Today’s 7 Questions are with fantasy author Natalia Stow. Join us as we chat writing, sandwiches and pet couture…
1. A Siberian, living in France, writing in English about Russian? 
Huh?
It is as fun as it sounds.
2. What is it about Russian folklore that particularly appeals to you, and what do you think will make it appeal to the reader?
I can see many misconceptions about what it means to be a Russian. Our Soviet past is but a fragment of our history and culture, and I wanted to tell a story that would take the reader on a journey beyond received ideas and deep into the land of Slavic imagery that defines us as a nation.
3. How does writing a short story differ from writing a novel?
To me, a short story is a tiny novel. You need a solid plot and a satisfactory denouement. The difficulty in writing a short story is that there are fewer words to tell your story with. Narrational time is another problem when you want to keep the word-count down without making it all appear rushed. The three short stories I have written so far, all cover events that happen within one day. I am not saying that it is easier to write a novel─keeping the different plot lines separate and clear is its own challenge─but the pace and time-frames cannot be the same unless you want to write a “long” short story.
4. Where do you stand on the topic of pet couture?
My experience with pet couture is limited. All I can say is that it’s not very “hawt”. (Laughs at own joke in complete silence.)
5. Describe your ideal sandwich.
Mayonnaise, tomato, cucumber, onion rings, Gruyere, eggs, more mayonnaise. Bread is optional.
6. What’s next on the agenda?
I have just released my new short story inspired by Russian folklore. Like my other stories in the same genre, “Voopyre” is set in a fictional Slavic land where spirits of nature interfere with the lives of men. “Voopyre” is also a metaphor for what womanhood used to mean, for hundreds of years. My current goals include writing more folklore-inspired stories and completing work on the sequel to my fantasy novel, “Balancers: The Other Sound”.
7. If you could command an army of orcs, or an army of robots, which would you choose and why?
Robots, of course. Orcs never listen!
And you can read a sample of her latest story below:
