Today, I finally get a chance to talk to Crystal King whose latest novel, THE HAPPINESS COLLECTOR, was released in December. We’re talking about how a writer might transition into using speculative elements in their fiction—something a lot of authors are playing with right now—as well as the thorny issue of technology, not only how to handle it, but how to make sure it doesn’t squash any mystery you’re trying to create.

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Crystal King is the author of IN THE GARDEN OF MONSTERS, which was a MassBook Must Read, THE CHEF’S SECRET, and FEAST OF SORROW, which was long-listed for the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize and was also a MassBook Must Read. Her latest is THE HAPPINESS COLLECTOR, is an Amazon best fantasy pick. She is an author, culinary enthusiast, and marketing expert. Her writing is fueled by a love of history and a passion for the food, language, and culture of Italy. She has taught classes in writing, creativity, and social media at several universities including Harvard Extension School and Boston University, as well as at GrubStreet, one of the leading creative writing centers in the US. A Pushcart Prize–nominated poet and former co-editor of the online literary arts journal Plum Ruby Review, Crystal received her MA in critical and creative thinking from UMass Boston, where she developed a series of exercises and writing prompts to help fiction writers in medias res. She resides in Boston.

Photo by Edu Lauton on Unsplash

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Crystal King: Tackling the Speculative (& the ornery issue of technology too)