Belladonna: Author Interview with Autumn Bettinger

Guys. It happened. Autumn published her first book!

You can literally order it right now from Friendly Monster Press.

You've read her winning entries in our contest. Now there's a place to read even more. This collection contains 37 jaw-droppingly good microfiction pieces that Autumn has curated, pored her heart into, and shared with you in this soft-as-velvet book that feels so good to hold in your hands. Because it's the little things that matter when you're reading about dying suns. And fans of Autumn's work know there's going to be some dying suns. And plants. Lots of plants.

Have you ordered it? Okay perfect. While you wait for this very special delivery, carry on to her author interview below to revel in Autumn's weird fascinations, unusual internet browsing history, and what she ultimately hopes you'll do after you finish the last page.

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What book did you love as a child that still lives somewhere inside your writing?

Watership Down certainly still pokes its little head out here and there. I was fascinated by plants as a kid (still am) and loved all the different names that Richard Adams included in that book. Not just the actual flora he named but the rabbits as well. It was the specificity of the cow slip, the parsnip…

Dare I say, plants may be a bit of my signature now.

What is the weirdest bit of research you did for this project?

I did a lot of searching for super specific things. Like what the red spot looks like up close on Jupiter to help frame the visuals for "Haunted House at the End of the World." Also eyeballed a lot of pictures of dead birds to sketch the image for "Wish You Were Here." I even learned how a snowblower worked for "Cold Snap"!

A lot of your stories feature a dying sun. What's up with that?

Listen, we all have our little weirdsies. And one of mine happens to be a solar apocalypse. I just find the imagery around that fascinating. The death of a sun is so beyond our ability to meet the moment. It makes me feel small, thinking about a sun dying, and sometimes writing from that place feels authentic and experimental and fun. Your girl likes an apocalypse, what can I say? I AM WHO I AM.

Which character do you see yourself in the most?

People who regularly read my writing know I have a niche. My niche (besides my unhealthy obsession with plants) is older badass women who love to garden, particularly during an apocalypse. Listen, it’s specific, but I think inwardly I am an old woman who is convinced the world is slowly falling apart, so might as well pick some dill and dig up a carrot or two.

Let's talk about those gorgeous illustrations. You're not only talented with words, but you also brought to life all the images within Belladonna. Do tell us how you're so talented (and how we can be more like you)!

The drawings for Belladonna were really fun for me. I’m not an artist. And I realized it sounds like I’m being humble or whatever, but honestly, I’m not. The only reason I can even sketch is because I spent years drawing lunch box art for my kids. They would get a little character from a book or show they loved with their sandwiches every school day. So, it was honestly just a case of practice over time. I still do art for them, so it keeps me in the creative place, even if it’s just a picture of a pug in a tutu.

One of the best parts of the art for me is that it really isn’t perfect.

I spend a great deal of time perfecting my short fiction: I edit, I cut, I ask for trusted eyeballs, I rewrite, I obsess.

My art? I already know it won’t be professional grade and so it takes all the pressure off, and I just have fun.

What do you hope the reader feels immediately after closing the final page?

I hope they want to dive right back in, revisit some of their favorites, maybe find something new the second time around.

And I hope they reach out to me if they like it! I love talking with other readers and writers!