Intelligent, funny, a former magician's assistant...yes, Holly_Gonzalez is all of those things, plus a few unnamables (keepin' it clean, kids). She also seems to float around every writing contest on Wattpad. Holly breaks many speculative writing conventions with stories set in retrofuturistic, diselpunk, and decopunk universes. Read up for a peek into her unique outlook...

1. Ration off a few pieces of your life here, and make it good.

I've seen some interesting things in my time, that's for sure. Looking back, sometimes my life feels like a novel in the works.

I was always a fast learner and reader, and in second grade, they decided to move me up to third. It was a little hard socially, but easier academically. And I graduated high school at seventeen, which was nice.

I self-published my first book at age eight. It was a Halloween story about a black kitten and a wild ride on a witch's broom.

My dad was a magician, and he performed live magic shows when I was growing up. I used to be one of his stage assistants. I dressed in a cute genie outfit and helped him with the tricks. One of the coolest was we'd make a dove pop out of a balloon, then he'd turn the dove into a live rabbit. It was really fun. My dad is a multi-talented person. Last I heard he's still doing magic shows for kids.

I met my husband at a goth dance club when I was twenty. I remember seeing him dressed in all black, wild eyeliner and hair, leather Mad Max boots, and thinking, He looks cool. I wasn't really expecting to meet anyone that night, but he ran out to catch me as I was leaving and asked for my number. I caught his glance and felt something was different about him, in a cool way. When we talked on the phone the next day, I knew we had a connection. I went to visit him and spent pretty much every weekend with him after that. That was 1994. We got married in 1997. Still together, and loving every day with him. Yes, a gothic night club can be a romantic rendezvous for soulmates.

I've written stories my entire life, but it didn't transition into a serious commitment until 2014. At that point I'd just experienced another setback at my day job. Fed up and frustrated, I resurrected my old weird western manuscript, and decided to write every day for the rest of my life.

2. Describe your style of writing, including an explanation of "decopunk".

My style has been constantly evolving, especially over the past year. It was hard to define at first, but I think it's becoming more distinct. I love character-driven stories, and almost all of my characters are tormented individuals in one way or another. No one is truly good or evil. I like exploring the contrasts of the human condition. Imagery and sensual details are also important to me, though I try to not be overly-descriptive. I usually limit my descriptive passages to no more than a paragraph or two, then jump back into the action again. Capturing things in as few words as possible, while painting a picture in the heads of my readers is my ultimate goal.

Decopunk is my current obsession. A sub-set of dieselpunk, which is a retro-futuristic interpretation of the earliest decades of the twentieth century, decopunk isn't as represented, but seems to be catching on slowly. My own interpretation blends the esthetics of the 1920s and 30s, when art deco was at its height, with vintage science fiction elements, some cyberpunk, and space opera. My stories take place in an alternate universe, and most others I've encountered seem to do the same. Radiance by Catherynne M. Valente is a fantastic new book which i think captures decopunk well. In short, a nostalgic world infused with high technology, and with art deco styling everywhere...fashion, vehicles, architecture. To me, art deco involves bold geometric patterns, contrasting colors, and lots of shiny materials like chrome, brass, bronze, and semi-precious stones. World influences like Egyptian Revival and Orientalism were also popular, providing an exotic flair. I try to follow the history, yet inject my own futuristic imaginings over it. I wrote a blog post about decopunk a while back. Here's the link:

https://hollygonzalez1.wordpress.com/2015/07/20/my-interpretation-of-decopunk/

3. So, you're very Neil Gaimen-y in the way that you write very adult stories, and then switch gears to write children's stories. Is it hard to reconcile the two types of writing, or how are both styles similar?

It can be jarring to switch from one to the other, but my creative side leads me wherever it wants, and this includes a wide spectrum of expression. I started writing children's books first, then moved onto fiction in my early teens. I only work on one project at a time, which helps me to keep focus. But ultimately, I've found there's a lot of similarities between my work for adults and for kids. The characters share qualities, many of the themes are even similar. Sometimes I it's almost like switching channels in my brain. When moving to a kid's project, I just put my whimsical and more optimistic glasses on, and tell my Muse to put down the plasma rifle and pay attention.

4. When deciding on the artwork for your cover, what kind of materials do you use (chalk, oils, paint)?

I'm primarily a pencil artist, and this is how all of my concept sketches usually start. Once I've got the lines down, the rest depends on what kind of feel I want to capture. For the rough and hand drawn look, I prefer pastels, watercolor, colored pencil, charcoal, or ink. If it's to be digital, I'll scan it into GIMP or Pixlr and color it there. I paint electronically much like I do by hand, creating custom colors and textures, and each stroke is done meticulously with a mouse. It's a little time-consuming, but I feel it gets the detail I want.

5. What literary character is most like you and why?

Oh, this is a hard choice. I'd have to say I resonate a lot with Lady Jessica Atreides from Frank Herbert's Dune series. Born and expected to follow a very specific and confining life path, she nevertheless followed her heart, and chose to pursue her destiny as it unfolded. She's a daring and devoted woman who never succumbed to the limits placed on her by society, and used her power to benefit both herself and her family. I relate very much to that.

6. Of all the books you've read, are there any you deny enjoying (or pretend you haven't read) because you're ashamed of the public scorn from family, friends, and fellow writers?

I'm a huge fan of the Merry Gentry books by Laurell K. Hamilton, but it's not one I openly mention. Some of them aren't as well-written, and they're soft-core erotica, but I love the world and the characters regardless. Some of the most imaginative portrayals of the Fae races I've ever seen, and the sexy parts can be fun...but yeah, this isn't one I'd let my mother borrow.

7. Why detail an entire story about an antagonist the way you do in Beauty In The Bones?

Beauty In The Bones was never meant to be more than a short story to develop Silas Blane's character. This series began as a Nanowrimo project in 2014. I'd been slaving over my dark/fantasy/weird western trilogy for months, and wanted a fresh project for Nano that year. Something fast and fun. I discovered the world of dieselpunk through a group of Facebook friends, and chose to write a novel in that premise. Ruby Descent was born out of that. I never intended to expand on the novel.

I began writing character backstories for the two main protagonists, Walter Marlow and Lily Fairpoole, to develop them better for the revision. I fell in love with all of the characters, and one story fell into another. In this universe everyone, no matter how high or low in society, was deeply scarred by an interplanetary War, which took place fifteen years before Ruby Descent. The more I delved into the characters, the more I realized they're all connected by their experiences. And Silas, the villain, was no exception.

Silas in the first draft of Ruby Descent is a cold, desperate, and calculating CEO with strange supernatural abilities, and I wanted to develop him more. The entire plot of the novel centers around the conflict between Silas and his younger brother, Castor, which has escalated into sabotage and open violence. The deep emotions involved with that betrayal led me to see Silas holds the key to the entire story. Ruby Descent will be standalone, but the character stories can be read if anyone wants to learn more about the characters, and events leading up to the sabotage of the Ruby lift.

8. What are your ambitions for your writing career?

I'd love to be the next J.K Rowling,but I'm keeping my day job. My ultimate goal is to be able to do this as a living. The chance of that is quite narrow, but I'll never stop writing. I've decided to take things step by step. My first short term goal is to get Ruby Descent ready to pitch, and then start querying agents. I'm going to start collecting rejecting notices like everyone else, but I plan to keep working on it, using critique groups, etc., until it shines.

9. What is your best editing tip?

Put the first draft away for at least two weeks, and don't let yourself think about it. During those two weeks, read books by your favorite authors, and those who emulate what you want to capture in your own story. During editing, if you can cut something out and still keep the gist of the story, do it. However, save everything you cut into a drafts folder. Deleting something you need later is a travesty, as I've learned many times.

10. Which would you rather do: 'Never write another story or never read another book'?

That's an evil choice...I call shenanigans. But, if I had to choose, it would be to never read another book. I must write. I'd go nuts without it.

11. Which literary invention do you wish was real?

I'd love to see Larry Niven's ringworlds become reality. The orbital colonies in my retrofuture universe resemble them, on a much smaller scale. I think self-contained habitats could be preferable to living on Earth, if we ever get far enough into space to find out.

Before you also call shenanigans, follow Holly_Gonzalez, and not just for fluffs and giggles, but to cheer her on! Her story, Eye On the Tiger, was entered into GE's Adventures In Science challenge, and was selected as a finalist on 1/10/16.

Whoo, go Holly :D