When Effie loses her mom and her home, she's sent to live with her aunts in Brooklyn, but she doesn't plan to be there long. However, before Effie can follow through on her plan to run away, she discovers there's more to her aunts than meets the eye and soon learns she has magic in her -- literally. Effie is one of the titular Witches of Brooklyn in Sophie Escabasse's new graphic novel from Random House.
Effie's journey isn't an easy one, especially when her favorite popstar gets involved. Through a series of magical mishaps and growing pains of all types, she figures out that family is what you make it -- especially when everything falls apart.
CBR spoke with Escabasse via e-mail about the rules for magic in Witches of Brooklyn, the inspiration for the story and her favorite music to listen to while she inks and colors.
CBR: What inspired you to create Witches of Brooklyn?
Sophie Escabasse: It all started with a sketch I did of Selimene with Lion, four or five years ago. The character stayed with me. It wasn't the first time that it happened; I had in the past made short stories with characters I had doodled without any intention of taking them any further than my sketchbook, but with Selimene, it was different. She was really a lot of fun to hang out with, and I’ve always loved witches. I imagined a bunch of adventures around her and Carlota quickly came along.
Finally, when my family and I moved to a different neighborhood in Brooklyn and came to live in Ditmas Park, I had my setting. All the trees, the houses... I was totally seeing my witches live there. That’s when Effie made her appearance.
The inspiration for the story with Tily Shoo came from my oldest daughter, who went through a narcissistic phase a couple of years ago. I found myself talking about appearances a lot and came up with the idea of a vein popstar to illustrate my point in a fun way.
What were some of the elements you really wanted to include in this story? Why did those feel important?
Escabasse: I really wanted the story to take place in Brooklyn, because it’s one of my favorite places in the world, but also to anchor it in the real world. Stories that mix reality with magic are my favorite kind of stories. It helps you look at your life and your surroundings with different eyes. There’s more colors in it, and in my point of view, more joy as well.
I also wanted to show old people that are really fun to hang out with. Old people that anyone would love to have as friends and/or family. Tired of the “youth or nothing” philosophy. I like the age gap between my characters. It was important for me to show different generations sharing and living things together. The book is also about family, the family you pick for yourself.
The fact that Selimene and Carlota are herbalists and acupuncturists was also something important for me. I wanted to shed light on a more harmonious way to live with nature, as well as a holistic approach to the healing process.
How does magic work in this world? Are there specific rules or customs?
Escabasse: The way I imagine it, is that there’s always been magic. Witches have always existed but because magic is deeply rooted into nature, pollution has made it difficult for witches for quite some time. At one point in the book, Selimene mentions to Effie, “Plastic is the witches' kryptonite." Well… it really is. You will never find much plastic in a witch’s house, because it is a parasite to magic fluids.
That’s why witches growing up in the countryside have more chances to see their power wake up. The waking up of magical power can happen at any time in a witch's life -- everyone has her own rhythm and witches aren’t different when it comes to that -- but it generally happens right before puberty starts. As I show with Effie, it is possible to see a toddler performing magic, but it is in fact more the magic performing the toddler than the other way around. They’re unaware of their doing, but because reality is a very floating concept for toddlers, a strong-willed child can spark a bit of magic if magic is there.
Like in the old days, witchcraft is taught by mentoring. There’s no witch’s schools in Brooklyn. When her powers awake, a witch will be taken in apprenticeship with an older, more experienced witch. At the beginning, it is a lot like an after school activity.
Do the Vermillion Witches have a real-life counterpart?
Escabasse: Not really. They are a mix of different things. If everything goes as planned, people may discover more about the Vermillion Witches in the third book.
What do you think Tily Shoo's music sounds like?
Escabasse: That’s a good question. I’m not sure. Maybe a hybrid of Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande…
Did you listen to music while you worked on this book? If so, were there particular artists or genres you played often?
Escabasse: When I was writing and sketching the story, I wasn’t able to listen to anything at all. But when I entered the inking and coloring phase, music and audio books came back into my life. I do listen to a lot of audiobooks when I color. One I particularly enjoyed listening to last summer when I was deep into coloring was Just Kids, read by Patty Smith herself. Music, I don’t have a particular genre that I listen more than another, but some things I often listen to when I work are Fatoumata Diawara, Nina Simone, Cat Power, Rokia Traore, the album Free Ride by Dizzy Gillespie, Norah Jones, Manuel Barrueco and others.
Do you have a favorite scene? Why does that one stand out?
Escabasse: I like the witch’s second attempt at curing Tily Shoo, the moment when she loses it completely and Effie’s power gets out of control because of how upset she is with the popstar (and herself). I love it because it is really the moment she takes sides, and you see how strong she is. No matter how famous Tily is and how much Effie used to love her music, you don’t behave like this. Nobody behaves like this and she doesn’t hesitate to scream her disappointment.
Can you tell us what you're working on now?
Escabasse: Right now I am coloring the second book of the Witches of Brooklyn, and will soon start on writing the third one! I’m also working on the third book of The Derby Daredevils by the awesome Kit Rosewater.
Is there anything else you'd like to add?
Escabasse: More eccentric witches to save the world!!
Witches of Brooklyn is available now, everywhere books are sold.