Isabella Kamal’s A Lady’s Guide to Subterfuge and Science released last week, and she was kind enough to answer some questions for us.
You can get your copy of this delightful start to a new series HERE!
Did you always know you wanted to be an author? What is the first story you remember writing? How did you get from there to where you are today?
Honestly, no! Although I grew up writing, I never once envisioned myself becoming a published author, especially once I began pursuing my career as a scientist. But I do remember writing my first story in the third grade. It was about a lonely little girl who befriends the ghosts that haunt her swimming pool, and it earned me a Scratch-N-Sniff sticker.
I got back into writing when I moved to Los Angeles in 2019 for my first job. Since I was new to the city, there wasn’t much else for me to do after work but write. I started chipping away at my debut novel, The Temple of Persephone, with no real plans for publication. To my surprise, the stars aligned, and it hit shelves five years later. I’ve been writing ever since!
What is the most inspiring place you’ve visited and has it shown up in one of your books?
I find inspiration everywhere! I grew up in the Middle East, live in Pasadena, and have visited Hawaii, Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand, and England. London, of course, has shown up in my books, but it’s far from the only place that has inspired me. There is beauty everywhere, and I’m very lucky to have immersed myself in so much of it.
How much research do you do into the time period and places you write about? Do you have any experience dressing in character or participating in living history situations or are you more a fan of libraries and online resources?
I’m definitely a library and online resource kind of girl. When I start outlining a book, I always dedicate a few pages to notes on the time period and location I’m writing about. I also create a slide deck of clothing and interior references for me to pull from as I go. I’ve never dressed in character or participated in a living history situation, but never say never!
What drew you to the era you write in? Is there something about the time period you think most people don’t know about? What do you think would be the most difficult part about living in that period?
The short answer is that I really wanted my heroine to be a scientist, and science was all the rage in the Victorian era. The long answer is that I was at a scientific conference years ago, and the building had a tiny museum with a very old microscope on display. Seeing it made the wheels in my head turn and is what inspired the creation of Kalila, the heroine of A Lady’s Guide to Subterfuge and Science. As for what most people don’t know—probably that a lot of folks in the Victorian era were looking under microscopes in search of fairies, which is something I make reference to in the novel. I don’t think 1844 would work for me. Like Kalila, I have big ambitions. Unlike Kalila, I have a temper, and would have for sure lost it the moment someone dared to tell me I couldn’t be a scientist.
What are your favorite kind of characters to write? Do you have a specific trope that you’re drawn to?
I love writing serious women, probably because I am a serious woman despite being very tongue-in-cheek all the time. I’m also a big fan of writing characters with dry senses of humor! I have a lot of tropes that I adore—academic rivals to lovers is one of them, and I finally got the chance to explore it in A Lady’s Guide to Subterfuge and Science.
Where is your favorite place to write? Does it change depending on where you are in the process?
I always write in the same place and under the same conditions: at my desk in complete silence.
Which comes first for you: the plot or the characters?
Definitely the characters. I’m the kind of person who grows attached to characters across all forms of media, so it’s no surprise to me that characters take center stage in my own work.
Do you know where the story is going before you begin, or does it come to you as you write? Do scenes come to you fully formed or are you as surprised as the reader?
I always know where the story is going to go, because I can’t start writing until I have a pretty detailed outline in place! Because of that, I’m rarely surprised—though sometimes I find myself deviating when my characters decide to have minds of their own.
Does your writing process include any kind of ritual? Story specific playlists, tea, or candles, for example?
I’m very bare bones! My writing process involves sitting down at my desk and writing.
Do you write better in the morning or evening? How do you handle the distractions of working from home, especially if you’re sharing the space with others?
Because of my day job, I have no choice but to write in the evening. I think I can write at all times of day, mostly because I’m very strict with myself. If I say I’m going to get a chapter done, then I’m going to sit myself down until it’s done. I’m lucky to live alone, which means my apartment is always as quiet as I need it to be! No distractions here.
When it’s difficult to physically travel, how do you find ways to escape?
Books and video games! I’ve been losing myself in both since I was a kid.
From all your books, who is your favorite hero and why?
My favorite hero has yet to make it to print, but I’ll say Oliver from A Lady’s Guide to Subterfuge and Science for now. I’ve never written a hero I haven’t loved!
What do you like to read when you’re not reading in your genre? Did you have a favorite book or series when you were growing up?
I really enjoy mysteries (cozy and otherwise). There were a lot of books I loved as a kid—some of my favorite authors were Jacqueline Wilson (The Lottie Project) and Philip Ridley (Kasper in the Glitter).
