Interview with RSJ alum V.S. McGrath, author of the Devil's Revolver series

RSJ alum V.S. McGrath (external link) , who also writes under the name Vicki Essex (external link) , recently completed her four-book series, The Devil's Revolver (external link) . The series blends Western and fantasy elements as it follows Hettie Alabama on her quest to save her sister with the help of a cursed gun that takes a year of her life for every person she kills with it.

McGrath graduated from RSJ's undergraduate program in 2002. She is a proof-reader at Harlequin Enterprises and has previously written six books with Harlequin Superromance.   

You have previously written romances, what made you want to write The Devil’s Revolver series?

My first love has always been fantasy, and I’d wanted for a long time to write a magical story that wasn’t set in a place that was a stand-in for a feudal medieval Europe. I was playing the video game Red Dead Redemption at the time, so I thought, why not the Wild West?

What was the most challenging aspect of writing this series?

The worldbuilding. The setting for the series is “history as it happened, but with magic”, so I had to study American history and think about how magic played a part in the characters’ everyday lives, as well as on a broader scope with major events like the Civil War, the colonization of North America and the destruction of indigenous people. I was also invested in decolonizing the idea of magic by embracing a wider and less well-defined system of magic. Reconciling the different beliefs, practices and traditions every culture has in real life without appropriating anything for the benefit of the story while still being able to give magic limitations was an extremely delicate dance.    

What aspect of writing the series was the most fun?

I’m a big fan of action sequences and figuring out how to dig my characters into really deep holes. I love high stakes and I love finding ways for my characters to MacGyver their way out.

In your worldbuilding for this series, you blend fantasy and Western. What historical element was your favourite to include? What was your favourite magical element to introduce to the story?

Since magic is so fundamental to the characters' daily lives, these two questions are actually intertwined. I really loved coming up with the Zoom tunnels. These are basically magical portals that transport you from one place to another instantaneously. In sci-fi, you'd probably call them wormholes. Considering the locations of the fixed natural Zoom tunnels and how they were discovered across America throughout my version of history was a lot of fun because I had to think of how their existence would have affected colonization patterns, travel and transportation, the economy, and so forth. All the limitations of these tunnels helped shape the rest of the magical universe, too. Also, who doesn't love the idea of being instantaneously transported from Wyoming to New Orleans? 

How is writing a series different from writing a standalone novel? 

In a series, you have a longer period to tell a story and explore your protagonist’s arc, so the story can take you to new settings within each novel and delve deeply into various themes. The first book, The Devil’s Revolver, starts in the West, a traditional desperado quest with high stakes and panoramic views of the landscape. The second, The Devil’s Standoff, is set in a beleaguered town in northern Mexico, and the story gives readers a chance to discover more about the main characters and the kinds of choices they make when they're not constantly being pursued. The third book, The Devil’s Pact, is set in urbanized cities like Chicago, San Francisco and New Orleans and tries takes the cowgirl out of the main character, Hettie, for a fish out of water story that pushes her to her limits. The final book, The Legend of Diablo, tells three different stories that are intertwined, and shows us the breadth of the saga behind the cursed gun, Diablo. In a long series, you get to show many more facets of the world you’ve created for your characters, and have the opportunity to showcase more of the world. I even wrote a short story--"The Houseguests"--which takes place between books 3 and 4 and gives us an outsider's view of the protagonists. (Note: "The Houseguests" is available for free to download, or for a donation to RAICES, The Refugee And Immigrants Center for Education and Legal Services). (external link)  A series gives you a huge range and can expand the universe endlessly.

What is your writing process like?

During the drafting stages of The Devil’s Revolver series, I brought my laptop everywhere and would write about 1,000 words an hour on a good day on my commute to my full-time day job. Nowadays, with a four-year-old and a shorter and much busier commute, it’s harder to carve out writing time, but I have to commit to it and my husband is instrumental in that. My preferred method is to draft for three hours at a time, writing at least 3,000 words. I write up to the end of a scene then go back and iron out the kinks, then continue writing, until the book is complete. I will easily go through ten or more revisions before I'm at a place where I'm satisfied by the overall structure.

How was the audience for The Devil’s Revolver different from the audience for your previous books? How did that change how you interacted with fans of the series? 

A lot of my romance readers actually followed me to the fantasy western series, and a few of my fantasy readers have also picked up my romances. Romance readers are some of the most diverse and prolific readers out there, and I don’t really interact with them differently from my fantasy readers, except that I might post more relevant things tailored to each on my different social media platforms. I don’t hide the fact that I write different genres, though.

What has the reaction from readers been like?

I’ve had some great reviews from people who’ve asked when it can be a movie or TV series. I even wrote a spec script for a TV series for fun (and maybe just in case). It has been a lifelong dream of mine to be published in fantasy, to have my books in stores year-round that people can share and point to as good, fun, different reads. I get so much joy hearing from people who decided to give my books a try that they loved them and had never read anything like them, even though they weren't into Westerns--a common comment among readers. That said, publishing is a tough industry, and getting noticed is a real challenge, so if you do like a book, the best compliment and advertising an author can get is for you to share your love for a book with family and friends, and with online ratings and reviews. Authors can only keep writing if they're also able to feed themselves! (Hint hint)

Why do you think it's important for stories like The Devil’s Revolver to be explored? What makes it different from other stories in the “Weird West” subgenre?

Many tales from the West are male-centric; the fact that The Devil’s Revolver series is focused on a strong, independent and flawed female protagonist was very important to me. I’m a big fan of subverting tropes, too, especially when it can give you a different insight into a genre or theme.

I don’t know that The Devil’s Revolver series is a lot different from other Weird West stories—obviously I haven’t read them all—but what I will say is that adding paranormal or magical elements to Western stories rarely detracts from the appeal of classic stories and themes Westerns have been telling for decades. In TDR’s case, setting the story in a world of magic meant I could examine other common themes in Westerns, or amplify them for my story. The disappearance of magic in my story, for instance, is analogous with the energy crisis and global climate change. The magical southern border Wall highlights the issues of immigration and illegal detainment.  

What are you working on now?

I’m working on a story about a second-generation Chinese woman coming to grips with her ability to see ghosts by trying to solve a Victorian murder mystery set in a modern-day shopping mall. It’s sort of Sixth Sense meets Mallrats with a splash of Gothic horror.

What advice would you give to someone looking to become an author?

I have too much to dispense but generally, for beginning authors:

1) BICHOK: Butt In Chair, Hands On Keyboard. You have to just sit and write, even if it’s terrible. Writing is editing, and you can’t edit nothing, so just write.

2) Work on your craft. Read books and articles about writing, and learn the terminology of the industry and the craft. Being able to articulate the issues in your story is a big part of becoming a better writer.

3) Listen to your editors! Your work is not sacred. Also, unless your parent is a professional editor, they are probably not the best editor for you. Seek out professional advice.

4) Take care of yourself. Your mental and physical health can be greatly impacted if you focus too much of your energy in writing the great Canadian novel. Find a good balance.