A Lovely Light
by Kelly Sandoval
Released: Mar 12, 2024
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Why this book and why now?
Confession time, I love the fae. I’ve been writing about them in short stories for years, but I wanted to dig in deeper. And, well, don’t we all feel like outsiders in our own lives sometimes? Telling the story of two women who love the worlds they don’t belong in allowed me to explore that feeling.
Would you and your main character(s) get along?
You know, I’m not sure. I was more interested in writing relatable characters than new friends. Sierra and I could certainly get along, though she keeps people at arms length, so I doubt we’d be close. Rumor sees the world through such a different lens. She’d be interesting to spend time with, but exhausting.
I’d totally date Nightingale, though. If I’m allowed to have a crush on one of my own characters, she’s the one. It’d be a trainwreck, and I don’t care.
What TV show would your main character(s) most likely binge watch and why?
Rumor would be more interested in streamers than TV. She’d be both fascinated and comforted by the live, performative aspect. She is, after all, accustomed to being ‘on’ all the time.
Sierra would love procedural mysteries. She’d watch all of 24 seasons of Midsomer Murders. She’d be comforted by the predictability of the beats. She wishes her own life were more predictable.
What’s your main character(s)’s favorite book and why?
Well, Rumor doesn’t know how to read, so she doesn’t know yet.
Sierra, I can tell you, hates Hemmingway. Honestly, she’s not a huge fan of any of the classics. She’s taught them too often. I think her favorite book is whatever she’s managed to sneak onto the syllabus that she hasn’t taught 1,000 times.
What song does your character put on to start your book launch party?
“The Lucky One” by Allison Krauss. Both Rumor and Sierra see each other as ‘the lucky one’ who gets to be carefree while they struggle with a difficult life in a difficult world. It’s not until they trade places that they realize that they’ve never had the full picture.
