Author Interview: Fanni Sütő

Londemonium mock cover

Hello my darlings! 
Today I'm sitting with short-story author and aspiring novelist  Fanni Sütő, whom I've recently met on Twitter via a common passion for Doctor Who, and more specifically, David Tennant 😀 (you know me and David, right? But I digress....). During this interview, you'll see that the DW reference is actually integral to Fanni's approach to writing, since the worlds she creates are often (if loosely) inspired by the show, and populated by characters who slightly resemble a few Doctor Who cast members. And no, before you shake your head, I'm NOT talking about fan fiction here. I'm talking about inspiration and atmosphere. I will redirect you to some of Fanni's writing in a few paragraphs, but before I do that - and before the actual interview takes place - let's have a look at one of her works-in-progress...

Another mock cover

Novel vitals by the author: Londemonium is an urban fantasy, set in a world where Hell is a multicultural, global enterprise, sprawling in its own dimension like an infernal version of London.
Gregor is a German computer programmer whose girlfriend, Irene gets abducted by a young demon during their London trip. The ever calm and rational Gregor embarks on a fantastical journey to recover Irene from Hell. His story is a version of the Orpheus myth with a twist.
Molly, the other main protagonist, is a feisty Irish biologist whose research partner gets spirited away. She also finds a passage to underworld just to discover her secret heritage as one of the descendants of the Sidhe, the Irish fairy folk.
Aiko is an English-Japanese girl who comes to live with her drunkard father because it’s still a better option than staying under the same roof as her mother’s new boyfriend. She sees visions of a mysterious woman in white.
Raphael is an immigrant angel. He arrived from Heaven and works hard as a police intern to get accepted. His task is to round up a dangerous journalist who threatens to expose the secrets of Hell.
Londemonium is about how the lives of these four characters intermingle. Gregor and Molly end up in a flat share with Demi, the demon who got their friends. Aiko meets Rei, the majestic fox demon who helps her deal with her rage. The same Rei is Raphael’s superior who tries to help him get his naturalisation.
For the story’s aesthetic, feel free to check out my Pinterest board and Spotify playlist.

Fanni Süto

Dream cast for Londemonium

Edward Aubry: "Static Mayhem" (ARC Review)

Title: Static Mayhem [on Amazon | on Goodreads]
Series: Mayhem Wave (2nd of 5 books)
Author: Edward Aubry [Facebook | Goodreads]
Genres: Urban Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Year: 2017
Age: 14+ (note: Book 1 was marketed as a YA/NA crossover. This one sounds more adult to me - especially because it lacks Dorothy's POV - but like the first installment, I would say that it covers all the spectrum from teen to adult. NA will do)
Stars: 4/5
Pros: As in Book 1, quirky and audacious blend of post-apocalypse, technology and magic. Characters who are easy to empathise with.
Cons: The blend I mentioned might not work for everyone - and it's even more audacious here than in the first installment. Some of the many twists may sound confusing. A relationship from Book 1 threatens to take a strange and unsettling turn.
WARNING! There's talk of sex and a few F-bombs.
Will appeal to: Those who are looking for a fresh approach to post-apocalypse.

Blurb: A year after the world was thrown into magical chaos, Harrison Cody takes part in an expedition to learn the cause. What his team finds is an unfathomable enemy, who intends to finish what was started and wipe out every remaining survivor. Harrison is the key to stopping it, but doing so will come with an unbelievable sacrifice, one he might not be willing to make. (Goodreads)

Review: First off...DISCLAIMER: I have been talking to the author on a few occasions since reviewing his previous titles, Unhappenings and Prelude to Mayhem - which I also rated 4 stars. Moreover, I am a semi-regular reviewer of Curiosity Quills titles (like this one), but if you look back at my ratings, this never prevented me from being unbiased.
Note: an earlier version of Static Mayhem was released back in 2010. If you are curious about the whole story (which is also inspiring for every struggling writer out there who despairs of ever being published), you can read my interview with the author.

RAISING THE STAKES

The first installment in this series, Prelude to Mayhem, was a quirky post-apocalyptic novel full of unknown, often ghastly dangers lurking around, but I can see now that the title was indeed appropriate - that was only the start of a nightmare. In your typical post-catastrophe scenario, the main focus (often the only one) is survival and the rebuilding of a new world, while trying to make sense of the shift and adjusting (or not) to its rules (or lack thereof). In Static Mayhem, our characters not only explore a broken and upside-down world, but try to find a way to save what's left of it AND even to bring back what they can (if the can) of the old reality. All in an environment where magic and technology are mutually exclusive, except for a single instance. It's imaginative, though it probably requires more suspension of disbelief than your average fantasy or sci-fi novel, precisely because the two worlds are coexistent - if opposite - here. I'm usually not a great fan of fantasy creatures, but for some reason, Glimmer - the last pixie - and even a couple of famous mythical creatures whose names I won't spoil seem at home in this series. I think it's seeing them through Harrison's eyes that makes all the difference - he's sympathetic, warm-hearted and open-minded...among other good things 😉. [...]