Blog Tour: Vigil by Angela Slatter

Hello booklovers! Today I am delighted to host my stop on the tour for Vigil by Angela Slatter with an interview with Angela, telling us more about the book, more about the Weyrd people and fantasy. Don't forget to follow along the tour for other fab content.

Angela Slatter

1. Hi Angela, welcome to the blog. First question which is always an obvious one, but can you tell us more about your book Vigil.

Hi, Laura, thanks for inviting me! Well, Vigil is my debut novel and it grew out of a short story called “Brisneyland by Night”. It’s about a woman called Verity Fassbinder who is half human, half Weyrd and works for the Council of Five to ensure that the Weyrd community stay safe and under the radar – and that the Normal community stays safe from any Weyrd who don’t want to follow the rules. She starts by solving a series of child abductions but other crimes are being committed and she finds that a lot of what’s happening is connected with her family. 

2. Can you tell us more about how the Weyrd are different from humans?
I guess the Weyrd is my kind of catch-all bucket for all the things that go bump in the night, the things with eldritch powers, the things with wings and tails and horns and claws, that look different and maybe scary, the kinds of things that once upon a time might have been likely to eat us. But as the world has changed, the Weyrd find fewer places to hide and if they want to survive they need to adapt and live side-by-side with the Normals. Verity’s role is basically to make sure her fellows follow the rules so the community remains secret and safe. 

3. Have you always wanted to write fantasy?
I’ve always wanted to write, but I suppose I thought it would be more in the territory of ghost stories, but I seem to have – through my love of fairy and folk tales – become more enmeshed with fantasy. I love the idea of building a new world, or turning and old one on its head and fantasy seems the best vehicle to allow me to explore that urge! The stories I used to tell myself as a kid were always ones with fantastic elements so I supposed I’m just following a lifelong habit.

4. Which are your favourite fantasy books?
Oh gosh! Diana L. Paxson’s The White Raven, Nancy Kress’ The White Pipes, Tanith Lee’s Flat Earth series and also The Blood of Roses, China Miéville’s The Scar, Jane Gaskell’s Atlan series. There are others, but these are probably the ones I go back to most often.

5. If Vigil was made into a film which actress would you like to play Verity?
Oh, embarrassingly enough I was thinking about this last night! But I was casting the sirens! Elizabeth Debicki as Serena, Cate Blanchett as Eurycleia, and Robyn Nevin as Ligeia. All good Aussie actresses. I keep thinking about Verity and I just don’t know! I’d like it to be someone who looks as though they’ve eaten recently coz she’s a normal well-fleshed girl who eats a lot of cake. A tall strong woman in her thirties who eats cake. Stellan Skarsgård would be a great Ziggy. Maybe Michael Fassbender as Bela … or Eric Bana, who really is the Most Beautiful Man in the World.  Nope, still no Verity springing to mind! 

6. Are there any particular authors that have inspired you?
I have a long list of favourites: Margo Lanagan, Kelly Link, Tanith Lee, John Connolly, Karen Russell, Ramsey Campbell, Bram Stoker, Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, Mary Shelley, Juliet Marillier, Diana Norman, China Miéville, Megan Abbott … I could go on forever and I’ve no doubt forgotten a heap!!
  7. How long do readers have to wait for the next instalment?
Haha! Another year, I’m afraid. I’m currently working on the edits to the sequel Corpselight with the lovely Jo Fletcher – and writing the third book in the trilogy, Restoration. So there’ll be another Verity in 2017 and 2018 – after that, it’s in the lap of the Gods!
  8. How can readers connect with you?
Online there are several ways – details below! And I will be in the UK in August for Nine Worlds and the Dublin Ghost Story Festival as well as a few other appearances. Website: http://www.angelaslatter.com/ Blog: http://www.angelaslatter.com/blog/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/angelaslatterauthor 
Twitter: @AngelaSlatter Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005QQ9FOA Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2847546.Angela_Slatter

A massive thank you to Angela for stopping by the blog and answering my questions. I am going to get my own thinking cap on to see who would play Verity.


Vigil is out now