Author Interview - Jaclyn Dolamore - Between the Sea and Sky

Author Interview

Jaclyn Dolamore

Between the Sea and Sky

I really enjoyed Jaclyn's fabulous book, Between the Sea and Sky.  I was so excited when Bloomsbury arranged an interview so I could ask Jaclyn some questions.  I just had to know her inspiration! 


I hear you have three freaky cats. Do any of them remind you of characters in Between the Sea and Sky?

Oh, Oskar does have a few things in common with Erris, I think. They are both a bit dandy and think highly of themselves. I also have a very sexy girl cat...I mean, not that I am ATTRACTED to my cat, but if you saw the way this little cat slinks around, you would understand just what I meant. She's like those animated cartoon cats that swish their tails around and have eyelashes. She reminds me a little of Violet from Magic Under Stone.

You were homeschooled as a child and did not go to college. How do you think this affects your writing or life?
 
Homeschooling prepared me perfectly for the writing life! I'm used to mostly staying home, curling up with some interesting research-y tomes, and writing stories every day. It's what I did nearly every day as a kid, and it's also what I do as an adult! 

 
What inspired you to write Between the Sea and Sky? Is there a memory or feeling associated with it?
 
I've always loved mermaids, and I've always loved winged people. I've been wanting to combine them in a book for years! The genesis of it was this big overblown fantasy novel I was writing some years back that had a mermaid/winged boy romance subplot.

Cooking is one of your many passions. What recipe or food do your feel most describes you?
 
My favorite meal in the world is homecooked hearty European fare. Fresh bratwurst and mashed potatoes with red cabbage and apples, or pierogies with kielbasa, fried onions, and sauerkraut, or beef goulash and egg noodles, or lamb stew. My grandmother is from Germany and I guess it's in my blood. I also love cooking meals like that. Although I also think I may have been Vietnamese in a past life. I can't cook it, but whenever I'm sad--or celebrating--all I want is grilled meat on rice vermicelli with sliced cucumber, bean sprouts, fresh cilantro and basil, and nuoc mam, with young coconut water to drink.

 
You seem to be a bit of a fasionista. What is your favorite style of fashion? What is the worst fashion trend in history?
 
Favorite style--any plain but well-cut 50s or 60s dress that screams "sexy librarian". I think many 50s and 60s day dresses were just the perfect fusion of comfort and charm. If we're talking more couture type fashion, my favorite designer is Paul Poiret hands-down. I saw an exhibit of his clothes at the Met once and it was seriously one of the greatest moments of my life. Worst fashion trend: Now that is hard. There are so many. Pleated pants are pretty bad. "Those pleated pants are so flattering on you!" is just not a phrase that people ever have much reason to say.
 
Thank you Jaclyn and Bloomsbury.