Books

UEA Live: Lauren Groff and her Queer Nuns

by Louise Collins

On October 7th, Lauren Groff kicked off UEA Live by discussing her latest novel Matrix, a finalist for the 2021 National Book Awards. Matrix is a historical fiction novel reimagining the 12th century poet Marie de France as a queer, visionary leader. Groff has a Master of Fine Arts degree in fiction, four published novels, and two published short story collections.

Five years ago, Groff vowed to never again write historical fiction. As evidenced by Matrix, she broke that vow. She was introduced to the works of her latest protagonist at university, where she was a dual English and French major. Marie de France was the first female poet published in the French language, and Groff immediately became entranced. Having carried Marie de France in her mind for 20 years, Groff went to a lecture at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University. Here, the speaker was talking about ceremonial manuscripts of 12th century nuns, and Groff was inspired, stating, “as I was sitting, I saw Matrix rise up and become too big for me to ignore.”

In writing Matrix, Groff used a mixture of deep historical research and a lived experience by visiting an abbey. She learnt the life of modern nuns and lived through some of their routines. In more ways than one, Groff describes Matrix as a hybrid of history and contemporary life, saying “I wanted history and the current day to speak back and forth” as she wants the reader to understand they are reading history through a contemporary voice, including the way that Marie, in this novel, is a queer lover and a leader - a contemporary take on a fairly unknown historical figure.

Groff said, when writing Matrix, “I asked what does female power look like?” Marie is thrust into a position of power in an abbey and, throughout the book, learns what power is, and how to use it to resist hierarchical structures. Groff noted that part of Marie’s character was that she was aware of her privilege, and this awareness was vital to her story.

Matrix takes inspiration from both the past and the present, discussing the topics of climate change, and women’s rights in the 12th century vs under the Trump presidency. Groff, living in Florida, felt powerless during his term, and this inspired a lot of what her protagonist felt. The characters and the histories helped Groff channel her own feelings of fear and powerlessness as a woman in America into this leading figure of Marie. In laying herself bare, Groff said something which really resonated with me - “as novelists, our job is not to answer anything. We go into books to ask the questions that come the closest to the darkest parts of where we are at the moment of writing the book.”

Knowing this, I can already tell Matrix is going to be an emotional read, and I for one, look forward to entering the world of Marie de France and her nuns.

Photo: Molly Taylor

8 books

An Interview with Samantha Shannon

By Louise Collinss

Samantha Shannon is a well-known fantasy and dystopian author. Whilst studying English Language and Literature at Oxford University, Shannon signed a book deal for a seven-book series known as The Bone Season.

Shannon is currently working on the fifth instalment of the series, and a project set in the world of The Priory of the Orange Tree. After being introduced to her works in the Spring of 2020, via Priory, and becoming enthralled in her series, I had the honour of interviewing her.

Q - I just wanted to say how much of a fan I am of you. Your writing has really inspired me, and your interaction with fans always blows my mind.

A -Thank you so much! I love chatting to readers.

Q - Do you have any advice for balancing writing with university? How did you manage writing The Bone Season whilst working and studying?

A - I started the first draft in Summer 2011, just before my second year at uni, and kept writing into the first term. If memory serves, I got my book deal around the start of second term, early in 2012. Time management was critical – I worked on my research and essays during the day and wrote in the evenings. I’d written as a hobby from the age of 12, so I was used to carving out time for writing during studying and homework.

I won’t pretend my academic and social lives didn’t take a hit – I skipped lectures (they weren’t compulsory for my degree) and going out with friends – but, luckily, it paid off. In hindsight, I wouldn’t recommend writing at the expense of academic opportunities. You’re paying through the nose for your degree, you worked hard to get your place, and you have your whole life to work on a book.

“I want my readers to see themselves in the worlds I create and feel they have a place there.”

Q - Your books are always beautifully diverse, whether with queerness, mental health, disability or race. Why is that important to you?

A - Real life is diverse, and I don’t see any reason not to reflect that in my books. I want my readers to see themselves in the worlds I create and feel they have a place there. I know how reassuring and inspiring I find it when I see people like me in the stories I love.

Q- You’ve often shared songs which tell your characters’ stories - like how Danse Macabre reminds you of Jaxon. Do you base characters off songs, or find the link as you write?

A- Music inspires me in terms of atmosphere and scope, rather than storylines. I like music without lyrics – film scores, or the cinematic instrumental music in trailers. I sometimes connect characters with songs, as with Danse Macabre and Jaxon, but that’s generally a connection I make once the character has taken form.

With Arcturus, the deuteragonist of The Bone Season, I thought it would be interesting for him to communicate through an old gramophone, as he isn’t human and doesn’t always have his own words to express himself to the human protagonist, Paige.

Q - I know your fascination with etymology inspires many of your character names. What else inspires your writing?

A- Everything from history and mythology to geology and language. I’ve taken a lot of inspiration from the natural world – volcanoes, caves, hot springs, the Northern Lights – for a book set in the same universe as Priory and for the Bone Season books, I delve deep into real cities, like London and Paris. I love drawing real details into a fantastical setting.

Q - What’re your favourite writing and reading snacks and/or drinks?

A- Coffee is my go-to drink for writing and editing. I’m trying - and failing - to give it up and drink more water, as I suspect the caffeine doesn’t help my migraines, but coffee is still my fuel. I don’t snack much when I write, but when I do, it’s fruit. For reading, I’d take a cold Dr Pepper in the summer and a hot chocolate with biscuits in the winter.

Photo: Lisa Makepeace

Q - Do you have plans to step outside of the fantasy / dystopian genre, and if so, which genre?

A - Not for the foreseeable future, but I’ll probably delve into historical fiction at some point. I already thread historical detail into my books, but I want to take the full step and write books centred on women side-lined by history.

Q- Finally, what is your favourite genre to read, and what is your go-to book recommendation

A- Fantasy is my favourite. My favourite books which came out this year are Black Water Sister by Zen Cho (about a closeted lesbian who becomes her dead grandmother’s medium), The Wolf and the Woodsman by Ava Reid (a fantasy inspired by Jewish mythology and Hungarian history, with a gorgeous slow-burn romance) and She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan (a queer reimagining of the rise of the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty).

BOOKS Bimini Bon Boulash at UEA Live

by maja Anushka

People of influence are well represented by the fans they have, and those waiting to see Bimini Bon Boulash are characterised by animal prints, colourful hair, and bold makeup.

Taking my seat, I settle into the excited buzz of the room. It doesn’t feel like we’re about to watch a book launch - the energy feels like an audience waiting for a performance. Considering Bimini’s career, a drag performer who started out in East London in 2017, this anticipation makes sense. Bimini broke through the mainstream media when they were cast in RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, Season Two. KR Moorhead comes onstage and wastes no time before introducing the main event, and Bimini sets the tone for the evening by walking down the Lecture Theatre stairs in 10-inch heels as the entire room whoops and whistles.

I’m delighted when I see they’re donning the same outfit from the first episode of Drag Race - a feminised, high fashion version of Norwich City FC’s uniform. Originally from Great Yarmouth, Bimini gushes about how good it feels to be back in Norwich, joking “Prince of Wales Road needs to come with a trigger warning.”

Bimini’s presence onstage is immediately comfortable, casual, and genuine. Moorhead quickly gets into the meat of the conversation, discussing being gender nonconforming and non-binary, and Bimini says they’ve always been intrigued by the idea of the ‘bimbo’. They explain they were influenced by certain versions of femininity they saw growing up, like Katie Price and Pamela Anderson. When speaking further about women in the media, Bimini, who studied Journalism, shows their extensive knowledge of broadcast culture. “The British media have a lot to be held accountable for,” they say, and of their own youth: “we saw female breakdowns as entertainment. Now we know what Britney has gone through - Free Britney, thank God.”

Moorhead praises them on their transparency about errors in judgement, and Bimini replies that it’s important to them to promote honesty, kindness, and understanding. One of the main messages of the new book, Release the Beast, is “nobody’s perfect.”

“The best art comes from fucking up”

Photo: Maja Anushka

When taking audience questions, one person asks how to approach gender identity conversations with unaccepting family members. At first, Bimini jokes, “go on a mainstream TV show, and give them no choice!” However, then they note that it’s a very tricky topic. They stress their belief that human beings “are open to hearing other people’s experiences,” but that this can lead to hostility if conversations are approached with aggression. Bimini advises the audience to “be open to the other person as well. Why do they feel like this? Why are they misinformed?” I ask Bimini what the hardest part of writing a book was, and they reply: “Writing it.” Bimini explains they initially found the process “very difficult” but got through it by taking it chapter by chapter, and with help from Shon Faye, who recently published her own debut, The Transgender Issue: An Argument for Justice.

Release the Beast tackles gender identity, self-expression, fashion, queerness, and mental health advice. Bimini reads the introduction to the room and says that self-help books aren’t usually written for people like them - queer, non-binary, and working class - and describes their book as an ‘anti-self-help book’. Bimini finishes the extract with: “the best art comes from fucking up.”