Author Interview with Lucie Noé

Lucie Noé studied mechanical engineering before moving into IT project management, where she developed a fascination with systems and the ways they shape human lives. Now living in France after growing up in Michigan, she writes fantasy, science fiction, and dystopian fiction. THE SLEEPWALKER PROGRAM is her debut novel. Her Australian Shepherd, Sirius, is her most loyal writing companion.

a.     How did you become a writer?

When I moved to France after spending my childhood in Michigan, everything around me was changing. Looking for comfort and familiarity, I retreated into books. I fell so deeply in love with reading that from then on, you could never find me without a book in my bag.

A few years later, when I was twelve, I read Twilight and became completely obsessed—just like many teenagers at the time! I started writing fanfiction for myself and my friends, which eventually evolved into creating my own stories, characters, and worlds.

b.     What inspires you to write?

Honestly, everything—the world around me, the news, conversations, and even my dreams. But more than anything, I am inspired by people. I love telling stories about ordinary human beings achieving the impossible and finding the strength to overcome overwhelming odds.

c.     How do you develop your plot and characters?

I usually begin with a vague idea of a world or a main character and then dive straight into writing a few chapters to get to know them. At that stage, I often have no idea where the plot is going! Only once I understand the characters do I start planning the structure of the story. More often than not, I end up discarding most of those early chapters, but they are essential because they help me discover who the characters are and what the story wants to become.

d.     Could you share some of your challenges as a writer?

Like many authors, I struggle with self-doubt. One day I’ll think my writing is great, and the next I’ll be convinced I should scrap the entire manuscript and start over. Another challenge is doing justice to the characters and themes I write about. My stories often touch on issues such as inequality, discrimination, and the ways systems affect people's lives. I care deeply about portraying those subjects with the depth and nuance they deserve, and I’m constantly challenging myself to do them justice.

e.     Tell me about your protagonist. What's your favorite trait and/or weakness?

In THE SLEEPWALKER PROGRAM, my protagonist, Aura, is very skeptical of the world around her because of the way her father raised her. At the same time, she desperately wants to believe the government is telling the truth, because accepting the official narrative is far easier than confronting the alternative. I love this internal conflict. Aura is not a perfect hero and she doesn’t start out as a revolutionary. Instead, she grows into that role over the course of the story, and watching that transformation unfold was one of my favorite parts of writing the novel.

f.      How does your antagonist create conflict?

I always want my antagonists to reflect real people rather than simple caricatures, even if they might seem that way at first glance. They are acting out of a conviction that they are doing what is right. Opposing their genuine worldviews against the protagonist's is what creates the external conflict in my novels.

g.     What are your current/future projects?

While editing THE SLEEPWALKER PROGRAM, I’m also working on a contemporary fantasy novel set at a vampire hunter academy. In this world, students are taught that all vampires are pure evil. Once they receive “the Sight”—visions of the creature they are destined to hunt—they are expected to carry out their duty without question. However, when the protagonist receives her first vision, she sees a vampire who appears kind and compassionate, forcing her to question everything she has ever been taught.