The opening scene of “The Seconds Between Light and Sound” sets a delicious tone for the story both in terms of sensory impressions and the foreshadowing of what is to come. Tell us something of what inspired this exploration of faith, death, and service.
It started as an experiment. I wanted to see if I could write a story that used the second-person point of view and the present tense. I also thought I should learn more about the pirates I call the Uxe and the eternal hurricane they worship as a goddess. I knew that other inhabitants in this world were afraid of them, but why? What would it be like to have the goddess you worship live not in some unearthly divine realm, but literally within reach? What lengths would you go to, what would you sacrifice, in order to stand in Her presence and prove your devotion? Better still, what might She demand of you if you succeed?
Love sits at the heart of this story; a terrible, fierce love that charges the veins and fills the mouth with hope and brine. Despite the grim nature of the character’s service to the Goddess, even that is fueled by love. Was that love always present in the story? What is it about the nature of love and the sacrifices sometimes demanded that lends itself so well to horror? Do you feel horror would be possible without love?
I honestly didn’t realize it until much later, but love seems to be present in all the horror stories I’ve published so far. I’ve written one about a haunted house that loves its owner, even though she is an insatiable serial killer. I’ve written about a young woman who witnesses the murder of her brother and turns to ancient magic to exact vengeance, even at the cost of her own soul. I think love is at the heart of all we do, and the root cause of the horrors we visit upon one another. The two are hard to separate. When we love, we are both vulnerable and powerful. What happens when that vulnerability and power cede to darker emotions? Where does love drag us, and can it lure us back out again?
I appreciated the reference to a continent where “the Goddess does not tread.” How much thought did you give to the worldbuilding? If you could return to this world with another story, where would you like to explore?
This is one of the worlds I’ve spent numerous years crafting. I love worldbuilding and I wanted to create an intricate world where many different types of stories could reside. As a kid, I loved Tracy Hickman’s and Margaret Weis’s Dragonlance universe, I loved the Forgotten Realms universe. Each time I read a new book set in those worlds, I knew I wanted to write something like that. I wanted a versatile world where the adventures that take place there could range from dark to lighthearted, from epic high fantasy to adrenaline-pumping sword and sorcery. And I have BIPOC and queer people reflected everywhere, at all levels. They’re elves and mages, knights and priestesses, mercenaries and royalty, you name it.
I have several projects set in this world, including a dark fantasy trilogy. For now, I think the next story will explore the demon-infested desert that I allude to in “The Seconds Between Light and Sound” and feature a clandestine city of assassins, death cults, and dark mages.
Librarians are the secret masters that control information and open doors for others. How does being a librarian feed into your writing? Are there any writers who tickle your fiction fancy that you would care to share with others?
As a librarian, I love connecting readers with books. I think there’s a special joy librarians get when we plop a book we recommend into a patron’s hands and they come back later to tell us how much they loved it. The surprise and delight our readers experience when they discover their next favorite book makes the job worthwhile for me. Those feelings are what I strive to create for my readers—although my form of delight is often tinged with blood.
Lately, I’ve been in love with Seanan McGuire’s Wayward Children series, obsessed with anything by Stephen Graham Jones and Scarlett St. Clair, and I continue to shout to the high heavens and foist upon everyone I encounter a copy of Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao. But it’s my fellow librarian, Jei D. Marcade, who just astounds me with their skill and the elegance of their work. When I grow up, I want to be like them.
Tell us a little bit about your writing process, what scratches that writing itch.
My writing process is haphazard at best. I usually write whenever I can steal a few moments away and I rarely plot anything. When a story strikes me, I have to write to get it out or my skin feels as if it’s drawn too tight—but I can’t just type on a computer or tablet. I have to write by hand—usually on whatever’s nearby. I’ve jotted concepts or scenes on receipts, napkins, paper bags and sometimes even myself. “The Seconds Between Light and Sound” I wrote on a yellow legal pad in between storytimes. Whether I write it down or not, I’m always writing in my head. The stories unfold like a movie, and I’m just transcribing what I see.
What does the future hold for Ozzie Gartrell? What can eager fans look forward to for the rest of 2023?
Oof. My hope is to finally finish a novel-length manuscript, or maybe a novella. Stay tuned.
