Cat Johnson Braves Doll Lil’s Word Association Challenge!

New York Times Bestselling author Gail Carriger began writing in order to cope with being raised in obscurity by an expatriate Brit and an incurable curmudgeon. She escaped small town life and inadvertently acquired several degrees in Higher Learning. Ms. Carriger then traveled the historic cities of Europe, subsisting entirely on biscuits secreted in her handbag. She now resides in the Colonies, surrounded by fantastic shoes, where she insists on tea imported directly from London. She is fond of teeny tiny hats and tropical fruit. The Parasol Protectorate books are: Soulless (Oct. 2009), Changeless (March 2010), Blameless (Sept. 2010), Heartless (July 2011), and Timeless (2012). Soulless won the ALA’s Alex Award.

Dolls: The Parasol Protectorate series takes place in an alternate Victorian period – Steampunk style, how did you get into Steampunk?

GC: I came to steampunk first as an aesthetic movement. I’m a longtime fan of vintage clothing and Goth style; steampunk drew me in as a cheerful melding of the two. I also love seeing recycled technology used as jewelry, and other examples of how creative the maker community has become over the past few years.

Dolls: This series has so much world building and so much of traditional meets new – are there set rules you follow when constructing Alexia’s world?

GC: One of my rules was that I would have no magic in my world: science, yes, magic, no. It seems to me that, if supernatural creatures were running around Victorian London, scientists of the day would be trying to understand them, dissect them, fight them, and avoid them. I didn’t want to be bale to use magic or the occult as an easy-out, but 19th century science is almost as effective. This, in turn, would lead to new and strange advancements in science and medicine. In the world of the Parasol Protectorate, simply put, urban fantasy tropes have steampunk consequences.

Dolls: Personally, this doll loves the descriptions of all the inventions and the technology of Alexia’s world (I too need to get myself a lady bug) – are you a tech-savvy person? Does someone help you with that?

GC: I’m a terrible neophyte and a very reluctant adopter of new technology. However, I am lucky enough to number many tech-savvy individuals in my life. Sometimes I create steampunk inventions from exacerbated actual Victorian gadgets, but other times I will call up one of my friends and beg them to have a conversation with me. “I need the invention to do this, but to have these limitations, and this kind of size. Any ideas? Oh and it should be funny.”

Dolls: What kind of research do you do for a book set in a fictional universe?

GC: I had a fair bit of expertise in certain aspects of the Victorian era (fashion, food, manners, literature, theatre, upper class courting rituals, antiquities collecting) when I started but great gaps in other areas that I quickly realized needed to be filled. I spent a lot of time researching the gadgetry and technology of the day, travel and communications techniques, medical and hard science advances, not to mention other things like major wars and military strategies, configuration of army regiments, geographical lay out of London in the 1870s (shops and streets names), newspapers, and government policies. I also looked into vampire and werewolf lore at the time. That’s the thing, you never know what information you are going to need until you need it, and inevitably the internet doesn’t have it. Since I’m writing alt history I can always disregard the facts, but I like to get it right first, before I mess with it. Most people won’t care to look up the details (or get it wrong by confusing my setting with Austen or mid-Victorian, I’m specifically 1773) but it will bother me if I don’t know the truth of the matter. It’s remarkable what obscure detail one suddenly needs to know as a writer. Most recently, I had to figure out what kind of small gun a gentleman might sport in 1841, and what the political climate was like in Italy in 1875. Even if it doesn’t make it into the book, it will irritate me if unwritten background information is flawed.

Dolls: Alexia is such a wonderful heroine – is she based on someone you know? Do you share any of her character traits?

GC: Alexia and I are similar than I’d like to admit, I suspect. Oh, wait, I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that I might incriminate myself! Actually, bits of my personality come out in three of my characters, one of which doesn’t appear until the second book. I’ll leave my readers to guess which three.

Dolls: We are celebrating Passport: England this week, so, why did you choose London?

GC: London is the hub of activity for this time period. It’s also the place where most cultures in England were likely to mix, even if those cultures were immortals and moral.

Dolls: Your favorite things about London?

GC: Oh, that’s an easy one! The museums.

Dolls: Things you dislike about London?

GC: Until recently it was the food, but over the past ten years suddenly you can actually get decent foreign cuisine in London without having to hunt. So I guess I’d have to say the size of the bathrooms.

Dolls: You are contracted for 5 books in the series – will we see more of Alexia after that or are you planning something new?

GC: I’d love to continue to play in this universe, perhaps the generations before, or the generations after, or maybe some of the side characters will get their own books.

Dolls: Can you share anything about the next book?

GC: Alexia may (or may not) have to cope with zombie porcupines.

Dolls: What would you like people to know about you?

GC: Neither I not my books are meant to be taken seriously.

Dolls: So, would you prefer to be Supernatural – vampire? Werewolf? Just plain “normal” or Soulless?

GC: Oh vampire, all the way.

Dolls: Do you think Alexia would prefer to change her soulless state if given the chance?

GC: No. I think, aside from a few difficulties society has imposed upon her with respect to her appearance, Alexia is quite happy with herself, her strange abilities, and the practical overtones that have resulted with respect to her character.

Dolls: Will we be learning more about the history of some of the supporting characters in future books? And chance for a spin off series?

GC: Yes, some but not all. And, I certainly hope so! The question is, who would you like to see as the star?

Dolls: ooh……Biffy! no, Lord Akeldama!, no, Evie! ok, Biffy! wait Madame Lefoux!

*Dolls continue arguing over this point then remember Lord Akeldama is coming to visit*

*Dolls primp*

…And here he is! he didn’t have too much time to spend with us, he is rather important but we enjoyed every minute! (we can also inform you that Lord Akeldama made a grand entrance as befits his role as potentate)

Dolls: Lord Akeldama, how has your new role been treating you? Planning on making changes in the palace?

LA: Darling, let me tell you, those palace guardsmen’s hats. Something must be done! I simply can’t bare it, not twice a week! Every week. It’s just too much to ask.

Dolls: You and Alexia have a unique friendship, what made you decide to take her under your wing?

LA: Oh simply look at the poor lost thing! Nothing but practicality to rely upon, absolutely no fashion sense. Such a helpless little waif, what else could I do?

Dolls: Have you seen Biffy recently? How is he coping?

LA: My poor darling boy, I do miss his delicate touch with the cravat. Such skill is hard to replace, if not impossible.

Dolls: *nod with understanding* cravats are very delicate things…

Dolls: With Alexia preparing for motherhood, are you excited about the possibility of becoming an honorary uncle?

LA: Thrilled! I adore children, they too tend to be fascinated by bright colors and sparkly objects.

Dolls: *get out our notepads in readiness for next response*

Dolls: If one had hopes to become your drone, what would you say is the most important qualification?

LA: Clean nails, polished shoes, and a certain fascination with gossip.

Dolls: We are So in!

Dolls: The Dolls are dying to know some of your style secrets…any tips?

LA: Moi? Really, my sweets, what would I know about such things? Well, if you insist, I would say that fabric choice is vital, as is perfect tailoring, good foundation garments, and meticulous attention to detail. But frankly, in the end, I agree with my creator: you can never have too many pairs of beautiful shoes.

Dolls: Thank you so much Lord Akeldama! *wonder where to pick up drone application forms*