Our next anthology, Tales from the Ruins, is going to be a cataclysmic one! It will be released on the 25th of February but the Kindle version is available for pre-order today at just 99c instead of $3.99. To celebrate the imminent publication of the first Black Beacon Books anthology exclusively dedicated to post-apocalyptic fiction, we’re interviewing the contributing authors. Behold the maniacal workings of their troubled minds!
Photo credit: Kathy Luu
Let’s make the first question a lighthearted one...hmm...okay, got it! Is your story simply an entertaining piece of fiction or are you giving us a peek at the terrifying fate tomorrow will unleash upon us?
It leans more toward the latter. It relies on the unlikely event of an alien invasion, but the message is relevant to our tomorrow. No matter how hard-won, many of our freedoms can disappear overnight. This can happen after a catastrophic event or because of complacency over time.
What is it that makes post-apocalyptic fiction so appealing? Would the world be better off if more people read this genre?
It’s appealing because it is shocking. We recognise ourselves in the characters and realise just how fragile our society is. If reading this genre meant that people did not grow complacent, then yes, more people reading post-apocalyptic fiction would be a good thing.
Do you have a favourite post-apocalyptic author?
Not really. There are several books I love – “The Children of Men” by P.D. James, “The Crysalids” by John Wyndham, “The Road” by Cormac McCarthy, and “Oryx and Crake” by Margaret Atwood. If pressed to pick an author, I’d say Margaret Atwood. She does a disturbing line in post-apocalyptic and dystopian stories simply because the worlds she creates feel a breath away from becoming real. I also love Octavia E. Butler. Some may argue that her Parable novels are more dystopian than post-apocalyptic as there is no single catastrophic event. However, these books paint a frightening picture of the USA, where the apocalypse is a slow burn of evangelical Christianity and neoliberalism. Like Atwood, it’s all too easy to imagine that world becoming real.
Some people like to listen to music while reading. Which song can you imagine providing the soundtrack to your story?
Gimme Shelter by The Rolling Stones. It’s about war, but many of the lyrics resonate with my characters.
If you woke up in your story tomorrow, what would you do?
Cry. One of the characters in my story says, “I used to love sci-fi and fantasy. Before I started living it.” I think that is true for all post-apocalyptic tales. And then, because I would be an outcast, I’d find somewhere safe to sleep at night and locate possible food sources.
There are no firearms or ammunition. You have to choose an everyday object from the home or garden as your weapon of choice—what’s in your hands?
I’d say an axe, except I don’t have one. {Makes a note to buy one asap.} I have a mattock, so that would have to do.
Time to get more personal. Tell us three interesting facts about yourself.
I have a PhD in Ethology (the study of animal behaviour), but as there are few jobs in science, I work in IT testing software. I used to be an actor. I can dance, sing, and play the guitar and ukulele, but I’m out of practice for all four.
What do you aim to give your readers?
Entertainment and something to think about after they have finished being entertained.
What are you working on now?
I am rewriting and editing two novels. I started plotting out a new novel and accidentally wrote the first two chapters. But that’s now on hold until the mammoth editing project is done.
Where can we find you online?
Website: https://karenbayly.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarenBaylyAuthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/here.be.karen.bayly/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6596968.Karen_Bayly
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Karen_Bayly
Thanks for playing along. Good luck in the wastelands!
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