C.L. Clark
Credit: Chris Kammerud
Watch as a full video interview on YouTube
C.L. Clark, dubbed the "Patron Saint of Sword Lesbians" by Reactor Magazine, is a BFA award-winning editor and the Nebula-nominated author of a few essays, several short stories, and a handful of books, including the Magic of the Lost trilogy (The Unbroken), the novellas Fate's Bane and Fortune’s Wake, and the Arcane novel Ambessa: Chosen of the Wolf. When they’re not imagining the fall of empires, they’re trying not to throw their kettlebells through the walls. For essays and extras, head to their website, clclarkwrites.com.
We had a great time speaking with Cherae about the journey to getting their first novel published, how they use cards and dice to help inspire their stories and talk about the pros and cons of literary awards. Plus, we of course chat about TTRPGs (Cherae appears on our sister podcast, Narrative Damage!) and also talk about how their knowledge of swordfighting helps them write great fight scenes.