K.Q. Watson’s debut novel, Clipped, plunges readers into a dystopian world where Heaven’s fallible justice sends an angel engineer hurtling to Earth—and ignites a father’s quest for vengeance. Blending speculative theology with gritty urban landscapes, Watson delivers a story that questions organized religion, explores the pain of parenthood, and showcases unforgettable characters.
We spoke with K.Q. Watson about the inspirations behind Clipped, the challenges of bringing it to life, and what’s next on her writing horizon.
Clipped by K.Q. Watson
Q: How did the concept for Clipped originate?
A: Someone once asked me what I thought would happen if humanity, mortals, evolved wings. From there, it sort of grew. But also I was very, very ill at the time and all I could do was lay in bed and sleep, or try to distract myself with my creativity.
Q: When did you first start writing, and what motivated you to publish Clipped?
A: I’ve always played imaginary friends, only now I call it writing!
Q: Which character did you find the most fun—or most challenging—to write, and why?
A: Well, that’s a spoiler but you’ll understand when you meet them, so in place of that I’m going to say Nyx. I love her dry, deadpan humour and her apathy to everything.
Q: What themes or messages do you hope readers take away from this novel?
A: I’m really bad at themes, and I don’t want to tell someone how to interpret my work. You get out of it what you get out of it. Though, at its most basic I’d hope they’d get things like Organized Religion can be bad. Eugenics is bad. Being a parent is hard.
Q: Did any of your personal experiences influence the story or its characters?
A: Well, like the main character Zak, and other supporting characters in the book, I am an amputee! I was born “flawed” like Zak’s son, with bones missing in my right leg and right thumb.
The first act of the book takes place in Vancouver, Canada, where I grew up, and Seattle, Washington. See if you can pick out landmarks! The first-floor layout of a certain building is kind of based on the Commodore Ballroom in my mind.
Q: What question do you wish readers would ask you about Clipped—and what’s your answer?
A: I don’t know. I don’t want to put words in people’s mouths. I guess, will there be more books in this world? And the answer is maybe. I’ve started a short that takes place before Clipped, and a sequel—but the sequel is all kinds of disorganized and meandering and needs a complete rework from the ground up.
Q: Do you have a favorite quote or scene from the book you’d like to share?
A: I really like the dinner scene between Zak and Nyx once they meet up for a second time. I use it as a free cookie on social media posts.
Q: What was the biggest challenge you faced in writing or publishing Clipped?
A: I submitted Clipped to dozens and dozens of agents and publishers only to get rejections, and I figured if no one who doesn’t know me personally believes in me or my work then I’ve got to believe in myself. That kind of sucked. It’s why I roll my eyes at “inspiring” sayings like ‘Famous Author was rejected 12 times before the book got picked up by a publisher!’ Twelve times? Those are rookie numbers.
Q: What’s next for you as a writer?
A: Something about elves, I think, but it’s still in the plotting stages.
Where to Find Clipped
Purchase your copy on Books2Read.
Connect with K.Q. Watson
- TikTok: @kq_watson
- Instagram: @kq_watson
- Goodreads: K.Q. Watson
- The StoryGraph: kqwatson
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