Tales of Bi-Representation in YA Dystopian Fiction | Author Chat with Nikki Brooke

When the world feels like it’s going to shit, sometimes the best escape is diving into distant realities that, strangely enough, mirror your own.I have always gravitated to dystopian fiction. There is something so engaging and thought provoking about the concepts presented in these stories. So coming across indie author Nikki Brooke’s YA (Young Adult)/Dystopian fantasies was such a pleasure, and chatting with her about her author journey was even better.In our discussion, Nikki brought up the profoundness in reading dystopia in times where life can feel so bleak. Not that there hasn’t been a time of true peace, but there are often questions about the popularity of reading and engaging with dystopia when it seems like a lot of people would be looking for different genres of escapism.Nikki argues that dystopian novels, especially YA ones, often have tales of triumph of good over evil - we only have to look to Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games to see how captivating the teen underdog is.Further, I really enjoyed our discussion of the importance of bi-representation in fantasy, but more so how Nikki explores it in her books. Both Plagued Lands and The Huxian Fox explore the complexities of navigating queerness. We always need more queer representation in our world, it is refreshing to see bisexuality expressed in such rich and entertaining stories.Enjoy the episode!Timestamps00:00 Introduction01:12 Nikki’s background06:51 The inspiration and resolve to write Plagued Lands15:27 What day or week in the life of Nikki Brooke looks like23:17 Hardest vs. Most enjoyable part of writing30:21 Nikki talks about how she approached writing Huxian Fox and Plagued Lands37:25 Audiobook production42:24 Bi-representation in Nikki’s literature56:01 Future projects01:00:54 Where to find Nikki Brooke on social media and in personNikki Brooke Links* Instagram* Facebook* Newsletter* Website* Amazon* GoodreadsMG Hunt Links* Instagram* Linktree* Threads* Goodreads* Tiktok* Facebook* WebsiteThanks for reading Indie Author Life! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mghunt.substack.com