Finnian Burnett

Welcome to the 5 Minutes Series. Each week, I’ll ask five questions of some of my favorite authors, editors, publishers, and other industry professionals. This week, I got to speak with debut author, college educator, and dear friend, Mary Carroll Leoson.

You have a brand-new book coming out. Can you tell me a little about the book—what it’s about, what inspired it?

The Butterfly Circle, which is book one of a horror YA trilogy, takes place at an unwed mother’s home in 1948. It follows four girls who enter the home as pregnant and afraid but become the best of friends over the course of the story. The core of the book is really about the girls’ friendship, but it’s also got its fair share of ghosts and ugly history. Hidden in the walls of the home are passages from the Underground Railroad, which the girls use to sneak out at night and explore. They encounter several ghosts, including two sisters who seem to be warning them, and a much darker spirit who wants revenge. They also must endure horrific treatment from a self-righteous headmistress whose threats seem empty at first—until they find baby bones in the garden. Then they realize there is much more at stake than their “virtuous” reputations. There are issues of race, sexuality, and religion that are interwoven with the plot as well.

Because The Butterfly Circle is a trilogy, some of the mysteries are solved at the end and others are not. There are hints about where book two will go, as the first chapter of the sequel is included at the end of the novel. Of Monarchs and Songbirds (book two) will take a turn into an asylum and incorporate even more history associated with the ghostly sisters.   

A lot of people find the publication process frustrating. What was your process, and do you have any advice for people looking to publish?

I deeply empathize with others who are on the path to publication. It can be overwhelming developing a query package and then querying agents and sending out manuscripts. For me, I queried agents and small publishers at the same time. It just so happens that a small publisher was interested in my manuscript. I’m grateful to Manta Press and its staff for believing in me and being so supportive throughout this journey.

I would recommend taking a similar approach, querying both agents and small publishers at the same time. But before taking this step, I would consider working with someone who really knows the ropes of the publishing industry so they can help you to shape your query package. I would also recommend building up your name with short fiction in literary magazines.

Additionally, I know not everyone can afford an MFA, and it’s not the right path for everyone, but what I learned there was incredibly valuable. Take advantage of opportunities to learn, whether it is a formal program or classes from your local library. I also am a member of the Horror Writers Association (HWA) and very active in that community; I was fortunate enough to have a mentor who helped me craft my query package, and it was within two weeks after this that I had an offer. So, I would suggest searching for organizations that write in similar genres and networking.

You wrote, revised, and found a publisher for your book while completing your doctoral degree! How did you compartmentalize the incredible amount of work needed for each of these things?

I got very good at juggling (haha). As one of my close friends who walked the path with me, you know how challenging that can be! I tend to thrive under pressure, thank goodness, so I think that helped. Having a strong support system is key. My husband always has my back and moving through both the doctoral program and the writing process with others who were on the same road was the most helpful thing. It was incredibly rewarding to work on our collaborative website, Story As Pedagogy and to produce our podcast, Teaching With Story, as we worked toward our doctorate. I am grateful for you, Finn, and Jeffery Buckner-Rodas.

If you could spend a day picking the brain of any living writer, who would it be?

Oh, my, what a difficult question! Because of my love of horror fiction and the HWA, I would have to say either Stephen King or Stephen Graham Jones. Margaret Atwood is a close second!

What are you working on now?

I am working on developing the audiobook for The Butterfly Circle as well as the Book 2 Manuscript (Of Monarchs & Songbirds).We will be resuming the Exhuming the Bones podcast in the next month or two, which is a project for the Ohio Chapter of the HWA, so I am looking forward to that as well!

Bonus question: Have you ever taken a photo of a weird bird?

I don’t think I’ve taken a picture of a weird bird, per se, but my backyard is a playground for all sorts of birds. My favorites are orioles and hummingbirds. I keep my feeders stocked with seed, suet, oranges, grape jelly, and hummingbird nectar (just water and sugar, no red dye).

Mary Carroll Leoson’s book, The Butterfly Circle, can be pre-ordered here. You can find Mary on the web at this link.