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Felinity Interview – Rachael Brown

 

Hi and welcome to Team Grimbold! Felinity is set to be the first publication under the Kristell Inkling imprint, and we’re thrilled to have you on board. Tell us about yourself. (Please include links to blogs/sites/Twitter/published works etc)

What inspired your story for Felinity?

I was reading an online publication about the devastating deforestation of jungles across eastern Asia, and the effects on the large cats which inhabit them while watching a weather forecast for the following week I was initially struck with the idea of a bizarre panther stuck atop a weather cloud who secretly controlled the weather and was luring weather forecasters with premonitions to their deaths out of spite over what atrocities were being done and still are done to his kind. This idea remained with me for several weeks, and I frequently dreamt about the events of it as a possible short story. However I wanted an outlet for it, which I found with the felinity contest.

How do you feel about having an illustration accompany your story?

Fantastic! Its eye-opening to see a piece of writing visualised because you get a real perspective of how others interpret your characters and your writing. Sadly, without the ability to share perception it’s easy to get caught up in your way of seeing while writing. Also the illustration will be absolutely exquisite with the talent that these illustrators I am sure possess.

What writing projects are you working on at the moment?

Currently I’m writing a sci-fi novel on Watt pad

The most important question – Cats or dogs?

I would have to say cats, personally. Dogs are lovely with their loyalty, spirits and energy but there is a deeper sense of comfort and contentedness I feel when with a cat. You can rely on them and you don’t have to fuss and fend for them, because their indepent detached animals, unlike Dogs which need constant attention, which isn’t a bad thing but for quieter people can be difficult to handle. I personally, curled up with my cat and a classic film is one of my favourite pastimes.

 

 

 

Inkling Interrogation

1. What genre of music do you love? – First and foremost classic rock from the 60-70’s, I just can’t get enough of the sweet sounds of Queen, Led Zeppelin and David Bowie. I also enjoy gospel music, jazz, classical music (mostly game soundtracks), traditional Japanese music and a guilty pleasure- Lithuanian folk music.

2. What’s the worst present  you’ve been given? – The worst present ive ever been given was for Christmas. It was a bizarre hairstyling device for creating ‘hot buns’ as it said on the label- I spent over an hour attempting to wrestle my hair into a bun, getting tied up and fuming in the process until I banished it to the space underneath my bed, where it has now been assimilated beneath unwanted clothes and old socks, never to be seen again.

3. If you were an animal, what would you be? – I would like to think I would be a dolphin based on their intuitiveness and sensitivity, but in all honesty I would probably be a sloth. The rate in which I get out of bed in the morning is appalling….

4. Pick 2 celebrities to be your parents, why them? – Hayao Miyazaki, mastermind behind animation behemoth Studio Ghibli, I would make my father, because of his abundant creativity, wit intellect and open-mindedness as an individual. As a feminist his films provide strong three dimensional female role models which speak to me as an independent person, and the hidden meanings behind all of his films speak volumes about what he could communicate to me about wisdom, politics and the state of the world. Also he has an incredible beard, like threads of snow. Meanwhile Marie Curie, influential and outstanding physicist and chemist I would make my mother. With her drive and determination, sparkling brainpower and raw dedication to her craft she would serve as a true inspiration for me. Hopefully she would also encourage me with goals of my own, as one of the key female figures of history in the STEM area of work.

5. What was the last gift you gave someone? –  The last gift I gave someone was a Nintendo 3D’s console for their birthday, along with the newest Mario Kart game. This is awesome considering I now have someone to play with and aim all my blue shells at. Heheheheh

6. A penguin walks through your front door wearing a flat cap and smoking a pipe, what does he say and why is he here? – The penguin screeches “the eels are coming, high-lord Rachael. The eternal ice-wars begin.”  To warn me, as me and my penguin armies prepare in my top-secret base located in the heart of the polar Alps to engage in battle with the eels, a noble race that simply wishes to bring socialism to the polar Alps, which we strive against.

In my mind.

In reality the nurse who has diagnosed me with schizophrenia is just walking into the room to give me my medicine, proclaiming to my shrieking and squealing that no, she is not a penguin.

 7. What’s your favourite food? –  Im personally a real glutton, so something like tiramisu would have to be my answer. The velvety layers of rich cream, coffee and soaked sponge are simply to die for, especially when washed down with a steaming mug of coffee. Mmmmm, I’m feeling hungry already just writing about it. How do the Italians have such a culture of perfect food?!

8. If you were shrunk to the size of a pencil and put in a blender, how would you get out? – I would request for whoever had placed me in the blender to also pour in cream, which they would then lightly blend until it turned into butter and buttermilk. Then I would form a slippery staircase using the butter, not forgetting to throw some nearby to cushion my fall as I jump out. Then I would ask for some French toast or mini toast to eat with the butter to celebrate my escape.