A Brief Chat With the Authors of Shadow Atlas: Cameron E Quinn

Hillary: What is the most magical/terrifying place you’ve visited? 

Cameron: The Salish Sea is at its most magical and terrifying when experienced in traditional sailing vessels, particularly at night around the islands. Storms hold an unmatchable thrill, but calm nights – at anchor and alone – are when I probe the darkness, dangling a waterproof lantern over the side like some lophiiform of the surface, watching the luminescent lure calling increasingly larger and more mysterious creatures from the deep. On other nights, ghostly teal noctiluca reveal the porpoises and pinnipeds that may have danced undiscovered beneath me were it not for the bioluminescence on a moonless night. 

Hillary: How does place generally fit into your writing?

Cameron: Both the inexplicable beauty and the magnificent science of the natural world wend their way through my writing. I have a yearning for the sea that is never quenched – even when I’m drenched by it – so my experiences as a sailor and captain often spin off in fantastical eddies of sea witches and star whales. Sometimes this nautical theme transfers to space ships, as is the case in “Spatial Anomaly Nixie at Planet Leat-181: The Mill Pond” – my remix of two water nixie tales for Upon a Thrice Time (Air and Nothingness Press). 

Hillary: What is one place that is top of your to-go list and why?

Cameron: I would love to sail around the world – does Earth count as a single place yet? If that’s too intergalactic a mindset, I might pick Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela, for the sake of storm watching. I am drawn to ancient places, particularly those that have been misplaced under layers of wilderness for hundreds of years, but I also recognize the dangers of hastened demise when too many tourists take interest. A more sustainable love of mine: the folk music and theatrical traditions of each region.

Cameron E Quinn is an eccentric story spinster, whether as captain on the blustery deck of a ship or costumed in a school library. Cameron is at home in the varied landscapes of the Pacific Northwest and passionate about protecting wilderness the world over. To explore more of their creative projects, visit TheCameronQuinn.com.

Shadow Atlas will be available on November 30, 2021. Find out more and stay abreast of all updates by following Hex Publishers on Facebook. You can also visit them on their website. See the latest Shadow Atlas news here as well.