Q&A with F.T. Lukens

 

 

 

F.T. Lukens is the author of the new young adult novel Otherworldly. Their other books include Spell Bound. They live in North Carolina.

 

Q: What inspired you to write Otherworldly, and how did you create your characters Ellery and Knox?

 

A: Each of my novels has come about in a different way. For Otherworldly, the original inspiration came from the idea of a specific scene between a human character and a supernatural character.

 

I was already toying with the idea of writing a paranormal romance and I had this idea of the human character unwittingly saving the supernatural character in some way. And then the supernatural character appears again to disrupt the human’s life. And that was all I had! But that was how the brainstorming started.

 

From there I combined a few elements from retellings I had thought about writing, like crossroads myths and some classical mythology. Then the creation of Knox and Ellery began.

 

I wanted some initial tension between the two characters which is why I made Ellery a skeptic as a foil of Knox’s supernatural origins. And I knew I wanted Ellery to be on a level playing field with Knox to prevent any imbalanced dynamics.

 

So that is when the idea of Knox being newly arrived from a different realm came in as well as Knox having access to magic.

 

Also, I had started writing the novel as a high fantasy, but it wasn’t working that way. So, I restarted as a contemporary fantasy. And that initial concept I had became the scene between Knox and Ellery in the diner.

 

Q: How would you describe the dynamic between them?

 

A: I would say that there is a lot of tension between them. First, Ellery is a skeptic of all things supernatural, and Knox is literally a supernatural being, so there is disbelief on Ellery’s part and a desire to be believed on Knox’s.

 

And then as the narrative unfolds, there is romantic tension between them as they grow closer. And there is an understanding. They may be very different people, but they are in similar situations and recognize that.

 

I wouldn’t call them “enemies to lovers” if we’re talking about tropes. But I’d say they were more “misunderstood strangers to lovers.”

Q: How was the novel’s title chosen, and how would you define “otherworldly”?

 

A: Otherworldly is actually the title I used to pitch the story. The only difference is that originally there was a space between “other” and “worldly” and it was eventually combined into one word.

 

There are a few reasons for the title. One is that the supernatural character of Knox is described as having an otherworldly aura. In the novel, he’s in a “fish out of water” scenario.

 

He’s wide-eyed and naïve about the human realm and all his knowledge has come from TV shows. He’s odd and doesn’t quite fit in and exudes an otherworldly charm. Ellery also describes him as being unusually good-looking.

 

And the other meaning is that Knox is literally from the “Other World.”

 

In the novel, otherworldly is used a few different ways but mainly it would be defined as ethereal or paranormal, maybe even beyond human understanding.

 

Q: What do you hope readers take away from the story?

 

A: There are so many different tidbits of knowledge or lessons readers could take away from the story.

 

I hope the readers who need it can gain some courage in examining their relationships with others. I hope readers can analyze and understand the varying types of faith. I hope readers know that it’s okay to rely on others if you need to, and it’s okay to make decisions in your own best interest as well.

 

And I hope everyone enjoys the love story and that there can be a happy ever after out there for anyone.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I just finished the manuscript for my next announced novel, The Future Tense, which was pitched as Wednesday meets Heartstopper, and am waiting on the first round of edits. In the meantime, I’m working on a fantasy romantic comedy.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: I hope readers reading enjoy Otherworldly as much as I enjoyed creating the story and characters. Please request from your library even if you do purchase a copy. And please tell your friends! Word of mouth is so important. Thank you!

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with F.T. Lukens.