READERS GUIDE

Reading Group Guide MORBIDLY YOURS by Ivy Fairbanks
A Conversation with Ivy Fairbanks
1.        What inspired you to write MORBIDLY YOURS?
Opposites Attract is one of my favorite tropes, and I wanted to bring a tenderness to it. The idea kind of came from “How do I make these people radically different from each other in their approach to life, love, and death?” and without making them enemies. I wanted to write a woman finding love in the very last place she would imagine.
 
2.        Why did you choose to make Callum a funeral director?
Deathcare is often sensationalized in fiction, but that career requires so much empathy. When I lost my mom, I gained an appreciation for the quiet, necessary work they do to bring others closure. It takes a lot of strength to hold space and bear witness to grief. Callum doesn’t seek glory for the emotionally taxing work he does, but he is rewarded by seeing how it helps others. Having a misunderstood career compounds his social anxiety and makes it challenging for him to get close to others.


3.        Why did you choose to self-publish MORBIDLY YOURS?
When I began writing Morbidly Yours in early 2021, I doubted this story would appeal to the mainstream reader. This was before The Dead Romantics and The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy—both fabulous books—were released, and I didn’t imagine many editors would be interested in a romance set in a funeral home if it weren’t paranormal. Dead bodies aren’t in many romantic comedies! Additionally, I didn’t attend a four-year college and have no formal literary education. Learning how brutal the querying and submission process can be for traditionally educated writers felt discouraging for someone without that foundation, so I decided to pursue self-publishing. I figured I might reach a handful of oddball readers on my own, so I put my energy into organically connecting with them on social media.
 
4.        Did you have to do any research to set the book in Ireland?
Yes! I haven’t yet had the opportunity to travel there, but the paternal side of my family hails from Galway. It’s not a huge city, but it has a rich musical tradition and is considered the cultural heart of the country. YouTube walking tours of the city helped me get the vibe down on the street level. Slang is a huge part of the typical Irish vocabulary, so I follow Irish creators on socials to try and understand the nuance. As for the Irish tongue itself (Gaeilge, not Gaelic!), I wanted to approach it with both respect to a historically oppressed language and recognition that it can also be sexy as hell, so I deferred to teachers and native speakers. Accuracy in both the written and narrated versions of Morbidly Yours is important to me.



5.        What inspired you to make Lark an animator?
Although demanding, her job as an animator is centered around joy and escapism. Creating immersive fictional worlds is a comfort to Lark when her real life is too much to face; I can relate to that as a creative. My husband is a visual artist, and I have a ton of admiration for the work artists put into their craft. I also loved the imagery of a woman who is colorful on the outside hiding a bit of a dark cloud on the inside, with a love interest who is outwardly gloomy but a softie under the surface.


6.        Both Callum’s and Lark’s careers are very important to them, and they are careers that the average person might not know a lot about. What kind of research did you do to portray each career so realistically?
I’ve always had a bit of a morbid streak, so I’d already read nonfiction by people in the deathcare industry like Caleb Wilde and Caitlin Doughty. A friend of mine is a funeral director, and she graciously answered many questions while I drafted. An indie author who is an embalmer for their day job also read through the manuscript for accuracy. For Lark’s career, I watched YouTube videos shadowing animation professionals, but I also took some liberties with the size of the studio, for the sake of not having a large cast of characters. Animation progresses at a slow pace, so that was behind the choice to make their project a short film rather than a full-length feature.


7.        Why did you choose to make Callum demisexual?
Representation is important. I’d realized that I’d never read any book with a male character on the asexual spectrum, much less a romance. Everyone falls in a different place within that spectrum, but I tried to portray his personal variation of it without implying that his desire makes him whole rather than the deep connection he shares with Lark. These characters needed to warm up to each other gradually before they connected on a physical level, and going on dates with strangers needed to be something Callum dreaded for an understandable reason.
 
8.        Who was your favorite character to write, and why?
That’s a tough one! I love Lark, but I think Callum. A stuttering mortician is sort of an unexpected heartthrob. Basically, he’s a turtle: a soft hero who hides inside a dark shell. It’s my hope that he’s a complex, lovable character who is relatable—especially to queer and disabled readers.


9.        What was your favorite scene to write, and why?
The tension-filled Irish language lesson during the chess game was a fun one to write! And I’m not gonna lie, imaging Callum in sequined spandex was delightful. I also loved spending time with Maeve and her deadly currant scones.
 
10.   What’s next for you?
Book Two in the Love in Galway series. After their relationship crashed and burned two years ago, rising singer-songwriter Aidan and Texan medical student studying abroad Cielo have a second chance at romance when they both serve in a bridal party for a wedding at an Irish castle.
 
Discussion Questions:
1.        If you could restart your life anywhere in the world, where would you choose?
2.        Do you think Lark choosing to restart her life in Galway was brave or was it running away?
3.        Do you think how Lark helped Callum with his dating and love life was selfless or selfish?
4.        Callum gives up singing in public after an embarrassing moment in his childhood. Is there anything you’ve given up doing that you wish someone would push you to try again?
5.        Lark has a work nemesis. Have you ever had a work nemesis? How did that situation play out in the end?
6.        Callum is an undertaker. Were there aspects of his career and his approach to it that surprised you?
7.        Callum comes up with a fun birthday surprise for Lark. Have you ever created a birthday surprise for someone, or been surprised on your birthday?
8.        Had you heard of the term ‘demisexual’ before? How do you think that aspect of Callum’s character added to the story?
9.        Who was your favorite character, and why?
10.   What was your favorite scene, and why?