Ivy Grimes’ new novel, The Cellar Below the Cellar, came out in March from Violet Lichen, an imprint of Apex Books. About the book, Apex says:
“A playfully dark folk horror inspired by the fairy tale “Vasilisa the Beautiful” and the mythology around Frau Perchta, set under the blazing sky of endless auroras.”
Ivy has been a delight to interview & I’m eager to dig into her novel!
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Myna: Tell us about The Cellar Below the Cellar! What’s it about? Who are your characters? What themes do you explore?
Ivy: The Cellar Below the Cellar is about Jane, a woman in her 30s who gets caught at her grandmother’s house in the woods during a solar flare so powerful that electricity is lost indefinitely. Jane and her grandmother try to help their small group of neighbors survive, but the grandmother has many secrets. For one, she’s hiding something in the cellar below her cellar, and she wants Jane to take responsibility for it. Jane definitely doesn’t want to go down there at first, but she goes stronger in the process of surviving in the new conditions, and she gradually discovers strengths she didn’t know she had.
Myna: What’s unique about this book?
Ivy: It has an offbeat sense of humor, I think, and it also has the characters and cosmology that you might find in an old folktale or fairy tale.
Myna: When a reader finishes the last word in the book, what emotion will they be feeling?
Ivy: In the end, I hope readers will feel a sense of wonder and curiosity about the cellars that lie underneath their own cellars.
Myna: How did this book/collection come about?
Ivy: I tend to write quickly and edit slowly. For this book, the wonderful Marissa van Uden at Violet Lichen Books worked with me to edit it. She really dug deep into the manuscript and was a great partner throughout the process. I’ve published a few indie books now, and each time I’ve learned so much about writing, publishing, and promoting, though I still have a long way to go.
Myna: If your book had a theme song, what would it be?
Ivy: “Come On Up to the House” – Tom Waits
Myna: Were there any surprises or problems along the route to writing this book?
Ivy: Every writing project I’ve undertaken has involved more extensive research about something than seems justified by its presence in the book. For this book, I did a good bit of research on solar flares/the Carrington event, the electrical grids, batteries, preppers, and Alpine mythology.
Myna: How would you describe your writing style, in general?
Ivy: Short, sweet.
Myna: What’s your favorite thing about writing?
Ivy: My favorite thing to write is probably dialogue. That’s where I really get into the flow and lose track of time.
Myna: How do you stay motivated?
Ivy: I enjoy slow and steady progress, tortoise-style.
Myna: Do you have other books or stories you’d like to mention?
Ivy: Last year, I released a novel riffing on the gruesome fairy tale “Bluebeard” – The Ghosts of Blaubart Mansion with Cemetery Gates
The year before, I released a collection of short stories around the theme of glass, also riffing on a variety of fairy tales – Glass Stories with Grimscribe Press.
If you’d like to sample a short story or two, you might check out “Three Plagues” at Ninth Letter, “Pioneer John” at The Baffler, or “Green” at ergot. Or visit my website for more stories to read online!
Myna: Would you rather live in a magical forest, an advanced urban high-rise, an enchanted underwater city, or a complex alien world? Or do you have another perfect living space in mind?
Ivy: A magical forest, for sure. Talking groundhogs, glittery toadstools, hazelnuts of wisdom—I want it all.
Myna: Do you have a pet, or other non-writing hobbies/activities? Show us a picture!
Ivy: Here is my dog Bilbo!
I don’t have a ton of hobbies other than writing and reading. I’m pretty obsessed with those.
Myna: Do you have a question you’d like me to ask the next person I interview? What things are you curious about in other writers or editors?
Ivy: What time of day do you do your best work?
Myna: What’s next for you?
Ivy: Writing more strange stuff for as long as I can!
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Ivy Grimes is originally from Birmingham, Alabama and currently lives in Virginia. She has an MFA from the University of Alabama. Her stories have appeared in The Baffler, hex, Maudlin House, ergot., and elsewhere. She is the author of the collection Glass Stories (Grimscribe Press) and The Ghosts of Blaubart Mansion (Cemetery Gates). Her novella The Cellar Below the Cellar is forthcoming from Violet Lichen. To learn more, please visit www.ivyivyivyivy.com.
Myna Chang 