We’re very excited today to welcome Gabby Hutchinson Crouch to the Hive!

Before we hand you over to Gabby, let’s find out a little more about her most recent release, alternate-historical fantasy Cursed Under London:

Two strangers. Two Londons. Two hearts that won’t stop beating…

In an alternative Elizabethan London, Fang awakes from his death to discover he is not quite human anymore. In fact, despite having somehow acquired the power of immortality, he’s also not quite vampire, zombie, werewolf or any of the other supernatural beings who roam the twin cities of Upper London and its underground counterpart, Deep London.

A jaded traveller from the Ming Empire, Fang is desperate to find a way to reverse the spell and get on with being dead when he stumbles upon Lazare de Quitte-Beuf, a theatrical Frenchman who is afflicted with the same mysterious condition. Thrown together by the curse they share, the two men set out to undo the strange magic that binds them. As they are drawn further into the shadowy world of Deep London, they find themselves at the centre of a dangerous plot. And when in grave danger, surely the worst thing they could do would be to fall in love, wouldn’t it?

Cursed Under London is available now, you can order your copy HERE

FIVE THINGS ABOUT ME 

by Gabby Hutchinson Crouch

Comedy and fantasy writer Gabby Hutchinson Crouch shares Five Things about herself on publication of Cursed Under London, a queer historical fantasy romcom adventure set in an alternate world, peppered with real events and fun characters from our history, with a strong theme of found family, and discovering people with which you belong – a must for fans of Good Omens and Our Flag Means Death.

I GET ALMOST ALL MY HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE FROM CBBC

My actual historical academic study stops after my B in history at GCSE, yet I’ve somehow ended up writing multiple historically accurate shows for kids. Because both Horrible Histories and Homeschool History are very well researched, the writers rooms for these shows have made me an accidental fountain of historical fact nuggets. It was a revelation to me doing these shows that history isn’t just kings, battles and crop rotation, it’s about people being people in all their silly, messy, chaotic complexities. It sparked a new passion for the subject in me. It has also made me VERY good at pub quizzes. 

I QUOTE ALIENS DURING CHILDBIRTH

Giving a nerd gas and air is both a brilliant and a terrible idea. I spent my son’s birth on a massive high of endorphins, adrenaline and nitrous oxide, cheerfully shouting I’d never have to do this again, singing at my midwife as she stitched me back together and, yes, loudly quoting Aliens. What can I say – I was off my face and there was a whole human bursting out of me. 

I STILL READ AND WRITE FANFICTION

I’ve been on the fanfic train for 20 years now. It’s great for honing your skills, nailing character dialogue, getting useful constructive criticism straight away from a ready-made audience. Sometimes an idea is gnawing at my brain so insistently that I have to take a break from paid writing to get some hobby writing down. Also, sometimes it’s just fun to read about characters running a coffee shop or having sex in a cave.

PEOPLE HAVE WRITTEN IN TO RADIO 4 TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE OBSCENITY OF MY JOKES

It was about Kermit and Miss Piggy. I wrote it for an episode of Sandi Toksvig Era News Quiz and it was, in fairness, filthy. I feel I will have truly made it if I write a joke that gets complained about on the front page of the Daily Mail. 

I WAS ONCE INTIMIDATED BY A PAINTING OF SUE PERKINS IN THE TOILET

During a writing session at a comedian’s house I discovered that Sue Perkins had once gifted said comedian a beautiful oil portrait of herself, which my host had hung in her loo, angled so that the mighty Perkins gazes sternly at you in the mirror as you sit. Very hard to wee while Oil Perkins glares at you from on high. I have worked with the real Sue Perkins, and found her warm, kind, thoughtful and professional, and she didn’t scowl at me while I was on the toilet even once.

Cursed Under London is available now, you can order your copy HERE

Gabby Hutchinson Crouch (Horrible Histories, Newzoids, The News Quiz, The Now Show) has a background in satire, and with the global political climate as it is, believes that now is an important time to explore themes of authoritarianism and intolerance in comedy and fiction. The Darkwood Series does so in a funny, engaging way that never loses the warmth of humanity, even as its villainous Huntsmen try to dehumanise their victims as well as anonymising and dehumanising themselves. Drawing on inspiration from other satirical stories set in a magical universe such as Shrek and the Discworld novels, the Darkwood adventures create a world where readers can enjoy more grown-up versions of fairytales, while also holding up a mirror to our own society.

Born in Pontypool in Wales, and raised in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, Gabby moved to Canterbury at 18 to study at the University of Kent and ended up staying and having a family there.