I had a new article out this week in Writers Digest on writing historical fiction!
Would you like to write historical fiction? Are you feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of research, or unsure how to get into the mindset of a character from a different era? Maybe one of these tips will help. You can read the full article here!
I had such fun putting together this list for the blog Largehearted Boy’s awesome “Book Notes” series, where authors highlight songs that influenced the writing of their book! I got to talk about some of the songs I listened to on loop while writing OHP, and also share my full writing playlist. (Spoilers: there are a lot of film soundtracks, lol.)
You can read the full article here, or listen to my full (seven hour long, whoof) writing playlist for Our Hideous Progeny here!
I recently had a Q&A come out in Writers Digest! ✏️ I talked about the writing process, the publishing process, & bringing OHP from its initial stages as my final year project in university to a finished novel. You can read the full interview here!
I had another article come out recently, this one from Literary Hub!
Do you like pictures of dinosaurs? What about real old pictures of dinosaurs? Want to hear how said pictures inspired my Frankenstein spin-off novel, Our Hideous Progeny? Read the full article here!
I have a new essay out from Crimereads today! I had tremendous fun writing this one, exploring some of the queer history of Frankenstein/horror in general, and how that informed my writing of Mary in Our Hideous Progeny.
(And of course, I had to touch on Susan Stryker’s legendary essay “My Words to Victor Frankenstein Above the Village of Chamounix: Performing Transgender Rage“!)
You can read my essay for CrimeReads here. And don’t forget – Our Hideous Progeny is finally out today in the US, available in a bookstore near you!
It was a grey and foggy March day when we brought it to life at last…
Happy US publication day!! 🥳🎉🇺🇸 To celebrate, Tor is putting out a brand new excerpt from OHP.
You can read the prologue and part of the first chapter of Our Hideous Progeny now on the Tor website!
OHP is available now wherever good books are sold! (Or at your local library, if you yell (politely) at the librarians to acquire it. 🖤)
It’s weird, it’s queer, and it’s here in bookshops near you! OUR HIDEOUS PROGENY is my debut novel, a spiritual sequel to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and a love letter to women in science and the fascinating history of Victorian paleoart.
Are you a fan of Victorian mad science? Gothic gays? Women who are angry, and ambitious, and covered in blood? Then OHP may be for you!
Note: Our Hideous Progeny is a Gothic novel, and may contain content that is distressing to some. View the trigger warnings/content warnings here.
Evocatively and compassionately, Our Hideous Progeny seeks a way to tell the stories of those ‘whose tales cannot fit in one book, those poor creatures who remain lost or forgotten’.
the new yorker
This immersive blend of historical and science fiction brims with surprises and dark delights. . . . An incisive exploration of women’s rights within the field of science. . . . The setting, too, feels wholly authentic, making it easy to get sucked in. Readers will revel in Mary’s personal and scientific discoveries and root for her to succeed in an unfair world.
Publishers weekly ⭐️ starred review
Our Hideous Progeny is a worthy successor to Shelley’s ground-breaking science fiction masterpiece.
autostraddle, best queer books
Compelling and utterly absorbing, Our Hideous Progeny is an artfully crafted debut that echoes the dark essence of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein while maintaining a fascinating originality all of its own.
Susan Stokes-Chapman, author of Pandora
Exquisitely written, brimming with imagery both beautiful and shocking, this daring debut makes the rivalries of the Victorian scientific establishment thrilling and urgent, bringing us a story worthy of Mary Shelley.
Sean Lusk, author of The Second Sight of Zachary Cloudesley
A fantastic read: I felt everything about Mary, her simmering anger and her intellectual delight, so very clearly.
Freya Marske, author of The Last Binding trilogy
A gut busting adventure to escape into. I loved it. Loved the setting, the characters, the high stakes. What an exceptionally talented writer. Can’t wait to talk about this to everyone.
Ericka Waller, author of Dog Days
This is no typical revisiting of Shelley’s iconic tale… This is a post-Gothic treat, an enjoyably moody, fog-drenched fictional commemoration of women in science.
Booklist ⭐️ starred review
Fans of Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and historical horror with a queer feminist twist will not be disappointed… In this immersive, richly detailed novel, Mary is an enthralling heroine with whom readers will empathize, and owing to assured, luscious prose, whose plight they will champion.
Library journal ⭐️ starred review
A wonderful book; dark, passionate, multilayered, and rich with enticing detail.
Joanne Harris, author of Chocolat and The Strawberry Thief
Our Hideous Progeny takes inspiration from Mary Shelley’s masterpiece along with the Victorian fascination with scientific innovation and the prehistoric world. This wonderful debut evolves into a gripping Gothic tale of grief and ambition, passion and intrigue.
Jess Kidd, author of The Night Ship
Darkly brilliant and sumptuously gothic, this atmospheric debut left me reeling.
C. J. Cooke, author of The Lighthouse Witches
Witty, dark and sharp as a scalpel… brilliantly captures what it’s like to be a woman in a man’s world.
LIZZIE POOK, author of MOONLIGHT AND THE PEARLER’S DAUGHTER
Our Hideous Progeny opened its glorious mouth and swallowed me whole. I absolutely loved it.
Joanne Burn, author of the hemlock cure
More exciting news today, especially for my American friends — I’m thrilled to announce that my debut book, OUR HIDEOUS PROGENY, has been acquired in the US by Wendy Wong at Harper Collins! 🥳
I’m so thankful to my US co-agent, Tamara Kawar, for negotiating this deal, and so excited to work with Wendy on editing OHP! We’ve already been working together for a few weeks now, along with my UK editor Kirsty, and I feel so fortunate to have such an enthusiastic and talented team helping me bring OHP into the world.
Speaking of, I’d better get back to the edits grindstone; US friends, mark your calendars for spring 2023!
— CEM
So, after several years spent watching ‘awards eligibility posts’ pop up every year on social media and wondering ‘What’s that about? Ah well, doesn’t concern me anyway,’ I was finally forced to put on my Big Writer Hat and learn — because I had a short story published this year!
TtBTtBTBLB (as I lovingly call it) is a story of gods and sacrifices, mountains and mental illness — and what happens when the person picked as sacrifice is unfortunately all-too-willing to go. (Content warning below if you need them.) It’s weird, queer, and dear to my heart, and if you have a moment and/or you’re currently considering nominations for awards, I’d be thrilled if you gave it a read.
P. S.: Content warnings for “Things to Bring, Things to Burn, Things Best Left Behind”: a (non-graphic) near-suicide-attempt on the first page, suicidal ideation throughout, and several brief, implied mentions of transphobia and an emotionally abusive parent.
— CEM
Absolutely fantastic news today: my debut novel, the Frankenstein-inspired paleontological gothic OUR HIDEOUS PROGENY, has been acquired by Kirsty Dunseath at Doubleday!
It’s been such an exciting week, and I’m thrilled I get to announce this at last! Innumerable thanks to my agent, Sue, for all her hard work (and for managing to negotiate this deal while BOTH she and Kirsty were on trains, no less!). When Sue first sent OHP out to editors, I settled myself in for what I’d heard could be a long and trying process, only to be absolutely blown away by the speed and enthusiasm of the responses — Kirsty’s first among them! I’m so grateful to Sue for her Agenty Expertise, and can’t wait to bear witness to Kirsty’s Editory Expertise as we work more on OHP over the next year. It’s always wonderful to meet someone who feels like they truly love and understand your work, and Kirsty Dunseath is just such a someone. OHP couldn’t be in better hands 🙂
Oh, and did I mention it’s a double book deal?! Speaking of, I’d better get to work writing; more news on OHP and my as-of-yet-secret Book 2 to come!
You can read the full press release on The Bookseller here!
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