Ink Vine
by Elizabeth Broadbent
Released: Apr 12, 2024
Genre: Gothic
Why this book and why now?
The small-town South is its own animal, and it’s still feral. Options are limited, not only economically, but socially. Ink Vine’s narrated by Emmy Joiner, who everyone considers nothing more than “broke-ass white trash.” As soon as I found her voice, her story demanded to be told.
What is a significant way your book has changed since either the first draft or the way you thought it would turn out when you first had the inspiration?
I handed Ink Vine to my editor, Rebecca Cuthbert, at 28,000 words. After I finished Rebecca’s first round of edits, Ink Vine had stretched up to 35,000 words. That’s a fifth of the book, and in a work this small, it’s huge. Rebecca told me exactly what I needed to add, and the book is much richer (and longer!) for it. It’s been an amazing experience to work with such a talented editor.
What TV show would your main character(s) most likely binge watch and why?
Emmy would binge-watch A Haunting. She’s intrigued by the supernatural and wishing for something to believe in. She’d probably conclude it was crap, but she’d watch it anyway.
What 3 things would your main character want with them if they got stranded away from civilization, and why?
Emmy would want cigarettes, because she’s 100% addicted (like she says, “Everyone tell you not to smoke, but there’s not much good in the world, and you gotta snatch happy where you can.”) She’d probably also want her phone, so she could play music, and conditioner for her hair. Can’t let her hair get too ratty, even if she hates it long and wants to chop it off.
Publishing a book is a huge accomplishment and it’s time to party! Choose a celebratory beverage for one of your main characters to toast the release of your new book.
Talitha’s Swamp Spirits:
Talitha’s the swamp witch who counsels Emmy—at first telling her to stay out of the swamp, but then to do something else entirely. She knows how to have a good time! Emmy would ask her for help with a cocktail, and this is what Talitha would hand her.
