This week, Charlotte interviews Victorian steampunk/alternate history/comedy/gothic/romance/surrealist/urban fantasy writer Gail Carriger. This is one writer you cannot easily slot into a neat classification. Her writing defies genre so much she has practically invented her own!

Gail talks about writing across a wide variety of genres and how she came to write such unique stories. From singing the praises of humour in genre fiction to an in-depth look at the heroine’s journey, there is something here for her die-hard fans as well as those new to her work. And probably most importantly of all, Charlotte and Gail debate the finer points of what makes the best cup of tea.

Authors and texts mentioned in this episode include:

  • Mercedes Lackey
  • Jasper Fforde
  • Douglas Adams
  • Terry Pratchett
  • PG Wodehouse
  • James Herriot
  • Gerald Durrell
  • Black Butler by Yana Toboso
  • A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
  • The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell

Gail Carriger writes comedies of manners mixed with paranormal romance (and the sexy San Andreas Shifter series as G.L. Carriger). Her steampunk books include the Parasol Protectorate, Custard Protocol, Supernatural Society, and Delightfully Deadly series for adults, and the Finishing School series for young adults. She is published in many languages and has over a dozen NYT bestsellers. She was once an archaeologist and is fond of shoes, octopuses, and tea.

Gail’s next book, The Sumage Solution, comes out on July 18, 2017.