The book will appeal to nerdy feminists who love science, but I would truly love readers who come from conservative Christian backgrounds to read it—especially those who are curious about perspectives different from their own.
Victoria Dillon – 5 March 2026
The Back Flap
What if the only way to reclaim reproductive freedom was to rewrite the very nature of birth itself?
Ten years after Roe v. Wade is overturned, twenty-two-year-old biologist Larkin finds herself unexpectedly pregnant in a country where choice is no longer an option. Initially uncertain, she embraces motherhood—until a devastating diagnosis changes everything. Trapped by Tennessee’s strict abortion laws, she is forced to carry her baby to term, only to endure the heartbreak of losing her hours after birth.
Years later, Larkin joins a radical scientific movement that could change everything: a groundbreaking technology that replaces gestation with incubation, allowing women true control over their reproduction. When she uses it to bring her second daughter, Ava, into the world, she believes she has finally reclaimed her autonomy. But as Ava grows and begins to question the very choice that created her, Larkin is challenged in ways she never imagined.
About the Book
What is the book about?
Ava is a speculative literary novel about what happens when women lose control over their reproductive choices, and what they’re willing to do when traditional forms of protest no longer work. Set in the contemporary American South, the story follows a group of interconnected characters whose personal lives are upended by sweeping political and religious changes, forcing them to make impossible decisions to protect autonomy, family, and the future
When did you start writing the book?
I had the idea shortly after the Dobbs decision in June of 2022, and I started writing in August of that same year.
How long did it take you to write it?
The first draft took me about seven months, but there were later revisions. The most significant change was the addition of the first chapter with the college campus protest.
Where did you get the idea from?
The idea of the speculative element (women being able to lay eggs like an avian species) was an idea I had when I was twelve or thirteen and was learning about pregnancy and periods. It all sounded unpleasant, and I really thought at the time that chickens were lucky,
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
Yes. I was trying to write for a broad audience, so I did not want to get too technical, but I wanted readers to learn about basic science research. I hope I achieved that balance.
What came easily?
The emotional arcs of the characters came more easily than I expected. Once I understood their motivations, the story unfolded naturally around them.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
The main character’s scientific background is 100% based on me and the research I did before medical school. The conservative Christian characters are amalgams of people I have come across in my life.
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
I definitely love authors who write character driven stories such as John Steinbeck, Barbara Kingsolver, Ann Patchett, Toni Morrison and John Updike. I would never compare how I write to their writing, but the internal motivations of characters are important to my work.
Do you have a target reader?
The book will appeal to nerdy feminists who love science, but I would truly love readers who come from conservative Christian backgrounds to read it—especially those who are curious about perspectives different from their own.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
I would write on my laptop while sitting on my couch with The Handmaid’s Tale series on in the background. When I would get stuck on a plot point, I would start researching information on a topic. Sometimes the things I would read would provide inspiration for elements of the story. For example, when I learned that the color of a chicken egg (the bloom) matches the color of the earlobe of the chicken I was fascinated and used that in the book.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
Yes, I did outline and I had to keep the time periods organized because the book flashes back to 1988 at one point. There are multiple time jumps and then it ends around 2070. I had to make sure the ages of the characters were consistent.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
I did minor edits as I went, but I completed the novel and then reworked details and fleshed out parts and scrapped others.
Did you hire a professional editor?
As a brand new author that had not written anything since college, I knew I needed an editor and her input was invaluable. I had no idea the major things I was doing wrong like “head hopping” or the occasional info dump.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
Mostly I had the television on in the background, but when I did have music on, it was usually the Avett Brothers. I am obsessed.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
I did! And I was rejected many, many times with no requests at all for a partial or a full manuscript. My ability to write a query letter is just bad.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
I knew that I lacked the expertise or time to self-publish, so I researched indie publishers and found She Writes Press. The team has been phenomenal.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
She Writes Press has a talented group that did my book cover. I told them what I wanted, the colors I preferred and they delivered an outstanding design.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
Again, as I lacked the time and expertise to devise a marketing plan, and I have very little social media presence, I hired a publicity team at Books Forward, and they have been outstanding.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
There are many paths to publishing. I am fortunate that I am at a stage in my life where I can afford to hire an editor and a publicist to help me. I would not have been able to do this in my twenties, thirties or forties. But, I have learned that so many authors have self-published successfully, and I am in awe of them.
About You
Where did you grow up?
In a small town in North Carolina along the I-95 corridor.
Where do you live now?
Outside of Nashville, Tennessee
What would you like readers to know about you?
That I have two rare autoimmune disorders (Takayasu’s arteritis and ankylosing spondylitis). I started having symptoms about 6 months before I started writing and it took about one and half years before I was diagnosed. I was in a lot of pain and writing was a fantastic distraction.
What are you working on now?
I have a sequel to Ava in mind called Avas. My novel ends on a positive note, but altering the genetic code is bound to have complications, right? Laying eggs like a chicken may not be all it’s cracked up to be.
End of Interview:
Get your copy of Ava from Amazon US.
