Interview: Jaclyn Dolamore, Author of MAGIC UNDER GLASS

Jaclyn Dolamore

We’re excited to have the chance to talk to debut author Jaclyn Dolamore about her novel Magic Under Glass, which tells the story of a Victorian-era music-hall performer who discovers that her automaton accompaniment houses the spirit of a dashing young fairy gentleman. Jaclyn has a passion for history, thrift stores, vintage dresses, David Bowie, drawing, and organic food. She lives with her partner and plot-sounding-board, Dade, and two black tabbies who have ruined her carpeting.

How has your life changed since you signed your book deal?

Well, when I got the offer, I was working part time at a health food store and living on a shockingly low income. I have never worked full-time because I saved every penny I could to have more time for writing, but thanks to the price of gas being so high for awhile and some other circumstances, I was really living on the edge financially! (Although I wasn’t in danger of any serious financial disaster — while I wholly recommend that people believe in themselves and follow their dreams, don’t take it too far!) So the biggest change was just that I could actually afford things. I could say that life is different from a writing perspective, in that there is more pressure and deadlines, but I have to say that I already put a *lot* of pressure on myself before the book deal, so that part hasn’t changed as much as you might think…

What was the most surprising thing about working with an editor?

I may eat my words later when I have some really difficult experience, but what surprised me about working with my editor on Magic Under Glass was how easy it was. She suggested some pretty major changes, but she also had some really brilliant suggestions for how to implement them that made it more fun than painful. I was in awe that she could look at my book and see problems so clearly, along with solutions.

How lucky you are! And your editor must be great.

You say on your livejournal, “Be witty and kind and slightly pretentious, but never take yourself too seriously!” Is this the kind of tone we can expect in Magic Under Glass?

US edition

Hmmm… that’s an interesting question! The reader is probably the best judge, but that does pretty much sum up my attitude toward life, so perhaps. I will say a lot of my books have characters that are witty, kind, and slightly pretentious, although not always in the same character…

Which do you prefer, your US cover art or your UK cover art? Why do you think they’re so different?

UK edition

[ETA: Please see Dolamore's livejournal for her statement about the controversy surrounding her US cover art, which, according to Bloomsbury, will soon be changed. At the time of this interview, I was unable to obtain a review copy of Magic Under Glass and was unaware of the main character's physical description. I hope you'll give Dolamore and her book a chance whatever your feelings toward Bloomsbury's art decisions. --Parker]

They are really different! The American cover is closer to what I imagined… the costume, and the darker colors with a hint of light and magic. I’m so in love with that dress they used and the warm orange glow. However, I am really really a sucker for illustration, especially with a romantic, fairytale quality, and the UK cover seriously captures the expressions and poses of Nimira and Erris when they first truly meet. I’m so happy with both of them, I would hate to choose one! As far as why they are different, I’ve been told that UK covers often tend to be more designed around the text of the title, and also that they tend to be geared younger and more fairytale like (I don’t know to what degree that is always true). Bloomsbury US, on the other hand, always seems to use a photograph for the type of novel I write.

I have to say I love the tone of the US edition but I also love how the UK edition evokes the heart of the story.

You claim to love fashion–you’re even known on livejounal as “Fabulous Frock.” How does your love of clothing show up in your stories?

I do really love fashion… even as a little kid I used to head to the fashion history section of the library before anything else. One of the pleasures of writing historical for me is describing the clothes, and since Magic Under Glass is set in an alternate Victorian era rather than a true decade in our history, I got to take all the elements of Victorian fashion I like best and put them together, so I could use the skirt shape of the 1890s, for example, which was relatively straight without a bustle or crinoline, without using the hideous little short bangs they had at that point…

Those alternate eras make things very convenient, don’t they?

Your say your next book will be dually inspired by Jane Austen and famous Japanese filmmaker Miyazaki. In what way have these artists influenced you?

Jane Austen has such a wonderful way with character and humor — they are light reading (well, except for the Regency language) but there is endless depth to explore at the same time. The subject matter tends to be relationships, both romantic, friendly, and familial. I tried to put all of that in my second book — it’s very much a love story but also a family story. Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli, on the other hand, use fantasy stories to tell very personal stories, such as My Neighbor Totoro or Kiki’s Delivery Service. There is also almost always a flight scene, and often times a quirky European setting, both of which are also in my second book.

I absolutely love both of those artists, so I’m already anxious for your next book!

Magic Under Glass recieved a starred review from Booklist. How have the early reactions to this novel affected your writing of your follow-up novel?

Well, the second book was turned in just before I received the review, but if I am contracted to write a sequel to Magic Under Glass, the reactions will probably have a greater effect on me — and at this point, I’m not sure what it will be. It does get me thinking, certainly… even some of my friends who have read the book have started telling me what they’d like to see in a sequel, which makes me wonder how much I should please the readers and how much I should stick to my original vision of where the story might go…

And of course we want to know: why speculative fiction?

The number one reason is because it allows me to create worlds that are mirrors of our own, so I can talk about things in a new way, and I can mine all of human history for what I consider to be the most compelling bits and combine them into something unique.

Magic Under Glass will be out December of this year from Bloomsbury, and you can read a short excerpt on the author’s website. I hope you all are as excited to read the book as I am!

Parker Peevyhouse