Author Diana Peterfreund knits and crochets!
An interview with Author Diana Peterfreund about crocheting, writing, and fandoms.
When I started the Facebook group Fandom Knitting & Crochet – Group, I was pleasantly surprised to see oodles of talented knitters and crocheters quickly join the community. There were others out there – people that love to knit, crochet, and binge-watch TV with total abandon. Voracious readers, movie-goers and gamers, all who use those fandoms as inspiration for their yarn crafts.
What I didn’t expect was to find group members meeting creators of their own fandoms within the group. In one of those early weeks, a member, minding her own business and chatting crochet, was asked, “Wait…are you THE Diana Peterfreund?”
Yes, yes she is. And whether she likes it or not, she is a bit of a celeb for some of her fellow fandom yarnies. For those of you that don’t already know Diana and her work, she is a novelist, know for her Secret Society Girl Series, Killer Unicorn Series, Star Series, and the Omega City Series. She has also written short stories and non-fiction.
So, I went out and read one of her books, For Darkness Shows the Stars, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I asked Diana which of her books I should read first, and she sold me on this one by describing it as “angsty and romantic…a futuristic Austen retelling.” Totally fit that description – well worth a read.
The Interview
What I knew about Diana (from the group) was that she was a master at making fantastic crochet and knitwear to wear to conventions and for fun. So, I thought I’d ask her to share a bit about her writing AND her knitting and crochet in this interview.
She was kind enough to agree to answer some questions, so here is a good chunk of the interview. I hope you enjoy and find it as interesting as I do to learn a bit more about a fellow yarny fangirl.
Interview:
- I think it was within the first few weeks of starting the group that a member said… “Wait…you are THE Diana Peterfreund??” It was pretty cool to see that we have an author in our group. So – how did a writer find herself in a knitting and crochet group?
DP: I’m actually in a couple of Facebook groups for crochet–but yours is by far the best! That was a great moment, I’ll admit. And it was so much fun because Crystal and I got to talking and she made me this awesome set of comic book art fingerless gloves and we met up at DragonCon. I love these gloves. I wear them all the time because my hands get cold on the keyboards in winter.
I was taught how to crochet by my grandmother when I was younger, and then I learned to knit (poorly) in college. I would make the occasional thing over the years, but then in 2017 I made a hat for the Women’s March for a friend and it was just such a huge stress reliever and very meditative and I became obsessed. I found the website Ravelry (I’m “dianablue”) at the same time, I realized that crochet was so much more than those sort of 70s patterns that I thought I knew, I learned I could teach myself new techniques with YouTube, I could join Facebook groups… it became a deeply important hobby for me.
- As a writer, you have taken inspiration from other writers (such as Jane Austen). What writers inspire you most?
DP: One of the things I love about retellings or adaptations is the idea that you are connecting to the collective unconscious, these characters or storylines that have become the fabric of our society. Which is kind of what fandom is, right? This sort of wink and nod that you know what I know, and that’s whether or not you say “I’m writing this story based on Jane Austen” or you’re walking around in a Dr. Who scarf. It gives you this extra sense of connection with the people who also see it and recognize it and then you are starting from a place of commonality.
I think we’re all inspired by the life around us and by the stories we love, whether we’re explicitly writing a retelling or not. When I sat down to write Omega City, my middle grade series, I wanted to write a story for kids that gave me that same funny, adventurous treasure-hunting feel I got from watching The Goonies as a kid. So I can say to you, this is an adventure story, and you may know what I mean, but it would be better if I say, “It’s like the Goonies, but with spaceships” and then you remember the Goonies, and how it made you feel, and you understand I’m trying to create that same experience.
- I was a literature major in college, too (though I certainly didn’t go to Yale! Holy impressive, Batman!) – was there one book or writer that really sparked you to say…”this is it. I am going to be a writer”?
DP: I always wanted to be a writer. My 5th grade English teacher wrote YA novels on the side, and when I was in high school I knew that, say, Michael Crichton was a doctor before making it big as a novelist, so I always had it on my head that writing was what you did on the side, and I just intended that to be my plan, too. I’ve been very lucky in my career that I’ve been able to make it my main profession for the last decade or so.
I do a lot of school visits and students often ask me what they should major in to become writers, and I always say not to major in creative writing. That part you can pick up — you should study something worth writing ABOUT. I was actually a Geology major in college. I double majored. The literature one was because Yale doesn’t have “minors” and I realized that because I took so many of those classes I could basically add it in at the last minute for the price of a thesis.
- I read For Darkness Shows the Stars, and I really loved it. I am an Austen fan, and I enjoy a good love story. Throw in some sci-fi, and I am sold. Elliot is a fantastic character – is it a mission of yours to write strong female characters? [I personally think she is a great example of feminism – making her own choices for her own reasons.]
DP: Thank you! I had a real mission with Elliott. I had just come off four books writing about Amy Haskell, who is my loud mouth, in your face, Ivy League co-ed in the Secret Society Girl series, and then two books writing about Astrid Llewellyn, who is a badass warrior in the killer unicorn books, and I wanted to write about a different kind of strength. Elliot is not outspoken. She is not physically strong. I wanted to portray a woman who found her strength in another way. I think her counterpart, Anne Elliot, in Jane Austen doesn’t have the flash and sparkle of say, Elizabeth Bennet, and it’s easy to forget how strong she is. So I wanted to see if I could write someone like that.
- For someone unfamiliar with your work, which book should she start with?
DP: I guess it depends on what they want to read. For funny, modern, chick litty type of stuff: Secret Society Girl. If they are a fan of urban fantasy (like Buffy the Vampire Slayer), the killer unicorn books Rampant and Ascendant. Jane Austen lovers or people who like post apocalyptic sci fi should go for For Darkness Shows the Stars. For a lush, glitzy sci fi novel, or if you can’t get enough Scarlet Pimpernel in your life, Across a Star-Swept Sea. And if you like the Goonies, Omega City! I know, I’m not a person who can stay in her lane.
- Aside from the literary, what are some of your main fandoms (tv, movies, pop culture)? What was the last thing you got really hooked on watching?
DP: I’m a real TV addict. I think if I could go back in time, I’d go into television writing instead of novels. Current TV obsessions are The Good Place, because the marriage of Mike Schur and Kristen Bell is basically my dream team, and Schitt’s Creek. I’m waiting on tenterhooks for my beloved Game of Thrones to return. I just heard Jordan Peele is rebooting The Twilight Zone? There are some more obscure shows I was obsessed with, like the recent, totally-bananas BBC Dirk Gently adaptation and the trippy Legion starring my television boyfriend Dan Stevens (from Downton Abbey, which I also loved). For movies, almost everything I see is either Marvel or for kids, or both (Spiderverse was incredible!). I’m also obsessed with Riverdale but I haven’t seen the most recent season.
- If you could knit or crochet for any three fictional characters from any fandom, who would they be and what would you make?
DP: This makes me think I should write some characters that knit and crochet. There are not enough characters that knit or wear knitwear in fandom! It’s like, Mrs. Weasley, and Jayne from Firefly, mostly. Nakia’s cowl from Black Panther made me gasp out loud in the theater. I loved all the attention to fiber and detail in that movie. I also love all Sabrina Spellman’s gorgeous sweaters. (I like the costumes more than the show!)
Because I cosplay at DragonCon every summer, I’m always looking for characters who could wear yarncraft. I made that Katniss cowl from Catching Fire, but it’s way too hot to wear that in August in Atlanta. You have to get creative. Last year, my friends and I did a group costume: Leiapalooza, and we did different versions of Leias as if she were at a music festival. (This is what we do — either mashups or twists on our cosplay. Another year we did Elsa and Anna on summer vacation, in bathing suits and sarongs.) I was Cloud City Leia and instead of her long white robe, I crocheted an airy, boho long white vest with the symbol of the rebellion on it. I designed it myself. I should probably put up the pattern somewhere.
- What type of projects do you like to crochet/knit? What is your favorite knitted or crocheted project to date?
DP: I mostly do things I can wear. I get bored too quickly to tackle blankets, though my grandmother is an afghan goddess. I also like to make presents for friends that match their books. The best piece of advice I ever got was from my friend Katee Robert, who is also a novelist and the faster knitter I know, to not do easy, boring stuff, but to pick challenges that you really wanted, because it would push you to learn the skill to complete it. And this is so true. I learned continental knitting, color stranding, AND intarsia to make this Chewbacca-themed shawl (Fuzzball Bandolier is the name of the pattern) I made last summer. But I wanted that darn shawl. It was such a labor of love. My other favorite project was this beaded mermaid tail hat I made for my mermaid-obsessed daughter. Basically I just added beads and a few flourishes to a Osage County Crochet pattern (I believe Sadie is a member of the group too). Beading is shockingly easy for how fancy it makes your finished project look (I used the dental floss method). I encourage everyone to bead something if they have the chance.
- What are you working on now (writing-wise and yarn-wise)?
DP: I’m so excited about my next series: a trilogy of young adult mystery novels based on the board game CLUE. I got to invent a new mansion, new formulations of the beloved characters, new motives for murder, everything! The first one will be out from Abrams this October, and it’s called IN THE HALL WITH THE KNIFE. You can read more about it here: https://www.bustle.com/p/a-clue-inspired-ya-novel-is-coming-out-this-year-start-reading-in-the-hall-with-the-knife-now-16978527
And I’m still working on a very complex colorwork scarf project that I picked up in order to learn more about colorwork. It’s supposed to look like the Maryland flag when it’s done. We’ll see!
A huge thanks to Diana for taking the time to share with us!
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