Shipton & the Hilarious Digital Romance of Dot Slash Magic
Fans of modern fantasy, coding, and romance stories have a new book to add to their TBR pile! Liz Shipton’s novel, Dot Slash Magic, took me on a nostalgic, mesmeric journey through San Diego—a city I know and love, but never imagined could be so spellbinding. In my previous review, I raved about Seven Jones, the witty, late-blooming coder who finds herself thrust into a world where AI and arcane magic collide. Shipton’s storytelling hooked me from page one: quirky characters, a conversational tone, and a whodunit twist that genuinely floored me.
Now, with my questions swirling about the book’s magical mechanics, those jaw-dropping twists, and—let’s be honest—my burning need to know what happens next, I’m thrilled Liz Shipton herself has taken the time to answer some questions. She’ll share about her inspirations, her process, and what’s on the horizon for Seven Jones and the world of Dot Slash Magic. Whether you’re a San Diegan, a coder, or just love a protagonist with wit and humor, you won’t want to miss this!
Opening & Background
Tell us a bit about what inspired you to blend coding, AI, and magic in this novel?
I’m a former software engineer as well as a former musician (and theatre kid!) so I’ve spent time in both tech and music, and I find the places where they intersect to be really interesting – particularly in light of what’s been happening with generative AI in recent years. I grew up steeped in a lot of rock and roll and punk ethos, so when I started writing I kind of naturally gravitated toward “dystopian” and “revolutionary” themes, which I think can be readily applied to the techno-fascist landscape we currently seem to be sliding into.
As far as the magic – I just wanted the book to be fun and sexy LOL. If I’m going to beat you over the head with something as dense as AI, I feel I should at least temper it with some bonkers fantasy action and exciting monsters.
Your knowledge of San Diego was well done and vivid, a nostalgic backdrop for me as I was born and raised in San Diego—what motivated you to set the book there, and how did your own experiences shape your depiction of the city?
Oh yay! Hello fellow San Dieg…oan? San Dieg…ite? San Diegan? I’m so glad you enjoyed that part of it!
I moved to San Diego for college after attending community college in Santa Cruz and got a degree in music from UCSD. My partner and I lived there for about 5 years and loved it. I think this book was, in part, a bit of a love letter to the city, and a chance for me to sneak in places I knew (Angel and Julian’s apartment above the sushi shop in Hillcrest is the real-life apartment my partner and I shared while we lived there. Shoutout to RK Sushi!)
I also thought it would be kind of funny to set a fantasy book in So Cal. I loved the idea of doing a “fantasy academy” book at a community college, as I feel like that genre is often set in prestigious Ivy-league type schools, and I wanted to flip that. So setting the book in San Diego was a way to continue flipping that trope and bring something fresh to the story.
Characters & Themes
Seven Jones is a refreshingly witty and relatable protagonist, and I loved her journey as a late bloomer discovering her power. How did you craft her voice, and were there any real-life inspirations for her character?
Hahaha oh man…yeah, so I have this running joke with my readers that all my main characters are just thinly-veiled versions of me, and often the veil is very thin. Lots of Seven’s experience was drawn from my real life (I taught myself to code, was never all that good at it, currently live on a sailboat in the Caribbean, studied theatre, have a hard time sticking with things, am a bit of a hermit, can be kind of a dick, etc.)
As for her very sarcastic voice…it didn’t take a whole lot of “crafting”, if you catch my drift ;)
The dynamic between Seven and ex-Navy SEAL Logan is both tense and supportive. What drew you to pair these two very different characters, and how did you approach building their relationship?
Interesting question! So as far as them being different, I think that’s kind of a given in romance (or any story focused around tension between people.) You need them to butt heads a little bit to create sparks. I also wanted to flip the “enemies to lovers” trope on its head a bit.
The other part of developing characters for me is that a lot of it just happens in the moment. I do a fair amount of plotting, but I don’t usually do a lot of character-planning or backstory development, and I usually end up figuring out who they are and what their relationships are as I write. I had a broad idea of the shape of the story, and a general vision of the characters, but specifics always end up developing as the story progresses. So a lot of the stuff that happens between Seven and Logan wasn’t planned and came to me as I was writing.
Your story masterfully balances humor and drama while exploring deeper themes of purpose and belonging. How did you strike that balance, and was there a particular message you hoped readers would take away?
I’m glad to hear it works because, to be honest, I wasn’t sure it would! I only discovered my comedic voice as I was writing this book (my comedy reels on TikTok blew up right around the time I started writing it.) So this process was definitely a learning experience in how to hone that and balance it with the drama.
At the end of the day, though, I think “comedy” and “drama” are just two sides of the same coin, and that coin is “truth.” If you’re writing the truth, it’s going to be funny sometimes and sad sometimes. So you don’t need to worry so much “Does this work?” because the truth always resonates.
As far as what I want people to take away? I mainly want people to have a good time. That’s the most important thing, because if that’s not happening, then what is the point of the rest of it?
Magic, Coding & Worldbuilding
The idea of channeling magic through an AI program is wildly original—what came first: the concept of magic, the AI, or the idea of blending the two?
The magic definitely came first – this book actually wasn’t going to be about AI originally. But when I realized I wanted to write about AI, I thought it would be interesting to juxtapose it against the magic system I was creating, because the magic is so intrinsically linked to art and creativity that it felt like the perfect foil.
Dot Slash Magic has strong moral undertones running throughout the book. How intentional was this, and what moral questions did you most want readers to ponder after the book ends?
I’d say that was very intentional, and came from a place of me pondering these things myself. I think the main question I’d want people to consider, in terms of morality, is who should have the right (if anyone) to control technology, and how can we improve access to that control (and therefore power) moving forward?
Plot & Surprises
The plot is gripping from start to finish, and the ending absolutely floored me (I genuinely did not see that twist coming!). Without spoilers, what was your approach to plotting such an unpredictable narrative?
This is probably going to sound insane, but a lot of the twists weren’t planned. I had a rough idea of the main plot twist, but as far as how we actually get there, what happens afterward, and all the spiralling threads that unravel around it – that all came together as I was writing. Sometimes I think I create these threads for myself early on in the narrative without even really realizing I’m doing it, and then later I’m like, “Oh! I know what I can do here!” and I stitch things together.
You introduce mythical creatures in a modern, tech-savvy world, which is such a fun change. Was there a creature or scene you particularly loved writing, or one that challenged you?
Yes! The kraken! That might be one of my favorite scenes I’ve ever written. It was fun to put together, and I think it’s a good blend of mythical creature with modern technology (and it’s absolutely ridiculous, which is always a plus.)
Reflection & Looking Ahead
Honestly, I’m not satisfied—I need more! (Please take that as a compliment.) It definitely is left open for more. Please tell me there are plans for a sequel or further adventures with Seven and crew? What can you tease for readers eager to return to this world?
I do have plans for a sequel, and hopefully a third book! Whether or not those get picked up will be very dependent on how sales of book one go…so if you enjoyed it, please do spread the word!
As far as teasers…I’ll give you a few three-word phrases for ideas I’ve been toying with for books two and three:
Time travel heist
Kraken fights dragon
Remy has secrets
Sex plus arson
What has the response from readers, especially those from San Diego or with coding backgrounds, meant to you? Any fun stories or surprising feedback?
It’s really nice to hear from people which parts of the book resonate with them (lovely to hear from a San Diegan!) I’ve heard from a couple of software engineers that they appreciated the little coding jokes I slipped in there, which is great because one thing coders love to do is hide easter eggs in their work, so I’m glad those were found.
Finally, if you could give Seven Jones one piece of advice as she heads into her next adventure, what would it be?
Oh man, hahaha. Probably… “Trust no one. Especially your author.”
Shutting Down
If you could have Seven’s ability to channel magic through technology for just one day, what would you try first?
Oooooh! Great question! I think I’d use it to levitate. I was one of those kids who grew up wishing they could fly, so that would be top of the list for me. But then, I’m also scared of heights, so I fear the reality of that situation would be that I would immediately freak out and come right back down hahahaha!
Movie adaptation: who would you dream-cast as Seven, Logan, and the others, and what would be your must-have song on the soundtrack (I’m assuming it’s one from your Spotify playlist for this book)?
That’s so funny, as I haven’t actually thought about casting the characters, but I do have a dream director in mind, and that is Taika Waititi. I feel like his style would just perfectly capture what I’m going for with this book. As far as the must-have song…I think it would be Rock and Roll Suicide by David Bowie.
Is there anything else you’d like our readers to know, or any other upcoming projects you’re excited to share?
For anyone on social media, you can find my comedy reels at @lizshiptonauthor on all the platforms, and for other upcoming projects, please check out my website lizshipton.com!
Thank you, Liz, for your time and sharing your magical, coding-fueled world with us! I freaking love you. You better believe I will be sharing. I had no idea I needed “sex plus aron”, but I do, and I can’t live without it. And “Time travel heist,” I was waiting for that! Let’s go!
Buy and Connect
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Follow Liz Shipton on Instagram here: Liz Shipton author
Author Website: lizshipton.com
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