Binding the Cuckoo: An Author Interview with Gabriela Houston

Happy Halloween! Celebrate all things mythical today with historical fantasy novel Binding the Cuckoo by hybrid author Gabriela Houston! In today's interview, we learn all about Gabriela's indie debut, including her interest in the Victorian period, the impact of Slavic folklore on her work, and the new challenge of writing romance.

Binding the Cuckoo is the first book in the Daughters of Defiance series, and is available now!

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Thank you for joining us, Gabriela! Could you start by introducing yourself?

Thanks for having me! I’m a Polish, UK-based artist and author of four Slavic folklore-inspired novels, and, most recently, of an alternative history romance, Binding the Cuckoo, set in the late Victorian period.

We would love to know more about Binding the Cuckoo and what inspired you to write it!

All my previous books were generally quite low on romance, as they focused on the love stories of mothers and parents, as well as the love of a wider community. But I’ve always enjoyed reading romance novels, especially period novels. I also am quite keen to push myself with each new book, and writing a romantic relationship well is very challenging. And I do love a challenge.

Binding the Cuckoo is a story of a woman trying to make the best of a very bad situation. If the world treats you unfairly, how much deception is justifiable? The world of this novel is very similar to ours, except that there the Victorian scientists have found a way to create temporary rifts between our world and the many worlds of folklore. And while the humans are unable to cross into those other realms, they can “summon” and bind to themselves the creatures of myth. Such ‘mythics’ lose most of their powers and even their memories, once brought over. 

I imagined how our world would have changed if such magical free labour force was available. I was very much inspired by the early suffrage movements and the early movements fighting for the rights of domestic staff.  

What drew you to the historical genre in particular? 

Gilded Age is my favourite time in history; not just stylistically, but because of the sheer energy of that period. The struggle for women’s rights, as well as the scientific and social curiosity of that time have always been hugely inspirational to me. And as I did some modules in the history and literature of that time when at university, it felt natural to pick it as my setting.

And what do you love most about including romance in this genre?

I think all of the societal issues I mentioned work to really highlight the difficulties faced in any budding romance. The questions of priorities, compatibility and, quite frankly, disparity in opportunity and social standing, are all important elements of any love story. The times of social upheaval often push some of those to the fore, which creates a lot of conflict. In reading a romance novel, we tend to know from the first few pages who is going to end up with whom. The excitement and the joy is in seeing those characters through their journey and figuring out how they will be able to pass through the seemingly insurmountable obstacles on the way.

Your novel includes a folkloric twist, which sounds exciting! We’d love to know more about your love of folklore and how it’s included in this book. 

All my traditionally published novels are very much inspired by Slavic folklore, as those are the stories of my childhood. I love folklore for how it highlights the different values across different communities. Norse/Irish/Japanese/Polish myths all present different sets of rules for how to be, how to live. 

In Binding the Cuckoo, it was important to me to bring the historical romance element to the fore, but I wanted to bring in a little bit of magic too. Since a lot of the story focuses on the feeling of being an outsider, I felt that bringing in creatures not of our world, but forced to conform to it, would highlight those struggles. 

Are there any folklore stories or fantastical beings you’d love to explore more of in the future? 

I am very much drawn to the guardian spirits. Not necessarily to those who protect humans. There are many creatures whose duty lies in protecting the small things: the berries and mushrooms of the forest. The barn animals. The elder bush. I enjoy the stories that bring tender attention to the small and the mundane. 

Are you a plotter or pantser, and did any additional, perhaps even unexpected, research go into this book?

I’m very much a pantser. I tend to start with a scene that pops up like a painting in my mind. Or a turn of phrase that gnaws at me. My earlier novel The Bone Roots came from a little poem I wrote, about a lurking fox. 

In Binding the Cuckoo, I had an idea for a letter, manipulative in flattery, and yet rooted in a real connection. Comical, but with a grain of something genuine. 

As to the research, there was nothing very unexpected about it, I’m afraid. Writing a historical novel will always include a great deal of study. The part I enjoyed studying for, I suppose, were historical menus. Dining was a very elaborate affair among the upper classes of the Gilded Age. With rules galore. It was fun delving into this, even though the readers will see only a fraction of the work in the finished book!

Can you tell us a little bit about your characters? Which, if any, do you identify with most and why? 

So Edwina Walker/Hare is our female protagonist. She’s a mythic capable of passing as a human. She’s been burnt before, and is willing to try anything for a crumb of freedom. With barely any memories left of her previous life, Hare feels like she can only be herself when she expresses herself artistically. 

Ernest Thompson is the immigrant solicitor living in London, and the best friend of Edwina’s prospective groom. Ernest struggles with a low sense of self-worth. Rejected by much of his family, and shipped off to England at a young age, he puts everything into trying to assimilate into a society he feels will never truly accept him. 

As to the characters I identify with… I think there’s always a sliver of me in my characters. In this novel, the common thread is migration and being an outsider. I’m an immigrant to this country, and though I’ve lived here for more than half my life, I know I will never be completely accepted. But there’s no way back either really, as I don’t really fit in my home country either. Assimilating and keeping your roots: the two elements that are at odds with each other. These are some themes that I explored in this book.

And which characters do you hope your readers will connect with the most?

Not to fall into the spoiler territory, but there are multiple women in the book who might at first run the risk of being misunderstood. But I hope that eventually their struggles soften the readers’ hearts a bit and help to see them from a different side.

As you’re also represented by an agent (Laura Bennett, who featured on one of our episodes). What made you decide to pursue indie publishing rather than traditional for this book?

Having been traditionally published before, I did feel quite limited in what I was able to do to promote my books. I’m a very energetic person in general, and I like having a clear view of what’s happening, why it’s happening and being able to react in real time. Since I’m still under contract (though not allowed to talk about it for now), I thought it was the best time to jump into the indie pool and see what I can learn from the experience. 

Moreover, with this book, I have heard from multiple publishing people that they feel “historical doesn’t sell”, which I think is, frankly, a pile of nonsense. Just look at the abiding popularity of The Outlander and Bridgerton. I’m a bit of a contrarian by nature, and so I have decided Binding the Cuckoo will be the best book to take on this journey.

And have you developed a preference between indie and traditional publishing?

Too early to tell when it comes to the results! But I definitely enjoy the freedom of it. I don’t need to ask permission to reach out to people or try something a bit whacky for promotion. I don’t need to go through a go-between. Advertising as well is something that I have been curious about before, but when you get pennies on a pound, it doesn’t make sense to invest your own money. Here? Win or Lose, it’s all me.

Have you come across any surprises or challenges in writing or publishing so far? How have you overcome them?

I have expected a little snobbery regarding being self-published. And fair enough, I can understand people being wary. Nobody owes me their support. But it was a little sad to have some outlets who know my writing and have promoted my books in the past suddenly pre-emptively reach out to say they won’t be able to help in any way with the promotion of my indie novel. I haven’t even had the chance to ask! 

But that’s ok. I knew that it’s a trade off in the opportunities department. I’m excited for all the new connections I’m making with people, and hope the old ones stay for the next book.

With quite a few books published now, what are your favourite and least favourite aspects of the overall writing and publishing process? 

Writing and connecting with people through storytelling is great. 10 out of 10, no notes.

The business side of it, however, is brutal. People try to sugarcoat it, but the industry is simply broken. The publishers, operating on a blockbuster model, keep gambling on debuts. Little thought and interest is dedicated to promoting the second/third books by their existing authors. 

Publishers acknowledge that how well a book does commercially has little to do with the book itself and everything to do with how it’s marketed. But then when it comes to acquiring new titles, the previous sales figures are held against the author. That pressure, where the authors have very little power, can be destructive. My messages are full of friendly authors expressing anxiety and disappointment with the process, as well as the fear that their next book might simply not sell. From the readers’ perspective, it might look like the authors whose books they enjoyed simply disappear. The assumption might be that they stopped writing, maybe the muse left them, never to return again. But behind the scenes there might be half a dozen rejected book proposals and several finished books that the authors are unable to place, as the big contracts go to yet another ghost-written celebrity book. 

Indie space offers a bit of a respite from it all. 

Do you have any advice for querying or indie authors just starting out?

Make connections with people. Not in a ‘what can you do for me’ sort of way, as that’s really transparent. It’s a lonely business, publishing. Offer support. Share opportunities. What goes around, comes around.

You’re also a very talented artist. What was it like to design your own book cover, and has your visual creativity ever informed your writing, or vice versa?

Thank you so much! I admit that being able to be in charge of the visual aspect of my novels was a huge draw for me when it came to going indie. 

When it comes to how things influence my writing: I have a very visual imagination. It helps me focus on the small details. I draw the scene in my head, from the detail to the whole. The shine of a button, the fraying edge of a scarf. I think it helps me add depth to the descriptions, and make the characters feel more real.

We’d love a hint about what readers can expect from next! What are you currently working on?

I’m working on volume two to the Daughters of Defiance series! I have envisioned the series as a kind of mosaic world: each book is about a different couple, while in the same circles/world.. 

Our podcast focuses on media we’re currently loving. Are there any books, shows, movies, or games you’re enjoying at the moment? Any recommendations for our audience? Bonus points if it includes sapphics!

I’m currently enjoying the Girlfriend TV series on Amazon. All the characters are terrible, but I love how the points of view shift, even within a single episode. How a single action can be interpreted with a multitude of ways.

For books, I just finished Voracious by Małgorzata Lebda. It’s the first time I have ever read a Polish book in translation (it was a birthday present), and I found the experience fascinating. The book itself is an extremely lyrical and tender story of a small family in rural Poland, during the illness of the main character’s grandmother.

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About the Author

Gabriela Houston is a Polish, UK-based artist and author of Slavic-foklore inspired novels for children (The Wind Child & The Storm Child) and adults (The Second Bell & The Bone Roots). Her most recent novel, Binding the Cuckoo is an alternative history romance set in the Gilded Age.

She also hosts a YouTube and Spotify show The Gabriela Houston Project: Storytelling In All Its Forms. For news on her writing and the show sign up to her newsletter here.