Author of over 40 books, including many pseudonymous titles, Louise Cooper can hardly be accused of resting on her laurels. The latest books from this highly respected fantasy and children’s author include a new novel, The Summer Witch and her first ever short story collection (from the British Fantasy Society), The Spiral Garden. Both The Spiral Garden and The Summer Witch - the story of the 17 year-old Carys who dabbles with witchcraft when forced to marry a man three times her age - aren’t afraid to delve into darker territory, something Cooper is keen to promote. ‘Pigeonholing is a problem, I suspect, for most writers,’ suggests the author. ‘Some have successfully broken the mould - Graham Masterton is a prime example - but once authors are known for their work in a particular genre, be it SF, fantasy, whodunits or anything else, it’s hard to find acceptance in a new field.’
‘Just about everything I’ve written since the age of 15 has had a dark, if not downright supernatural, slant; even my books for younger children, such as the Creatures series, are predicated on a “creepy” theme. I can’t see that ever changing; but in the past year or two I’ve found my thoughts and ideas moving away from fantasy in the strict sense, towards a more contemporary approach. It isn’t quite horror, and it isn’t quite mainstream: the closest parallel I can find is probably “magic realism”, but there seems to be an unwritten rule that British writers don’t/can’t write magic realism, so that leaves me still scratching around for a category! What the heck - maybe I’m on the verge of founding a whole new genre? That’s a lovely thought! But, seriously, wherever I do progress from here on, the “dark element” will stay, because it’s what interests me most.’
There would appear to be several moralistic slants running through her work.
In The Spiral Garden’s title story, for example, the king eventually
learns an important lesson as a result of his terrible cruelty. And in The
Summer Witch Carys may eventually gain the upper hand over her impotent
husband - but it’s at a dubious cost to her soul… 
‘I don’t deliberately set out to impart a “message” in the strict sense,’ explains Cooper, ‘and I certainly don’t want to preach to anyone. However, I do have strong feelings about ethics, and, with a few exceptions, I think that usually comes across in my writing. I don’t find absolute heroes or absolute villains convincing, and the characters in my stories have a great deal of grey in their natures. What I do try to bring out strongly in my protagonists is a sense of justice. Tarod in Time Master, and Charn in Sacrament of Night are probably the best examples - they’re certainly not “good guys” in the classic sense, and I wouldn’t morally applaud some of their activities. If there is a message in my stories, then I think that “justice should and eventually will be done” probably sums it up.’
Despite having two titles on current release Cooper is as busy as ever when it comes to works-in-progress. ‘I’m currently finishing the third volume in my Mirror, Mirror series for Hodder Children’s Books; for anyone who hasn’t seen it, this is my first foray into futuristic fiction, and is the story of a bored teenage girl who inadvertently discovers a doorway into parallel realities. The first two titles were Breaking Through and its sequel Running Free; the third, Testing Limits is a stand-alone that continues Angel’s adventures. After that, there’s the possibility of a new children’s series, but it’s too early to say any more yet, while on the adult side I’m putting together outlines and samples for a new fantasy in the vein of The Summer Witch and Our Lady of the Snow, plus a project that I’m personally very excited about: a contemporary supernatural/mystery story (with, of course, a very dark twist) set in Cornwall, where I live. After that … I honestly don’t know. I’m just going to keep my eyes, ears and mind open, see what manner of inspiration strikes, and take it from there.’
Originally appeared in Starbust, Issue 267, 2000
Author photo @ Cas Sandall 2000. Used by permission.
