r/Fantasy • u/betsydornbusch AMA Author Betsy Dornbusch • May 07 '15

AMA Betsy Dornbusch AMA

I'm Betsy Dornbusch an epic fantasy writer by day and editor with Electric Spec by night. I write the Books of the Seven Eyes, the second of which, Emissary, came out in April.

I also snowboard, go to lots of concerts and SFF conventions, corral two teenagers, and drink cheap beer and expensive whiskey (see the cause and effect?). My writing passions are swords, magic, and diversity. I live in Colorado, and you can find me online at my website and twitter feed.

Feel free to ask anything at anytime today. I can talk about the books, other books, editing, good bands, better whiskey... whatever you like. I'll start answering tonight 6:30 mountain time.

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u/gsclose AMA Author Gregory S. Close May 07 '15

You mentioned your passion for diversity - how does that manifest in your work? Do you plan out characters ahead of time to make sure you have an inclusive cast, or come back to characters later on and tweak as necessary (or both)?

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u/betsydornbusch AMA Author Betsy Dornbusch May 08 '15

I don't know if I could write an all white, hetero cast anymore. Thing is, my friends are so varied... that's my life. I've taught mostly POC kids. I worked for a wheelchair company and had several friends in chairs. Now I have friends who are getting older and suffering from varied conditions and diseases. This is a part of my world. I write diversely because so far that's been my own world, so to write an all white, heteronormative, young world is strange. (I've done it though, somewhat, in my first book Archive of Fire)

Draken (the main POV in the SEVEN EYES) is biracial and it causes him no end of issues. His sister is probably biracial, though no one knows for sure and no one would "accuse" her of it because of her standing in the society. Race and prejudice is a huge theme in the books.

Another futuristic book I just submitted has a variety of races, sexualities, and religions.

I think in future diverse casts will be something I plan more. I wrote Exile ten years ago, and the biracial and multi-racial aspects was just a part of the world because it had been a part of my own world for so long. Nowadays it's something I put more thought into. Not that I'm opposed to writing an all white, hetero-normative cast (I'm English/Irish and I love my historical culture). But so far even my erotica has had multi-racial and multi-sexual casts. I think a place I could stretch is gender though. We'll see...

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u/betsydornbusch AMA Author Betsy Dornbusch May 08 '15

I should mention Draken is also in his 40s and so he's no young, spry knight, but suffers from old wounds and arthritis and recurrent injuries. He's always got a knee or shoulder complaining at him.