1.- Could you introduce yourself to Jamreads’ readers?
Hi! My name is Maria Dong, and I’m the author of Liar, Dreamer, Thief and Psychopomp. I’ve also published a bunch of short fiction that you can find all over the internet, including in the Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy (2022, 2023) and We’re Here: The Best Queer Speculative Fiction (2023).
Five quick things about me:
-I have a day job as a computer programmer
-I love audio dramas; my current listen is The Strange Case of the Starship Iris, which is absolutely amazing.
-I have a feral and brilliant toddler
-I’m currently reading Freeze Frame Revolution by Peter Watts and loving it
-I wear the same like, four shirts every day

2.- When did you start writing?
I’ve always written things, but I started to be a writer in earnest/writing novels about a decade ago. I was in a car accident and wound up staying with a friend of mine who didn’t have the internet or cable, and I started writing short stories in an effort to amuse myself. Once I started, I couldn’t stop. I had one story that I added a little bit to everyday, and one day, I woke up, and I had written a terrible novel about a woman afraid that her car had turned sentient and run someone down of its own volition.

3.- Could you tell us a bit about Liar, Dreamer, Thief?
Liar, Dreamer, Thief is my debut novel. It’s technically in the mystery-thriller space, although there are some surreal/speculative elements that means it’s received coverage in fantasy publications, as well. It’s the story of a woman who is semi-stalking this coworker—but when he jumps off a bridge, she discovers that there’s a deeper connection between them.

4.- Let’s talk about your most recent novel, Psychopomp. How did the initial idea appear?
At the time I wrote it, I was doing these long commutes in the dark to this job that was burning me out really badly. It was just miles and miles on this highway at night, and I think that experience just sank deep into my brain, and I started to imagine this place that was always dark, and what that would look like, and why.

5.- Mental illness plays an important role in Psychopomp. How was the experience of integrating it into the narrative?
I mean, at the time I wrote this book,  my mental health was pretty awful. So I think it just naturally flowed into the narrative from there. The editing part was harder—particularly when other people were looking at it. There are some really personal things in there; at times, it felt like handing someone a glimpse into my soul.

6.- Could you tell us a bit about how this novel ended being published by Dark Matter INK? Did it change much during the editing phase?
My agent and I went out on submission with this one several years ago, and it didn’t find a home at that time. When I saw Dark Matter’s submission call, I reached out to her and asked if she’d be okay with me subbing to the press. I knew Marie Croke, the editor, and felt like I could trust her with this very sensitive and personal story. I was really thrilled when she emailed back that she wanted to acquire it. Most of the edits involved deepening the world-building and enhancing overall clarity, so I would say that it didn’t change that much.

7.- What can we expect from Maria Dong in the future?
I have several secret projects in the works! If you’re interested, I recommend signing up for my newsletter or following me on Bluesky, since those are the only places I tend to keep up with (and even then, I’m not great at it!)

You can order Psychopomp, Maria Dong's latest novel using this link.