In Conversation with Black Cat: Discord’s Cath Lauria
Having already made a mighty contribution to Aconyte Books’ Marvel Heroines range in the form of Elsa Bloodstone: Bequest, author Cath Lauria brings us Black Cat: Discord, another gripping Marvel novel, this time set through the eyes of New York City’s most notorious cat burglar, Felicia Hardy, aka, Black Cat. An anti-heroine of sorts, Felicia has an unquestionable moral standing, but is certainly no Captain America. When a remarkably cunning and equally high-maintenance teenage girl calls upon Felicia to track down her missing gangster father, Black Cat is compelled to do the right thing on the wrong side of the law, whilst avoiding the temptations of the mysterious magical golden apples which have discomubalted the fickle hearts of many a mortal human across the world.
Black Cat: Discord is an extremely cool superhero book. It pays homage to the iconic New York City of Marvel lore and all of its resident characters good and bad, whilst weaving a gripping, action-laden and thoroughly entertaining story that has more than a few surprises along the way. The Book Network was therefore honoured to chat to Cath Lauria about her wonderful take on Black Cat and the world she inhabits, starting with what appealed to Cath about this particular Marvel character in the first place.
‘She’s just…gah, she’s so cool. I’ve always had a soft spot for heist stories, and especially in a universe that’s crowded with superpowered people, it’s a fun challenge to write about someone who doesn’t have a lot of those abilities at her disposal. Felicia’s got to be more thoughtful about how she pulls off her jobs, and that means teamwork. Her team is the best. Also, she’s bi, which spoke to me on a personal level. I appreciate so much about her, and had to make a play to write her book.
‘It was so much fun to write. It’s got a foothold in the larger Marvel universe thanks to being set in New York, so readers can look forward to cameos from some big names, all of them embroiled in Black Cat’s mischief.’
Cameos are indeed abundant, and second-guessing who Felicia runs into next is one of the many fun things about this book. Spiderman, Tony Stark and Daredevil are just a few of the household names to make a guest appearance, and Cath Laura brings each of these well-established personalities to life with effortless finesse.
‘I was SO EXCITED to put those cameos in! My first Marvel Heroines book didn’t have a lot of big-name cameos but it seemed like it could be so fun, so I wrote all of these specifically into the pitch for Felicia’s book to see if I could get away with them. And I could! I hope I get to write Daredevil or Tony Stark again someday.’
Naturally, there are varying degrees of fandom towards the Marvel universe. Fans of the live-action Marvel movies and TV shows have not yet had the pleasure of an introduction to Black Cat (at least at the time of writing this), though this character is a veteran of the comic world. Cath Lauria made sure to read up on as much backstory as she could before putting pen to paper on Felicia Hardy. In particular, her novel lends itself to the latest Black Cat comic book series from Jed Mackay, through which Lauria developed an even greater love for the character.
Suffice to say, Black Cat: Discord pays reference to a solid foundation of fictional history, which will please pre-existing fans of Black Cat. However, there is a great deal more to the book than backstory. With Felicia Hardy being an extremely cerebral character, Cath faced a unique challenge in bringing the methodology of this master thief to life… and in first person too.
‘I had a lot of reading to do to pull this book off. Not just within the Marvel universe, which has plenty of great thieves and epic battles to draw inspiration from, but about heists in the real world too. Felicia has a lot of talents, but her biggest asset by far is her brain. She doesn’t rely on superpowers the way so many other characters do, despite having some great tricks up her sleeve, so that means planning ahead is a must—for her and for me, when it came to this book.’
‘I’m very comfortable writing in first person. I’ve always been a huge urban fantasy fan, and when I started writing for Aconyte Books and the Marvel Heroines line in particular, I saw the chance to use that urban fantasy style of writing—which is very frequently first person, and also snarky as hell. Maintaining one person’s POV for eighty thousand words can be challenging, but it also makes a lot of things about writing a story easier. I don’t have to worry about what other people know and let on to the reader—it’s all about Felicia and her perspective. That doesn’t mean she’s a completely reliable narrator, but it makes the writing process more linear, which I appreciate.’
A reliable narrator? Perhaps not then. But likeable? Most definitely! Felicia Hardy isn’t perfect, and where would the fun be if she was? With such a candid insight into Back Cat’s workings on offer in Black Cat: Discord, this author ensures that whilst Hardy’s motives may sometimes be questionable, she is always definitely relatable.
‘I hope readers see someone who’s trying to live her best (most felonious) life, and doesn’t let getting dragged into other people’s adventures ruin that for her. I hope they see her for the multifaceted, talented, hilarious person she is. And I hope they see her compassionate side as well as her competitive side, and how they don’t have to be at odds.’
The humble writer of this article is pleased to confirm that you get all of the above and then some in this book, having read it cover-to-cover himself. No spoilers of course! That said, Cath was prepared to give away this much:
‘There’s definitely an element of “be careful what you wish for” in this book, which is one that Felicia’s taken to heart. More than anything else, this book is about friendship and family, found and otherwise, and the lengths a person will go to for the ones they love—without being completely self-sacrificing, which more often than not ends badly.’
As previously stated, Black Cat: Disord is a marvellous (small pun intended) novel, which proves that the author has not taken the privilege of making her own valuable contribution to the colossal Marvel canon lightly. Readers with their own writing aspirations can most certainly be forgiven for dreaming of the same goal of creating their own superhero/heroine story. In this regard, Cath Lauria was happy to offer a few words of encouragement.
‘In a general sense, anybody can write a superhero/heroine novel. Just make up a world and go there! In a more pro-level sense, though, my best advice is to keep your eyes open for opportunities and jump on them! I didn’t have any experience writing for an IP (intellectual property) before working with Aconyte Books, and their application made it clear they preferred writers with that experience.
‘I did have a history of writing superhero stories, though—look at me taking my own advice!—via a small press that managed to get its books reviewed by big trade journals. I submitted one of those as my writing sample and managed to squeak by, lol. Then it was a matter of finding the right project, pitching, revising, figuring out how to write an IP novel…it’s a learning process for sure, and one that requires practice, but don’t be afraid to try!’
On which note, Cath Lauria's future in the world of publishing is set to reach even greater heights.
‘I love writing for the Marvel Heroines line and have another pitch in right now for it, but I’m also branching out some in my work. The novel I’m working on right now is associated with a tabletop game, and I can’t WAIT to get it out into the world. It’s so different from anything I’ve done before, and I hope readers enjoy it…’
On the basis of the quality of Black Cat: Discord, that enjoyment is guaranteed.
About the Author
Cath Lauria is a Colorado girl who loves snow and sunshine. She is a prolific author of science fiction, fantasy, suspense and romance fiction, and has a vast collection of beautiful, edged weapons.
Cath’s Website: HOME - (authorcariz.com)
Find Cath on Twitter: @author_cariz
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