it all, how the Evers are so obessed with perfection but have this grotestque side that goes even beyond the blight itself. I was also inspired by Death’s Messengers by The Brothers Grimm and Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allen Poe. Package all that up, and you have my inspiration for House of Blight.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I had so much fun with all of the characters, but Edira has a special place in my heart. She definitely struggles with what I lovingly like to call “eldest daughter syndrome,” where she takes on the responsibility of her brothers and the world without thinking of her own needs. Her sacrifice comes at a significant cost, and despite the urging of one other Ever in particular *cough* *cough* she never really allows herself to live for herself. Exploring what that looked like, and allowing her small moments of indulgence, was a bit close to the heart for me.
From a pure enjoyment standpoint, though, it’s Rorik. Hands down. For reasons, of course.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
The challenge for me while drafting this book was trusting my own vision. I finished this as romantasy was skyrocketing (yay!), and there were so many eyes on the genre. I was worried about saturation, about originality, about the content resonating with people. But in the end I just trusted my gut and queried my book with the story I wanted to tell, and I signed with Kimberly Whalen. We then went on submission very shortly after that, and House of Blight was picked up at auction by Harper Voyager. The rest is history!
What’s next for you?
I’m currently working on edits for the second book in the duology. We jump back into Edira’s world very quickly, and I’m having so much fun exploring her decision-making and the relationships she’s forming. I can’t say much more because spoilers! But, I do think it will be a satisfying conclusion to Edira’s story.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?
The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig is top of the list for me. I am also eager to read Monsoon Rising by Thea Guanzon! It’s out already, and sitting on my shelf, but edits have prevented me from diving into it yet. Same goes for The Empress by Kristin Cast.
