New Books Network Cameron Sullivan, "The Red Winter" (Tor Books, 2026)
Apr 3, 2026
Cameron Sullivan, an Australian writer and copy editor, discusses his novel The Red Winter. He talks about reimagining the Beast of Gévaudan, building a grounded magic system, and weaving queer intimacy across centuries. Conversation covers historical research, footnotes as a narrative tool, class and spectacle in pre-revolutionary France, and balancing humor with horror.
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Gore Grounds Supernatural History
- Sullivan embraces visceral violence because historical experiences of the supernatural were often tied to physical horror and ritual suffering.
- He balances gore with humor and romance so the brutality feels rooted and bearable rather than gratuitous.
Class Tension Is Built Into The Hunt
- Writing pre-revolutionary France required showing Rococo excess alongside peasant misery to foreshadow the Revolution.
- Sebastian occupies neither camp fully, which lets the novel examine class tensions without making him a partisan revolutionary hero.
Limit Magic With Costs And Historical Bounds
- Build magic that feels familiar but enforces strict rules so it doesn't rewrite known history or make the protagonist invincible.
- Limit powers with costs (Sebastian must consume power) so tension and mystery remain in scenes.
