Get ready to learn more about the book Sealed With A Hiss in this discussion with sapphic author Eule Grey.
Join us for an exclusive peek behind the scenes as we quiz Eule Grey about Sealed With A Hiss, writing, reading, and more.
This book is part of the Neurodivergent Main Character category in the 2024 IHS Reading Challenge.
Why did you write Sealed With A Hiss?
I wanted to write about two sweet, funny Yorkshire women over 40 who unwittingly get involved in magic. They love going to the pub and having a laugh. I don’t think we see enough characters like Mave and Lisa. Now is the time for this story because my god, we all need a laugh. And maybe because I believe that people like Mave and Lisa have more chance of changing the world than the prime ministers and kings.
Who is your favorite character in the book?
Lisa Blonde! A butch, straight-talking Yorkshire lass with a heart of gold. Lisa is like my sister 🙂 She makes me laugh. You know you can always rely on her no matter what. Lisa loves Mave and her brother, Tom, and she will do anything to protect them.
What inspired the idea for Sealed With A Hiss?
The book is comprised of two stories. Her Little Joke began life in an anthology. I fell in love with Mave and Lisa and then planned the second story while on a walk around Ladybower Reservoir. I thought–how perfect for a lizard lady!
If you’re planning a sequel, can you share a tiny bit about your plans for it?
Yes! The sequel is about to be edited. It is set at historic Whitby and features vampires. It’s the best in the series and I am so excited! Here’s a tiny extract:
We’d reached Leicester when Mariam went to the loo. She must have been gone for a good twenty minutes before I raised the alarm. I mean, anything could’ve happened to her, and I’d promised her dad I wouldn’t let her out of sight. “Tom? Where’s she bloody gone?”
He looked at me like he’d killed a child, with huge puppy eyes. “Oh, fuck.”
He pointed down the train.
No kidding, I just about shit myself. There she was, our Mariam, holding the hand of a woman you could see through. There was nothing but a dingy smudge where her body should have been. Ugh.
May my old mother forgive me in her grave; it was all I could not to run off and leave Tom to it. But I’d promised my mum I’d look after him no matter what, so I stuck around.
Mariam and the ghost came to our table like nothing was wrong—like there weren’t a spook among us with the saddest face I’d ever seen, who was dressed in a torn old wedding dress like Miss Havisham. I realised then—with a great kick in the teeth—that everything Mave had told me about spooks and monsters was real.
As if things weren’t bad enough my Tom only went and joined in by taking the woman’s other hand—I could have killed him! Mariam never let go of that woman, bless her. Of course, Tom had already told her about Jacinta but I never thought Mariam had taken him seriously—Vampires? Who would!
But she did. Mariam had listened to our Tom and understood exactly what he’d asked of her. Every time the poor ghost faded into the seat, Mariam kind of pulled her back to our world until a little bit of a body flickered back into view. I expect the ghost recognised what a lovely girl she was. And, although Mariam can’t talk—on account of her disability—she found a way to get through to that poor, lonely soul. Maybe because Mariam knew better than most what it felt like when people looked right through you as if you didn’t exist.
What is your favorite line from your book?
Penelope leapt back onto my shoulder; my shield, my guardian, my friend. She saved our lives. (Penny is the office cat!)
How do you celebrate when you finish your book?
I go to the pub and have a few pints and talk to my partner about my book. They glaze over quite quickly, but that doesn’t stop me, lol.
Is there a particular genre you would love to write but only under a pseudonym?
Horror! I do sometimes write horror as Eule Grey, but I’d like to write something really horrific under a new name such as Dark Lady. I’d like to go as wild as possible and not worry about anyone.
What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing, and by whom?
‘Keep going.’ Those words came from my first publisher, and they turned out to be true. Don’t stop. Take the bad times and try to not let them hurt you too much. Don’t dwell on a failure. Write a new story instead.
Have you ever cried when writing an emotional scene?
All the time! I get completely absorbed into my characters. When they hurt, I hurt. I sob and moan and then go back over the scene and cut, cut, cut, until it’s right.
What type of books do you enjoy reading the most?
Anything weird. I love dystopia, fantasy, horror, lit fic. I like variety and cleverness and an interesting narrative structure.
Are there any books or authors that inspired you to become a writer?
The Brontës. I have always loved the darkness in their books, the wind, the complexity of the characters and the setting.
