LSQ has had the pleasure of publishing quite a few writers from Australia and New Zealand. OJ Cade is no exception and gave us one of our most stellar stories.
Hi OJ! First off, please tell us a bit about yourself. Have any super powers or secret talents?
I’m a New Zealand author. I’ve spent the past few years in grad school, so writing short stories (as well as baking and hiking) has kept me clinging on to sanity. Barely.
Can you tell us a bit about what inspired your story in the anthology?
My Mum had a short stay in hospital a while back. While she was there, she was told about the hospital pigeon problem and the early morning hunting solution… it kind of snowballed from there.
What have you been up to lately? Do you have any books out right now? Are you working on anything new?
I’ve got a novella coming out in September from Paper Road Press. Called “The Ghost of Matter”, it’s about Ernest Rutherford and atomic physics and, well, ghosts. I’ve also self-published my first novel, “The August Birds“.
I’m always fascinated by where and how people work. What is your writing setup like? Any tools you enjoy using?
I’m pretty boring there actually. Have laptop, will write. I don’t use any special programmes or anything; I try to keep it as simple as possible. It minimises distractions.
Most writers are lifelong readers and books tend to be important to them. What books or stories have most influenced your life (genre stories or otherwise)?
Angela Carter is one of the big influences for me. And Mervyn Peake, both for their use of language. “Gormenghast” is one of my mental touchstones for that. I just love it.
Where can we learn more about you and your writing?
I have a website, at ojcade.com. It’s pretty sporadically updated, but it’s there.
Thanks OJ! We’ll be sure to keep an eye out for “The August Birds”!
If you’re intrigued by the inspiration behind “The Absence of Feathers”, consider getting yourself a copy of “The Best of Luna Station Quarterly: The First Five Years” and read it for yourself, along with the other forty-nine awesome stories and gorgeous cover art by Julie Dillon.