Author Interview: Brey Willows Chats about Vision of Virtue

Get ready to learn more about the book Vision of Virtue in this discussion with sapphic author Brey Willows.

Join us for an exclusive peek behind the scenes as we quiz Brey Willows about Vision of Virtue, writing, reading, and more.

This book is part of the Grumpy / Sunshine category in the 2024 IHS Reading Challenge.

Why did you write Vision of Virtue?

Vision of Virtue is the second in the Memory’s Muses series, and it follows two characters who were SO much fun to write: Clio, the muse of History and Virtue, and Kit, a hard hitting reporter. This book was very much about the world today, and how hard it can be to stay positive with so much terrible stuff happening. I wanted to explore that, but using the Afterlife, Inc world where gods walk among us, to do so.

Who is your favorite character in the book?

I really loved Clio. She’s so vulnerable, and has true, deep down kindness. She battles the way the world is now and doesn’t really understand her place in it. I think we all understand that, to some degree. She’s really peppy and outgoing and likes being noticed–all things that are completely opposite to me! I wish I could be more like her.

What inspired the idea for Vision of Virtue?

This is a nine book series, with each one following one of the nine muses. Clio is the second oldest of the nine sisters, so it made sense to follow Callie’s story with Clio’s. And I’m a huge history buff (though I remember none of it) so getting to play with the opposites of history/present and how they connect was really intriguing.

How much research did you need to do for Vision of Virtue?

So. Much. Research. These books require quite a lot of historical and religious knowledge, as I try to weave that in throughout. What’s the best memory for a muse who has been around for thousands of years? I need to research that moment so I can bring it alive for the reader. And a lot of this book had to do with current events, so I needed to have my facts right there, too.

If you’re planning a sequel, can you share a tiny bit about your plans for it?

The sequel to this, Lines of Love, is already out. It follows the third muse, Eris, who is the muse of love. She gets sued by people who are pissed off that they haven’t found their soul mates, and in comes lawyer Grace to help defend her from the lovelorn mob. Next up will be Hues of Harmony, following Lyra, the muse of music, as she tries to save the youth center in a rundown neighborhood from a developer.

What is your favorite line from your book?

Kit blinked and involuntarily took a step back. The tall, handsome butch with the gentle dark eyes was Death herself. Fan-fucking-tastic. “Nice to meet you.”

What is your writing process like?

I’m a chaotic combination of plotter and pantser. I need to have an idea of where the story is going and how it’s going to end. Aside from that, I let it run and see where it takes me. Sometimes that works, sometimes it means rewrites. But I always love the process.

Where do you usually write, and what do you need in your writing space to help you stay focused?

We have a cute little writing studio in the back garden, and that’s where we write every night after dinner. I love it, with the big windows looking into our little yard. We’ve got comfy chairs (a must) and all I really need aside from that is a coaster for my ever-present coffee.

If you could spend a day with another popular author, whom would you choose?

I’m really, really lucky to have met so many fabulous authors that I adore hanging out with. I think it’s one of the great things about the sapphic writing community–how accessible it is. I think I’d love to sit down with Stephen Fry. He’s SO smart, but also seems really kind, and as an out gay man he’s been insanely successful. Plus, we could talk about myth for hours and hours.

Do you have any odd writing quirks?

I type like I’m stabbing the keyboard, and I type really fast. My wife says it’s quite disconcerting when she’s going slower than I am! I had one of those keyboards made to look and sound like an old typewriter, and I had to stop using it because it was like gunshots as I typed.

What animal or object best represents you as an author or your writing style?

A panda, hands down. Cute, clumsy, caring and impossible not to laugh at and wonder how on earth it hasn’t gone extinct yet.

What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing, and by whom?

If you want to be a writer, then you have to write. There’s no use in talking about it and not actually getting your ass in the chair. If you want to be a writer, sit down and write.

What has helped or hindered you most when writing a book?

Comparison! It’s really hard not to compare your writing/success to that of another author, and if I get too much in my head about that, it can really mess me up and stop me from writing. Good reviews, on the other hand, can keep me going.

When you’re writing an emotional or difficult scene, how do you set the mood?

For me, there is no mood setting. I get my butt in the chair and write what I have to write, and sink into the scene in my head as much as possible. The world outside me ceases to exist, so it doesn’t matter what’s out there!

What do you do to get inside your character’s heads?

I see them as people. I start writing to let them know what’s happening in the scene, and then I let them take the lead and show me what’s going to happen next and how they feel about it. I try to stay in the shadows and act as a conduit rather than a director.

If you could be mentored by a famous author (living or not), who would it be?

I would be a terrible toddler of a mentee. I’d probably throw tantrums when they told me things weren’t working or that I could do better. But I’d want someone nice, someone who wouldn’t tell me I should give up and go shine shoes in the marketplace instead. I think maybe Julie Cohen would be a great mentor, and she’s still very much alive.

Do you feel bad putting your characters through the wringer?

In Vision of Virtue, Clio is in Mexico with Kit. They’re there to cover a story, but before they get to their destination, Dani (Death) has to stop at a particularly gruesome cartel-related death scene. Clio is so devestated by it, and Dani is so enraged…I felt all of it and didn’t sleep that night. But it was necessary for Clio’s growth as well as Kit’s understanding, and so Dani could enrage the population enough to allow her to do something about it. I think it’s still one of my most intense, and favorite, scenes.

What type of books do you enjoy reading the most?

I’ve always loved fantasy, ever since I was a little kid. Those and mysteries, like Nancy Drew or Agatha Christie. The Dragonriders of Pern was my first introduction to high fantasy, and I never turned back. Fantasy/sci-fi are always my go-to when I need something to fall into. I read a lot of writing books now, too. And since I developed a neurological disorder, I really turn to audiobooks.

Are there any books or authors that inspired you to become a writer?

Lori Lake was the one to get me to submit my very first story to the Women in Uniform anthology, back in 2008. If it wasn’t for Lori, I don’t know that I’d have taken up the pen again after a tough writing program at Uni. And then my wife, Robyn Nyx, convinced me to have a go at the novel bouncing around in my head–she said she’d get the snake tatttoo that the character, Alec, has in Fury’s Bridge if I completed the book. I did, and she has the tattoo to prove it.