Michael R. Baker's Blog, page 4

SPFBO Interview: Todd Herzman

Yes, I am still alive! Still very slow on the blog lately, but hopefully in October I’ll be providing a lot more content.

Today I bring you an interview with Todd Herzman. Hope you guys enjoy!

STARTING OFF WITH A BANG

Introduce yourself! An easy question to start off with. Who are you, what do you write?

Hi! I’m Todd Herzman. I live in Canberra, Australia and I write epic fantasy. I’ve been writing for almost six years now. When I realised it was what I wanted to do, I quit my full-time job and jumped straight into a Bachelor of Writing degree. While the degree didn’t give me as much as I’d hoped, being surrounded by would-be writers helped give me a solid foundation. I work in legislation publishing and wake up too early to write before the day starts.

SPFBO DISCUSSION

Is this your first time in SPFBO?

Yep! Though I’ve been watching the competition closely since last year.

What book did you enter into this year’s event?

My debut novel, A Dark Inheritance, the first book in the Hollow Fate series.

Does one of the main characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?

My book follows three siblings, Ruben, Ella and Marius. They each have their own point-of-view chapters and take up an equal amount of time. Now, I’d like to say I don’t pick favourites, but I’ve always been rather fond of the youngest, Marius. He’s a good kid, just trying to do the right thing.

What was the inspiration for the story? What are your future project(s)?

It’s hard for me to pinpoint an exact seed of inspiration. When I began thinking about this story and its characters, they were different people. Marius was the main character originally. I’d written a scene with him meditating at a monastery, an hourglass turned with the sand slowly falling. He was trying to move something with his mind…

Then I wanted to know how he’d gotten there. I pulled the story back and started earlier, but, as I’m an avid discovery writer, it became something completely different.

I’m currently working on the second book in the series.

What are the key themes and/or messages in the book?

I didn’t write the book with any themes or messages in mind, though I’m sure they snuck in there. One thing that comes up a lot is the justification of violence and killing. One of the peripheral main characters is a pacifist. He has powerful telekinesis but refuses to kill. So, I put him in situations that made it difficult for him to stick to his ideals to see what happened.

Each of the characters deals with this in their own way, like any person would have to when they’re put in life or death situations.

What were the key challenges you faced when writing this book?

Perhaps the most challenging thing for me was confidence. In the years before I began writing A Dark Inheritance, I had never finished a novel-length project. The longest story I’d written to the end was 11,000 words, while I’d had unfinished novels that petered out at 130,000 words. As I mentioned earlier, I’m a heavy discovery writer. I’m never exactly sure how long I’ll have to go until I get to the ending, and I was always afraid there would be far too much for me to handle in the revision process.

Perseverance, and a strong writing habit—at least five days a week I write before work and during my lunch break—got me over that hurdle. When I reached the end of the first draft, I knew I could do the next draft, and the next novel. 

What is the future for the characters? Will there be a sequel?

Their future is unclear. I can’t say I know where they’ll each end up, though I have my suspicions. There will definitely be a sequel. The second book is already with beta readers!

MORE RAMBLES ABOUT WRITING

What is your favorite book you’ve written?

Well, as I’ve only written two books, and the second is still not quite finished, I have to say A Dark Inheritance is my favourite. But that could change when the second one is done, and with every one that follows.

Who are your favorite authors?

Patrick Rothfuss, Brandon Sanderson, John Scalzi, Joe Abercrombie, Will Wight… there are so many to name.

Rothfuss and Sanderson are the ones I admire most.

What makes a good villain?

I think that depends on the story being told. Some stories, a villain isn’t around as much as others and that’s what the story needs. But, if you can make a villain empathetic and have depth, like Magneto, they’ll stand out above the rest.

Do you have any writing blogs you recommend?

I don’t read blogs often these days, but I do revisit Hugh Howey’s blog posts on Writing Insights, and I regularly listen to the Writing Excuses podcast.

Do you have any writer friends you’d like to give a shoutout to?

I’ll give a shoutout to my writer girlfriend, Dionnara Dawson. She writes YA fantasy, with kick-ass witches, warlocks, and unique magic. Her characters feel real, and I always fall in love with them.

I’ll also give a shoutout to some of my fellow SPFBO authors. Brandon M Lindsay’s book Shoreseeker was an amazing debut. I’ve just started reading Voice of War by Zack Argyle as well, and am very impressed so far.

Did you learn anything from writing your latest book? If so, what was it?

The book I’m working on right now, I learnt it’s difficult—but highly rewarding—to write a battle scene over multiple perspectives and half a dozen chapters.

I’m sure I learnt a lot more than that, but it was the first thing to come to mind.

Are you a plotter or a pantser? A gardener or an architect?

A pantser/gardener, though I prefer the name discovery writer. I do jot ideas down here or there, and I often have some of the beats in mind as I write, but I couldn’t tell you how it plays out until I’ve written it.

If you had to give up both snacks and drinks during writing sessions, or music, which would you find more difficult to say goodbye to?

Coffee. It would be the most difficult to give up coffee.

I’m drinking it as I answer these questions. Please… please don’t take it away.

Which is your favourite season to write in, and why? 

Winter, with a hot coffee and lots of layers. If it’s raining outside, that’s a bonus.

It’s sometimes difficult to get into understanding the characters we write. How do you go about it? 

For me, it’s a very organic process. I learn about the characters as I’m writing them. I always try to make them do the things that feel right for them.

I wish I had a more involved, analytical answer. Perhaps a few years down the line, I’ll understand my process more fully!

What is your writing process? Do you have one? What is your workspace like?

My process grows and changes as I develop as a writer. I’ll talk about the process for book two.

I have habits and systems in place, things that help me get the words out on a consistent basis. When writing the first draft, before my morning session, I would listen to what I’d written the day before using a text-to-speech program (either while driving to work, or these days as I’m working from home, while I’m making my morning coffee and eating breakfast). This kept me in the story, which helped stop me from backtracking too much during the writing itself.

Between writing sessions, if I had the time, I would read/edit the words on my phone. I have Word on my laptop and my phone, with dropbox syncing my novel files automatically. This helped to make the first draft cleaner, and also helped me keep the whole story straight in my mind as I was writing it.

The revision process involves lots of wordsmithing, word-cutting and prose-smoothing. I heavily utilise Word’s commenting feature so I don’t slow down the process by having to go off and research or check things earlier in the manuscript. When I finish a draft, I’ll address the comments one-by-one, adding scenes or taking them away to fix story inconsistencies or strengthen character.

Then I send it off to the beta readers, and I’ll do another draft with their feedback in mind, evaluating what each of them said and implementing it if I agree.

During the pandemic, I most often write at my desk or on my armchair. Pre-pandemic, I would get to work early and write in a small, private meeting room, then I’d either write at a café or in the office lobby across the road during my lunch break.

Where do you draw inspiration from?

Everything. I try to read a lot, though writing comes first, so I never have as much time for it as I used to. I also draw inspiration from TV, movies, video games… all types of narrative storytelling. I don’t read a lot of nonfiction, but I find inspiration there when I do.

How many plot ideas are just waiting to be written? Can you tell us about one?

Oh, I have so many ideas swirling around in my head. Talking about any number of them could spoil something for someone in the future, so my lips are sealed.

Do you have any new series planned?

I’m going to try and write one series at a time, but I always have new ideas popping into my head. Self-restraint stops me from working on them. I can guarantee Hollow Fate will be one of many series I work on, but I can’t say when I’ll get to the next.

MORE ABOUT YOU 

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Read. Spend time with my girlfriend. Archery, when we’re not in a pandemic… Really, a lot of my spare time is dedicated to writing and editing.

If you couldn’t be an author, what ideal job would you like to do?

Screenwriter? Is that a copout? Honestly, nothing can stop me from being an author, so it’s not something I’ve considered.

Coffee or Tea? Or (exult deep breath) what other drink do you prefer, if you like neither?

Coffee.

Always coffee.

You can travel to anywhere in the universe. Where would you go, and why?

Do I have a spacesuit? A spacecraft? Can I get back? How long will the travel take? Is there intelligent life in the universe, and am I aware of that when I make the decision to travel somewhere? Are they friendly?

Pick any three fiction characters. These are now your roadtrip crew. Where do you go and what do you do?

Teal’c from Stargate SG-1, Elodin from The Kingkiller Chronicles, and Castle from Caslte. I’ve no idea where we’ll go, but it’ll be a wild ride.

What superpower would you most like?

The ability to slow down time (and not age while I’m at it).

What are two of your favorite covers of all time? (Not your own.)

I’ve never had to think about this before… I can’t say I have any in mind. The favourite covers I’ve seen recently, though, are the ones for Black Stone Heart by Michael R Fletcher, and the UK cover for Of Sand and Malice Made by Bradley Beaulieu. These are my “favourite” because these covers were directly responsible for me checking out the books, which is something all great covers should do.

If you could invite one person to dinner, who would it be and what would you cook?

Patrick Rothfuss, macaroni and cheese.

Share something your readers wouldn’t know about you.

I still have a scar from burning my arm while fire twirling (poi) at my best mate’s 21st birthday.

It’s a very difficult time right now for the world. When quarantine and pandemic comes to an end, what is the first thing you would like to do?

Take my girlfriend out to dinner and a movie.

Finally, what is your preferred method to have readers get in touch with or follow you (i.e., website, personal blog, Facebook page, here on Goodreads, etc.) and link(s)?

The most reliable way to contact me would be my email, author@toddherzman.com. For follows, I’m somewhat active on Twitter, less so on Facebook.

You can grab The Seeker and the Sword by signing up to my newsletter and get regular updates about what I’m doing, writing, and publishing. You can sign up here: https://www.toddherzman.com/.

You can find me on goodreads here

And on Amazon here.

SPFBO Author Interview: Tobias K P Sternberg

Has been a while, but I’m back with more SPFBO interviews! I bring you this one with Tobias K P Sternberg today with his book The Singing Gold, hope you guys enjoy!

 

 

STARTING OFF WITH A BANG

 

Introduce yourself! An easy question to start off with. Who are you, what do you write?

 

TKP Sternberg, The Singing Gold, Pathfinder of Svitjod 1.

 

I’m a Swede who grew up in the 80’s loving table top RPGs and whatever Fantasy was available at that time. Back then, there was a lot of negative pressure from the mainstream labeling SFF as just for kids or as trash, and sometimes even as dangerous. As I started studying, among other things a very nice one year creative writing course, I was steadily herded towards more ‘serious’ subjects by everyone around me, but as I couldn’t imagine giving up on being playful, I choose to go into Fine Arts instead. I had to find a study place abroad though (again, much too playful and childish for the severe Nordic taste) so I ended up at Goldsmith’s College in London, which turned into an amazing couple of years that taught me endless amounts of giving and receiving criticism, of thinking contructively about your art, of writing and discussing… but not much craft. That was never what Goldsmith’s was about, though. It is not place where you learn to paint or sculpt as an artist, but a place where you learn to think as one, and I have found this skill highly transferable and useful.

So now I make my living as a conceptual sculptor, crafting weird and beautiful objects for the wealthy, and sometimes as a tinkerer, craftsman or whatever needs be to get the money in. I live in Berlin since just about a decade, enjoying the closest thing you get to the Paris of la belle Epoque in this globalized hyper-economy of ours, I guess. I started clawing back writing and making it entirely mine a couple of years ago. Looking back on it now, I am grateful for having taken such a roundabout detour to it, past a lot of struggles and joys in another art. It has helped me get straight to the core of what I want to do. And to enjoy it in a relaxed way.

 

SPFBO DISCUSSION

 

Is this your first time in SPFBO?

I had wanted to submit this year’s entry in 2019 already, but events conspired against me. Just the week before Mark Lawrence (bless him) opened the doors to Xanadu, I was hit by a car while peacefully minding my own business on a bicycle going slowly down a street in a torrential downpour. Poor driver claimed he didn’t see me, and I am reluctantly prepared to believe him. Which didn’t help me much as I was trying to format, covert and whatnot files meant for apples and windows on my trusty Linux, while nursing five broken ribs with as much painkillers as I dared. A hopeless proposition, as anyone can guess. So for 2020 I was ready and prepared well in advance, and even had time for two more, very harsh edits. Probably for the best, in the end.

 

What book did you enter into this year’s event?

The Singing Gold is the first in a series of four or possibly five novels, set in Svitjod in the mid thirteenth century. Svitjod is where Stockholm would be built later, which is where I grew up, but it was a whole other world back then.

 

Does one of the main characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?

I try to love all my characters. At least the ones I get into the head of, but the one closest to me is Stig, the poor and humble woodsman who was accidentally blessed with the Sight as a child. They say you should write what you know, and even though I know little about surviving in the woods, I know plenty about scraping together a living against all odds. I knew as I started writing, that I wanted my protagonists to be connected to the world where their adventures happen. And to each other, like normal people are. Instead of a lone hero, I decided to describe the adventures and misfortunes of an entire family. In the first book, we mostly follow Stig and his eldest daugther Klara, but in the coming books, this focus will shift.

Another thing I have noticed is that I find it much easier to love my side characters. Perhaps because I can allow myself much more expressive space and make them as excentric as I wish to, without messing up the plot line. I am sure many writers have a similar experience.

 

What was the inspiration for the story? What are your future project(s)?

I have always been a total nerd for history. Not the numbers and facts kind of nerd, unfortunately. Then I could have become a history teacher and gotten a livelyhood out of my passion. I’m rather a causes and systems and anecdotes kind of nerd. I love to tease at and speculate about the underlying mechanisms shaping human society. And the sheer weirdness of the human experience, the cultural richness and diversity of medieval Europe being my own favourite. Because of this, I could never understand why so many fantasy authors felt the need to reinvent the world, when it is all there for the taking. Especially since even those who make an effort very seldom stray that far from the well trampled tropes. A floundering society built on the ruins of ancient greatness (ehh… Rome anyone?) The disappointed ideal of the good king. The brooding threat of the hordes from the East (or from where ever the steppes/mountains/deserts are located). The lively southener and the sullen northener. The corrupt and power hungry church. The cynical mercenaries and the naive but heroic squire. The false humility of the money counting merchants, pushing and pulling behind the scenes. It is all already there, and in a richness of detail impossible to imagine.

Apart from the orcs, of course. And the elves and the dwarves, and the dragons.

My project is to take the medieval European world as it was, with orcs, elves, dwarves and everything, and tell my stories in it. But not just pasted on top like a sticker, or seen skulking in the shadows. Not the stories, that is, but the elves and the dwarves (getting the orcs to stop skulking in the shadows is a difficult task, it has to be admitted). What would the medieval world have been like, if all those amazing imaginary beings they themselves believed in were real and not just belief? What place would they have in the medieval society?

 

What are the key themes and/or messages in the book?

The story which is begun in The Singing Gold focuses on the ordinary, and how life as you know it can seriously break down and derail from just some minor bad decisions. There doesn’t have to be some evil plan, or hidden threathening enemy, or slowly revealed destiny that smacks you out off your everyday and sends you howling on a desperate quest to salvage what you have. It can be enough to get on the wrong foot with the wrong guy. Or to make some promises you cannot live up to, or to misjudge a situation just a little bit. Small mistakes are especially fatal to those at the very bottom of the social ladder. If you have few friends and resources to lean back on, even a small mistake can send you sprawling on the ground. I wanted to try this tack since I believe that most of us feel rather distant from the grand machinations shaping the fate of society above our heads, simply struggling to keep our lives in decent order, while fantasy tales tend to overly focus on the semi-divine causes and explanations. For the foot soldier, the future outcome of the war is never as important as where the next volley of arrows is going to land. Not that the grand schemes are to be totally ignored, but I wanted to put them in a more true perspective, as something the little person surely gossips and wonders about, but only after immediate concerns have already been addressed.

 

What were the key challenges you faced when writing this book?

Given my decided premise, it is perhaps no surprise that I dove headfirst into a huge messy pile of research and got myself entirely entangled before I finally managed to extract myself two years later with only a broken nose and still a touch of dignity. Wrestling with history can quickly become a loosing proposition, at least if you grab for way to much as I did at the beginning. I had some great ideas about tying together the Latin Empire with the Teutonic Order and a Hellenistic Egypt still ruled by Alexander. I took a deep enthusiatic gulp and almost drowned. When I finally came up to the surface, I swam for known shores, wisely enough, and with an exhausted mind I crawled up and collapsed on a muddy and wet Svitjod. (If ever there was a fantasyesque name without an ‘ in it, Svitjod clearly qualifies. But then again, the real middle ages are full of them). That is why my first forray into this fantastic realistic realm of mine takes place only a scant 85 miles and 850 years from where I was born. In a landscape I know by heart, and a time I have read and studied well before, even if never so precisely.

 

What is the future for the characters? Will there be a sequel?

The Singing Gold is the first of at least four books. This is partly because I wanted to give voice to an entire family, and not merely as different perspectives on the same story. Another thing I personally miss in much of the fantasy I read, is a sense of how entangled our lives are. No one (hardly) is singular and can act without consequences to their family and loved ones. When one is cast out, it affects the entire family. If one is lucky and strikes a fortuitous alliance, they can more easily help their kin, which is also a very common cause for success in real life. Someone who likes you had or managed to get the resources you needed.

In the first installment, the onus is heavily on Stig, the father of the small family, with important plot threads being spun also by the older daughter Klara and another one begun by Liv, the mother. This is because the initial plot which threw the little family into turmoil, was mostly fastened on Stig. In the sequel, we will see the consequences of his early errors, but also follow Liv into a nightmarish world of would be helpers who really give nothing for free. In the end of the cycle, the children will be the ones taking turns carrying the batton.

 

MORE RAMBLES ABOUT WRITING

 

What is your favorite book you’ve written?

I wrote another novel back when I was twenty something and sent it to all publishers in Sweden. Thankfully, none of them replied. Looking back on it now, I see that it was embarrasingly naive and bursting with the youthful desire to shock and please at the same time. After that I took a very long break from writing and built up a decent career as a contemporary sculptor. It goes without saying then, that my current, The Singing Gold, is my favourite. But I do really like it.

 

Who are your favorite authors?

I tend to not read all and everything of any writer. I like things widely even if I am a critical reader. I also read very much with an eye to improving my own craft, or to further my knowledge. This leads me to indulge heavily in books that are not necessarily ‘enjoyable’. For example, I find the Icelandic Sagas unbeatable for gleaning motivations and opinions of the medieval man. They are not at all boring, perhaps a bit hard on the memory for UKUS readers with all the Björn Ulvsson and Ulf Björnssons, and amazing as Hemingwayish Sergio Leones with a blunt axe. In contemporary sff, I tend to like authors who write consistently with their own style and ideas, and happily forgive if they sometimes go over board as long as the writing is fun and original. Joe Abercrombie, Naomi Novik, Octavia Butler, some Mark Lawrence, Benedict Patrick and Rob J. Hayes, late Guy Gavriel Kay, high quality pulp like Jim Butcher (or Richard Stark). A sequel I am really looking forward to will be from Angela Boord. Some past writers that really inspired me are Jack London, Mika Waltari, Robert Louis Stevenson. The term favourite author, however, is one I hesitate to apply as I am a very faithless and fickle reader. Sorry guys.

Ah, and yes, I liked but never loved HP, and from JRR I much prefer Bilbo (the Book!)

I also have to mention prof Dick Harrison, from whose books I have lerned many of the details for Svitjod. Highly recommended for those who understand Swedish.

 

What makes a good villain?

Humanity. A slithering dark shadow devouring souls with it’s poison dripping fangs is never scarier than cancer. It is something you deal with or not, but your response would be an attempted cure, not to win empathy or compassion. A real weak human being holding power over you and considering what to do with it can be truly terrifying, as anyone who has been standing on the wrong side of a pulled knife will attest to.

 

Do you have any writing blogs you recommend?

I don’t have time to read writing blogs, unfortunately. As for books about writing, I would mention two. Stephen King’s unusually short On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, and the excellent (literary) editing manual Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Browne and King.

 

Do you have any writer friends you’d like to give a shoutout to?

Pass. I would only recommend writers I love to read (to a reader who doesn’t know me anyway and don’t really care about who I like to spend time drinking beer with).

 

Did you learn anything from writing your latest book? If so, what was it?

I have to reluctantly admit that I did way too much research for The Singing Gold. Most of it didn’t even end up in the text. Looking back on it, I think that a really well drawn map (yes, I mean that literarly. I checked the tax records from 1306 for which farms and villages were around in the area my story is set in) mostly served as a steady and reliable surface for me to try out my wobbly legs on. For my next project, I have promised myself to limit research to what is needed. It will be a challenge, but as time is such a dire commodity for an artist with a family, I will do well to learn how to apply it with great scrutiny.

 

Are you a plotter or a pantser? A gardener or an architect?

I am a bit of both. I find that I prepare by reading a lot about the world, and at the same time making many notes on all the ideas I get for plot twists or characters. These notes then serve to support me going forward, even if I always allow myself to be swayed by what the story demands. Once on the way, it feels as if the story is talking to me and I just have to listen to know where it is supposed to go. At some points in the story, I had to pause and seriously puzzle the following chapters together. It is extremely important to me that the story, the characters and the world all remain consistent and convincing. If some of my initial ideas don’t really add up as I get to write that section, I had damn well revise until it gels. As a reader, I hate nothing more than the feeling of the author ‘cheating’, by quickly shuffling past or by obfuscating some parts they didn’t manage to solve. It’s much better then to take a break, think it through properly, and get on the right track, even if it turns out to be a completely different one than what you had initially thought out. Stubborness in writing means sticking to the page, not sticking to your ideas no matter what.

 

If you had to give up both snacks and drinks during writing sessions, or music, which would you find more difficult to say goodbye to?

I could never write to music. I often start out with a coffee, but if none would be available, I would manage that too. When I start aching for a snack, it is anyway often a sign to take a break and do something else for a while.

 

Which is your favourite season to write in, and why? 

I write whenever I find time. Early mornings is easiest. After a whole long day, I seldom manage to write anything creative. That is a better time for marketing. One remark though. I get most of my best ideas while working on something completely different. Often something manual which I am so familiar with that my mind can relax and wander. Like when I am cooking, or doing the surface work on one of my sculptures (sanding, sanding, sanding…)

 

It’s sometimes difficult to get into understanding the characters we write. How do you go about it? 

I can only write what the characters want me to write about them. For this to work, I have to allow them to come alive. This is a gradual process, which grows the more I write them, but breaks as soon as I would have them act against their own personality. My prime example in The Singing Gold is Illugi. He is supposed to be the bad guy, dammit, but somehow he constantly manages to sort things out for people. Ok, he grumbles and schemes and plans, but then he ends up instigating some important Church reform, or saving Stig’s hide again. “To keep things from dissolving. You can’t let things fall apart like that!”

Richard Stark (Don.E.Winslow) wrote something amazing about this kind of writing. Pantsing, I guess. It goes something like this (from my memory)

“You start only with your character and then you throw him in the worst kind of trouble you can imagine. The rest of the book is you trying to get him out of there. Writing a Parker novel is like entering a very dense forest with only a jumble of loose papers in my hands. Hopefully, I will have a finished novel in my hands when I emerge on the other side.” (my apologies to Don if I got it wrong).

 

What is your writing process? Do you have one? What is your workspace like?

I sit down at my desk, with a bit of time and a coffee, at a moment when hopefully  no one is going to disturb me.

 

Where do you draw inspiration from?

For the world I write, I draw inspiration from reading tons and doing a lot of nerdy research (Swedish speakers can check out Fornsök at raa.se. A website with every single archealogical find in Sweden on a Google type map. Crazy when you think about it). For my characters I must be inspired from people I have met or read about or heard about, since the way they talk and act just pops out at me.

 

How many plot ideas are just waiting to be written? Can you tell us about one?

So, so many. And no, they are all mine. MINE! (sniffeling, growling sounds).

 

Do you have any new series planned?

I will take a very short break befor starting the sequel of The Singing Gold to write a stand alone YA set in a different environment. I am doing this as an excercise in restraint. I have limited myself to three books as research and the occasional fact check on wikipedia, and I picked YA because I wanted to force myself to write concise, clear and punchy.

 

MORE ABOUT YOU 

 

What do you like to do in your spare time?

What is spare time?

 

If you couldn’t be an author, what ideal job would you like to do?

I guess I do have my ideal job, second or first, as a fine artist. Would be nice to be able to add ‘succesful’ instead of ‘struggling’ before it though.

 

Coffee or Tea? Or (exult deep breath) what other drink do you prefer, if you like neither?

I make strong coffee from beans I grind just before brewing (espresso of course. Filter, die!) and have trained my liver and spleen until I can ingest an almost imhuman amount in a day.

 

You can travel to anywhere in the universe. Where would you go, and why?

I can. I know. At the moment I am in Paris in an alternative history hanging out with Fallen angels. Bodard de Aliette is guiding me, and doing a damn good job of it.

 

Pick any three fiction characters. These are now your roadtrip crew. Where do you go and what do you do?

Sam Gambi, Pablo Picasso (the mythical one) and Sheherazade. We would do a very slow food, wine and gossip ramble through either Provance or Tuscany.

 

What superpower would you most like?

To be able to stop time around me, so I could get on with things.

 

What are two of your favorite covers of all time? (Not your own.)

I am so not an expert on covers, so ‘of all time’ would be a very tall order, but… I do love what Jennifer Zemanek did for Benedict Patrick on his Yarnsworld series.

 

If you could invite one person to dinner, who would it be and what would you cook?

I would have Dick Harrison over for a long extended evening on medieval(ish) cuisine and then slow drinks to be able to tap him on details concerning high medieval Swedish society that nobody writes about in history books. He would have to guess on most of it, of course, but I have a feeling his guesses would be well qualified.

 

Share something your readers wouldn’t know about you.

I know how to weld, sew, cast metal, build furniture and houses and carve wood, cook, bake, tinker and paint, but I don’t have a driver’s license.

 

It’s a very difficult time right now for the world. When quarantine and pandemic comes to an end, what is the first thing you would like to do?

Germany where I live have managed incredibly well, and have a fairly solidary and supportive social system. The worst for us was the two month’s without child care. As self employed freelancers, both me and my wife have been able to trundle along partly as before. What we both miss though, is visiting our family and friends in other European countries.

 

Finally, what is your preferred method to have readers get in touch with or follow you (i.e., website, personal blog, Facebook page, here on Goodreads, etc.) and link(s)?

I am a bit bad on FB, sorry, but am active on Twitter as @SternbergTkp

I can be contacted through my website http://tkpsternberg.com/

and my book can be found on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07T984K3B

 

Gamedev Interview: Triple.B.Titles

Hello all! I’ve slowed down a lot on the blog as you guys know. Don’t worry, SPFBO interviews are still going, and I have quite the backlog to get through. Rest assured everyone who has sent in responses will be featured, just taking a bit longer than I expected. Be gentle!

Now, I haven’t had many gamedev interviews lately. However, I’m happy to bring you guys the chance to hear from a really cool indie gamedev team! These guys are a family unit who are behind Popup Dungeon, a fascinating papercraft roguelike RPG that lets you create any weapon, ability, enemy, hero, and game imaginable. I picked up the game over the weekend and I’ve been having a lot of fun with it so far. I highly recommend it.

Click on the icon below to be taken to the game on Steam!

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Also, to check out my previous gamedev interviews, here is a list of them down below:

Game Dev Interview: Wildermyth

Game Dev Interview: Warsim: The Realm of Aslona

Game Dev Interview: Fictorum

Game Dev Interview: Atom RPG

 

Without further delay, here is the interview with the man himself!

 

First of all, tell me about yourself! What do you do?

 

My name is Enrique C. Dryere, and I developed Popup Dungeon along with my brother who focused on programming and my wife who did most of the 2D art.

 

What does being a game designer actually mean?

 

I feel like game design is a very broad field. The goal of one game designer can be very different from another. It’s sort of like defining yourself as a director, but not specifying if you’re directing a TV series, a movie, a commercial, a music video, or a play. For us, our goal is to create a game that provides a lot of replayability and flexibility. Maybe someday we’ll do a tight, controlled experience instead, but our favorite games have always leaned towards a more open-ended, explorative experience.

 

There has been a great deal of controversy in recent years about micro transactions in gaming. Not so much an opinion, but why do games tend to cut out content to sell later as DLC and lootboxes? Is it to do with development costs? Or is it time related?

 

Popup Dungeon stands firmly against that trend by empowering players to create their own DLC. Typically, I think it has to do with the basics of capitalism: maximizing profit. Microtransactions are only necessary for a game’s finances if that’s the way it was planned.

 

Tell us about your current project.

 

Popup Dungeon is a bit of a passion project, seven years in the making. Its primary goal is to turn players into game developers by lowering the bar to entry as much as possible and enabling cooperative development. Although making a game will perhaps never be “easy” we’ve made it as easy as we could! The game automatically balances abilities and handles their AI, regardless of what you throw at it. It turns 2D images into 3D cutouts. And very importantly, it unifies player creations so that they will play well with one another. I think we’ve built up a respectable library of media and game assets for players to get started with over the last seven years, but you can import your own images and sounds. We used these assets to create the 50+ hours of game you’ll get right out of the box!

 

As anyone who creates anything, we must all deal with criticism from consumers. How do you go about it particularly in the prolific and viral standard of gaming today?

 

I think it’s very important to remember that not everyone is going to like what you make. If you go look up reviews for your favorite games and movies ever, you’re going to run into some negative ones. With that in mind, it’s also vital to listen to feedback and respond to common complaints and concerns. I view myself as an employee of everyone who purchased the game. If it were possible, I’d like to satisfy everyone, but in the end one of the toughest skills to learn as a creator is which feedback to act upon to please the greatest number of your audience, knowing that many of the changes you make could displease a number of your audience as well.

 

What advice would you give budding developers into taking the plunge into game design?

 

I only recommend pursuing game design if you’re very passionate about it. There are far easier ways to make money, that’s for sure! And give Popup Dungeon a try!

SPFBO Interview: Amanda Fleet

And we’re back with a new interview with Amanda Fleet, hope you guys enjoy!

 

 

 

STARTING OFF WITH A BANG

 

Introduce yourself! An easy question to start off with. Who are you, what do you write?

My name’s Amanda Fleet. I mostly write what I call urban fantasy, but that’s starting to be a very varied genre. Perhaps ‘contemporary fantasy’ is the new term? My books are set (mostly) in modern, real times, but include fantastical elements like demons that can reach into your chest and steal all the energy from your body (killing you). I’ve also published a crime novel and a psychological thriller, and written some other books that are still just lurking in my laptop.

 

SPFBO DISCUSSION

 

Is this your first time in SPFBO?

It is indeed.

 

What book did you enter into this year’s event?

“Aegyir Rises: The Guardians of The Realm book 1”

 

Does one of the main characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?

Probably Finn is my favourite – the main character’s partner. He’s a real ‘bloke’ (I don’t know if that translates well outside of the UK…). He’s into footie (soccer), he’s protective of his partner Reagan, and he tries to do his best (though doesn’t always get it right, and when he gets it wrong, it can be spectacularly wrong!).

 

What was the inspiration for the story? What are your future project(s)?

You know, I started writing it so far back, I’m not 100% sure what the original inspiration was, beyond a vague question to myself one day of “What if we’re made up of three things: a physical body, a character, and the energy to make it alive? What happens to the energy and the character when we die? First law of thermodynamics and all that… what happens to the energy?”

Most of my books have started with random questions like that!

 

What are the key themes and/or messages in the book?

For one character, it’s about working out where she belongs. She’s always felt as if she’s ‘not in the right place’ but then, even when she ends up in somewhere that’s technically the ‘right place’ she doesn’t belong there either. And of course, there are big themes of right versus wrong, but there are also questions about who decides what’s right or what’s wrong. Who decides which life is more important when it comes down to it? If it isn’t possible for both lives to continue, who gets to decide which one has to die in order to save the other?

 

What were the key challenges you faced when writing this book?

There were a number, some not related to the book directly! When I started writing it, it was 2014, I was getting close to hitting burnout and a breakdown as a consequence of the job I was working, and I’d developed a serious heart condition (now resolved, thankfully!). There were physical, emotional and mental challenges associated with all of that. Towards the end of 2014, I went off sick from work for just over 6 months. In the summer of 2015, I had a major heart operation, and handed in my notice at work.

After that, I managed a lot more writing

SPFBO Author Interview: Keith Blenman

And we’re back with a new SPFBO interview! Sorry for the delays in gettig them out, the last month especially has been rough.  Today I welcome back an old friend and guest with Keith Blenman!

 

 

 

 

 

 

STARTING OFF WITH A BANG

 

 

Welcome back, Keith! An easy question to start off with. For our readers who didn’t catch your previous interview , tell us about yourself! What do you write?

Hi! Hello! It’s great to be back. I am a forensic investigation professor and computer store manager. I’m born and raised in Metro Detroit. Of course, I’m also an indie author. I mostly write genre fiction, with occasional blogs and satire. My work can be described as genre bending. I like to get experimental and weird with my fiction.

 Umm. I don’t know. I also cats. So that’s exciting.

 

 

SPFBO DISCUSSION

 

 

And this is your second year in SPFBO?

Yep! Last year, I entered Necromantica, which is a hybrid first- and second-person adventure about a necromancer and her rogue companion braving a city under siege. I was knocked out in the first round, but still made a lot of good connections and scored some solid reviews on Goodreads. I’m hoping for the same experience this year. My fiction has a tendency to be divisive. From the feedback I’ve received so far, my latest book is one people love or loathe. More than anything else I’ve written. Which, you know, that’s shocking, but I get it. I set out to write something that expresses my ADD, depression, and social anxiety disorder. Not in a negative light or even trying to discuss it. The narrative and protagonists embody my issues, but that’s not the focus. The characters are oblivious to it, in a world that wouldn’t ever analyze someone’s psychology. They’re just living their lives. Tonally, I wanted to lean into my mental health instead of treating it like an excuse to not write or some insurmountable obstacle. Not to be too self indulgent, but The Girl Drank Poison, is me just letting go and having fun with my flaws. It’s ridiculous. It’s all over the map. And it’s apparently the most polar romp in my catalogue. So now the game is to find an audience for my over-the-top, non-chronological, sugar rush with off putting protagonists floundering through an absurdly dark subject matter. The SPFBO is the best opportunity for that. The story likely won’t make it past the first round. It’s not easy selling the grand adventure of a self-loathing, landlocked pirate who barely leaves his comfort zone. My marketing campaign can’t scream, “Watch as Horace has a mood swing while trying to ignore the consequences of his actions! Behold our hero attempting to put his problems on someone else and hoping they’ll just go away!” I can’t exactly see the judges calling that this year’s most epic, stay-at-home blockbuster. But it will resonate for some readers. The people it does click with are going to have a blast.

 

 

 

What book did you enter into this year’s event?

The full title is The Girl Drank Poison or Ferrelf: Big Sister. It’s a tangled-web set in the same world as Necromantica, in a different region with new characters.

The plot revolves around a barmaid, Zellin. She gets tricked into drinking a love potion by one of her patrons. The potion is expired so instead of falling madly in love with this creep, she’s transformed into a giant monster and starts rampaging her way across the country, hunting him down.

Meanwhile, we have our retired pirate, Horace. Back in his day, he was infamous. There are songs and poems about his exploits. But he went into hiding and settled down. His family runs a few businesses in a small town, Sleeping Bear. When the story picks up, he’s been tracked down by a bounty hunter ferret, Griever. She’s an enormous fan of his sordid past. She knows Horace’s legend better than he does. So while she’s there for the bounty on his head, she’s also wants to impress her hero. So there’s this macguffin, a coin. When assassins, thieves, bounty hunters, or adventurers want to challenge each other, they’ll place a bounty of a single coin on an impossible feat. For some it’s a status symbol. For others it’s an excuse for adventure. Griever decides the best way to impress Horace is to earn a coin from him. Horace sees opportunity in that. She knows his past. She could expose him. Now there’s a kaiju heading to his town, likely to level his entire world. So the pirate sells the bounty hunter on battling the kaiju for a coin. Everything explodes from there.

  

 

 

Does one of the main characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?

Griever really hits home for me. Horace too, but writing Griever was so fun. I intentionally left a lot of details out about her. She has centuries of history that just would’ve bogged the narrative down. I wanted to give the reader just enough context for this moment. Here’s the Yojimbo, ronin, wandering samurai character. Here’s a massive threat for her to face. That’s it. She’s not worried about her life story in the single day this book takes place in, so just go! Have fun!

I already mentioned this being an expression of my psychology. Obviously the ferret is the embodiment of ADD, fixation, and a short attention span. She’s manic and destructive. Writing her is like playing the Grand Theft Auto games, when you fire a rocket launcher into traffic or get into one of those massive collisions. My audiobook narrator, Shaniese Reyes, was quick to make comparisons to Harley Quinn. She pretty well nailed it. Griever is a loveable villain, full of heart, playing the role of protagonist. Her decision making is impulsive, which is refreshing. In Necromantica, the character Lama takes the better part of a decade to find an ounce of goodness in himself. In this, it only takes one line of dialogue for Griever to go from wanting to murder Zellin to viewing her as a sister. All it takes is a heartbeat and her mind’s made up.

Also, just being an anthropomorphic character, my approach was to make her feel like an encounter with a wild animal. She’s being cute and seems pleasant at a distance, but she could attack at any moment. There are so many characters in fantasy who, if the reader is meant to feel uncertain about their motives, they come off like Professor Snape. They’re in the far corner, brooding over how the shadows aren’t dark enough. Griever is at the opposite end of the spectrum. She’s walking on sunshine, daydreaming about gnawing on a beehive because the waxy texture reminds her of candles. She’s playful but unsettling. The story really takes its time letting the reader decide whether or not they can trust her.

Another layer readers might not totally focus on is how Griever wavers between atheism and agnosticism. I’ve never gotten to express that with a character before. In the series as a whole, she plays a major role in the world’s polytheistic religion. She’s part of the reason there’s only one religion. I know I’m a tad spoilery right now, but the average indie book only sells a few hundred copies and this novel is already crazy divisive. So why not take the opportunity to ramble? This story plants a few seeds that Griever was meant for a specific fate. Her little brother, who one of my next books is about, ends up taking over Griever’s destiny to become a grim reaper. She was meant to cleanse corrupt souls before passing them to the afterlife. Due to what’s essentially a deal with the devil, she can’t fulfill her destiny. That doesn’t stop her from living a perverted form of it. She’s collecting coins and crushing impossible evils. Without belief, her soul still drives her on a path she can’t understand. She can’t have faith because she knows the religion is a lie. She still yearns for the spiritual connection “the devil” never gives her a comprehension of. In the narrative of the book, all of that is distilled down to how she was victimized by a man. She sympathizes with Zellin’s plight because as a child, Griever was poisoned.

Oh wow! Like in the title!

Sorry! I’m lame. Apologies. I was totally rambling there. The point is just that I really enjoyed writing a character who was spiritually conflicted. I know so many people who put themselves wholly into their faith, and so many others who despise the notion. Even though it’s kept to the sidelines, that internal conflict was what brought Griever to life.

 

What was the inspiration for the story? 

It’s a few things tied together. There’s a clear parallel to King Kong. I loved the original black and white movie as a kid. When my Grandpa explained how it was about slavery, that was probably my first introduction into symbolism and subtext. So from probably nine or ten years old, I’ve always wanted to create an homage to that film. Instead of allusions to slavery, it’s a giant monster story about sexual abuse. But I’ll get into how that came up later. The earliest, quarter page outline focused on expired potions. I was lecturing on chemical reagents used in a forensic laboratory, discussing the importance of expiration dates. In any lab, when performing a test or process, you don’t use expired chemicals because that’s going to skew your data. You might get a false negative. In quantitative testing, the reaction may indicate a smaller concentration than what’s actually there. Especially in forensics, when lives are on the line, all it takes is an ignored expiration date to completely ruin a case. So like all great fantasy action-adventures, this ferret versus kaiju calamity was inspired by the dangers of ignoring expiration dates. 

One of the inspirations for Griever was how I was diagnosed with ADHD. I think I just have ADD, but we’ll go with my doctor’s diagnosis. I was seeking treatment for my depression, and in the discussion I casually mentioned that people say my hearing is selective. I’ve always hated going to bars or crowded spaces because noise gets really disorienting. I was just rambling about it, and my doctor started putting two and two together. Turns out a common symptom for ADD is difficulty filtering sounds. I was in my thirties before I found out that’s something other people are capable of doing. In the story, it just sort of came up as a joke that Griever keeps mishearing a character’s name, then mispronouncing it for the rest of the story. But that was how the character started.

Lastly, every year, I do a lecture on sexual assault victims and evidence collection. I’ve had friends who were victims. I’ve had a few students listen to the lecture and decide to share their own experiences. A common thread is how people and society treat victims of sexual abuse. Women or men, the person is attacked and humiliated. Then we as a society have a tendency to turn our backs or not take it seriously. Women get vilified. They’re treated like monsters and their assailants get a slap on the wrist. There’s far more than one case where a woman gets hospitalized by her significant other or a family member because she was raped and the people who should’ve helped her work through that trauma became aggressive instead. People blame victims. I’m not sure if this will make a lot of sense, but was compelled to write about that. I didn’t want to write about the victim as much as I wanted to write about the callousness victims endure after the trauma. I wanted to write about how we distance ourselves to another person’s agony. That’s the lecture I’ve had to give over and over. That’s the story my friends and students have told me. Society is getting better, but even when these horrors get brought to light, it’s not good. Our focus is on the perpetrator and not the victim. It’s in the nature of a retributive justice system. We’re all about punishing the bad guy. We fail at mending the wounds. For my students who go on to be SANE nurses, something I focus on is that while the examination and evidence collection process can be humiliating, it’s an opportunity for them to provide even a tiny step toward helping someone heal. For official legal documentation, we have a consent form. I ask my students to really think about the gravity behind that piece of paper. You’re talking to someone who in the worst of cases has been stripped of their agency and power. They may require hospitalization and multiple surgeries depending on circumstances. So before you begin that examination, you really have to appreciate that you’re giving someone at their lowest point the ability to make a choice.

 

 

What were the key challenges you faced when writing this book?

Ha! Apart from all of my many obvious character flaws being on display in all the main characters?

The nature of the narrative is such a tangled knot. The subject is dark and my coping mechanism is always humor. It’s a deliberately grimy, easily distracted narrative in the way of a victim who deserves attention and doesn’t begin to receive it until near the conclusion, being told in a roundabout way by following unlikeable characters who have their own motives and are actively deceiving each other. There were frequent moments while writing and editing that I kept second guessing myself. This easily could’ve been the story of Horace being a man of action who saves the damsel by lifting the curse. This could’ve been from Zellin’s perspective and been even more involved in the victim’s psychology and the world falling apart around her. I could’ve even taken a few steps back to make the characters more loveable and easy to root for. Maybe I should be less weird and more commercial. You know, all the stuff any writer puts themselves through.

 

What is the future for the characters? Will there be a sequel?

Griever will definitely be back. There’s a ton about her story left unexplained. Especially for people who haven’t read this interview. As for Zellin, she shares the last name of a character from Necromantica, so I might be tying some threads together there. As for Horace, I don’t have anything planned. He let me indulge in a lot of my worst characteristics. I could potentially see myself revisiting him down the road, but I have so many other stories planned. I’m not sure I’ll ever make time for him. His story feels complete.

 

 

MORE RAMBLES ABOUT WRITING

 

 

Do you have any writing blogs you recommend?

 

I always recommend other writers cruise around reddit. There are a lot of useful forums and good writing communities there. I am working on something, but it’s still in its infancy. I started a website, www.bluedonutbooks.com. There, I’m slowly making a section for other writers to learn about self publishing, editing, writing, and their career options. Mostly it’s just going to be a free database full of useful links. So if anybody wants to check that out, I could certainly use some opinions on what’s missing and what needs work.

 

 

 

 

Do you have any writer friends you’d like to give a shoutout to?

 Guys. You need to read The Heartsmith’s Daughters by Harry Campion. Seriously. It’s on Kindle. It’s cheap. It’s genuinely one of my favorite pieces of fiction. I think I’ve read it ten times. Probably more. It’s well worth checking out.

 

 

 

If you had to give up both snacks and drinks during writing sessions, or music, which would you find more difficult to say goodbye to?

I’d have a worse time giving up snacks and drinks, but it’d help my productivity a lot. If I have food in front of me, I’ll just sit there and eat. I ate an entire bowl of pretzels just answering this question. It’s way too easy of a distraction, but it’d be near impossible to say good-bye to.

 

 

 

 

It’s sometimes difficult to get into understanding the characters we write. How do you go about it?

I wrote a book for that! Character Development for Badass Writers. It’s available on paperback and Kindle at Amazon. It’s a series of three hundred questions digging into a character’s past, their likes and dislikes, their lifestyle, career, experiences, and so on. I find the best way to understand a character is to spend time with them. Some writers use their first draft as a sort of “getting to know you” with their characters. Whenever I try that, it just adds more complications to the editing process. I like to have a good understanding of who I’m writing about before I tell their story. Ninety percent of what I know about my characters doesn’t even make it into the book, but I find writing goes a lot smoother when I’ve prepared for it. So I’ll go through my book and answer thirty or forty random questions. Through this, I’m not just daydreaming about the character. I’m actively engaging my imagination, putting in time, and getting to know them. Once I have a clear handle of who they are and how they behave in circumstances unrelated to my plot, I have much easier time navigating them through my narrative.

 

 

 

What is your writing process? Do you have one? What is your workspace like?

 I like to write outlines, draw sketches, and write little essays about the story. I research themes. I never like to approach a book assuming authority over a subject. There’s always more to learn, even in fantasy. Even when building your own world. The series that Necromantica and The Girl Drank Poison are from, The Vecris, takes place on a world with seven moons. In shaping the world, I spent a lot of time reading up and watching YouTube videos on gravity, astronomy, plate tectonics, ocean currents, and geology. I started this world with a singular Pangea continent, and broke it apart over centuries. It’s actually way too much work for my little action/adventure books, but it’s still good information to have. And it’s fun because even in this fantasy world, there’s a naturalistic sci-fi layer that readers will only pick up on if they read multiple stories.

Mostly I work at a messy desk in my bedroom. It’s actually starting to fall apart. I think it’s about twenty-five years old and has seen better days. I really should replace it, but it’s heavy, solid wood. Taking it apart to get it downstairs and out of my house sounds like such a burden. I really don’t want to take the time. Maybe if you guys buy enough copies of The Girl Drank Poison, I’ll be able to afford a new desk. Then I’ll dismantle this one.

 

 

MORE ABOUT YOU

 

If you couldn’t be an author, what ideal job would you like to do?

 I want to work with animals or in nature conservation. I’ve tried for a few opportunities around here. They just haven’t worked out.

 

Coffee or Tea? Or (exult deep breath) what other drink do you prefer, if you like neither?

I don’t understand the question. Are you telling me there are drinks that aren’t coffee? That’s a good one! Stop being so hilarious!

 

You can travel to anywhere in the universe. Where would you go, and why?

 The horsehead nebula would be gorgeous to travel through. Or I’d love to see a black hole up close. I mean, not super close, but close enough that if one were to take an expendable crew, and their space walking tethers “malfunctioned” so they drifted into the event horizon, I’d get to see what happens. For science.

 

 

 

What superpower would you most like?

 Teleportation. I hate driving. I live in Michigan. Our roads are notorious for being either under constant construction or in ruins. Our auto insurance rates are definitely the result of hard lobbying and corrupt politicians. If I could Nightcrawler my way to work every day, it’d be a game changer. No promises I wouldn’t annoy the rest of the world screaming, “BAMF!” every time I teleport. At least for the first three months or so.

 

 

What are two of your favorite covers of all time? (Not your own.)

 

Can I include graphic novels? I have a paperback of The Crow by James O’Barr. I’ve had it since I was fourteen. The book is in terrible shape. I bought a hardcover to read because I’m scared to even take my paperback off the shelf any more. The cover on that is beautiful, haunting, tragic, and really conveys the brutality of the story. A thick, black border with narrow, red lettering. The image is the protagonist, Eric, sitting by an angelic gravestone with his hand sort of shielding his face from it. He’s basically sitting beside death, ignoring it.The statue looks serene while and he’s fierce. If there was a single image to summarize the tale of a man who comes back from the dead for revenge, it’s definitely that cover.

Also, the original cover for Skinny Legs and All by Tom Robbins is pretty cool. Honestly, I’m just blanking and I’ve been thinking of reading that again.  It’s a simple image. Practically clipart. It’s a silhouette of a belly dancer, mid-performance, dropping a veil. It’s both elegant and a bit misleading. The Dance of the Seven Veils is a major part of the story, but that image doesn’t come close to expressing the full depth and overall weirdness of the book. The story is in part about a Muslim and Jew who open a greasy spoon diner across the street from the UN. Well, more about a woman on their staff. Another part of the story is about a can of beans, a dirty sock, a painted stick, a dessert spoon, and a conch shell, travelling across the United State, trying to make their way to the promised land for the apocalypse. More recent covers emphasize the inanimate object characters. Commercially, it gives readers a better sense of what to expect. The original cover was a better representation of the story’s meaning.

 

 

Share something your readers wouldn’t know about you.

Hmm. Well, I’m a terrible surfer. Just awful. I haven’t put anywhere near enough time into surfing to develop any level of skill. That said, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the handful of times I’ve managed to stand up on a surfboard.

 

 

It’s a very difficult time right now for the world. When quarantine and pandemic comes to an end, what is the first thing you would like to do?

Hmm. I suppose if anybody is up for a real heavy makeout session, that’d be a good way to celebrate. You know, just break through all the social distancing guidelines. Lose ourselves in a torrent of point blank mouth breathing for a while. That could be fun.

 

Finally, what is your preferred method to have readers get in touch with or follow you (i.e., website, personal blog, Facebook page, here on Goodreads, etc.) and link(s)?

I’m all over social media. Here’s some links:

 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Keith-Blenman/e/B002GNY3SE

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlueDonutBooks/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/keithblenman

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blenmankeith/?hl=en

Authors in Isolation: Lee Murray

It has been a while here hasn’t it! I’ve been neglecting my blog in the past 4-6 weeks, but I’m back for the time being. While I wait a bit on SPFBO interviews (the next one should be up this weekend, I bring you an overdue interview with Lee Murray!

 

First of all, tell me about yourself! What do you write? 

 

Hi! Thanks so much for hosting me. My name is Lee Murray and I’m an award-winning Kiwi writer and editor of mostly speculative fiction (for both children and adults). My best-known work is the Taine McKenna series of speculative military thrillers which are published by Australian house Severed Press but set here at home, with local cultural underpinnings and making good use of our stunning New Zealand landscape. I also write the Path of Ra supernatural crime-noir series with my Kiwi colleague, Dan Rabarts, author of the hilarious Children of Bane steampunk high fantasy series.

 

Tell the world about your current project!

 

My latest work is a debut short story collection called Grotesque: Monster Stories, which comprises eleven stories (some favourite stories and some new fiction) exploring the monster genre. Of course, as well as offering great material for high action, blood pulsing action, monsters also serve as metaphors for social, personal, and global concerns, making them an excellent vehicle for exploring some of the very real issues facing us all. Since people read for different reasons—sometimes for a little escapism, and other times to reflect on their fears from a safe distance—I hope that with this collection, I have delivered opportunities for readers to do both of those things.

 

Grotesque: Monster Stories, the debut short story collection from three-time Bram Stoker Award® nominee, Lee Murray, is “fascinating, unexpected, and scary as hell!” (Jonathan Maberry, NYT bestselling author of Rage and V-Wars). Featuring eleven uncanny tales of automatons, zombies, golems, and dragons, and including the Taine McKenna adventure Into the Clouded Sky, Grotesque: Monster Stories breathes new life into the monster genre.

 

Have you been to any conventions? If so, tell me a little about them!

 

Yes! I love conventions. They’re a great opportunity to meet other people with similar interests, to refresh the well, and to find your tribe. For the past decade, I’ve attended the New Zealand national science fiction, fantasy, and horror convention annually, and, in fact, I have served as the programme director for a couple of those conventions. I highly recommend getting involved in your literary genre community. For writers, it’s a fantastic way to meet colleagues, learn new skills, come up to speed on industry and genre trends, and just find support while chewing the fat with friends about writing and books. For readers, you also get to meet authors you love and talk about writing and books. I’m frequently invited to local literary conventions, and over recent years, I’ve also attended various international conventions, such as StokerCon (USA), Kuaia Writers (USA), GenreCon (AU), Conflux (AU). However, with the pandemic, those opportunities have disappeared, or gone virtual. Something to look forward to when this crisis is behind us.

 

If you had the opportunity to live anywhere in the world for a year while writing a book that took place in that same setting, where would you choose?

 

I’ve been lucky enough to live in a number of countries, including the USA (Wisconsin), the UK (London) and France (Paris), as well as my own Aotearoa-New Zealand. I’d love the opportunity to head to France again, partly because I have so many friends there, but also to explore some places I didn’t get to during the seven years I lived there. Not only is it a stunning country (and the food is wonderful), but there is so much to inspire there. Gorgeous geographical sites such as forests and coves, and historical venues such as cathedrals and chateaux. In fact, the title story in Grotesque: Monster Stories is plucked directly from my visits to Amboise, in France’s Loire Valley, where Leonardo da Vinci once resided.

 

What advice would you give new writers?

 

Read, write, (repeat)
Join a writer group, find a buddy, or seek out a mentor, and share your work with them.
Reciprocate (other writers are looking for help too and you’ll be surprised how much you learn critiquing other people’s work).

 

What is the hardest part of writing for you?

 

Other than social media? Well, I’m a slow writer, which is frustrating, but mostly I love writing. The hardest part is not in the creation of stories, but the business of writing. In New Zealand, as it is everywhere in the world, the literary arts struggle for a foothold, so much so that only a handful of writers make a good living. I understand that a lot of people are struggling right now, but getting your hands on a good book doesn’t have to be expensive. Joining a writer’s website keeps you up to date on their latest releases and any sales or specials they might have on their work. They sometimes have giveaways and review copies available, too. Or, ask for your favourite author’s work at your local library. A good library will often get the book in for you, since there is a good chance that others will enjoy it too. Plus, you’ll be doing the author a favour by spreading the word.

 

What is your routine when writing, if any? If you don’t follow a routine, why not?

 

I write every day from my office at home overlooking a cow paddock. Nine to five (and mostly longer) as I’m a full-time writer. Like everyone else who works from home (pretty much everyone in this pandemic), it’s hard to create geographical and temporal boundaries when you work from home, so evenings and weekends routinely get sucked into my working week.

 

Did you learn anything from writing your latest book? If so, what was it?

 

In one of the stories in the collection, Edward’s Journal, the eponymous character, a soldier from the famous ‘Die Hard’ regiment, believes he spies a sea monster on his trip to New Zealand on the Castilian. The actual report in Britain’s The Times newspaper was made by the ship’s captain, Harrington, who observed the creature on a voyage from Bombay to Liverpool in 1857. I love it when you can slip a fact like this into a story and lend authenticity to the narrative.

 

If you had to give up either snacks and drinks during writing sessions, or music, which would you find more difficult to say goodbye to?

 

I don’t snack between meals and I share an office with my husband who often has conference calls which means music is out, so I’d have to say hot drinks.

 

Coffee or Tea? 

 

Coffee before lunch, and tea any time after noon.

 

What are your future project(s)?

 

Thanks so much for asking. Apart from Grotesque: Monster Stories, I have two further books coming out this year. The first, releasing at the end of September, is Black Cranes, a book of fourteen dark speculative fiction stories exploring Asian women’s experiences of ‘otherness’, which I am co-editing with my Australian colleague, Geneve Flynn. And in November, Raw Dog Screaming Press will release Blood of the Sun, the last book in our Path of Ra Kiwi supernatural thriller series, featuring brother and sister duo, Penny and Matiu Yee. This little project was meant to be a novella, but it was so much fun to write, it became a trilogy. While I won’t say never again, I’ll be sorry to see the characters go even while I look forward to new projects. For example, on my desk at the moment are the bones of a short story and a plan for a narrative poem.

 

What makes a good villain?

 

A good villain needs to be fallible, and also authentic. They need to be as complex and rounded and engaging as your protagonist.

 

What do you like to do in your spare time?

 

Walk, read, soak in the spa pool, cuddle my dog, and watch movies with my kids.

 

If you couldn’t be an author, what ideal job would you like to do?

 

I’d love to be a spy, although I have none of the necessary skills (I can barely manage my own phone contacts), but it sounds like a cool job.

 

Do you have any writing blogs you recommend?

 

For writers, I absolutely recommend Tim Waggoner’s Writing in the Dark. Tim’s a fantastic award-winning author of more than fifty novels, and a tie-in writer for some super franchises, and his blog always includes a supercharged essay on writing. He’s a tenured creative writing professor too, so his articles come with practical examples based on his vast experience. This year, my publisher, Raw Dog Screaming Press, is releasing a book, also called Writing in the Dark, which updates and collates all of Tim’s writing experience into a must-have writing handbook.

 

What superpower would you most like?

 

Not flying because I’m afraid of heights. Echolocation would be cool. Being able to make the dog hop off the couch would be another good one. One of the superpowers I’d love to have is the ability to speak more languages. I only have English and French, and I regret not being able to speak the dialects of Chinese that my mother speaks. I’d love to speak New Zealand Māori too, because the few words and phrases I know are truly beautiful.

 

It’s a very difficult time right now for the world. When quarantine and pandemic comes to an end, what is the first thing you would like to do?

 

As I write this, down here in New Zealand, we’ve been at Level 1 for a month, which means we have eliminated the virus and no longer require social distancing. In fact, I have my first local writing group meeting tonight. However, we’re still washing our hands until our skin is raw and keeping a list of everywhere we have been and people we’ve met in the event that there is an incidence of community transmission and the health authorities need to contact trace. Eliminating the virus, doesn’t mean we have eradicated it, and since New Zealanders are still allowed through the border to come home, we have to maintain our vigilance. Anyway, the question is what would most people do when quarantine comes to an end, and here in New Zealand we already know the answer to that: people queued for coffee, ordered take-out food (all take out and restaurants were closed here during lockdown), and went to get a haircut. For myself, my dad died during the lockdown, so the first thing I did was visit my brother and his family—whom I hadn’t been able to see due to COVID-19 restrictions—for a hug.

 

Finally, what is your preferred method to have readers get in touch with or follow you (i.e., website, personal blog, Facebook page, here on Goodreads, etc.) and link(s)?

 

I’d love it if readers would subscribe to my website using the contact page. Otherwise, you can contact me in all the usual places: Amazon, facebook, twitter, Goodreads, and Bookbub. I’d love to hear from you.

 

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SPFBO Interview: Billie Kowalewski

We are back with a new interview! Apologies with the delay in getting out this latest one – been up to my eyeballs in work.

Today I bring you an interview with Billie Kowalewski, with her awesome YA entry Enlightened.

 

 

 

 

STARTING OFF WITH A BANG

 

Introduce yourself! An easy question to start off with. Who are you, what do you write?

 

I’m Billie Kowalewski and I like to write whatever is bouncing around in my imagination. My first book is a YA Fantasy Romance.

 

SPFBO DISCUSSION

 

Is this your first time in SPFBO?

 

Yes it is.

 

What book did you enter into this year’s event?

 

I entered Enlightened which is the first book in a three-part series with the same title.

 

Does one of the main characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?

 

Harmony does. Next to having my children, being Harmony was the best thing I ever got to do. She’s the version of myself I didn’t know existed. I strive to be more like her every day. She makes me want to be better.

 

What was the inspiration for the story? What are your future project(s)?

 

A lifetime full of events contributed to the creation of the Enlightened series. I am working on a new book but I’m keeping it to myself for now. It’s still too early in its creation to be able to explain it yet.

 

What are the key themes and/or messages in the book?

 

That there is much more to life than meets the eye. Hopefully, after someone reads Enlightened, they’ll love their own life more.

 

What were the key challenges you faced when writing this book?

 

My father died shortly after I started writing it. Then, not long after I finished the first draft I got divorced. Went through an extremely hard time financially and spent a night in February with no heat or electricity. That was a tough night! Came pretty close to losing my house too. None of this is because of my book though. I was under employed for a while. I eventually fixed some of this and now have two jobs, I’m also self-employed with my books, and I also do a little uber too when needed.

 

What is the future for the characters? Will there be a sequel?

 

I do think about doing something with those characters again. I’m just not sure what it’ll be yet. Well…I do know, kind of. I have an idea for them. Hopefully my life will calm down a little so I can write more.

 

MORE RAMBLES ABOUT WRITING

 

What is your favorite book you’ve written?  

 

That’s like asking me which child I love more. I love them all. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have written them.

 

Who are your favorite authors? Stephanie Meyer, Sandra J Jackson, Amy Plume, Sophie Kinsella, Lauren Kate. I have others too.

 

What makes a good villain?

 

A wiseass sense of humor and a smart mouth.

 

Do you have any writing blogs you recommend?

 

Not at the moment.

 

Do you have any writer friends you’d like to give a shoutout to? Sandra J Jackson. Great author and friend. Someday I will meet her, and we will have lunch or something. My treat.

 

Did you learn anything from writing your latest book? If so, what was it?

 

I discovered who I was always meant to be.

 

Are you a plotter or a pantser? A gardener or an architect?  

 

I had to look up what these terms meant because I’ve never heard of them in regards to writing before. I am a pantser. I let my characters tell me their story and I help them along the way, so I’m also a gardener. I let them whisk me away into their world and I can be gone for a long time.

 

If you had to give up both snacks and drinks during writing sessions, or music, which would you find more difficult to say goodbye to?

 

Why would I have to say goodbye to any snacks or drinks? I need both of these things. I need to fidget, drink stuff like coffee, sodas and water. I need munchy snacks sometimes. Usually effortless stuff so I can get back to what I’m working on quickly.

 

Which is your favourite season to write in, and why? 

 

Spring probably. I love writing on really rainy days. I love the sound it makes against the leaves.

 

It’s sometimes difficult to get into understanding the characters we write. How do you go about it?

 

I write backstories for each character I feel is important to the story. This is what I did for the characters in Enlightened. It helped me to become them better.

 

What is your writing process? Do you have one? What is your workspace like?

 

I need my laptop. I prefer my house to be empty. Of course, lately it never is. I have serval workspaces which include, my squishy recliner in my room, my livingroom couch, the chair and table out on my porch, and my wicker swing chair. I do have a desk, but I’ll never use it for writing. I need to curl up with my story just like a reader would with a book.

 

Where do you draw inspiration from?

 

Life mostly and my surroundings.

 

How many plot ideas are just waiting to be written? Can you tell us about one?

 

I have an idea involving mirrors. I had an obsession as a kid with mirrors. I was fascinated with how it worked and how much you could see in them. I’m not sure exactly what I’m going to do with this story, but it is what I’m working on.

 

Do you have any new series planned? 

 

I had no idea I was writing a series until I was about halfway through writing the second draft of Enlightened. My point in saying this is that I won’t know that until I’m elbows deep in my next story.

 

MORE ABOUT YOU 

 

What do you like to do in your spare time?  

 

Spare time? Who has that? I love to go to the beach and swim in the ocean. I love swimming in pools too and roller skating.

 

If you couldn’t be an author, what ideal job would you like to do?

 

I want to be one of those people that gets to cuddle babies all day. I drive a school bus in the afternoon for my second job and I would love to just do that job plus my writing. Being with the kids makes me happy.

 

Coffee or Tea? Or (exult deep breath) what other drink do you prefer, if you like neither?

 

Coffee!

 

You can travel to anywhere in the universe. Where would you go, and why?

 

I want to visit the redwood trees. I always wanted to see them. I also want to go to Yellowstone. Forks Washington. The tar pits in California, no one even talks about those anymore. I’m planning on purchasing a camper in the near future and traveling all over this country. I also want to go to Hawaii and cruise through the Caribbean

 

Pick any three fiction characters. These are now your roadtrip crew. Where do you go and what do you do?

I would pick any three of the Cullens to go with me to see the Redwood trees. Then we can climb them!

 

What superpower would you most like?

 

I think I would like super strength and speed. Oh, the things I could do!

 

What are two of your favorite covers of all time? (Not your own.)

 

I love the cover of Fallen by Lauren Kate and the cover of Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins

 

If you could invite one person to dinner, who would it be and what would you cook?

 

Steven Tyler and the rest of the band Aerosmith. We would barbeque.

 

Share something your readers wouldn’t know about you.

 

I am double jointed in my left hand and my thumb does funky stuff. Sorry, this was the first thing that just popped into my head and then I said, why not?

 

It’s a very difficult time right now for the world. When quarantine and pandemic come to an end, what is the first thing you would like to do?

 

Take my kids to the amusement park. We were going to do that this summer. I suppose next year will be fine. I hope everyone stays safe and gets to do what they really want after it’s over.

 

Finally, what is your preferred method to have readers get in touch with or follow you (i.e., website, personal blog, Facebook page, here on Goodreads, etc.) and link(s)?

 

My email address is Billie@enlightenedbook.net they can reach me through that or my website: Https://www.enlightenedbook.net any of these means work too:

 

Social media links:

https://www.facebook.com/authorbilliek

https://www.facebook.com/enlightenedbookofficialpage

https://www.instagram.com/kowalewskibillie

Tweets by Enlightened31

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/billie-kowalewski

https://www.goodreads.com/harmony31

 

Links to where Enlightened can be purchased:

 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06VTBR36K

ITunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1175068181

Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/enlightened-billie-kowalewski/1125115030?ean=9781535604505

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/enlightened-17

Googleplay: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Billie_Kowalewski_Enlightened?id=qEvrDwAAQBAJ&hl=en_US

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/947654

 

Brief Description:

When Veronica lost the love of her life in a horrible accident, she was sure he was gone forever, and she would never love again. Then, five years later she meets her own tragic demise, leading her back to the man she loves, but with an unexpected twist…

 

SPFBO Interview: Zack Argyle

A bit later than planned; I’ve recently returned to working back at Grimlore Games so these will be a bit slower. I bring you an interview with Zack Argyle and his pimping book cover!

 

 

STARTING OFF WITH A BANG

 

Introduce yourself! An easy question to start off with. Who are you, what do you write?

I am one of the very few who have been born on Antarctica, thanks to my seismologist parents. We moved when I was two but visited every few years. I even had a pet penguin named Cobblepot! Growing up, my mom always said, “Don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story.” Oh yeah, none of that was true, other than the quote. I’m from Seattle, studied computer engineering, and currently work full-time as a software engineer. I write epic fantasy in the limited spare time I have between work and two cute kids.

 

SPFBO DISCUSSION

 

Is this your first time in SPFBO?

Yes, it is!

 

What book did you enter into this year’s event?

Voice of War, book one of an epic fantasy trilogy!

 

Does one of the main characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?

They all do in some small way, but Chrys was a big driver behind the creation of the book. After I had my first kid, I knew I would do anything to protect him. That is Chrys’ story. How far will he go to protect his family?

 

What was the inspiration for the story? What are your future project(s)?

I guess I already answered that a little, but “family” was the biggest inspiration. I wanted to see a story where the husband, wife, and kid were all alive, and how they had to all work and struggle together for the greater good.

 

What are the key themes and/or messages in the book?

One of the biggest themes is that you cannot do it alone. Chrys is scared to share his struggles with his wife with how it might change her perception of him. Laurel refuses to admit her addiction. And Alverax wants so badly to not be alone.

 

What were the key challenges you faced when writing this book?

The biggest struggle was that this was my first novel, and I outlined it as a trilogy, which meant there was SO much to keep in my mind at all times in order to foreshadow and world-build while still keeping it engaging. It’s getting easier as I work through book two!

 

What is the future for the characters? Will there be a sequel?

Oh, yes. Nearly every review for Voice of War ends with “I can’t wait for book two!” The characters are just getting started, and they’re in for a whirlwind.

 

MORE RAMBLES ABOUT WRITING

 

What is your favorite book you’ve written?

Well, Voice of War is the first, so I suppose it is also my favorite!

 

Who are your favorite authors?

I love the worlds of Brandon Sanderson, the characters of Brent Weeks, and the ridiculously-quotable prose of Mark Lawrence.

 

What makes a good villain?

I love a villain that I can empathize with—one that is not evil for the sake of being evil. I want to understand why they’re doing what they do, even if their perception of reality differs from my own or the protagonist’s.

 

Do you have any writing blogs you recommend?

I’ve recently been loving the musings of Whispers and Wonders.

 

Do you have any writer friends you’d like to give a shoutout to?

My writing group: The Fantasy Forge. They’re all incredibly talented! David Viergutz, the grimdark god. S.A. Klopfenstein, a weaver of absolutely epic stories. Jason Nugent, our resident dragon tamer. Blake Severson, who I’m pretty sure lives in an RPG. And Danielle Pederson, making mermaids cool again.

 

Did you learn anything from writing your latest book? If so, what was it?

For Voice of War, I learned all about shallow-rooted plants, which turns out to be quite crucial to the city of Zedalum where Laurel lives!

 

Are you a plotter or a pantser? A gardener or an architect?

I plot out each chapter but leave the details of the chapter to be pantsed. It keeps it fun and interesting with a clear goal, but sometimes leads to the story taking a different direction than planned, but always in a good way!

 

If you had to give up both snacks and drinks during writing sessions, or music, which would you find more difficult to say goodbye to?

I generally only write at night after my children are asleep, and don’t snack or listen to music while writing! There are times when I’ll throw on some epic music to get me in the mood, so I guess I’ll go with music.

 

Which is your favourite season to write in, and why? 

Winter, and anyone who says otherwise is chaotic-evil.

 

It’s sometimes difficult to get into understanding the characters we write. How do you go about it? 

Perhaps it is smart, perhaps it is lazy, but I often project portions of myself into my characters, and it makes it much easier to understand how they would act and what they would do. When that isn’t enough, lean on your alpha/beta readers. For example, my wife has been invaluable in helping me write Iriel Valerian, who has a newborn child in her arms for much of the story.

 

What is your writing process? Do you have one? What is your workspace like?

Since I work full time, my writing is all on off-hours. Before the quarantine, I would often write during my commute to/from work, as well as once my kids are asleep. Now, I’m lucky enough to have a writing group to do writing sprints with as well.

 

Where do you draw inspiration from?

Lots of disparate places. Family, friends, religions, Pinterest, other stories, and on and on!

 

How many plot ideas are just waiting to be written? Can you tell us about one?

I have a few projects I’d love to get to one day. One of them is based on a magic system of collective belief. If you can convince enough people that something is true, then it becomes true. I’d love to write a novella with my plot ideas around it!

 

Do you have any new series planned?

I always have ideas, but I’m currently hyper-focused on finishing the Threadlight trilogy.

 

MORE ABOUT YOU 

 

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I’m a huge nerd, so, when I’m not writing, my free time is spent playing Dungeons and Dragons, Overwatch, or any number of board games with friends.

 

If you couldn’t be an author, what ideal job would you like to do?

I really do love my full-time job as a software engineer, but, if I could make as much as an author, I’d probably swap it and do software on the side!

 

Coffee or Tea? Or (exult deep breath) what other drink do you prefer, if you like neither?

Vitamin Water Zero — lemonade flavor!

 

You can travel to anywhere in the universe. Where would you go, and why?

Wow! I would absolutely go to another planet, but I haven’t done enough research to decide which!

 

Pick any three fiction characters. These are now your roadtrip crew. Where do you go and what do you do?

My roadtrip crew would be Adolin Kholin from Stormlight, Matrim Cauthon from WoT, and (yes, they are one person) Troy and Abed from Community. We would have a blast just driving through the country and stopping at random places!

 

What superpower would you most like?

Teleportation, absolutely. So versatile!

 

What are two of your favorite covers of all time? (Not your own.)

10th anniversary Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
Birth of the Dawnhawk by Z. Apollo / M.J. Northwood

 

If you could invite one person to dinner, who would it be and what would you cook?

I would love to hang out with Brandon Sanderson. He seems like such a good person and I’d love to nerd out about his cosmere with him.

 

Share something your readers wouldn’t know about you.

I was once the love interest in a country music video! If you’re really nice, I might even tell you where to find it on YouTube.

 

It’s a very difficult time right now for the world. When quarantine and pandemic comes to an end, what is the first thing you would like to do?

I want to jump in a plane and go visit my family. Oh, and Disneyland. Okay, maybe Disneyland first, then my family…

 

Finally, what is your preferred method to have readers get in touch with or follow you (i.e., website, personal blog, Facebook page, here on Goodreads, etc.) and link(s)?

Twitter

Facebook

Goodreads

Website

 

SPFBO Interview: John Pepe

Back with a brand new interview to kick off the weekend, this time with John Pepe and his amazing cover/debut novel, The Lone Wolf. We tune in with him in the Scar’s Den to hear his thoughts on writing and life.

 

 

 

 

 

STARTING OFF WITH A BANG

 

Introduce yourself! An easy question to start off with. Who are you, what do you write?

My Name is John D. Pepe and I’m the author of The Lone Wolf. I write epic and high fantasy.

 

SPFBO DISCUSSION

 

Is this your first time in SPFBO?

This is my first book! So, yes. And I finished it just under the wire to get it in by the deadline for SPFBO #6.

 

What book did you enter into this year’s event?

The Lone Wolf (it’s all I got)

 

Does one of the main characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?

Yes.  Caladin.  He’s a blast to write.  For whatever reason his personality just popped off the pages and his dialogue flowed easily.  Also, he has been my friend’s character in our D&D adventures for years (along with mine, his cousin, Quinn).

 

What was the inspiration for the story? What are your future project(s)?

I play a lot of Dungeons and Dragons, so this story comes straight from an adventure I created for the characters. I wrote a story around the skeleton of that adventure, drawing from actual things that happened, and dove deeper into the characters to give them more life than we have in the game. I then created my own world (Orn) and plopped them into it.  But I siphon inspiration from all over. Movies, books, TV shows, religion, philosophy, and of course…D&D.  I try to draw from many sources. But the main plot came from that adventure.

 

The next books I am writing are also based on an epic adventure my friends and I played over several years.  It is called The Six-The Saga of Vykosch, and it will probably be a trilogy. Of course, I thought The Lone Wolf would only be about 120k pages and it ended up being 142k before edits, so we will see. I also plan on doing two books about my main character, Remence, and two books with my gentlemen procurers, Caladin and Quinn. But I really want to write The Six because the characters there will tie in with the books about Remence and Caladin. Also, in The Lone Wolf I didn’t do tons of world building and in preparation (or as I’m going) I am doing a lot more world building with The Six; and I’m really enjoying it. I need to get my head wrapped around my world, the magic system, the backgrounds of the races, and how they interact and fit together, that way, hopefully, I can guide my readers better.

 

What are the key themes and/or messages in the book?

One of the major themes I talk about is faith.  If someone is at all religious or believes in a higher, all powerful positive/good being who allows evil things to happen in the world, or to them personally, how do you maintain your faith in that being.  I’ve struggled with that. One guy I listen too once talked about pockets of agnosticism.  When it comes to faith in God, seeing things that are wrong in the world and that sometimes evil wins, it becomes, at times, difficult to maintain one’s belief in a higher power.  Another theme I discuss is how one views race, especially if they have had a bad experience with someone of another race. I come from the standpoint in the book that just because someone looks like you doesn’t mean they are good like you or just because they look different doesn’t necessarily mean they are bad. It is what is in a person’s heart and soul that matters.  Who that person is as an individual is much more important than what their veneer bespeaks. I use my main character, Remence, to explore those themes within the fantasy setting. Also, I touch on the sacrifices we make in friendships and being young and having to figure out our place in the world.

 

What were the key challenges you faced when writing this book?

Laziness-LOL. I have many things I’m interested in and those interests, along with my day job, tend to pull me away from writing.  Also, I don’t have a background in creative writing. In fact, when I joined my local writing group, who ML Spencer is a part of (that is the only reason I even know about the Indie industry), she had mentioned at one of my first meeings that I needed a dialogue tag. I had no clue what a dialogue tag was.  So, my learning curve has been steep.  My editor had to walk me through how to accept/delete edits in word, how to get the link to my book, and how to use Amazon. I mean I’m way behind the eight ball. But I’m learning.

 

What is the future for the characters? Will there be a sequel?

Yes. As I mentioned above, I want to write two books about Remence and two about my thieves, Caladin and Quinn.  The books on Remence will delve into his Ranger training and explore his latent special abilities. I plan on revealing from who or where those abilities manifest and show his progression in learning about and controlling them. Also, there will be a reemergence of the orcs as a cohesive horde again, which he will be tasked with dealing with.  As for my rogues, the first book will find them being hired by noble men to help prevent some key coast towns from being overrun by evildoers (known as the Boars) who are in league with the villains in my trilogy, The Six. The first book will lead them to Lundenburn, the largest port city in my world, Orn, and we will pick up with them there in the second book. They get involved with the powers that run that city, open a brothel, and take over a thieves’ guild.  It will lead to some fun, but dangerous mishaps for Caladin and Quinn and their new companions.

 

MORE RAMBLES ABOUT WRITING

 

What is your favorite book you’ve written?

Right now…The Lone Wolf by far…it is my only book.

 

Who are your favorite authors?

There are so many good authors out there. Especially since I have been introduced to the Indie world and have been reading a lot of their books. Well, Terry Brooks and his Sword and Elfstones of Shannara really set in motion my reading of fantasy; actually, of any books (I never read anything until I pick those up, which was around 9th grade).  But I think R.A. Salvatore is probably my favorite. At least his early works.  Once I picked up The Dark Elf Trilogy in college I was hooked as a fantasy reader. I have read almost everything he has written.  I really was enraptured by the Dark Elf series and it is one of few sets of books that I have read a second time. In fact, Salvatore makes up half of the books that I have re-read.  Only one of Tom Clancy’s books, Without Remorse and Lawrence Watt-Evans’ The Misenchanted Sword and With a Single Spell along with Brooks’ The Sword and Elfstones have I read twice. The other six books belong to Salvatore. With four more of his on my TBR x2 list.

 

What makes a good villain?

I think a good villain is competent.  They must challenge the protagonist in some way, otherwise what does it matter.  Whether it be intellectually (Sherlock Holmes vs. Moriarty) or sword play (Drizzt Do’Urden vs. Artemis Entreri), you need that comparable level of skill. I also like a villain who isn’t altogether evil.  I like a complicated villain. Thanos is good example. He wanted to bring stability to the universe to prevent over population and the dwindling of natural resources. And he was correct, to a certain extent.  Gamora’s plant thrived once he killed off half the population. It was no longer on the brink of starvation. Thanos wasn’t evil for the sake of being evil (which isn’t always a bad thing in villains). He had a purpose. A reason beyond power and glory. He was more complex, and I think that makes for a good bad guy.

 

Do you have any writing blogs you recommend?

I don’t. I’ve never used them.

 

Do you have any writer friends you’d like to give a shoutout to?

Shoutouts: To my buddy Gary Avants who writes Sci-Fi/Time Travel. His series is Chronolocity.  The first book, which will be out soon is Chronolocity-A Fist Full of Chronotons. To my friend since grad school, Darbie Andrews who wrote a book called Him? which is a coming of age story of a young Latina girl. It is not my genre, but I finished it in three days because it was so good!  To Leila Kirkconnell who has written three books-Shattered, Missing, and Fatal Family Affair which are all sort of that murder mystery type book. To Angie Martin, my editor, who has written eight to ten horror/thriller books and currently has a story out in Blood in the Mirror (and is an amazing editor by the way: bythehandediting), and to none other than the queen of grimdark (lol), ML Spencer, author of the Rhenwars Saga and The Chaos Cycle.

 

Did you learn anything from writing your latest book? If so, what was it?

A lot. Like I said I don’t have a background in creative writing; I never even took a class so, when I started in my writers group about  80% of the way through The Lone Wolf I was way behind the eight ball. I didn’t know what a dialogue tag was, what writing Maid and Butler meant, not to info dumping, Show vs Tell.  Hell, I had never even heard of Indie Publishing.  I still have a ton to learn in terms of becoming a better writer but I think I have picked up a lot of knowledge since the time I started in the writers group until I finished the book (which was about 18 months).  One of the biggest issues I’m try to tackle (and not enjoying it that much) is how to market.  When people say, “writing the book is the easy part”, they ain’t lying sister. Writing the book is the fun part, everything after is the real headache.

 

Are you a plotter or a pantser? A gardener or an architect?

Panster/gardener for sure. I mean I do a little plotting and architecture, but it is for the sole purpose of providing me a little guidance when I feel stumped in part of the story. I write a very basic outline with a few details attached just for reference when needed.  Otherwise, I just sit down with pen and paper and let my characters go where they may.  I think my characters push the story along for me. They let me know, sometimes at the spur of the moment, what path they are going to choose. Then they just start walking down that path.

 

If you had to give up both snacks and drinks during writing sessions, or music, which would you find more difficult to say goodbye to?

I love them both, but I couldn’t give up snacks and drinks (especially coffee).  In fact, during parts of my writing process I have to hit the off button on my music, otherwise I will be banging away on the table, like it is my drum set, instead of writing.

 

Which is your favourite season to write in, and why? 

I live in Southern California so there isn’t these huge differences in seasons. But I think I really like Spring and Fall. When I write I love to sit outside, drink coffee, smoke my pipe, and listen to Lawrence Welk (I sound like a seventy-five year old man)-just kidding about the Lawrence Welk (80s music is my preferred choice…wait, does that still make me seem like an old man?). Spring and Fall lend themselves best to being outside, so they would be my favorite times. Summer is way too hot for sure, so it is my least favorite.

 

It’s sometimes difficult to get into understanding the characters we write. How do you go about it? 

My buddies and I have been playing most of the characters I write in a D&D setting for at least a couple decades, if not three.  My friends and I have developed a little bit of a personality for each character (sometimes more than others). I then take that and try and get into their head. How do they think, what are their believes, what are the mores that affects that character, etc. and I come up with a background for them.  Then I just write. I use the relationships that they have developed with the other characters and build on their personalities and motives from there, which in turn provides me with dialogue and helps guide the story.

 

What is your writing process? Do you have one? What is your workspace like?

I start with pen and paper. I’m old school. I just sit down, think about what I want to happen in the chapter, then write.  When I’ve written 15-20 pages, I put it down, and let it marinate for a couple of days. Then I hop on the computer and write it out again, making adjustments. Then I let it sit for a week or more, maybe print it out and take that to my writers’ group, absorb what my group says and rewrite it. Then I let it sit (while writing more of the book) and come back to it in 3-4 weeks and try and clean it up, deleting what doesn’t work and adding what it seems to lack.

 

When I write I prefer to write in my backyard in the late afternoon and almost all my computer work is done in my office late at night (sometimes late afternoon outside). I think better in the afternoon and night. I’m more of a night owl as opposed to an early bird. My wife and son go to bed earlier, so it gives me time alone when I’m working at 9, 10, 11 p.m. at night. Also, I love nature and my backyard has squirrels and birds and trees.  I really feel more connected out there and it helps with the writing process.

 

Where do you draw inspiration from?

I draw inspiration from everywhere. Other authors, books, movies, TV shows, art, music, travel, martial arts, philosophy, religion, history, politics, people I come across in life.  There are so many mediums that inspire me. In fact, in my new book there is a scene I wrote where my paladin characters are riding their horses in a very mild snowstorm. That scene was inspired by an experience I had at age 13 or 14.  My dad and I were driving up in the local mountains on our way to snow ski and I just thought that having a moment with mounted knights riding their horses through the snow in full plate would be super kool. So, thirty plus years later, I decided I would put it in a book.

 

How many plot ideas are just waiting to be written? Can you tell us about one?

I have a few.  Probably one that I’m really looking forward to writing is with my gentlemen procurers, Caladin and Quinn, in the second book about them when they reach the largest, and richest, port city in my world. Cities are really where my rogues thrive. I can’t wait to follow them through their escapades in pushing their way to the top of a prominent thieves’ guild there, setting up a brothel, and finding a means of balancing their criminal activities with the being charged by the powers that be to eradicate certain base elements.  I love to write Caladin and putting him in a big city and watching him run through his machinations should be fun.

 

Do you have any new series planned?

Yes. The scene with the paladins in full plate riding through the snow on their horses is the start of chapter 2.  It comes from my trilogy, The Six-The Saga of Vykosch. It’s not fully fleshed out but in essence it is about Vykosch, the first lich, who convinces The Dark Butterfly, a Drow goddess, to join him in his cause to destroy The Six. The Drow goddess has be slighted by our heroes and she wants retribution for the past transgression, while Vykosch needs something from one of their members in order to escape the Purgatory he is trapped in and gain a foothold in Orn again. The Six (which are a handful of heroes that could stop them) are pulled out of retirement and it takes off from there.

 

MORE ABOUT YOU 

 

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I play the drums (at times), travel, read, podcast and blog, play D&D, manage my son’s club soccer team, workout, train in martial arts…and…write.

 

If you couldn’t be an author, what ideal job would you like to do?

Trust fund baby or Hollywood actor.

 

Coffee or Tea? Or (exult deep breath) what other drink do you prefer, if you like neither?

No brainer…coffee. Everyday. All day.

 

You can travel to anywhere in the universe. Where would you go, and why?

Anywhere? Asgard. Before Ragnarok.

 

Pick any three fiction characters. These are now your roadtrip crew. Where do you go and what do you do? 

Wow. Uhm…Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds version). He’s hilarious and great in a fight if need be. Thor (Chris Hemsworth version) He’s funny as well, can fly, and great in a fight. Madmartigan (Val Kilmer) Again funny and great in a fight. I seem to like characters who have a sense of humor and can brawl?  We would do a World Tour. Starting in California we would flying to New Zealand and moving up through Australia and the rest of island countries north until we got up into mainland Asia. Then travel over to Euro-Asia, the Middle East, Africa, then back into Eastern Europe and Russia.  Then to Western Europe and the Scandinavian countries.  We would float on over to Greenland, then Canada, and head on down to the Eastern US. We would roll on through the Mid-west and down to Texas to head to Mexico and then Central and South America with our end of the tour in Antarctica before we fly back to Cali.

 

What superpower would you most like?

I want to be like Dr. Xavier (Professor X): a telepath. There are so many kool powers out there but being able to read and control minds is probably the best. If I can control Superman, who can stop me? Not that I would do anything nefarious or anything.

 

What are two of your favorite covers of all time? (Not your own.)

That’s tough.  I’ve seen some badass covers, both Indie and Trad.  Man…uhm…For some reason, and there are better covers out there these days in terms of art, but I have to go with both The Sword and Elfstones of Shannara by Terry Brooks.  They were the first books I read, and the covers still evoke a certain magic in my heart when I look at them (Look. There they are. Still sitting on my bookshelf over there, after all these years).

 

If you could invite one person to dinner, who would it be and what would you cook?

I’m assuming alive or dead.  It would be my mom. I lost her when I was 16.  I would make her spaghetti and meatballs with marinara sauce sprinkled with parmesan cheese.  Don’t know why? Maybe I’m getting hungry and that sounds good. If we are only talking about alive…Ryan Reynolds…who wants some chimichangas?

 

Share something your readers wouldn’t know about you.

I’m heavy into the martial arts. I’ve been training for over 35 years (in fact I trained this morning).  I’ve had 6 amateur full-contact boxing and kickboxing matches and I have earned two black belts (TKD and BJJ), and plan on get my third in Kung-Fu as soon as we get through COVID. (suck it COVID!)

 

It’s a very difficult time right now for the world. When quarantine and pandemic comes to an end, what is the first thing you would like to do?

I want to go to a restaurant, have a nice sit-down dinner, and a wonderful alcoholic beverage with friends.

 

Finally, what is your preferred method to have readers get in touch with or follow you (i.e., website, personal blog, Facebook page, here on Goodreads, etc.) and link(s)?

People can get a little look at who I am on my website: johndpepeauthor.com. They can contact me through there or my author email: johndpepeauthor@gmail.com.

They can find The Lone Wolf on my website above: just click on the picture of the book or at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B089595GBS

 

SPFBO Interview: Matthew Sylvester

Back with a new interview with Matthew Sylvester! Been a busy week for me with a return to some freelance work and editing, so back to the Scar work den I go! *vanishes with a wisp of black edgelord cloak*.

 

 

 

STARTING OFF WITH A BANG

 

Introduce yourself! An easy question to start off with. Who are you, what do you write?

 

Matthew Sylvester. Currently writing GameLit/LitRPG, alternate history, military sci-fi and urban fantasy.  

 

SPFBO DISCUSSION

 

Is this your first time in SPFBO?

 

Yes, I never had a book which fit into the categories, and then I missed a couple whilst I faffed around with my entry, Hell Hound.

 

What book did you enter into this year’s event?

 

Hell Hound, an urban fantasy, and the first in the trilogy.

 

Does one of the main characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?

 

Definitely, both of them in fact. Jane and Dawn came out so well, and I really love how their friendship isn’t affected by Jane’s unrequited love for Dawn. They take a lot of beatings, but still get up and keep going.

 

What was the inspiration for the story? What are your future project(s)?

 

I used to take my daughters to a lot of dance classes in a nearby town, and would just sit in the car or the Wetherspoons (I know, but safest pub with cheapest coffee in that town), and write.

 

I’ve read urban fantasy for years, so I thought I’d write a short story. And gradually that short story turned into a full-blown novel with Jane getting her own Instagram, twitter and Facebook accounts so that when I was out and about, I could keep building her world into ours. Or our world into hers.

 

Book two – Be-were – is roughly 60% there and takes on a darker theme, and book three will follow that arc.

 

What are the key themes and/or messages in the book?

 

Key theme for me is the friendship of the two characters. Dawn accepts Jane is in love with her, and Jane accepts that Dawn will never love her in that way, but it doesn’t affect their friendship or loyalty to each other.

 

Never giving up is also key. I put my characters through a lot, and force them to keep going. I don’t like overpowered characters, so I think it’s important to show them as normal people (as normal as you can get in an urban fantasy), desperately trying to do their job.

 

What were the key challenges you faced when writing this book?

 

Getting it edited and publishing. I procrastinated for a year. I’m not sure why. I think I was worried that I was a) writing about characters with Sikh (Jane) and black (Dawn) heritage, Jane was also a lesbian, and I didn’t want to come across as trying to appropriate those for my own gain.

 

What is the future for the characters? Will there be a sequel?

 

Most definitely! This was always planned as a trilogy, with the option for more depending on how well it was received. I’m utterly terrible at the sales bit of self-publishing, so poor sales won’t reflect whether or not I write them, it’s just a matter of not diving into another shiny project.

These are going to be increasingly difficult for Jane and Dawn, but I can’t say much more without spoiling the arc. However, there will be more werewolves, a werebear, love interests, and Team Seelie will also make its debut.

 

MORE RAMBLES ABOUT WRITING

 

What is your favorite book you’ve written?

 

That’s hard! It’s like having to choose which is my favourite child. I suppose it depends on the day. Sometimes it’s the book I’m currently writing (I’m writing a trilogy for Mountaindale Press), but I do still have a great fondness for Blaise Maximillian and the Bitter Defeat series I’m writing.

 

Who are your favorite authors?

 

Philip Reeve, Ursula Le Guin, R A Salvatore, Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman, Robin Hobb, Ben Aaronovitch, Mike Cole, Jim Butcher, Dan Abnett, Jonathan Green, Joe Abercombie, Jon Evans, Stewart Hotston, the list goes on!

 

What makes a good villain?

 

Believability. You have to dislike them as well. If you’re sympathetic to them or their cause, they’re really just anti-heroes.

 

Do you have any writing blogs you recommend?

 

No. But the20booksto50k group is amazing.

 

Do you have any writer friends you’d like to give a shoutout to?

 

Stewart Hotston, Dawn Chapman, Dakota Krout, Andries Louws, and again the list could go on.

 

Did you learn anything from writing your latest book? If so, what was it?

 

That you can think you’re done, but then once your editor and publisher get their hands on it, book one becomes book one and two with a ton of extra writing.

 

Are you a plotter or a pantser? A gardener or an architect?

 

Plotter. Well, I write a chapter plan, and then find that ‘they go hunting vampires and have a fight’ becomes three chapters. So I have plan, but unrealistic expectations as to what actually makes a chapter.

 

If you had to give up both snacks and drinks during writing sessions, or music, which would you find more difficult to say goodbye to?

 

Neither. I can write with both or not. Sometimes I write with films on in the background as well. But I write in sprints, so a session for me is only 15-30 minutes and then I have a nice break