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Announcement:
From Pen to Print: Xan van Rooyen on Born Of Malice
South African-born, Finland-based author Xan van Rooyen initially started their latest release as a cozy fantasy—until they realised the characters, inspired by the mythology of the Finnish underworld, needed something a little… darker.
Name: Xan van Rooyen (they/them)
Based in: Helsinki, Finland
What genres/subgenres are you drawn to?
SFF and horror, specifically dark fantasy, dark scifi, cyberpunk, mythpunk, and all things Gothic
Is writing your full-time focus, or do you have a day job as well? What do you do?
I write part-time and teach primary school music part-time.
The Book: From Pen to Print
What was the genesis of this book? Where did you get the idea from?
Oh gosh, Born of Malice started out as much more of a cozy fantasy with a pair of querulous siblings having to set aside past grievances in order to save a half-way house for the magically disenfranchised from being closed down by a tyrannical regime. However, as I began to develop that idea, I quickly realised that I wouldn’t be able to do the story justice if I kept things “cozy”. The characters, inspired by Finnish underworld mythology, demanded a deeper and darker exploration and so the story evolved into the horror-adjacent fantasy novel it is today, while still preserving that original idea of siblings at war with each other, and themselves.
How many drafts did you go through before you felt it was ready to query? How long did that take you?
Born of Malice was a little different in that I sold it in a pre-empt based off a pitch, sample chapters, and a detailed outline, which was sent in an exclusive submission to my publisher after they expressed interest in seeing a novel from me. This is not usually how the publishing process works for me!
Did you work with beta and/or sensitivity readers? How did you find them? How did you incorporate their feedback?
I always work with both beta and sensitivity readers. I am extremely grateful to have an amazing and diverse group of reader/writer friends who were willing to offer critique on my draft for me. I always address and makes changes when concerns around representation are raised by my sensitivity readers. With general beta feedback on things like pacing or character development, I do my best to figure out what might be tripping up the plot or why a character isn’t working for a reader by going back to the bones of the story and then revise accordingly.
Once it was in the hands of your publisher, what was the process to get it ready for release?
Fairly painless to be honest. Because I sold the book before I’d actually written it, I was able to have a really in depth discussion with my editor before I completed the draft. That editorial meeting helped me fine-tune the outline and flesh out my characters from the get-go so by the time I had a first, I already knew it was in line with the publisher’s vision. There were relatively few developmental edits after that and we could move fairly swiftly into copy edits, which has allowed for a longer run up to release with more marketing opportunities. It also allowed for the production of the audiobook! So Born of Malice releases simultaneously as an ebook, paperback, and audiobook which I am thrilled about!
What would you like us to know about this book?
Born of Malice will hopefully be book 1 in a new series that could be a trilogy, depending on how much readers like it. Born of Malice is Afrocentric and neuroqueer, and although it is definitely dark with horror elements, it never fully abandons all hope or humour.
Who’s the ideal reader for this one? What sort of things do they like to read about?
People looking for dark fantasy with neurodivergent and queer characters and don’t mind a bit of gore or sibling snark.
(Pictured below: character art from Born of Malice created by Locky0001)
Your Writing Process
Are you a plotter or pantser or somewhere in between? How do you do your first draft?
Plantser? Potser? I used to be a proud pantser but having now sold two books based on detailed outlines—which definitely made that first draft so much quicker and easier to write—I have to admit that plotting definitely has its pros. That said, I will always allow the characters to take the story where it needs to go, even if that deviates from my outline, and like to give a new novel the chance to breathe and grow organically as I write it.
Geek out about stationery: do you use a notebook? A specific type of pen? Or are you computer all the way?
I use both. While I definitely prefer drafting on my computer, I often return to pen and paper—in a designated journal—when I’m feeling stuck on a certain plot point or just need to see things differently. I love mind-maps but find digital mind-mapping tools cumbersome and annoying to use, so I’ll always do any mind-mapping for characters or plot by hand making liberal use of coloured pens and highlighters just like I did back in high school!
Is any of that different for editing?
Edits I do exclusively on computer.
Where do you work? Do you have a comfy, creative space at home or are you someone who has to grab the moment wherever it comes?
I always used to work exclusively at my desk because I needed the lack of visual/auditory distraction of a public space while also needing all my ritualistic comforts like my mug of tea or coffee at the ready and my music playlists. However, last summer I started going on writing dates with my author buddy, Jaminson Shea, and have since become more comfortable writing in libraries and cafes. That said, the more emotional scenes I have to write at home in order to really feel immersed in my story world and to mitigate any potential distraction as I do not cope well with being interrupted while deep in a challenging scene.
What’s your writing soundtrack?
It depends on what I’m writing. I create playlists for every novel, sometimes even creating separate playlists for individual characters or scenes. I know an idea is taking root when I start gathering songs that make me think of that particular story. I cannot start drafting until I’ve got built a playlist to capture the tone, setting, and major characters of a new story idea.
Do you have a writing ritual?
Music. I always start listening to that particularly story’s soundtrack before I can start writing. I also always reread the final page/paragraphs from whatever I wrote the day before to help me get back into the flow.
Where can we follow you / find out more about your work?
I’m online in all the usual places, but you can find all my links and links to my book directly here: linktr.ee/xanvanrooyen
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