


E. L. Croucher

Tell us a bit about what inspired you to create a post-apocalyptic, all female run government concept?
The main concept came from wanting to create an ironic world that swaps the patriarchy for the matriarchy. Women predominantly in charge, rather than men. Women controlling how men use their bodies, rather than men telling women whether or not they can get an abortion. It’s a topical and rather “taboo” topic at the moment – which is exactly why I chose it as the setting of my dystopian novel. It’s dark. That allows me to use it as the perfect platform to make a social commentary and set up a post-apocalyptic world.
The reason behind setting Horned Winged Blessed in a post-world war III time period was because war is something that my generation have no idea about. We’ve heard about it in History lessons at school, but that’s it. I’m using the fear of the unknown to start out with a certain element of gloominess.
Which character in your latest novel are most like you? And why?
This is 100% the antagonist, haha! Simone Wood, the mother of the protagonist. I actually based the character around the type of parent and woman that I don’t want to become.
When starting the novel, I was going through my own dark times – my ex left me because I couldn’t give him biological children. That in itself remains to be a theme throughout Horned Winged Blessed, albeit very subtly and delicately.
Simone Wood is the character of who I wouldn’t want to be as a mother. Joan Wood, the protagonist, grows to despise her. She is always drunk, and prioritises work over her daughter. Simone is everything I want to avoid becoming, but she’s still based around me.
If you could be re-spawned as any creature (real or imaginary), what would it be and why did you choose it?
It would have to be a butterfly. The symbolism is too great for me to say anything else! ^^
I’m a transgender woman, and the process that a butterfly goes through, from caterpillar to chrysalis, is just so similar to what we also go through. I’ve always been a butterfly on the inside, my body just now reflects that.
When you write your novels, what are 3 must-haves in your writing space?
- Notepad and pen.
- Steaming black coffee.
- Candles burning around me.
Give us the book-track of your life. List a book you loved as a child, young adult and currently.
I’m afraid none of these are going to be ground-breaking or special.
I grew up with books all around me, as my mother was a big reader. I went to sleep at night with Harry Potter under my pillow. Another favourite of mine was the ‘Wicca’ series, by Cate Tiernan.
In my teens I started reading books like The Handmaid’s tale, To Kill and Mocking Bird and other classics. I also spent a lot of time reading about Wiccan and Pagan lore, if I’m permitted to add non-fiction books to this list!
As a young adult I loved A Song of Ice and Fire. Dany is my idol and I love her. My favourite quote of all time is her line “If I look back, I am lost.”
These days, I keep in the dystopian genre. I’m re-reading Divergent. Another non-fiction book on my list is Pure, White and Deadly… as I’m cutting out all processed sugar.
Want to know more about E.L. Croucher? Here’s a brief background:
E L Croucher is a young author, living in London. She started writing over two years, with her first novel The Butterfly on Fire, which she published on Amazon. Alongside her career as a writer, she works as a Japanese translator and interpreter for a well-known Japanese gaming company, after studying Japanese at university and living in Tokyo, Japan.
Her latest novel, Horned Winged Blessed is an ironic look into a world in which gender roles are swapped, and minorities are forced into labels that they did not choose. With a mix of feminist views and a pro-LGBTQ+ stance, E L Croucher writes to further her dream of a world free from prejudice, hate-crimes and bullying.
Follow her story on her website or find her on social media:
Website | Facebook | Instagram
ELCroucher.com | Emi Louise Croucher| @emi13230
About The Book
Follow Joan on her adventure of discovery, as she learns the hard way that her post-apocalyptic utopia isn’t always full of rainbows and Merlot.
Yes, she lives on the nicer side of the settlement, as the daughter of the Mother Founder. But after a life-threatening attack on her home, she soon realizes that many out there are against the Silver Party regime.
Horned Winged Blessed is the story of one girl fighting against a tyrannous government, elected to power amidst the unending chaos of World War III. Heavily enriched in their pagan values, the Silver Party are to thank for pulling Broken Britain up from the brink of a depression, but at what cost?
Will Joan decide to take down the Silver Party from the inside…
…or will she go on to fight alongside the rebel faction that allures her so intensely?
Title: Horned Winged Blessed
Author: E L Croucher
Category: LGBTQ+ Dystopian Fiction
Publication Date: 29th November 2019
Publisher: Amazon
Editor: Jake Ratcliff
Cover Artist: Dawn M Larder
Buy Links
Amazon UK| Amazon US