GREETINGS, BOOKWORMS! I’m Aisha Kandisha, Head Librarian at Kandisha Press. Join me in the dusty stacks of the library I will never leave again as I chat with some of my favorite Women in Horror. Today we feature author Rosalyn Robilliard!
Rosalyn Robilliard is the pen name for two sisters living at opposite ends of England who stay in touch through writing. They love to explore new realms across fantasy, science fiction and beyond. In 2023, they won first place in the 2nd Quarter of the Writers of the Future contest, and first place in the Mollie Savage Memorial SF&F contest. https://rosalynrobilliard.com/
What do you believe are your strengths in writing? And when you feel you need to improve on a particular writing skill, how do you go about it?
Working together definitely helps us when it comes to puzzling through complicated plot points. If one of us gets stuck, the other normally has an idea of where to go (although sometimes we do just sit blankly staring into space). When we finally fit the pieces into place it’s so satisfying!
In terms of improving writing skills, we’ve both found reading to be a great help. Depending on what you’re looking to improve – perhaps dialogue or character relationships – you can learn so much by studying how other authors do it. We’ve found it doesn’t really matter whether the author has done a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ job, because regardless, it helps you understand what works and what doesn’t. In other words, it gives you practical tools to apply to that skill. Putting this into practice afterwards is also really important, so you can start to adapt what you’ve learnt, to try things out and see what works for you and your style.
What are your thoughts on the book industry today, or more importantly, about the book community?
Growing up in the 00s, it never felt cool to be into sci fic, fantasy & books. But these days you can pop a search into reddit or Instagram and immediately find people who are wildly passionate about the same stuff as you. This has created a great community of book lovers who can share and rave about their favourite reads. Of course, everyone knows social media has its dark side, and the internet can make or break you in an instant, but it’s nice to see it being used to create shared spaces of fandom, where everyone loves reading. Hopefully it’s helping to keep reading cool for the next generation too (although we’re pretty sure the word cool isn’t cool anymore…) so there will always be plenty of readers to support the writing of new books.
Do you feel it is getting harder or easier to make it as an independent author these days?
Writers have some amazing tools at their fingertips these days, making it easier than ever to format, publish and market their work. But it’s also a bit like handing out megaphones to a crowd. We all have access to these tools, and there’s only so many readers to go around. So, whilst it’s probably easier to have a book for sale than it used to be, whether or not you can actually persuade somebody to buy it (and read it!) is another matter.
Tell us about your work. What story are you most proud of?
The story we’re most proud of is The Wall Isn’t a Circle. It’s the most complicated story we’ve written so far, with a plot that genuinely had us pulling our hair out trying to piece it all together (which was both rewarding and exhausting!). It follows the story of Macy, a young lawyer completely out of her depth, as she unearths the dark secrets behind a shiny new app that allows users to time travel virtually. The thing we loved most about writing it was setting something futuristic and slightly apocalyptic in the UK with a young woman as the protagonist. It gave us a real chance to imagine living in her shoes and the chaotic world she inhabits.
What are your upcoming works and plans for the future?
We’re working on our first novel at the moment, which is scary and exciting. We’ve taken what we loved about writing The Wall Isn’t a Circle, and this time we’re looking at a much more destructive dystopian world, but again set in the UK. Getting this novel finished and out there will be a massive achievement for us, so for now, we’re focusing solely on that. We’re having great fun tearing the UK to pieces in the meantime though!
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