What was the genesis of the story—what was the inspiration for it, or what prompted you to write it?

Unlike many of my stories, this had a specific inspiration—I was hiking a new-to-me trail in Rocky Mountain National Park, which is near where I live. I found the most amazing, peaceful spot—a kind of still murky pond with lily pads, and a nearby grove of aspens—it was autumn, the leaves had fallen, so the trail was carpeted with gold, and the bare branches reached up to a bright blue sky. It felt like a refuge—a good place to hide. The story opened up from there.

Was this story a particularly challenging one to write? If so, how?

This one was short and sweet, the kind of story that doesn’t often come along, where once I started it flowed quickly and finishing was mostly a matter of making decisions about language and mood, and making sure every word was the right one.

What kind of research did you have to do for the story?

Hardly any at all. My personal folklore about angels comes unabashedly from Milton’s Paradise Lost, and the rest was the scenery of the Rocky Mountains, that I love and try to spend a lot of time in. It’s all already familiar to me.

What are you reading lately? What writers inspire you?

I’m on another research jag right now, for a potential new novel. I’m currently reading Into the Silence by Wade Davis, which is about the British expeditions to Mr. Everest in the early 1920s, the impact of WWI on exploration, and the intersection of British colonialism and Edwardian ideas about adventure, exploration, and masculinity. Meaty stuff. I haven’t been reading a lot of novels. I’m still looking for my next big Wow! read.

What are you working on lately? Where else can fans look for your work?

My next novel, The Naturalist Society, is due out in October and is available for preorder at all the usual places! Find me at carrievaughn.com.