Please introduce yourself and tell us about your background as a writer.
My name is Sersa Victory, and I'm a game designer, writer, and programmer. I've been writing both fiction and tabletop game material since 2008, with my first short story published in the (now-defunct) horror journal The Harrow.

I had enjoyed reading and writing as a youth, but it wasn't until I discovered H.P. Lovecraft in my college's library that I was inspired to take fiction writing seriously. Like other writers just beginning to learn the craft, my first stories were imitations of what I was reading at the time—Lovecraft, but also Arthur Machen and Chuck Palahniuk. Horror and transgressive fiction were my genres of choice, and I had published one or two stories through English department anthologies.

Toward the end of my undergraduate career, I tired of fiction writing and focused more on designing material for tabletop RPGs (which is still my primary focus today). I believed, on the back of my English department courses, that successful writing required meticulous outlining, promiscuous peer review on works in progress, endless revisions, and a deep message—all things I found (and still find) a tremendous drain on my enjoyment of storytelling.

Because of that, I went a decade without writing any fiction.

It wasn't until a few years ago that I (re)discovered the pulps, and in particular the attitude of pulp fiction writers. In contrast to the rigid and slow method to writing that I'd learned, many pulp writers embodied an approach that very much spoke to me—write quickly, put entertainment first, and don't get too attached to any one story. I also discovered Dean Wesley Smith's writing workshops around that time, which encouraged a similar take on writing fiction.

Reading about the pulps and taking DWS's workshops felt like permission to write the way I wanted to. I didn't have to outline. I didn't have to rewrite. I didn't have to get feedback from a group. I didn't have to use my story as a vehicle for some deep commentary on life. I didn't have to make every story perfect. It was okay to just have fun.

From that point on, my well-being as a writer has skyrocketed. I've never been happier, more productive, and more successful as a writer than I am now.

What are the most prominent influences on your writing? How do you incorporate those influences without being derivative?
Aside from sword-and-sorcery classics like Howard, Moore, etc., my biggest influences include:

Tanith Lee, my favorite fantasy author—particularly The Birthgrave, which was a revelation when I first read it
Gothic fiction, with Carmilla being a dear favorite that I reread every Halloween
Italian culture (my family is from Naples), in particular Catholicism and the folk traditions of benedicaria and stregheria
Neofolk music (with Rome being my favorite) and mean girl k-pop groups (Blackpink, Dreamcatcher)
The video games DOOM, Blasphemous, and Dark Souls

I don't know if I have a conscious process for avoiding being derivative. I imagine that, like most authors, I'm a unique mix of influences and outlook, and I try to blend each of these disparate influences to create something that carries a voice distinctly mine.

With self-publishing easier than ever, there are tons of books being released every day. What makes your work stand out from the crowd? What can readers get out of your work that they can't from anyone else?
I'm in agreement with author Dean Wesley Smith that what makes a story original is not necessarily some totally novel premise or never-before-seen trope, but rather that author's unique take on common premises or tropes—their distinct voice. I also agree with his take that it's very difficult for an author to see their own voice in their writing and judge what makes it good, since we live with our voice in our heads every day—to us, it's normal and boring.

That's all to say that I'm not sure what makes my writing stand out other than my voice. I'm told my writing has a distinct voice—and there must have been something unique to have earned acceptance into Die By the Sword II—but I suppose I'll have to leave it to the reader to tell me what those unique, resonant elements are. To me, I'm just writing what comes naturally: gloomy and feral stories, inflected through my own personal influences, beliefs, aesthetic tastes, anxieties, frustrations, and desires.

Many authors say marketing is one of their biggest challenges. What tactics have you found to be most effective for getting your name out there?
I'm ruthless when it comes to applying the "WIBBOW" test: "would I be better off writing?"

Whether it's fiction or my gaming writing, I've found the best promotion is to just write the next piece rather than spending a lot of time on marketing efforts. In my experience, simply putting out the best work I can on a consistent basis has paid the most dividends.

How much do your audience's expectations factor in to what you write? Does this ever cause you to hold back from experimenting?
I never think about my audience or potential readers' expectations—I write solely for my own enjoyment. I don't read reviews of my work and never write to market. I have a trusted first reader, but I do not use beta readers, peer groups, or feedback channels. Genre conventions are a helpful creative scaffolding if I need one, but I'm not strict about adhering to them once the writing starts.

People buying my stories is purely a bonus. If a story of mine resonates with someone, that's great—and if someone bounces off it, that's okay too. The fun was in the writing.

Have you had any new stories published recently? Are you currently working on any?
Aside from my story "Her Scarlet Smoke of Sacrifice" in DBTS II, I had a story published in the October 2023 issue of Savage Realms Monthly titled "Swallowing the Temple of Tar." I also had a dark fantasy flash fiction piece "To Kneel and Exhume" published in 2023's In A Flash anthology by Scribemind Books.

I have a story in the vein of my DBTS II entry titled "Mistress of the Meteor Chapel" that I've been trying to find a home for—I hope to place it in a magazine or anthology sometime this year.

I'm halfway finished with a collection of short stories titled Vox Gorgona, and hope to make that available next year. Each story in the collection takes place in the same setting as "Her Scarlet Smoke of Sacrifice" — a feral alternate history of Italy, with Pompeii and its fiery destruction filling the mythic role Atlantis plays in many sword and sorcery tales.

Name one newer and one older book you have read and enjoyed recently. ("Newer" meaning from the past year or so, and "older" meaning written before 1980.)
I've been reading Ibis: Queen of the Hive World, an older DAW science-fiction book about a man who is taken thrall by a species of humans whose society—and mating rituals—resemble that of bees. As far as newer books, I've just started Chloe Gong's Immortal Longings at the recommendation of a friend.

Any final words?
Thank you for the opportunity to contribute to DBTS II!