V.S. Holmes is an international bestselling author. She created the REFORGED series and the NEL BENTLY BOOKS. Smoke and Rain, the first book in her fantasy quartet, won New Apple Literary’s Excellence in Independent Publishing Award in 2015. In addition, she has published short fiction in several anthologies.
When not writing, she works as a contract archaeologist doing throughout the northeastern U.S. She lives in a Tiny House with her spouse, a fellow archaeologist, their not-so-tiny dog, and owns too many books for such a small abode. As a disabled and queer human, she works as an advocate and educator for representation in SFF worlds.
We had the pleasure of chatting to V.S. about her Reforged series, including its inspiration and challenges, along with book recommendations, writing, and more!
Hi V.S! Tell us a little about yourself!
Hey there! Thanks so much for having me. I’m a SFF author who focuses on queer and disabled characters. I created both Reforged (epic fantasy quartet) and the Nel Bently Books (a sci-fi series about lesbian archaeologists in space). I also work as an archaeologist and live in a tiny house.
When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve always written, but I made the jump in 2005 when I decided to write professionally. Smoke and Rain was my debut in 2015 and I’ve never looked back. There’s something inherently beautiful and very human about storytelling, and I think we have to delve into who humanity is to really understand who we are.
If you could only use five words to describe your Reforged series, what would they be?
Atmospheric, lyrical, slow-burning, brooding, and rich
Now let’s hear a little more! What can readers expect?
I get into the minds of my characters and I don’t let go. I write people who are flawed and frustrating, who jump before they think, or sometimes overthink. Reforged is very much a love letter to goodbyes, cycles, and misplaced faith.
What are three elements that make your Reforged series stand out?
While I have global war and politics and magic, it is a backdrop for the characters’ struggles with mental illness like PTSD and anxiety, addiction, and disability. I include climate change, albeit caused by gods and their creators as one of the antagonizing factors as well. I also love exploring heroes and what happens when they aren’t the legends we think, or morph from hero to villain.
Where did the inspiration come from?
Initially, I saw a photo in Nat Geo of these ruins, and I wondered what it would be like to wake up within the ruins of your city. Alea’s journey has changed a lot, but the one line that remains in the entire series from its conception is about those ruins.
Do you have a favourite line or scene from the series?
I’m a sucker for reunion scenes, especially heartbreaking ones. There’s a particular scene in Blood and Mercy, the final book, out Spring 2020, where a character meets his sister after decades of searching. She is nothing like how she was when they parted, and there’s a lot of unpacking they both have to do.
Were there any particular parts that challenged you while writing?
Very much so. There were a few scenes that were too close to home, and I wasn’t allowing myself the space to sit with those thoughts and process them before writing, and it was just an utter mess. A few deaths were hard too, when I really enjoyed writing those characters (but hey, that’s what prequels are for, eh?)
What’s your writing process like?
Ordered chaos! I outline, but don’t stick to them, and rarely write my books in order. I do pay attention to obligatory genre scenes, and when I revise I get a lot more structure than during the drafting process.
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for us?
For fantasy fans, I’m loving Miriam Dumitra’s Brightshade, and for the cyberpunk/sci-fi people, I wholly recommend The Hands We’re Given by O. E. Tearmann.
You can find V.S. on Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Bookbub, and at her website.
