Fantasy Focus: Comedic Fantasy- Featuring Claire Buss

This week I’m discussing Comedic Fantasy on my blog. I’m delighted to be able to talk with Claire Buss, author of several books, including the comedic fantasy titled The Rose Thief. Thank you so much for being willing to chat about comedic fantasy with me!

You’re so welcome – thanks for having me!

Will you introduce yourself to the readers a little and talk about your writing?

I’m an avid reader, mum to monsters and fantastic procrastinator. I used to write a lot when I was younger, but when I hit 18ish and struck out on my first attempt at adulting, I stopped and didn’t pick it up again until about 7 years ago, just after I had my little boy. I accidentally fell into a writing workshop and unknowingly entered a book I hadn’t yet written into a book competition. That was the start of my writing journey. My first book, The Gaia Effect, was a hopeful dystopian set about 200 years in the future with a strong female leading cast. I began the book with a waking up scene. Fight me. Then I wrote the first book in my humorous fantasy world, The Rose Thief. Then I released several books of short stories, poetry and 10-minute plays plus some flash fiction collections and more poetry books. I went back and finished the hopeful dystopian trilogy, then went back and wrote some more humorous fantasy. I laugh in the face of genre. But I am firmly in the humorous fantasy camp. For now.

Will you describe the premise of The Rose Thief?

The Rose Thief is the first novel in my humorous fantasy world. Ned Spinks, Chief Thief-Catcher has a problem. Someone is stealing the Emperor’s roses. But that’s not the worst of it. In his infinite wisdom and grace, the Emperor magically imbued his red rose with love so if it was ever removed from the Imperial Rose Gardens then love would be lost, to everyone, forever. It’s up to Ned and his band of motley catchers to apprehend the thief and save the day. But the thief isn’t exactly who they seem to be, neither is the Emperor. Ned and his team will have to go on a quest defeating vampire mermaids, illusionists, estranged family members and an evil sorcerer in order to win the day. What could possibly go wrong?

What inspired you to write humorous fantasy?

I have a natural humour in my writing which often comes out in my observation of people and especially through their interaction in dialogue. I am a huge Pratchett fan and also love Neil Gaiman, Douglas Adamas and Piers Anthony. I devoured these books as well as other typical fantasy books when I was an awkward teenager, so I think they’re in my bones now. It’s not a conscious ‘oh I must write funny’, it just kinda happens.

What are some obstacles to writing comedic fantasy?

Definitely overthinking ‘is this funny’ and also over-using a particular gimmick. It’s usually only funny the first two times, three at a max. Another thing to be wary of is to not give your character enough substance for more heavier themes because you’ve been too focused on making them funny. They need to have layers. Like an ogre. Sorry onion. Also writer’s imposter syndrome which I think every writer suffers from. The book first starts out as an amazing idea but soon becomes a pile of poo before you can grudgingly accept that it might have slight merit as you wait for the first reader review.

What are some triumphs?

Having strangers read my books and love them because they love the characters and they thought it was funny and because it reminds them of Pratchett. It’s such an accolade. And getting the feedback that they can’t wait for the next one is a real kick up the butt to actually get on with writing the next one. Did I mention procrastination?

Oh, I am well acquainted with procrastination. How do you get in the writing “zone”, so to speak?

Ugh. I try not to lean too heavily on the idea of a zone. I have kids. There is always a crisis waiting to happen, currently happening or having just messily happened so there’s always something that needs doing, cleaning, fixing, disinfecting etc and then they want to eat. Kids eat all the time. It’s annoying. Mostly because I can’t do that if I want to avoid looking like a bowling ball. Anyway, back to procrastination…

Usually I stick a pair of headphones on and listen to music way louder than you’re supposed to. Did I mention I have kids? They are also loud. I find mini outlines help though I am by no means a planner. It’s literally a case of hmm, what could happen here and then I type a few lines to help guide the writing flow. I always type those in caps just like I always type XXX when I can’t remember the name of a character or place OR the character or place doesn’t yet have a name. Naming is hard. Then I just go. I’m lucky that I type fast. I can rock out 1000-1500 words in 30-40 minutes provided I don’t let myself get distracted. I can’t guarantee that those words will be awesome but it’s first draft so, it’s okay.

There are days though when I just know that words won’t come so I don’t even bother. It becomes an upsetting experience that leads to more blank page and more procrastination. There are other days when I can type through Fortnite on the TV and train YouTube videos on one screen and My Little Pony on another, all blaring out and me with no headphones on because I just had this really good idea.

Who are some of your favorite authors?

Terry Pratchett, Terry Brooks, Terry Goodkind, Sara Douglass, Robin Hobb, Becky Thomas, Ben Aaronovitch, Frances Hardinge, Robert Jordon, Neil Gaiman, T.W.M Ashford, A.J. Hackwith, N.K. Jemisin, Matt Haig, Gail Carriger, Genevieve Cogman, Karen MacRae, Rachel Caine, Ursula Le Guin, Tanith Lee, Jasper Fforde, Piers Anthony, Douglas Coupland, Douglas Adams, Joe Abercrombie, Brandon Sanderson, Brent Weeks er… I’d better stop there, hadn’t I?

I have a website clairebuss.co.uk and I lurk on various social media sites:

Twitter: www.twitter.com/grasshopper2407

Instagram: www.instagram.com/grasshopper2407

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@grasshopper2407

Facebook: www.facebook.com/busswriter

Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/BussBookStop

As for my books, I am wide so you can buy them from your favourite book retailer – even real life ones that you walk into although you’ll have to order them in. Still exciting though.

The Rose Thief – www.books2read.com/u/bQaxw6 

The Silk Thief – www.books2read.com/u/49NJMM 

The Bone Thief – www.books2read.com/u/3LRkgD 

The Interspecies Poker Tournament – www.books2read.com/u/m2Vk0R 

**FREE** Ye Olde Magic Shoppe – www.books2read.com/u/4XXPw1 But if you’re Amazon loud and proud then you can find me and all my books here: www.tinyurl.com/ClaireBussBooks

About the author:

Claire Buss is an award-winning multi-genre author and poet. She wanted to be Lois Lane when she grew up but work experience at her local paper was eye-opening. Instead, Claire went on to work in a variety of marketing and administrative roles for over a decade but never felt quite at home. An avid reader, baker and expert procrastinator Claire won second place in the Barking and Dagenham Pen to Print writing competition in 2015 with her debut novel, The Gaia Effect, setting her writing career in motion. Since then, Claire has published seventeen novels and poetry collections and had her short fiction published in six anthologies. The Gaia Effect won the Uncaged Book Reviews Raven Award for Favourite Sci-Fi/Fantasy novel in 2017 and the first book in her humorous fantasy series, The Rose Thief, won in 2019. Working with Pen to Print, Claire delivers regular Book Surgeries offering marketing help and advice to new and established authors. In 2019 Claire was part of the original team involved in creating and establishing Write On! Magazine and continues to support, work and promote the magazine in her role as Deputy Editor, a different kind of Lois who champions new writers and helps them share their creativity. Claire continues to write passionately and is hopelessly addicted to cake.