We chat with Zoe Hana Mikuta about Godslayers, the high-octane sequel to Gearbreakers, which is perfect for fans of Pacific Rim, Pierce Brown’s Red Rising Saga, and Marie Lu’s Legend series.
Hi, Zoe! Thanks for joining us again! We last spoke 12 months ago. How have things been since then?
Thank you so much for having me again! I’ve been pretty good! I spent the last few months doing a study abroad in Europe, and now I’m heading toward my last year of undergrad at University of Washington this coming fall. Otherwise I’ve just been writing a bunch and trying to read more.
Godslayers is the sequel to your debut Gearbreakers, which is out June 28th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
More giant robots. Masquerade ball.
What can readers expect from Godslayers?
They can expect a pretty heavy corruption arc, as well as gray-area protagonists and antagonists alike. And, like in Gearbreakers, of course more giant mecha fights (perhaps underwater?).
Can you tell us a bit about the challenges you faced while writing the sequel and how you were able to overcome them?
I always heard a lot about people getting stuck with writing their second book, because when you’re no longer debut there’s this instinct to on-up yourself, I guess? It’s like your first book set certain expectations in other people and yourself, and I definitely got how that can bring on the stress. One of the challenges I faced is actually looking back on Gearbreakers and kind of ‘coping’ with it being out there—especially when I feel my writing style had changed so intensely for the better. I definitely feel I’m going tout with Godslayers with something to prove in that regard.
Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring further in this sequel?
I really enjoyed getting more into Jenny’s character in Godslayers. I feel like the readers will see a different side of her, and how she kind of echoes Eris. I went more into her and Eris’s history and relationship growing up, as well as the Eris being in Jenny’s crew before she took charge of her own. In the prologue, I was thrilled that I got to writ Jenny’s perspective in the third person – I think it’ll help to draw people in right away since she seems to be a reader favorite (mine too).
Did you find there were any lessons you learned from writing your debut?
I’d like to think I learned how to give myself more space when writing, as in giving myself more room for errors and a totally messy first draft. I feel like I grew up such a perfectionist and I’m trying to work that out of myself all the time now, since writing is all about the entire process rather than trying to get it exactly right the first time around.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Read-slash-consume the general media of the genre you’re writing! This trick helps me set a ‘tone’ in my daily life that I think truly does help me to write more when I finally sit down to draft. And believe in the concept of a first draft, or even a zero draft.
What’s next for you?
I’m working on fantasy horror! There’s my third book, Rabbit & Sickle, in the works. It’s a very dark Alice in Wonderland retelling meets Attack on Titan, where feral Saints run rampant in Wonderland Forest and humanity has put their cities behind walls to protect themselves. But when Rabbit and Alice get sent out into the Forest after being tangled up in a mass murder, they emerge different beings, and much less in love with each other than they were when they went in.
Otherwise, I’m just finishing up school this year, majoring in Creative Writing and minoring in History of Religion!
Lastly, do you have any 2022 book recommendations for our readers?
Hell Followed with Us by Andrew Joseph White
