Amy Archer has been writing stories since she was six years old, and now her debut novel, Nemesis Mine, is out for all to enjoy. It follows Cyrus, a villain whose reputation has taken an unexpected hit as his magical powers begin producing flowers instead of fear. Desperate to reclaim his status, he agrees to a publicity stunt with Athaca’s beloved hero, Maximillian: a fake rivalry designed to boost both of their profiles. But as staged battles turn into genuine feelings, Cyrus discovers that pretending to hate his nemesis is far more complicated than being a villain.
We asked Archer to answer our recurring My Reading Life Q&A so readers can get to know the books that shaped her life and influenced her writing.
What was the first book you were obsessed with as a child?
I was massively into The Famous Five as a kid. I was so taken with George Kirrin that I wrote ‘property of George’ in all my other books. I insisted on eating a lot of potted meat sandwiches and barley sugars, probably confused our family dog by calling her Timmy (her name was Hepzibah), and my mum had to knit me a tank top which I wore religiously. Unfortunately, photo evidence of this phase does exist.
What book helped you through puberty?
I read Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials when I was quite young, and I think those books definitely had a lasting impact on me. The idea of a daemon being able to change forms when you’re a child and still discovering who you are is very powerful. I like to think my daemon would have settled into some kind of cat.
What book do you wish 16-year-old you had read?
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. I think I would’ve realised sooner that you can write SFF and still lean very comfortably into comedy.
If you were to teach a class on Damn Good Writing, what books would make the syllabus?
My favourite book of all time is Wuthering Heights, so I would have to say that. I always adored Cathy’s messy complexity, and I think the beauty in Brontë’s writing is unparallelled. I’m also a huge fan of Madeline Miller’s The Song of Achilles. She has the ability to combine really beautiful, lyrical writing with the kind of emotion that makes your chest hurt for a few hours after you’ve put the book down. I’m a ‘dog-eared and well-thumbed copies of my favourite books’ kind of person, but I do have special editions of those two in pride of place on my bookshelf.
What books helped guide you while writing your book?
I re-read The Hobbit early in the process of drafting Nemesis Mine, and I think that helped give me confidence with following the whims of my own cosy fantasy. Also, aside from books, I tend to get a lot of inspiration from TV and films, and I was watching a lot of Taika Waititi’s work at the time. Looking back, I can definitely see that influence in some elements of Nemesis Mine.
What books are on your nightstand now?
Apparently, Sir Cameron Needs to Die by Greer Stothers and How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days by Jessie Sylva. Looking forward to getting stuck in!