Hot on the heels of the publication of Fortune Favours the Grave, we caught up with E.S. Drake to discuss her stunning fantasy series, her approach to writing, and the big questions that shape her work.
Acts of Cupidity introduced readers to the wonderfully chaotic Afterlife Agency, where agents of love are responsible for matchmaking from beyond the grave. What first inspired the idea of turning fate, love and the afterlife into an office full of bureaucracy?
My whole life, love had always been transactional, and I had grown to hate it, as there was always a catch. Adding bureaucracy into love seemed natural for me, as I am cynical as hell when it comes to romance. But I recognise that’s not the case for everyone, so I wanted to make sure there was still some magic involved, especially for the sweet Casey Harts of this world. Love is what you make of it, and sometimes it’s worth fighting for… if you can handle the paperwork.
One of the joys of the series is its balance of laugh-out-loud humour with genuinely emotional moments. How do you approach writing stories that can make readers laugh one moment and tug at their heartstrings the next?
I have always approached tragedy with humour, as it has been my way of coping with some dreadful things in life. My aim has always been to see light amongst the darkness, and I wanted to give readers a world filled with characters that manage to keep their sense of humour however much the odds are stacked against them. Death is the great unknown, and the afterlife is the final mystery, who says it has to be sensible?
In Fortune Favours the Grave, we move from Cupid agents to the Fortuna Division, where luck itself has become dangerously unpredictable. What drew you to exploring luck as the next force shaping people’s lives, and how did it expand the world of the Afterlife Agency?
The concept of incidents being a result of sheer luck or something written in the stars has fascinated me, and I’ve dabbled in changing my mindset on luck to try and manifest positivity in everything, though it’s a work in progress. I wanted to explore how good luck can mean wildly different things to different people, and how miraculous events might change the course of someone’s day, year or whole life if they were given a nudge from the Fates. Plus I really wanted an afterlife division of agents who always seem to get the cuddly toys in a grabber machine, because who doesn’t want that ability?
Both books ask fascinating questions about destiny, free will and whether our lives are really our own. As you were writing, did your own thoughts about fate and choice evolve—and do you think we’re shaped more by luck, love or the decisions we make?
I have a solid personal belief that we all navigate the universe with a mix of decision and destiny, and that there are points in life we simply can’t avoid, like the certainty of death, or meeting people or creatures we have a soul connection with which is deeper than a single lifetime. When writing the Afterlife Agency series, I wanted to capture that fluidity of movement through life, where our own choices will always lead to those fixed points, but the journey between them is our own to shape and enjoy.
Across the two novels, readers encounter unforgettable characters, impossible mysteries and plenty of wonderfully absurd moments (including some memorable geese!). Which character or scene has surprised you the most, either while writing or through readers’ reactions?
I was definitely surprised how many readers enjoyed the apocalyptic geese, to the point there was disappointment at the lack of geese in the second book. I now have a dedicated Goose Crew, and Acts of Cupidity is often lovingly referred to as The Goose Book. Aside from the eccentric gaggle of end of the world birds, I am really touched at how readers have fallen in love with Erron and his journey through PTSD, as this is something deeply personal that I am glad to know I have given voice to in a way that speaks to others with similar experiences.
Without giving anything away, Fortune Favours the Grave leaves readers with an even bigger sense of what this universe has to offer. Is there another corner of the Afterlife Agency or another force governing human lives that you’re excited to explore in future stories?
Absolutely, I’m not done with the afterlife just yet and I’m looking forward to holding more of a spotlight on the agents of both Nemesis (vengeance) and Hades (death) divisions, to complete the four aspects of destiny. There’s also a deep dive into the Chaos realm for good measure! Whichever direction Fate takes me, I plan to complete the series to give my readers full closure, alongside a separate writing project I am currently working on, which will delve more into the destination of souls… I’m deep in the trenches of urban fantasy and love exploring the tangle of modern life in the web of greater cosmic mysteries, so watch this space!
