Author Interview: Jaclyn Dolamore

About Jaclyn Dolamore
(curtsey of jaclyndolamore.com)

Jaclyn Dolamore was homeschooled in a hippie sort of way and spent her childhood reading as many books as her skinny nerd-body could lug from the library and playing elaborate pretend games with her sister Kate. She skipped college and spent eight years drudging through retail jobs, developing her thrifty cooking skills and pursuing a lifelong writing dream. She has a passion for history, thrift stores, vintage dresses, David Bowie, drawing, and organic food. She lives with her partner and plot-sounding-board, Dade, and three weird cats.

What inspired you to write Between the Sea and Sky?

Various beloved and classic mermaid tales, from myths and fairy tales to movies like Splash. I loved mermaids as a kid, but I always wished the stories were a tad more sophisticated. Well, not that all mermaid stories are unsophisticated--certainly not--but most novels about them were for children, until this year when suddenly a ton of them are coming out! This world is rather Jane Austen…romantic, humorous, and rather intimate.

What made you want to feature winged people along with mermaids?

I have a soft spot for any sort of people who are almost human but can go to some wondrous realm we can't quite reach--like the sea, or the sky. And yet, on land they're somewhat disadvantaged by awkward wings or a need to stay wet or whatever. I think it makes for an interesting dynamic. Honestly, I could probably write several books exploring some different aspects of a world with humans, winged people and mermaids...

Does Between the Sea and Sky have a playlist?

Yes, I listened to a ton of music while writing it, such as the soundtracks to The Secret of NIMH, Whisper of the Heart, Laputa: Castle in the Sky, Pride and Prejudice (BBC) and Emma (the Gwyneth Paltrow one). I also had Italian mandolin music and Spanish dances to add to the somewhat southern European setting, and a rather eerie album by a group called Stellamara. At one point I realized the local pizza joint was playing "my" music… I also had an album of Cecilia Bertoli doing 18th century Italian opera and the translation to one of the songs was "My love has wings…" It was perfect.

What’s next for you as an author?

Well, Magic Under Stone, the sequel to Magic Under Glass, comes out next year, and then…well, there is more exciting stuff a-brewin' but I can't talk about it yet.

If you couldn't be a writer, what would you be?

A librarian! That is…so cliche. Or the owner of a little vintage clothing shop.

If you could meet any person (dead or alive) who would it be?

Ohmigosh. This question is always so hard. There are so many fascinating people in the world. It's a bit cliche but I think Jane Austen because she is such an icon now and she lived before photos, and I'd just love to get a sense of what she was really like. I'd love to meet, like, Charlotte Bronte too, but Jane seems like she'd be more of a delight. Of course, it would also be fascinating to meet someone from a point even further back, like Leonardo da Vinci or something, but I'm afraid I wouldn't know what to SAY to him. I think I could talk to Jane Austen.

If your house was burning and you could only save 3 of your books, which ones would they be and why?

Hmm. Uncle Scrooge McDuck: His Life and Times by Carl Barks…I love Carl Barks' duck comics, and I bought this hefty, well-made book when I was 8 and it's quite rare now, a used copy will run you $150.00! An old hardcover of Heaven to Betsy by Maud Hart Lovelace. And Dressed for the Photographer: Ordinary Americans and Fashion, 1840-1900, one of my favorite and most expensive reference books.

Who’s your favorite fictional character?

L. M. Montgomery's Emily Byrd Starr.


Thank you, Jaclyn! It was great talking to you!
For more information, visit Jaclyn on her:
Website
Goodreads
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Read my review of Between the Sea and Sky here!