They might not be raindrops on roses or whiskers on kittens, but that doesn’t mean that we love them any less. Welcome back to My Favorite Things, the weekly column where we grab someone in speculative circles to gab about the greatest in geek. This week, we sit down with Amy Ravenel, author of White Spirit. The sequel, Cursed Spirit, comes out on October 22nd from Falstaff Books!
What does Amy love when she’s not writing about ghost stories and romance? Spoiler alert: magical sisters, a gateway science fantasy, a soundtrack to her life and her novels, and a superhero who’s awesome no matter what his size. Interested? Read on to learn more!
I geek out about a lot of things — TV shows, movies, characters, music. I’ve been a fangirl since I was seven when I fell in love with The Wizard of Oz. (I still want those ruby slippers in an adult size.) So narrowing down my favorites list to four things was a daunting task. But I think I met the challenge.
Favorite TV Show: Charmed
I’m a sucker for shows about witches and magic, and Charmed (the original one from 1998) tops my list. Yes, it presented silly and cheesy plots. Yes, some parts of it may not have aged well. But I loved this story of three (eventually, four) sisters who not only saved the world, but relied on each other through thick and thin. Piper was my favorite sister, and her power to stop time and blow things up remains the coolest. She was the quiet, kind of dorky sister that I related to. Plus, I followed her romance with Leo from the first longing looks all the way to the romantic last scene in the final episode.
Favorite Writer: Anne McCaffrey
I actually have two favorite writers, Anne McCaffrey and Nora Roberts, but I’m going to focus on the sci-fi writer of the two. Anne McCaffrey was my gateway into science fiction and fantasy. A co-worker from my days of working part-time at Wal-Mart suggested I read the Pern series, and I never looked back. I adore that whole fantasy world and loved all of the characters. I spent my sophomore year of college burning through all the Pern books that were out. But the best moment of all was when I got to meet Anne McCaffrey at Dragon Con. I stood in line for two hours. So worth it! When I finally reached her, I think I squeaked out, “I love your books.” It wasn’t the intelligent speech I planned, but at least I said something.
Favorite Band: Lacuna Coil
I listen to a lot of different music, from bluegrass to pop to metal. It’s hard to pick a favorite, but Lacuna Coil is at the top. Lacuna Coil is a gothy metal band from Italy, and they were the soundtrack to my first date with my husband. We traveled from one end of downtown Charleston to the other that night listening to all of Comalies. Every playlist I make for a book includes at least one of their songs. If I need to lift my mood, I’ll play Lacuna Coil. My husband and I have seen them in concert multiple times in multiple locations. And now I want to see them live…again. It’s been too long!
Favorite Superhero: Thor
I think I’m in the minority here, but I loved the first Thor movie. Loved. It. It was epic and romantic, and Thor and Jane made an adorable couple. (I’m still holding out for a romantic reunion in Thor: Love and Thunder. Don’t break my heart, Waititi!) Thor may have a bit of an ego problem when his character arc starts, but he becomes humble as he makes his heartbreaking way to the last Avengers movie. Sure, everybody else gravitated toward Loki, but I’m a Thor girl all the way. I loved him as built Thor, and I loved him as bathrobe Thor. He’s funny, he’s sexy, and I’m always up for a marathon. Who’s in?
Amy Ravenel has done a bit of everything — waitressing, customer service, teaching, librarianship. But writing has been the only thing she’s ever wanted to do. She has a deep love for bookstores, the mountains, and all sorts of geeky things. A native North Carolinian, she grew up in the foothills near the inspiration for Mayberry. Today, she lives with her epically-bearded husband and her epically-furry cats.
Facebook || Facebook Group || Twitter || Instagram || Website || Newsletter
No Comments