Guest Author Interview with Casie Aufenthie
I recently had the privilege to interview science fiction-romance author Casie Aufenthie, author of The Drift and The Symbiosis. I hope you enjoy the Q&A! -AJ
Hi, Casie. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to interview you today. Can you take a few minutes to introduce yourself and your book(s) to our readers?
Hi! I’m Casie Aufenthie. I write new adult science fiction and fantasy with a heavy dose of romance. I currently have two books published in my planned trilogy. The first is titled The Drift and was released in March of 2021. The sequel, The Symbiosis, was just released July of 2022.
Would you like to talk a little about your writing process?
The characters come first to me when I get an idea for a story, and they tend to run the show. While I know the basic pulse points of the tale, the rest is all up to the decisions the characters make as I’m drafting. Something they say, some action or consequence of their action, drives the story in a different direction than I could ever have hoped to come up with before I started following them on the journey. In some ways, I get as surprised as readers by how things end up.
I’ve read your first book, The Drift, and enjoyed it. The idea of evolution giving rise to special abilities isn’t new, but the way you went about structuring the society around it was unique. Can you elaborate a bit on how you came up with your concept?
I knew I wanted superhuman abilities to come into play because I love that element in fantasy. I feel like it naturally raises the stakes.
As I was fleshing out what that would look like, it occurred to me that any time people have noticeable differences it, unfortunately, leads to an ‘us’ vs ‘them’ mentality. Leaning into that, I decided to use the more unsavory aspects of society to inspire my dystopian future’s hierarchy and history.
Tristan and Samara are the two main characters in The Drift, and an unlikely pairing at first. Would you like to share a little about them?
Tristan is a very high-ranking member of the mentally evolved, but unlike the rest of his kind, he shuns the power and prestige that come with it. He’s someone who believes with all that he is in the big ideals – Truth, Love, Justice, Equality, Freedom. He gives up everything to fight for those concepts on behalf of those who can’t fight for themselves because he sees value in everyone and hates how the world treats the other species. He also often sees the good in people when no one else (not even that person) can, which is what happens with Samara.
Samara is the highest level of the physically evolved, and at the start of the story, she’s a very broken character. In the Evolutionary War, she lost her family. After it, she lost her freedom and her will to fight. Forced to serve as a weapon for her enemy, she goes through life numb and bitter until she meets Tristan, who sees beneath all her walls and masks to the person she really is – the person who longs for peace and family as much as he does.
The Drift was probably one of the most gut-wrenching and emotionally-charged books I’ve read in a long time. (I’m still recovering!) How do you prepare to write some of those heartbreaking scenes, and does it affect you as the author in any way?
I steel myself for those moments because they definitely hurt, but I don’t let myself pause or shy away from how they affect me because the deeper they get to me, the more impactful it tends to be for readers. There were several moments, especially in the first draft, when I would be typing with tears threatening because I was breaking my own heart, but I just kept pushing through and telling myself, if I feel it, the reader should feel it, and touching people’s hearts with my words is why I do what I do. The pain is worth it in the end.
Some of the villains in The Drift are very bad (Fang), while others are more complicated (Wyatt). Each was unique and had their own role to play. This goes for the main characters and their associates as well. How do you go about developing such a diverse cast of characters?
A lot of the time, I have a general idea of who a character is, but once I start describing them or having them speak, new aspects come out that really strike me, and I have a bit of an ‘aha’ moment. Suddenly, a backstory pops into my head that tells me where they come from and how they may view the world, or there’s a personality trait or quirk that helps me picture them more clearly. In those moments, they become real to me, and as I go back to edit, I make sure to add that depth and the foreshadowing of who they really are and what motivates them.
What project(s) are you currently working on, and can you share anything about them?
I’m currently working on the final book of the trilogy, The Convergence. It’s essentially the grand finale to The Drift, and I’m hoping it’s the culmination of all the action, humor, and love readers have experienced in this series so far. I can promise it has a much happier ending than the other two.
Do you have any upcoming releases you’d like to talk about?
I will be releasing the audio version of The Drift this fall, so I’m super excited about that. I’m working with the incredibly talented Laura Horowitz, and from what I’ve heard so far, it’s beyond my wildest expectations.
Besides being a writer, what do you like to do in your spare time?
Aside from reading, I love to pretend I’m on the Great British Bake Off and make all kinds of cakes and cookies and breads. To offset all the sweets, I’ve also become an avid kickboxer, which also helps alleviate bouts of writer’s block.
Do you have any parting thoughts you’d like to share?
I just want to thank everyone, including you, for giving my series a chance. When I first published, I had no idea if anyone aside from my husband and parents would read it, so the reach it’s had so far has completely blown me away. I feel very blessed and grateful. From the bottom of my heart – Thank you!
A big thank you to Casie for taking time for this interview.
Both of Casie’s books can be found on Amazon.com, or you can learn more about her work on her website: casieaufenthie.wixsite.com.