I had such a fun time interviewing Charlotte B. Plumb all about Reap & Sow. I can never get over a bargain with a demon! So you know I had to see if I could interview Charlotte! Keep reading this author interview with Charlotte B. Plumb to see all the questions I had upon finishing!
Reap & Sow
The penniless in Blackbridge have only two choices: Sell the body or sell the soul. And thanks to Eda Shaw, business is booming.
Indentured to a capricious demon known as Mr. Night, Eda and her brothers arrange illicit Pacts on his behalf, luring the city’s most desperate into trading years of their lives for their deepest desires. When a Pact goes awry and her brothers are arrested, Eda realizes she’ll need an infernal ally of her own: Kit’rath, an infuriating demon with a curious penchant for humanity and the only being in Blackbridge that Mr. Night seems to fear. As they race to rescue her family and save the city from ruin, an undeniable connection sparks between mortal and demon.
But Kit’s help doesn’t come cheap. Now, Eda risks losing her heart to the one who claims her years—and saving herself may prove the steepest cost of all.
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Author Interview
We love a good demon bargain. Can you tell us what drew you to the idea of a demon bargain – especially since yours sometimes have disastrous consequences – and if you could make a bargain with a demon, what would it be for?
The initial spark for Reap & Sow actually came while I was watching Peaky Blinders. I started wondering what a family on the wrong side of the law might look like in a fantasy world—and what they might trade in. The idea of a ‘deal with the devil’ emerged from there, eventually leading to a magic system where people bargain away years of their lives to demons. From that point, the story really just took on a life of its own.
In terms of making a Pact myself, few things would be worth bargaining years of my life for…besides becoming a full-time author, perhaps! Luckily, that dream came true for me without any dark magic—demonic or otherwise.
The atmosphere and simmering Gothic tension is present in REAP & SOW. How did you approach the world building as a debut author and is there something you learned towards the end of the drafting or editing process which you’ll take for future books?
While drafting Reap & Sow, the characters and concept came first. The setting required a deeper dive into history, which I really enjoyed. I read extensively about Elizabethan England and drew architectural inspiration from cities such as Edinburgh and Prague, with their striking Gothic and neo-Gothic architecture. That blend of gritty history and Faustian magic complemented each other perfectly and helped bring Blackbridge to life.
One thing I’ve learned is just how much those little details can make a fantasy world feel fleshed out and ‘lived-in’. It’s something I’ll definitely be carrying forward into my future projects, along with plenty more research!
Who is your favorite of the side characters and specifically brothers? What were you looking forward to when you first had the idea of her family and the character development you could do with them?
I’ll admit to having a real soft spot for Tripp, Kit’s grumpy imp familiar. He was such a scene stealer! As for Eda’s brothers, I really can’t choose between them. Lawrie is the more overtly likeable character of the two, but they both have such significant roles to play in Eda’s internal journey. Ben, in particular, is quite a multifaceted character. As the eldest of the Shaw siblings, he’s been something of a parental figure to the younger two, which has shaped his relationship with them in some interesting ways.
When I first started developing Eda’s family, I wanted each of them to have their own distinct personality, flaws and grievances. I also wanted to explore a family dynamic that felt true to real life—often complex and somewhat messy, but ultimately held together by genuine love. That was something I really enjoyed exploring as the story developed.
We love a good side kick character, can you introduce new readers to our impish favorite character? What do you think are qualities of a good side character or companion? Do you have a favorite companion fictional character?
Tripp has proved super popular with readers, and I’m so glad. He was a joy to write. As Kit’s familiar, Tripp provides plenty of humour throughout the story, but he also represents Kit’s past and the world he comes from. I think the best side characters aren’t just distinct personalities with ambitions, opinions and lives of their own; they also bring something integral to the story—whether that’s a new perspective, an additional challenge, or something else that makes the protagonist’s journey more interesting.
One of my favourite fictional sidekicks is Samwise Gamgee from The Lord of the Rings. Although, calling him a mere ‘sidekick’ seems a little disingenuous—Frodo would never have made it to Mordor without Sam!
Mortality and immortality are large themes in REAP & SOW. There’s the foundation of the bargain as well as our own universal fear of our mortality mixed with demons! What draws you to this juxtaposition of power and mortality?
I’m drawn to stories where the grim and the romantic are intertwined, and where tenderness can emerge in unexpected places; I wanted to write a book that captured that contrast. Reap & Sow is a romantic fantasy with a dark edge, set in a gothic, Elizabethan-inspired world that blends biting humour with Faustian magic and an unexpected love story.
The idea of trading away years of your life for power naturally raised questions about morality, humanity and what we’re willing to sacrifice for the things we desire. Those themes felt like the most natural ones to emerge from the premise, leading to the crux of the story: a flawed heroine confronting what it truly means to be human—and what it means to be a monster.
What are good movies or tv shows that capture the same atmosphere or vibe of REAP & SOW that readers can watch?
I obviously have to shout out Peaky Blinders, since it helped spark the idea in the first place. Reap & Sow isn’t particularly similar to the show, but there’s certainly some DNA shared between them: a gritty city, a criminal underbelly, dark corners and darker dealings. There’s also that distinctly British flavour, which I wanted to bring into the worldbuilding of Reap & Sow.
For the supernatural elements and gothic vibes, I’d recommend Penny Dreadful, and I’ll always suggest Crimson Peak, which is also one of my favourite gothic films. And, if you like Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle, you might find something to love in Kit!
About the Author
Charlotte is a fantasy author living in the UK with her husband, cat, and slightly mad dog. She believes books are the closest anyone can get to real magic, and when she isn’t daydreaming about fictional characters, she’s at her laptop writing them—if the cat isn’t already sitting on it.