PRIDE 2020 INTERVIEWS: Seanan McGuire

Today’s Pride Month interview is with author Seanan McGuire (who also publishes as Mira Grant, and soon as A. Deborah Baker).

Hi Seanan! First off, how is the McGuire household doing during the pandemic shutdown? How are you staying motivated creatively during these times?

I like paying my bills.  It gives me the warm, fuzzy feeling of not having my power cut off for non-payment.  I know that sounds a little flippant, but it’s true, and the need to keep writing in order to make those payments is highly motivational for me.  To be completely honest, it’s the people who have other jobs but are still producing creatively during this time who really impress me—I don’t understand how they’re managing to convince themselves that the job we share matters when the world is on fire.

Since June is Pride Month, I have to ask: how does being pansexual/demisexual influence or inform your craft, if at all?

I identify mainly as bisexual and demisexual these days, after some serious conversations with a pansexual rights activist who noted that I will exclude some partners on basis of gender identity, which did not fit my personal definition of the term.  The line between bi and pan is both flexible and mobile, and three people will get you five opinions.  I’ve never been anything other than what I am, even if the name has changed, so I don’t know how it informs my craft.  You’re asking the fish what the water’s like, and the fish doesn’t know.

Belated congratulations on the multiple Hugo Award nominations for Best Novel (Middlegame), Best Novella (In an Absent Dream), and Best Series (InCryptid), AND your (newly-announced as I’m typing this!) Locus Award nominations for Best Fantasy Novel (Middlegame) and Best Novelette (“Phantoms of the Midway”). All well-deserved! It’s a shame those events are only happening virtually this year.

Thank you so much!  It does suck that everything has to happen online this year, but it also makes it easier for me to lose with dignity, so there’s that.  (I desperately want to win, Best Series and Best Novel especially.  Middlegame is my strongest work to date, and I feel like if the name on the cover were George R R Martin or Neil Gaiman, there would be no discussion; I’d already be the community accepted winner.  And urban fantasy is really one of the genres Best Series was made for.)  Being nominated for Hugos as many times as I have in a short period really just means you get the constant opportunity to lose.

You announced on Twitter just a couple of days ago that you’ve completed work on the next InCryptid novel, Calculated Risks. One of the many things I love about this series is the way you rotate first-person protagonists, something I’m not sure I’ve seen in other urban fantasy series. How do you decide who’s going to narrate each upcoming book? And, if it’s not too spoilery, are there any narrators coming up who haven’t helmed their own installment yet?

I’m moving the overall family plot forward with each book, and each character has their own way of dealing with problems.  Present Alex with a snake god and he brings it home, he doesn’t fight it on national television, for example.  So as the plot progresses, the correct narrators for the situation naturally present themselves.  Our narrator after Sarah will be Alice, which has been coming for quite some time now.

I can’t tell you how excited I am that present-day Alice will get to narrate, after seeing younger Alice in so many short stories on your website and Patreon. On a different but similar note: you have a trio of interconnected stories coming up in John Joseph Adams and Hugh Howey’s Dystopia Triptych anthologies. Can you tell us a bit about the inspiration and world-building for “Opt-In,” “Conscription,” and “Recovery”?

Sometimes we encounter ethical arguments where the shallow end of the slippery slope is completely reasonable and fine.  If we can pay for plasma, why can’t we pay for kidneys?  And then as we get deeper and deeper, the reasons that this was an ethical argument in the first place start to make themselves known.  I wanted to poke at one of the underlying arguments of modern medical ethics.

I have to tell you: you and Saladin Ahmed are the reasons I’m reading Spider-Man books again on a monthly basis for the first time in over a decade. Now that you’re pretty firmly into the Ghost Spider on-going, what have been the hurdles or differences in creative process that you’ve had to become accustomed to compared to writing novels? Outside of the obvious that you’re writing someone else’s property, of course.

A couple of times now, I’ve reached the point of getting a plotline fully approved and started drafting, only to have it pulled out from under me by developments elsewhere in the company, or someone else wanting to do a better focus on one of the same characters, or, or, or.  And that’s been hard to adjust to.  Otherwise, it’s been fun and a wonderful challenge.  I love comic books so, so much.  I love Gwen.  This has been just a dream.

Finally, since you always have so many things going on: what’s coming out in the near future? What are you working on now? And where can interested folks find you and your work online?

I mean, right now, I’m working on email and interviews and all the other administrative fluff that builds up when I’m deep in book-mode and not raising my head to deal with the world outside it.  But I’ll be starting the edits on Calculated Risks sooner than later, and my next book, A Killing Frost (October Daye #14) will be out in September.  Then, in October, I’m launching a new pseudonym, as A. Deborah Baker’s first book, Over the Woodward Wall, reaches shelves.

Seanan McGuire is the author of the Hugo, Nebula, Alex, and Locus Award-winning Wayward Children series, the October Daye series, the InCryptid series, and other works, including the ongoing Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider for Marvel Comics. She also writes darker fiction as Mira Grant. Seanan lives in Seattle with her cats, a vast collection of creepy dolls, horror movies, and sufficient books to qualify her as a fire hazard. She won the 2010 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, and in 2013 became the first person to appear five times on the same Hugo ballot.

An Incomplete List of Queer Creators

Every year, just before Pride, I say I’m going to write a post promoting other queer writers/artists/musicians. And every year the month goes by and I end up thinking “Man, I wish I’d written that post about other queer creators…”

So this year, here it is, and only one week into the month itself!

This is by no means a complete list. It’s mostly about people I’ve worked with, I’m friends with, and/or whose work I love, but it also includes some people I’ve yet to read but have heard good things about.

Caveat: I’m only including here people I have confirmed, either via open online presence or by talking to the person, are openly Queer: that is, they are “out” on their social media. I have no interest in forcing anyone out of the closet just because I love their work. So if I have any doubt as to whether someone is in fact open about their queerness, I’m going to put them in my “Allies / People Who Write About Queer Characters Even If They’re Not Queer Themselves” follow-up post in a few days.

Also: There’s no particular order to this list, either. I’m not even going to try to do this alphabetically. But I am going to try for categories (although some folk fall into more than one).

Also Also: If you should be on this list and you’re not, you were not left off on purpose! Send me a message and I’ll edit to add. I’m kind of winging this in an effort to actually get something posted, and I’m sure I’m forgetting people!

Writers

Steve Berman – gay short story and novel writer, editor, and publisher. His own work is mostly in the fantasy/horror realms, but Lethe Press publishes authors in pretty much all genres. Twitter: @thesteveberman

‘Nathan Burgoine – gay short story and novel writer, in the science fiction, fantasy / urban fantasy, horror, erotica and romance realms. Twitter: @NathanBurgoine

Richard Bowes – gay short story and novel writer, in the sf/f/h realms. One of the Beloved Elders, in my opinion. Twitter: @rickbowes

Christopher Barzak – gay short story and novel writer, in the sf/f/h realms. Twitter: @CBarzak

Adam Carpenter – gay erotica and crime author.

Ellen Kushner – lesbian short story and novel writer, mostly in the fantasy realm, perhaps best known for her novels and stories of the Tremontaine family and the City they inhabit. Also perhaps well-known for being married to Delia Sherman. Twitter: @EllenKushner

Delia Sherman – lesbian short story and novel writer and editor, mostly in the fantasy realm. Twitter: @deliasherman

Seanan McGuire / Mira Grant – bisexual short story, novel, and comic book writer. As Seanan she writes fantasy, science fiction, and urban fantasy novels and novellas and the on-going Spider-Gwen title at Marvel. As her own evil twin Mira, she writes sf-horror. Twitter: @seananmcguire

Bogi Takacs – agender short story writer, poet, and blogger. Twitter: @bogiperson

Everett Maroon – transgender short story and novel writer and memoirist. Twitter: @EverettMaroon

Alex Bertie – transgender memoirist and YouTube personality. Twitter: @Alex_Bertie

Dane Bauer Hassid / Dane Kuttler – queer poet and local activist.

Jeff Baker – gay short story writer.

Michael Nava – gay crime author. Twitter: @micnavawriter

Lydia Schoch – queer science fiction author. Twitter: @TorontoLydia

Vylar Kaftan – “queer as fuck” science fiction and fantasy author. Twitter: @Vylar_Kaftan

Jean Johnson – bisexual, gender-fluid sf/f author. Twitter: @JeanJAuthor

Peter Dube – gay author and poet.

Adam Burgess – gay non-fiction author and blogger. Twitter: @HeWritesWords

Jerry Wheeler – gay author, editor, and blogger. Twitter: @jw_den

Jeanne Kramer-Smyth — bisexaul author and photographer.

Sarah Pinsker – queer musician and sf/f author. Twitter: @SarahPinsker

K.M. Szpara – queer sf/f short story and novel author. Twitter: @KMSzpara

Lee Thomas --  gay horror author.

Hal Duncan – gay sf/f/h author. Twitter: @Hal_Duncan

Bart Leib and Kay Holt — queer publishers of Crossed Genres. Twitters: @metafrantic @sandykidd

Amara Lynn — Enby queer urban fantasy author. Twitter: @AmaraJLynn

Clarissa C.S. Ryan — queer sf/f author. Twitter: @wintersweet

Jordan L. Hawk — queer non-binary author of fantasy M/M romance. Twitter: @jordanlhawk

Kace Alexander — genderqueer sf/f author. Twitter: @kacealexander

Musicians/Singers

Greyson Chance – gay singer/songwriter (alternative) Twitter: @greysonchance

Ryan Beatty – gay singer/songwriter (pop/hip-hop)

Darren Hayes – gay singer/songwriter (pop)

David Roundsley of Munich Syndrome – gay singer/songwriter (electronica) and memoirist

Levi Kreis – gay singer/songwriter (blues) and Tony Award winner.

Comics Creators

Joe Phillips – writer/artist (House of Morecock, Joe Boys) Twitter: @joephillipsart

Tim Fish --  writer/artist (Cavalcade of Boys) Twitter: @timfishworks

Alex Woolfson --  writer, Artifice, Young Protectors Twitter: @alexwoolfson

Pride Month Reintroduction

Here we are at another Pride Month.

This website is, and always will be, a safe space for anyone who identifies anywhere in the collective realm of “queer.” Whether that identification is based on sexual attraction, romantic attraction, gender identity, or the confluence (or lack thereof) of all three: you are welcome here.

Not that this information isn’t available elsewhere on this website and across my social media, but occasionally it’s good to write a new post reminding people of who I am and what I’m about. So:

Your host and author, Anthony R. Cardno, is:

·         gay

·         cis-gender male (pronouns He, Him, His)

·         of Scottish, Italian and Polish extraction  (second-generation in the US on the Scots (Dad’s) side, and either second- or third-generation for the Pole and Italian (Mom’s) side)

·         non-denominational Christian with an open and accepting spiritual side (but raised Roman Catholic)

I came out in my late twenties. Slowly at first to my close college friends and immediate family, then to high school and childhood friends and extended family and eventually professionally. The response was a lot of “well, I always suspected but didn’t want to rush you,” which somewhat made each subsequent coming-out conversation easier. I was lucky enough to have a ton of love and support, which so many of my peers did not have, and so many folks now coming out still don’t. My process was perhaps easier than may others, but it wasn’t necessarily smooth. Mom told me she was fine with it as long as I didn’t “embarrass her in front of the neighbors” (polite speak for “I don’t care what you do at college, but don’t mention this around our community”); Dad was honest that if I’d come out as a teen his reaction would have been very different and perhaps even emotionally, if not physically, violent. And of course there were the handful of old friends who said they didn’t care “as long as I didn’t hit on them” (Interestingly, that almost always came from the guys I never even vaguely had a crush on in elementary, middle, or high school.).

Coming Out is NOT a one-time deal. It’s an on-going process as new people come into your life or as (thanks to social media) childhood friends come back in touch. And I’d be lying (or at least committing a sin of omission) if I didn’t admit that I do still find it stressful in professional (day-job-related) settings, for whatever reason.

So coming out happened in my late twenties, almost 25 years ago. But like many people, internally I knew (even if I didn’t acknowledge/accept) much earlier. A recent thread on my Facebook page about “the most obscure shows you watched when you were around 10 years old” reminded me that even at that age I had what I now can admit were crushes on actors like David Doremus (from “Nanny and the Professor”), Ike Eisenmann (from the “Witch Mountain” movies), Brandon Cruz (from “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father”), Jack Wild (from “HR Pufinstuf” and “Oliver!”), Tommy Kirk (from a dozen Disney movies), Donny Osmond, and pretty much all of the Brady boys. There were crushes on older guys too, of course … but these are the guys I remember wishing I could be best friends with, have sleepovers with, could just cuddle up with – long before any kind of sexual attraction was evident (and never mind that many of these actors were people I was seeing in re-runs and were thus actually older than me – 10 year old Anthony’s brain didn’t really take that into consideration).

As puberty hit and the sexual attraction component also kicked in, so did embarrassment, anxiety and a fear (thank you, Roman Catholic Church!) that I was inherently evil – or at least not “good.” Those insecurities manifested in several ways. In middle school it came as a tendency to do anything I could to not have to go to school (which my parents viewed as a return of a “habit” I had during my one year in Catholic school in Astoria, NY – but my theories about what was going on there are something for another post, if ever). In high school and for several years thereafter, it manifested as a limited form of self-harm involving scratching my wrists (which I recently posted about on my Instagram).

I stopped physically self-harming a long time ago but I still struggle with depression, insecurity and social anxiety issues, part of which stem from those years of not accepting my sexuality and part of which stem from completely different things.

So naturally as a reader and viewer I tend to seek out the kinds of characters I didn’t see growing up (except as jokes or villains; the subject of a post later this month). As a writer, I don’t intentionally limit all of my characters to those I would have liked to have seen but almost every story I write has a queer character of some kind in it somewhere, and usually more than one. Because we’re not just tokens; we’re a large part of the human community as a whole. As a blogger, I want to support and promote creators who identify as queer or who produce work with queer characters, because we won’t be fully represented at all if we can’t represent ourselves. (I also actively seek out work by creators who aren’t white, in case you’re wondering. Because I want to see work that represents humanity in all its diversity and wonder. But that’s a post for another time as well.)

I love to read, write, and consume pop culture largely in the “speculative fiction” / “genre” realms. I love live theater. I love live sports, too, but it’s very hard to convince me to watch them on televisioin (get me to a game, especially the faster-paced ones like hockey, soccer, basketball, and I’m all in; put it on the television and I’m bored). My sense of humor swings from snarky to puns and back, and if I don’t say something every day that qualifies as a “Dad” joke my nieces and nephews are gravely disappointed. I love my family – the genetic one and the found one.

Today, and every day, I send all my love to my fellow Queers around the world. Wherever/however you identify: gay, lesbian, bi, pan, aro, ace, trans*, non-binary, gender-fluid, questioning or anything I've inadvertently forgotten; whatever your "out" status: publicly, privately, or not at all. You are unique, you are you, and no-one should take that away from you. (Nor should anyone try to force you out if you're not ready or are in an unsafe situation.)

And of course, to my nieces and nephews who identify anywhere in the wide realm of Queer: I love you, every day and always, whether you’ve ever told me you’re queer or not.