Ask the Author: Alix E. Harrow

“Ask me a question.” Alix E. Harrow

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I totally enjoyed reading your first book Alix! The word-play, the adventures, the other worlds, that somehow represented this world in my eyes.. Thanks so much! Looking forward to your next? Now that might look like impatience, but do you have any next book that you are thinking about, yet? ;)

Alix E. Harrow Hi Hanneke! Thanks so much for reading. And I DO have a next book in the works--another standalone historical fantasy, but this one is pitched as "suffragettes, but witches." It's set in the early American women's suffrage movement, except that they're fighting for women's magic, in addition to women's rights. To be totally honest, it's sort of a mess right now--but it's becoming more book-like every day. Publication isn't set yet, but it might be Fall 2020 or Spring 2021.

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I have no question at this time other than a comment directed at you: BRAVO!! (well...maybe a question...when can we expect more of your genius?...(no pressure))

Alix E. Harrow This is just so flattering?? Thank you so much for reading! I don't know about genius, but I've got a couple of short stories coming out in the next year, and another standalone historical fantasy coming either Fall 2020 or Spring 2021, depending on how fast I can get these revisions done....

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What a truly awesome book. I love books where the fantasy just an enabler to exploring ideas. And it makes you realise that all doors have a natural propensity to not shut properly. How far through the draft of book number two are you?!

Alix E. Harrow Thanks so much! I have a complete draft of my next book, but now I'm working on making it a GOOD complete draft, which is much harder....It might not see the light of publishing day until Spring 2021, I'm afraid!

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I loved The Ten Thousand Doors of January so much, and I can't wait to read more from you in the future. Do you have hope that this book will become a book series (I could see a sequel or even a prequel)? How do you feel about this book becoming a television or movie adaptation?

Alix E. Harrow 1) Thank you so much for reading. It still, STILL, feels wildly unlikely that other people might read and enjoy my book.

2) I really didn't/don't plan on this book being the first in a series. But there are a lot of--ahem!--doors left unopened. In a world of infinite other worlds, there's an infinite amount of room for other stories to slip in through the cracks.

3) .....But I do have another book coming! An unrelated standalone about suffragette witches in the 1890s.

3) I mean, if someone shows up tomorrow and says, "here is some money, we'd like to make your book into a Netflix special," I would be over the moon!! But they haven't yet.

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Currently reading The Ten Thousand Doors of January & curious about January's identity--we have explicit statements about her being non-white but thus far nothing specific as to her ethnic/racial background. Sometimes it sounds as though she's (at least part) Native American, sometimes Black or something else. Are we meant to know for sure? And is this ownvoices rep, i.e., do you share January's identity in this area?

Alix E. Harrow Thank you so much for asking, because it gives me the chance to be super clear: THIS BOOK IS NOT #OWNVOICES. I am white and my protagonist is a young woman of color in the early 1900. (Her specific lineage is a fairly sizeable spoiler, and the confusion of labels early in the book is a representation of the early-20th-century obsession with racial classification, and a reflection of its limitations). I hope I have represented January's experiences with both historical accuracy and empathy, but readers specifically looking to read and support authors of color should skip mine.

There are better/smarter lists out there, but if you're looking for authors of color writing adult fantasy, I've recently LOVED Rebecca Roanhorse, P. Djeli Clark, Cass Khaw, Rivers Solomon, and R.F. Kuang. (And N.K. Jemisin, but that goes without saying).

And also, while I'm here...THIS BOOK IS NOT YA! I adore YA, and this book definitely has some crossover appeal--there's nothing R-rated in it--but it was written for adult readers.

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Alison Rose Thank you so much for the thoughtful answer! I appreciate your candor about the #ownvoices topic. As a white woman myself, I certainly can't speak to ...more
Jul 08, 2019 10:07PM · flag

C. Anita Oh holy sh1t. (Can we swear on GR? Better be safe than sorry. *edits creatively*) I can't believe that I didn't see your reply until now and frankly, Oh holy sh1t. (Can we swear on GR? Better be safe than sorry. *edits creatively*) I can't believe that I didn't see your reply until now and frankly, I am dead embarrassed. I drop off the face of the earth on a semi-regular basis and to come back and discover, ahem, my RECENTLY ANNOUNCED NEW FAVORITE AUTHOR (really you can check my FB) has replied to me, leaves me somewhere between Cringe and Utter Devastation.

When I leave "unfinished with book" reviews, I have a note in my calendar to return and update upon completion of the book. I can't believe I didn't do that here. I loved this book. I mean in a "actually get a copy to own as opposed to stealing, er, returning to the library under duress. So dang howdy, I will be rewriting this along with my great love for "Once & Future Wiches" and "Starling House." (I spent an entire 30 minutes with a friend of mine talking about the latter in terms of the psychology of generational trauma and manifesting pain. We might just get her to read a fantasy novel. Might.)

I am not into YA either, but am a sucker for older urban fantasy such as Charl's deLint, Gael Baudino, and certain specific titles (often written by authors who are doing one-offs such as Feist's "Faerie Tale") A lot of modern works under the title "UF" seem to mean romance novels wrapped in fairies (and there is nothing wrong with that!) but I like to have meat with my tea sometimes, not just toast with jam.

So to stretch the dietary analogy further than I likely should, I have been deliciously consuming your work and am off for more this weekend. So please forgive a reader who moved too quickly to asking questions that were to be revealed in time.

I can’t decide if a lack of ability to include emojis is helpful here. I can assure you there would be at least one facepalm, a bevy of laughs (but the parentheses will always be present whenever I write letters because I would wither and die. Hyperbolically speaking.)

Cheers, love your work, *trailing off with embarrassed mumbling*

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Oct 17, 2024 04:29PM · flag

Hi Alix, Will you be touring/ have author signings to be able to order signed/ personalized copies of Ten Thousand Doors? Thanks, Yara

Alix E. Harrow Okay, #1: THIS IS SUCH A FLATTERING QUESTION, OMG THANK YOU!

#2: I probably won't be touring, unless Lin Manuel-Miranda is seen reading my book on the set of The Golden Compass or something. But I'll figure out ways to make signed copies available when I get closer to the release date! I promise!

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