Welcome, friend! Today I bring you a collaborative post with author Mathilda Zeller. We are chatting about her YA historical fantasy, The Revenge of Bridget Cleary.
Get to know the author: Mathilda Zeller
Welcome Mathilda! Tell me and my readers a bit about yourself!
Thank you for the interview, Kriti!
I’m the debut indie author of The Revenge of Bridget Cleary, a YA historical fantasy that follows the fictional daughter of Bridget Cleary as she attempts to avenge her mother’s murder and appease a wrathful fairy queen.
Besides writing, I am raising my six children who range from preschoolers to high schoolers. I love running, knitting, and volunteering in my community. I’ve lived in over 18 different cities across the United States and Europe, and I love learning and trying new things.
What inspired you to write this book?
I was researching my family history and learned about the actual 1885 murder of Bridget Cleary because my great grandfather emigrated from her community just a month after her untimely death. The more I learned about the terrible crimes committed against her, the more I wanted to write an epilogue to her history that might grant her some sort of justice.
I also love pre-Raphaelite art, but had been learning about the horrible ways that the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood exploited their models, muses, and lovers so I figured as long as we are righting historical wrongs against women, let’s explore those ones as well.
How long did it take you to write this book, from the first idea to the last edit?
Years! I first got the idea in 2018, but had several false starts, writing about 20k words before scrapping the project. I wanted to make sure I did right by Bridget Cleary herself and I was also a bit overwhelmed by the amount of research that went into writing a historical fantasy.
After I had my sixth child, my husband took paternity leave from his graduate program and took over the household and homeschooling while I write full time for a few weeks. I was able to finish a workable draft in that time.
I had an offer of representation for a different book in 2018, but had to turn it down due to a number of red flags from the agent and agency. I’d also had agents who’d taken over a year to make a decision on a manuscript or query, or never reply at all after having requested the full manuscript! After revising and polishing The Revenge of Bridget Cleary, I couldn’t bring myself to jump back into the querying pool. During this time, I became acquainted with W. R. Gingell and Suzannah Rowntree, and began to learn more about the indie publishing world. When I finally decided to try it for myself, I knew that The Revenge of Bridget Cleary would be my debut novel.
What makes your story unique?
My story takes several threads of history and fairytale–the 1885 murder of Bridget Cleary, the late Pre-Raphaelite Art Movement and the Bad Actors therein, the anxieties and sensibilities of late Victorian aristocracy, Irish myth and folk belief, and weaves them together through the narrative of an ill begotten half-fae girl haunted by her past, homesick for Ireland, and burdened by a bloody vendetta from the fae.
Several reviewers have said things along the lines of “it wasn’t what I was expecting, but I liked it!” This feedback delights me to no end. I love being able to create something unexpected.
Who would enjoy reading your book?
If you love true crime, Downton Abbey, plots twists, cinnamon roll love interests, strong female friendships, and satisfying endings, this one is for you.
What’s something you hope readers would take away from it?
I hope readers, especially women and girls, come away feeling more empowered and more committed to building mutually supportive friendships.
Do you have a favourite quote or scene in the book that you find yourself going back to?
“You–” it hadn’t occurred to Brigid that Florence was out in mortality against her own will, and that she owed a debt as heavy as her own. “And who must you kill?”
Florence shook her head. “No one. They can make me kill no one. I choose to kill no one. All the blood I want is already coursing in these veins. All the gold I want is the gold that will keep the rain off my back and the hunger off my belly. The fairies can take their vendettas and shove them up their collective bungholes.”
Brigid stared. She had never in her life considered telling the fairies to take their vendetta against her father and shove it up their collective bungholes. She hadn’t considered their bungholes in the slightest.
“You chose mortality, then?”
Florence nodded, her dark eyes resolute. “Every blooming day.”
“Don’t you miss it? The fairy world?”
Her resolution cracked at its edges. “Every blooming day.”
“You’d rather live in exile forever? Why?”
“I love this. I love it all. The messiness, the uncertainty, the failure and the hunger. When you can live forever, time matters less. Triumph and failure all run together like sunrises and sunsets–there are an endless supply of them. It doesn’t work that way in the mortal world. You’ve only got so much time, and the press of what to do with that time. And then you die.” She smiled.
“Do you want to die?”
“In a way. Not right away, of course. But eventually.”
“Why?”
“To see what happens.”
What is something you have learned on your author journey so far?
- You can always write a better story, and it’s worth it to keep trying.
- You will never write a perfect story, but it’s worth it to keep trying.
What’s the best piece of advice you have received related to writing?
Keep trying. Do what scares you. Opinions are always subjective–they all have merit, but in the end, you have to be the one making the creative decisions.
If you could give a shout out to someone(s) who has helped in your writer journey, please feel free to mention them below!
I’m so grateful to I’m particularly grateful to Rosamund Hodge, Claire Hill, M. L. Farb, Marie Lewis, and Brielle Porter for their unfailing support, wit, and wisdom!
The Revenge of Bridget Cleary
YA Historical Fantasy, 2022
Exiled for a murder her father committed, Brigid Cleary has until midsummer to gather what she needs for readmission to her home in the fairy mound: a chest of stolen gold and a chest full of her father’s blood. With nothing but her own wits and an ability to be mostly unseen, she takes a position as a scullery maid in a country manor house, where stealing gold is easy as dusting the candlesticks.
When discovery of her thieving becomes likely, she scarpers, embarking on a madcap season in London. With midsummer fast approaching, Brigid must recoup her stolen gold in any way she can, even if it means modeling for a lecherous pre Raphaelite artist, posing as a young debutante to spy on other debutantes, and forming a clandestine Pugilism Club for Young Ladies.
With gold filling her pockets and her father newly released from prison, the path back to the fairies should be clear. Or would be, were it not for her growing feelings for Edmund, the gentle young lord who hired her to spy on his sister; her burgeoning sense of loyalty and friendship to Adelaide, the sister upon whom she was meant to spy; and the unsettling question of whether she should–or even could–bloodily avenge her mother’s death.
Inspired by the actual 1895 murder of Bridget Cleary by her husband Michael, the struggle for Irish Home Rule, and events surrounding the late pre Raphaelite artistic movement, The Revenge of Bridget Cleary has been heralded by author Joanna Ruth Meyer as “equal parts haunting, compelling, and throughtful.”
Content notes include attempted sexual assault, domestic violence.
Book Excerpt from
The Revenge of Bridget Cleary
Context: Brigid is going to pose for a pre-Raphaelite painter, only to find that the man she is posing with is her erstwhile employer. She is haunted by her murdered mother, who has a lot of commentary to give on the situation.
Time froze. Her blood froze. Even Mam’s usually fidgety aura seemed to clam up in a cold little shackle around her left ear.
You’re in it now.
Does he recognize me? Maybe the dress–
He recognizes you, child. He recognizes you in the way the morning glory recognizes the sunrise.
Mam had said the only thing that could shock Brigid more than being caught out by Edmund Fortescue. But there it was–he stood for several seconds in a look of complete and utter infatuation. There was no denying it, and it was terribly, terribly awkward. Heat flushed up from the neck of her dress, which suddenly felt altogether too low and too wide. Why on earth had she consented to Mr. Baxby putting her in such a thing?
“Master Fortescue? Master…oh for pity’s sake. Edmund!” Mr. Baxby snapped his fingers and Edmund started, tearing his eyes from Brigid on her ersatz mount to the painter that sat before him.
“Mmm?”
“I can see I chose the right model for this portrait. May I present Miss Brigid Murphy?”
Edmund bobbed his head vigorously. “Of course, of course. I am delighted to make your acquaintance, Miss Murphy.”
He bowed, and Brigid found herself in the unsettling position of being unable to curtsey back. It was strange enough to be towering over her former employer from the back of a saddle mounted to nothing but a wooden stand, but to have him tripping over himself for her was too much. She finally managed an awkward bow from her great height. As much as etiquette may demand otherwise, she was not about to try to clamber off this “horse” in a dress this impossible for the sake of a proper greeting.
“Master Edmund has consented to be our wand’ring knight for this portrait,” he said a little too brightly, “As you may easily guess from his armor and chivalry. Now, if you will, Master Edmund, please take her hand.”
Edmund actually trembled as he approached Brigid, his honey colored eyes gazing at her in fearful supplication. “May I?”
“Oh dash it all, of course you may!“ Mr. Baxby answered for her. “We haven’t got all day, and we’ve got to figure out how to pose you before we lose the light.”
Brigid reached out her hand and he took it reverently. She was surprised to feel calluses on his skin, and thrilled at the hammering of his rapid pulse. He was afraid of her. Oh the irony.
He doesn’t know me. Not as his errant scullery maid.
Let’s just pray it stays that way, Mam muttered. My, aren’t his eyes nice?
Brigid sniffed. Really? I hadn’t noticed.
You are a terrible liar.
“No, no, that’s not quite right,” Baxby said as he waved a pencil. “Brigid, lean down as if you want to kiss him. Edmund, you’ll lean back, both entranced and fearful. I daresay it won’t take much acting on your part.” Mr. Baxby said the last part under his breath, and if Edmund noticed, he showed no sign of it. Brigid leaned down towards him, her beflowered hair falling in loose waves near his face. She was going to shed a hair into his mouth, the poor man, and then where would they be? Oh, his eyes were even nicer up close, little flecks of gold swimming in a deep, warm brown.
“That’s better but not quite. Bring a hand to lightly caress his face so–”
Edmund’s skin was clean shaven and smooth, and smelled faintly of bergamot and sunlight. His pulse thundered in the soft cove just beneath his jaw.
“Perfect. Hold it just there. Keep that eye contact. Brigid, you are la belle dame sans merci, without pity for the way you’ve stolen this poor swain’s heart and soul. You have him in your thrall, and eternity is held in this moment.”
Time crushed in on itself like an accordion. What a strange world, Brigid thought.To think that yesterday morning I was building up the fire in his bedroom and stealing his sweets, and now I am here, holding him and staring into his eyes in a big show of pageantry and playacting.
Interested?
Thank you for hanging out with us today. Find The Revenge of Bridget Cleary on Goodreads and IndieStoryGeek. It is available on Amazon. Connect with Mathilda on Twitter, Instagram and her website. Join her mailing list here!
If you are an indie author and would like to do a book excerpt, check out my work with me page for details. Check out other book excerpts here.
Cover image: Photo on Unsplash
Be First to Comment