Get ready to learn more about the book Pirates of Aletharia in this discussion with sapphic author Britney Jackson.
Join us for an exclusive peek behind the scenes as we quiz Britney Jackson about Pirates of Aletharia, writing, reading, and more.
This book is part of the Pirates category in the 2024 IHS Reading Challenge.
Why did you write Pirates of Aletharia?
Well, considering my obsession with morally ambiguous women with weapons, it seemed like the natural choice. 😅 Seriously, though, most fantasy worlds are based on Medieval Europe—likely because most of us first learned our love for fantasy from Tolkien’s Middle Earth—and I figured…wouldn’t it be fun to start with the Golden Age of Piracy, instead? It’s been one of my special interests since childhood, and special interests always end up in my writing, eventually. I’m sure other neurodivergent writers can attest to that.
In a way, this is the story I’ve wanted to tell since I was a kid (minus the…sex, of course 😂). As for why I chose to tell it now, it never feels like a choice, honestly. I always feel like the characters grab me by the ear, drag me to a chair, and demand I tell their story. I started building the world of Aletharia while I was still writing my vampire series, and by the time I finished Rose and Kara’s story, Em and Maria were waiting to force me into servitude again.
I think, on a subconscious level, the political climate played a big role. This is a story about broken people learning to love and trust again, but it’s also a story about the evil of prejudice and greed—and the cowardice of apathy and obedience in the face of great cruelty. And you know, that…feels like a story for the moment.
Who is your favorite character in the book?
It’s hard to choose a favorite because I’m always so immersed in the character’s perspective. When I’m in Em’s perspective, Maria is my favorite. When I’m in Maria’s, Em is my favorite. And Judith is always awesome—no matter whose mind I’m in.
In similarities, I share a lot of trauma with both Em and Maria—and the PTSD, of course. But I’m more like Em in that we’re both autistic. I think and communicate similarly to her, and I always feel like I’m doing it all wrong, just like Em. I also share her struggle with self-loathing, though that probably falls into the trauma category, as well.
What part of Pirates of Aletharia was the most fun to write?
Oh, Em and Maria’s first sword-fight/kiss! Easily! I mean, what could be more fun to write than a sword-fight that ends in a kiss?
There were some difficult aspects of the scene. Em is in a self-destructive spiral, which is a symptom of her PTSD, and if you’ve ever experienced one, you know it’s a horrible feeling. Reliving that feeling, even in a fictional setting, was hard.
But overall, it was amazing to write. You wouldn’t believe how much fun I had writing it.
How did you come up with the title for your book?
It took me forever to give it its title. 😅 Up until the last moment, I was still calling it “Lesbians, Pirates, & Dragons 1,” which worked out well enough since that became the series title.
I ended up naming the first book Pirates of Aletharia for several reasons. It takes place predominantly on a pirate ship. It involves Em discovering what it means to be a pirate and how that differs from what people are led to believe, and one of the major plotlines revolves around Em becoming a pirate without choice and then, finally, by choice.
The other books in the series delve into other aspects of Aletharia. So, this title seemed like a good way to show that this was the book that would deal with Em becoming a pirate.
If you’re planning a sequel, can you share a tiny bit about your plans for it?
Well, the sequel for this one’s already out, but there will be another book after it. Book 2 is called Goddess of the Sea, and it deals with some questions a certain admiral left us with.
By the time you finish Pirates of Aletharia, you know Book 2 is opening with a battle. Along with that, Goddess of the Sea deals with the scheming of gods and, more importantly, healing from trauma.
What is your writing process like?
I’m somewhere in the middle—a plantser. I used to think I was a plotter because I spent so much time outlining and planning, but really, I’m just a former English grad student who feels like I’m committing a cardinal sin if I skip a step. So, while I still plot, when it comes time to draft, the characters take the reins.
I prefer this because the final result feels more authentic. The story is driven by the characters, rather than a formula—in the same way real life is driven by real people. The process is more chaotic and stressful, of course, but I think it’s worth it.
The only thing I wish I could change is my own anxiety. I wish I could relax and accept the chaos—maybe even enjoy it—rather than fighting against it and worrying because my process looks different from someone else’s. I have so much self-doubt, and it often keeps me from just…letting the pieces fall where they may.
How do you celebrate when you finish your book?
Well, you see, I have this tradition I call “panicking.” 😅 Yeah, I don’t celebrate. I panic. I try not to panic. Then, I panic more. I really thought I’d be better at *not* panicking by now, but I was wrong.
I usually tell myself I’ll celebrate with a new tattoo, but the bank account has yet to cooperate.
Do you have any odd writing quirks?
I have a few. I only know they’re odd because non-writerly people told me so. They all seem pretty normal to me. 😅
When I’m in a store, I search for candles that smell like my characters, and I burn them when I’m writing because it helps me immerse myself. I create music playlists for everything I write, and I listen to them, even when I’m not writing—because it helps me stay in the right mood in case I do find a moment to write.
I’m convinced the river helps me write because I write best after walks by the river, and of course, I have to have a cup of chai while I’m writing. But that’s caffeine. We all caffeinate, right?
What has helped or hindered you most when writing a book?
I’m my own biggest hindrance. I doubt every word I put on the page. I doubt every draft, every edit. I overthink every single thing I do. My anxiety and depression make everything harder, and no amount of medication or therapy has ever fixed that. I think my mind will always be my own worst enemy.
What’s helped me most has been reading nice emails from readers. It’s easy to get buried in the negative, and sometimes, that encouraging message or comment is what pulls me out—because it reminds me why I do what I do.
Have you ever cried when writing an emotional scene?
I cry constantly when I’m writing. It’s embarrassing. 😂
Writing is a highly empathetic activity. I feel everything my characters feel, and if I don’t, I can’t write. So, I cry when they’re hurting or overwhelmed with joy—because they probably feel like crying, too. (They’re apparently better at holding it in, though.)
It’s also because I use so much of my own trauma when I’m writing. Often, it’s my own feelings that end up on the page.
Have you ever fallen in love with one of your characters?
Always. I think it might be a prerequisite for me. I need to fall fully and utterly in love before I’m ready to write their story.
With both Captain Maria Welles and Kara Unnarsdóttir from my vampire series, I love their confidence—even if, in Maria’s case, it can be an obstacle. I love their ambition and strength. I think it’s beautiful when women ignore what the world tells them to be and become what they want to be, instead.
I also adore compassionate women, which, I guess, is why all of my main characters have a bit of compassion in them—some more than others.
What books did you grow up reading?
I grew up reading everything I could get my hands on. If they let me check it out from the library, I read it. I fell in love with fantasy, especially, because escaping to another world was how I dealt with the circumstances of my own.
My early reading choices taught me the power of stories. It taught me the power of dealing with serious issues in a fantasy setting. It taught me the power of a still moment—when the characters have stopped to eat, and you think nothing’s happening, but then, you’re moved to tears because, actually, people are growing. Relationships are developing. It taught me that I love swords, magic, and dragons and that I love women with swords, magic, and dragons.
The other genres I read taught me things that are important in every genre. Foreshadowing, humor, romance, etc. All of this shaped me as a writer. Everything I’ve ever read has shaped me.
Most importantly, the lack of representation I found while growing up was what made me so determined to write it.
What books have you read more than once in your life?
Oh, I’m a chronic re-reader. Every time I get any sort of bad news, I end up reading an old favorite again. (Guess what I’m doing now?)
My most frequent re-reads are probably the Lord of the Rings series, the Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice, Stardust by Neil Gaiman, and Anne McCaffrey’s dragon-rider books—especially the Harper Hall trilogy. I related to Menolly so much as a kid.
I like reading something more than once partly because I love the magic of noticing something different each time—but also because it’s comforting. I think of it like… trees. When I went through traumatic things as a child, I’d often hide out in the woods, and to this day, the sight of trees still comforts me. Re-reading is like that. You’re going back to something that comforted you once in hopes that it will again.
