INTERVIEW with Carly Heath, author of The Reckless Kind

INTERVIEW

I am so excited to welcome Carly Heath, the author of The Reckless Kind to my blog today!  Their debut novel, The Reckless Kind just released in November 2021 with Soho Teen. I wanted to take this opportunity to interview the author and get to know them a bit more.  The Reckless Kind is available now, so be sure to add the book to your TBR today!

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, Carly!

Interview with the Author

What are four things you can't live without?

Animals, my laptop, astrology software

 

What is your favorite television show?

I don’t watch a whole lot of TV, so I kinda have to think about that one. Probably The Good Place?

 

Where did you get your inspiration and ideas for The Reckless Kind?

A number of different interests merged into what would become The Reckless Kind. I did a costume design project in college that was set in the early 1900s, I read Kristin Lavransdatter, and I love Norwegian fjord horses. All that, mixed with a period in my life where I was experiencing a lot of horse-related injuries contributed to the creation of The Reckless Kind.

 

Does your day job ever play into your writing?

I’m lucky to work from home as an educator and designer, so I can make my own schedule and that has been hugely helpful in being able to put the time in needed to finish and revise a manuscript. A few years ago I was also working full time as a horse trainer and that contributed a great deal to my inspiration while writing The Reckless Kind.

  

What books or authors have most influenced your writing? 

Strangely, the books I love aren’t necessarily the ones that influenced the books I write. The Reckless Kind was very much influenced by Sigrid Undset’s books (Kristin Lavransdatter and Happy Times in Norway) as well as guidebooks to Norway that were written in the 19th century. I wouldn’t say those books are my favorites or anything, but the vibes and details contributed a lot to the creation of that story. Lately, though, I’m heavily inspired by Madeline Miller and will probably forever be chasing her level of perfection.

 

What is your favorite writing snack and/or drink? 

I don’t really eat or drink when I write, other than maybe having a green tea nearby or maybe some baby carrots. Not terribly exciting.

 

What was your hardest scene to write and why? 

Any scenes with villainous characters are really hard for me. I tend to need to dive into historical research of men saying backwards things about women and use that for dialogue.

 

What is a significant way your book has changed since the first draft? For example, is there a scene that was in the first draft that you really loved that didn't make the final cut?

The first draft was unrecognizable from what is published. It wasn’t even dual POV between Asta and Erlend back then. And I’m seriously glad to have scrapped all of it and restructured something much different but using the same characters. The only thing I can think of that was kind of nice was in a way way earlier draft Asta had a sister the sister had a lot of page time in the second act, but I ended up removing that threadline and using that character for another book. I think she works in this new book much better.

 

What exciting projects do you have coming up next?

I’m revising a YA fantasy set on a magical Scandinavian island about a strange family that’s cursed to transform into animals at some point in their lives.

 

What's currently on your to-be-read pile that you're most anxious to get to? 

I was really enjoying The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros, but sadly got distracted by a major revision I needed to do, but I’m jumping back into that ASAP.

 

Aside from writing, what is one thing you do for fun?

The main thing that consumes my life is my horse. I don’t do a lot of intense competing anymore, since she’s gotten older and has some arthritis, but I spend a few hours every day teaching her tricks and hacking around.

About the Book

A genre-defying debut, this queer historical YA centers a wild and reckless trio who fly in the face of small-town tradition—full of compassion, love, and determination to live the lives of their choosing.

It’s 1904 on an island just west of Norway, and Asta Hedstrom doesn’t want to marry her odious betrothed, Nils. But her mother believes she should be grateful for the possibility of any domestic future given her single-sided deafness, unconventional appearance, and even stranger notions. Asta would rather spend her life performing in the village theater with her fellow outcasts: her best friend Gunnar Fuglestad and his secret boyfriend, wealthy Erlend Fournier. 

But the situation takes a dire turn when Nils lashes out in jealousy—gravely injuring Gunnar. Shunning marriage for good, Asta moves with Gunnar and Erlend to their secluded cabin above town. With few ties left to their families, they have one shot at gaining enough kroner to secure their way of life: win the village’s annual horse race. 

Despite Gunnar’s increasing misgivings, Asta and Erlend intend to prove this unheard-of arrangement will succeed. Asta trains as a blacksmith; Erlend cares for recovering Gunnar. But as race day approaches, the villagers’ hateful ignorance only grows stronger. With this year’s competition proving dangerous for the trio, Asta and Erlend soon find they face another equally deadly peril: the possibility of losing Gunnar and their found family forever.

Check out the book's Goodreads page!

Here are some links to buy the book!

Buy The Reckless Kind from Amazon

Buy The Reckless Kind from Barnes and Noble

Buy The Reckless Kind from Bookshop.org

Buy The Reckless Kind in audiobook format from LibroFM

Buy The Reckless Kind in audiobook format from Audible

About the Author

Carly Heath (she/they) earned her BA from San Francisco State University and her MFA from Chapman University. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Carly teaches design, art, theater, and writing for various colleges and universities. She spends all her time and most of her money tending to a menagerie of rescued farm animals. The Reckless Kind is her first novel.

Connect with the author with these links!

YouTube Channel - Twitter - Instagram - TikTok - Author Website