Get ready to learn more about the book Sugar and Spice in this discussion with sapphic author Sam Skyborne.
Join us for an exclusive peek behind the scenes as we quiz Sam Skyborne about Sugar and Spice, writing, reading, and more.
This book is part of the Self-Discovery category in the 2024 IHS Reading Challenge.
Why did you write Sugar and Spice?
First, I love the fact that Skala Eresssos has been a place of epiphanies, and new beginnings for so many women over the years, in so many ways. “Sugar and Spice” is another celebration of this wonderful phenomenon.
Second, when I first started going to Lesvos, I spent most of my time in Skala Eressos itself. It was only fairly recently that I discovered the joys and treasures of the surrounding areas, including Eressos village, the Fragma (lake) and the other nearby coastal villages. This book gave me the opportunity to take my characters to these wonderful places.
Who is your favorite character in the book?
Spice. I enjoy writing fallible characters. It reminds us we are all human and sometimes we can all get ourselves into a bit of a pickle in matters of the heart. In “Sugar and Spice” she certainly does exactly that!
What was the biggest challenge writing this book?
I find it challenging not to get nervous on behalf of the characters while putting them in the precarious/tense situations they need to be in for the story to unfold.
What part of Sugar and Spice was the most fun to write?
I probably enjoyed the night time trips to the Fragma and the photoshoot on the beach the most. I have fun when my characters are a little outside of their comfort zone.
How did you come up with the title for your book?
The title “Sugar and Spice” was based on the main character’s nick name she was given by her best friend.
How much research did you need to do for Sugar and Spice?
I had to explore the surrounding areas extensively to decide where to set the various shenanigans. That was great motivation to visit some very awesome little hide-away places I would not normally have gone to visit.
If you’re planning a sequel, can you share a tiny bit about your plans for it?
Yes, I am currently working very hard on the next book (book 6) in the Lesvos Island Collection. This one revolves around the stunning heavens that can be seen from this marvellous island. Sitting under the stars from sunset to sunrise is truly spectacular. Not to mention that a number of people have found their true loves under those same stars.
Where do you usually write, and what do you need in your writing space to help you stay focused?
In my room or study, although technically I can write anywhere as long as I am focused and not distracted. I like to take myself off to different places, ideally back to the location of my current work in progress, for self-imposed isolated writing retreats, especially if I am struggling to focus or finish a particular project.
Another tiny tip that has also proved ground-breaking for me and my writing routine is to have a separate writer profile on my laptop. When I login as Sam Skyborne, it tells my unconscious, it is time to write. I like to furnish this profile with a backdrop of images related to the work in progress.
I also benefit from the supervision of my greatest fan and biggest critic; Twinkle-Toes, my cat. She is a tubby tabby with a plethora of fluff and the whitest of white paws. In personality, she is more guard-dog than feline. She, very helpfully, sits on my lap, pinning me down most days until I have achieved my writing goals for the day.
How do you celebrate when you finish your book?
Getting a book written has been compared to childbirth. I can really understand why. Or rather I can imagine. It is one of the most difficult processes I have ever experienced. So, to say I breathe an enormous sigh of relief after every book is an understatement.
Do you have any odd writing quirks?
I’m not sure if these are quirks exactly. I do use a combination of tools during my writing process, such as drawing on a whiteboard, scribbling in notebooks, planning on mind mapping software. Recently, I have taken up walking and talking—dictating notes and ideas while enjoying the outdoors when the weather is good. If the weather is not, I wear grooves in my floor from pacing while dictating. Somehow, moving helps my thoughts to flow more easily sometimes. My step counter is happy with this recent development.
If you could be mentored by a famous author (living or not), who would it be?
I love the idea that Shakespeare could have been a woman. 🙂 … In which case, I’d love to glean an insight into how exactly so many great plays and sonnets were written and produced—the skill with which such diverse audiences were, and would be, wowed for centuries to come.
Do you feel bad putting your characters through the wringer?
I felt bad about Becks in “Sugar and Spice”. She does get a raw deal in the end—up against a fight she could not possibly win.
What type of books do you enjoy reading the most?
Like a lot of readers, I enjoy reading books that reflect people like me. Alternatively, I enjoy getting to know characters I can admire and learn from, hence; I like books with strong female characters and am thrilled if one of the main characters, ideally the hero, happens to be a lesbian. Sadly, until relatively recently, the lesbian fiction genre was mostly very limited. This is changing fast, which is very exciting.
I also like books that allow me to experience things outside of my reality—books that expand the frontiers of my imagination and surprise me with great twists and turns.
What books did you grow up reading?
As a child of the 70’s, I was subjected to books that generally had a very slanted view of women and their roles in society and in fiction. I remember being thrilled to find Enid Blyton’s George character—at last someone I could vaguely identify with! It was exactly that need for fiction and central characters that reflected my demographic in positive, energetic and pro-active ways—of which there were very few—which started me on my writing career.
I also want to say thank you to all the other authors who have picked up the mantle, or the pen, and helped to invent new worlds with new possibilities for women; especially of and for women who love women. It is important to encourage diverse and eclectic voices to provide balance in our understanding of the world.
Describe your favorite reading spot.
In warm, wind-free dappled shade on a sunny day or snuggled on my couch with Twinkle-toes in front of an open fire.
