Get ready to learn more about the book Death & Maia in this discussion with sapphic author A. C. Jolly.
Join us for an exclusive peek behind the scenes as we quiz A. C. Jolly about Death & Maia, writing, reading, and more.
This book is part of the Greece category in the 2026 IHS Reading Challenge.
Why did you write Death & Maia?
Two unrelated things happened to me in 2024 that inspired this story in different ways: My dad passed away, and not long after that I watched the TV series Agatha All Along (which, amongst other things, features a romance between a Lady Grim Reaper and the titular character) and was extremely disappointed with the lack of backstory. So I was thinking about death in general, and then I was also thinking about deathy lesbians, and then at some point I asked myself, who would Lady Death actually fall in love with and what would that be like?
Who is your favorite character in the book?
Probably not a surprise that Maia is my favourite character. She is intuitive and tough and hard-working and confident. These are things I am not! But I think she tries a little too hard to be funny, which is very, very me.
What was the biggest challenge writing this book?
The biggest challenge was the lack of sleep. I has this feeling when I was 5000 or so words in to my first draft that this would be the most unusual thing I’d ever written (based on my past work), but also the best, and I was… obsessed with the story, to the point where I couldn’t stop thinking about it. For ages, I couldn’t get more than 4 hours sleep a night, which was very much not sustainable. I think I eventually evened out a bit, but for a while it was very very hard.
What part of Death & Maia was the most fun to write?
Definitely the sex scenes. I had never written a sex scene before I wrote this book and it was so much fun! It made me think, why on earth have I wasting my life NOT writing sex scenes?
What is your favorite line from your book?
I like the opening line best: “There’s death and sheaves of hyacinth beside me in the chamber.” I like the rhythm of it.
What is your writing process like?
I am a very pure form of pantser. I begin the story with absolutely nothing (like, no written notes) and just see what happens. I do usually have a strong concept or a little bit of a map in my head, but nothing resembling an outline. I start making notes as I go, usually at the end of the document in a special “Notes” chapter. I use chapter titles to sort of plan out where I think I’m heading, but they change often, and usually they are just landing places for snippets of scenes or dialog that I think will happen roughly at that point in the story. Sometimes, I think I would benefit from being more intentional in my planning, especially for longer stories (like the one I’m working on now, which is epic fantasy and likely to be over 120K words long!) and to help with editing later on. Having said that, I like the feeling of discovery, even during revisions, like “oops I was inconsistent here” or “woah, I wrote that???”
Where do you usually write, and what do you need in your writing space to help you stay focused?
I like to be cosy, so lately I’ve been writing curled up on the couch with a blanket and very terrible posture. I usually have an “ambiance” video on the background, like the Legend of Zelda soundtrack. I find I am distracted easily, so I use an online “tomato timer” app which is based on the Pomodoro technique – blocks of 25 minute focus time, with short breaks. It’s really helpful to keep me on task.
What’s your favorite writing snack or drink?
Hot chocolate: Hot milk, with a bit of cinnamon and two (three, if you’re feeling wild) big squares of dark chocolate stirred in until it’s melted.
What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing, and by whom?
In terms of day-to-day writing advice, I like (and I’m paraphrasing): “It doesn’t matter how much you write, just make sure you spend time with your story every day so it lives in your mind.” A guy in my writing class said that but I think he was quoting Joy Cowley, who is a very famous and beloved children’s writer in New Zealand. Another one I love is from (again, I am unsure about the attribution here) Ursula K. Le Guin: “Story is not the same as plot.” I like this because it reminds me that there is a magic to stories that goes beyond the mechanical.
What has helped or hindered you most when writing a book?
Having to have a full time job and trying to fit writing around the edges is the biggest hinderance. Having said this, I’m not sure I would like writing books to be my full time job, because I think my pay check would depend too much on the unencumbered creative part of my brain which is… flaky to say the least.
Have you ever fallen in love with one of your characters?
I honestly think I am in love with all my main characters, both in Death & Maia and in my WIP. I can’t imagine writing a romance between two characters and *not* falling in love with both of them. That would be weird, right? When I am designing a main character for a romance, I have to imagine the ways they are attractive, and then, those things are just essentially true. Like, Maia is funny and beautiful, Death is powerful and sweet. Every quality I give them is one I would fall in love with.
Are there any books or authors that inspired you to become a writer?
This is How You Lose the Time War inspired me to write sapphic fiction. It showed me that you can do this intoxicating blend of romance and speculative fiction which I knew, as soon as I finished reading it, was exactly my wheelhouse and where I wanted to be.
What books did you grow up reading?
Strangely enough, I was not a big reader when I was a kid, and to be honest, I am still not. At my absolute best, I probably average a book a month, and I cannot read more than one book at once. When I was younger, I was a big re-reader and I used to re-read my favourite picture books aloud to myself, long after I had aged out of them. For example, there’s a book called “The Man Whose Mother Was a Pirate”, by Margaret Mahy (a giant of New Zealand children’s literature), which I’ve re-read so many times that I could almost recite it word for word for word for you now: “There was once a little man who had never seen the sea, although his mother was an old pirate woman…” I think re-reading aloud, especially kids books and verse, has given me a good sense of rhythm in my own writing.
