Pau Michael winters is l a lifelong creative writer whose life is filled with queer joy. His passion is to spread that joy by telling stories where you might not typically see queer characters. He took a few moments to talk about his debut novel.
Q) Can you give our readers a quick overview of your new novel Together in a Broken World?
Together in a Broken World is a YA post-apocalyptic queer romance adventure set in the near future when a mysterious illness has spread through the world, destroying civilization. Two different boys, both isolated in their own way, cross paths, set off on a road trip together, and fall in love. It’s a story about overcoming loneliness, isolation, and trauma, with a sweet love story at its core.
Q) What inspired you to write the novel?
I conceived of the story in mid-2020 during the doldrums of COVID, thinking about what would happen if things were way worse. Everyone in the world was dealing with such a significantly changed life. I wanted to mix the isolation of the pandemic and ramp it up with influences from some of my favorite post-apocalyptic stories, like The Last of Us, 28 Days Later, and Children of Men. And, of course, at its heart, I wanted a gay romance.
Q) What parts of yourself did you find entering the characters of the novel?
A lot! My friends and family who read it said they saw a lot of me in the characters and the situations. Bits of the characters’ strengths and insecurities come straight from my personality. Also, I live in the Pacific Northwest, so living here for most of my life meant I was able to infuse a lot of my personal experiences and memories of locations directly into the book.
Q) Who are the authors you read for inspiration and writing techniques?
I’ve been reading a massive amount of queer YA fiction over the last few years. Some of my favorite authors include F.T. Lukens, TJ Klune, Robbie Couch, and Erik J. Brown. Outside of that, I love reading Stephen King, Agatha Christie, J. R. R. Tolkien, Brandon Sanderson, among others.
Q) Do you have any special rituals or schedules you follow to help remain productive in your writing?
I try to maintain a Monday through Friday 8-5 schedule just for consistency. But if I’m not feeling the writing juices flow, I’ll switch to reading (which IS part of an author’s job) or work on other book-business-related things. However, there have been plenty of times when I’ve woken up at 3 a.m. with an idea I just have to get on to paper, so I do have the occasional late-night creative sessions.
Q) I know a lot of time author’s do not have control over their covers, did the cover for Together in a Broken World convey the characters the way you saw them?
My publisher doesn’t normally do illustrations, so I was able to provide my own commissioned illustration. Working with the wildly talented Micah Epstein was like a dream. I gave him detailed descriptions of the characters, and he even read the book before doing the illustration. I couldn’t be happier with the result. He captured the essence of the characters and the story perfectly.
Q) I know that Together in a Broken World just came out, but have you had any thoughts on what your next project will be?
I have a YA haunted house romance completed, and I am currently looking to get it published. Hopefully, coming soon! I’m also working on several other projects, including a romantasy, a high-adventure story, and a mystery. Each vies for my attention, so deciding which one to work on is an interesting task!
Final four questions –we ask everybody
Q) When the zombies take over the world, where will you be?
Holded up in a small mountain town in Montana, waiting for my Aiden to rescue me. 🙂
Q) What is your favorite Fandom?
Star Wars! I’ve been a huge fan since I was a child.
Q) What piece of art, be it in the form of music, a book, a film or picture, do you think people must experience before they die?
That is a very hard question. No single thing rises above everything else. I visited MOMA in NYC last year for the first time and was floored seeing all these original works from van Gogh, Picasso, Matisse, Monet and others. I’d recommend people get out and visit our local museums and experience art in person.
Q) Give one fact that most people would not believe about you?
I rode my bike from San Francisco to LA (545 miles) in seven days as part of the AIDS Lifecycle Ride!
Paper Phoenix ink 