To celebrate the publication of two novels, Freyja and Kimyo and Fusa by Graham Pheby today, we’re sharing the story behind the stories in this brilliant new blog. These richly imagined fantasy novels explore love, power, and the future of our world through the eyes of mermaids, matriarchs, and two unforgettable heroines. With passion, humour, and a splash of magic, Graham invites us into a universe where anything is possible—especially change.
What inspired you to write two fantasy novels at the same time? Was it intentional, or did they evolve together?
Nine years ago, my daughter asked me to occupy her four-year-old on a beach for an hour a day for five days while she had windsurfing lessons. On day one, sand castle interest lasted five minutes, tops. An engineering career no longer on the cards, Jasmine plonked herself in the shade and asked me to tell her a story about mermaids, pirates and Cinderella. I tinkered with it over the next few years, with gaps of several months and a year now and then. Its audience developed in age.
Various themes and ideas surfaced, and the fantasy became a vehicle for existential, environmental and social issues. When I explain that to people, they usually glaze over, thankful in a way that I warned them, and comment Wow! At that moment, I hasten to add that it is dealt with in a fun, entertaining way – without diminishing the seriousness of the issues, of course!
Titled Freyja, it was 74,000 words two and a half years ago. I decided to concentrate on Freyja as the central storyline.
Still, I discovered that I was fascinated by one of the other significant storylines developing in tandem. At that same time, my fourteen-year-old granddaughter and beta reader, Cara, informed me, “It’s two stories, Grandad.” She recommended that it be for anybody over the age of fifteen. From then on, I worked on both Freyja and Kimyo and Fusa at least part of every day, seven days a week, unless life intervened.
Cara and Graham showing off the new ‘merch’.
What drew you to create a world dominated by matriarchal systems?
I was not so much drawn to create a world dominated by matriarchal systems. It was more a question of being appalled with patriarchal systems, the dominance of the ‘notion of power’, greed-induced climate change and their incessant wars, which always lead to masses more deaths among women and children than soldiers. Gaza, Myanmar, Sudan and Ukraine are just the latest in their ongoing addiction. Freyja discovers that not only does the patriarchy dominate violence, but it also dominates religion as much today as it did in Kimyo and Fusa’s society, and capitalism, which works for the few, primarily males. And she learns that patriarchy is the system under which violence against human females is a global epidemic, as is racism. Freyja realises that the future she is preparing for must be female: that it will be the most significant revolution in the Earth’s history and has become indispensable.
How did you approach weaving lesbian love stories into your fantasy worlds?
Kimyo was the hero of the next storyline, and I gave her a friend at the beginning, almost as a required adjunct. The fantasy makeup did not allow Kimyo to marry. In my mind, her friend Fusa was to be with her always. So, I developed their relationship from the mysterious circumstances of their births. Then, I thought of a coming-of-age ‘promise ceremony’ marking the beginning of their friendship as lovers.
In my mind, I contrasted Patricia Highsmith’s beautiful love story, The Price of Salt and its film, Carol, with what Simone de Beauvoir said of men, that a man attaches himself to a woman not to enjoy her but to enjoy himself. Kimyo and Fusa are passionately fascinated and obsessed with each other’s totality. Their mothers think magic of some kind is involved.
How did you develop the lore and culture of the mermaids and fairies in your books? Were they based on any existing mythology?
I chose to use names from mythology and folklore that bore some relevance. However, my descriptions of the existence of mermaids and fairies and their way of life are incredibly accurate. It just so happens that nobody else has taken the time I have to discover the unbelievably real and rich lives they lead and their intelligence, empathy, and compassion.
Graham creating his next instalment.
How does the natural world (e.g., the ocean, forests, celestial bodies) influence the societies you’ve built?
Unfortunately, like the wildlife we see, they also suffer from the human desecration of our environment and greed-induced climate change. It is clear that once they are gone, there will be no hope for our insignificant planet.
Tell me about one of your favourite characters and what makes them so compelling to you.
I have many favourite characters. In Freyja, Freyja of course, Astrid, the Divine Amphitrite, Witch Evil-Lyn, Paramount Merqueen Katherine, Witch Noëlle, Dr Ingrid Zieliński, Morgan le Fay’s sister Elaine, and Rainbow. There are also characters one shouldn’t heap contempt upon but which I thoroughly enjoy doing, such as Andrew Twate, Nigel Farout, Percy Mouthorgan, Okey Malodor, Dominic Bum-Trumpet and Rasputin. In Kimyo and Fusa, Kimyo, Irura, Princess Tamatori, The Ocean Lady Moana and Resunotek.
Did any of your characters surprise you or evolve unexpectedly as you wrote?
One character I found particularly compelling was Fusa. She started as an adjunct – Kimyo’s friend, whom one expected her to have. However, Fusa gradually revealed herself and developed her complex being. Fusa was described by her protective mother as a different girl. She is certainly complex. Fusa entered my psyche. Soon, she had me willing her to achieve her all-embracing desire to be with Kimyo forever. On another level, I found it difficult to read her, Fusa, my own creation. For instance, I was never sure whether her social ineptness and her almost naïve honesty prevented her from being manipulative or whether, when she appeared manipulative, I could never be sure if it was by design or chance. Her character and its evolution took me by surprise. Like I said, she was just going to be the expected friend.
What conversations do you hope readers will have after finishing your books?
For any reader, I just hope I have contributed in my infinitesimal way to the discussion of the dominance of power-hungry, control-freaky males in a patriarchal society worldwide and its gross failing as a system.
I am not one of capitalism’s winners nor a celebrity, but I am proud of my work and hope it will be useful. In the New Year, I aim to start the third and probably final book, taking Freyja into her efforts to smash the patriarchal systems and save our planet from an early expiry date.
I sincerely believe in these sentiments. How do we get there? We know what we can’t have anymore of. That is clear from what we have suffered in the past and present. That is history. How we move on to what Freyja says we need is the future, which is the mystery. I hope that Freyja will solve it in my next book.
Both books belong to the Future Female series. They are standalone novels, and both are available here from Amazon.
