A.L. Butcher's Blog, page 115
April 28, 2018
April 18, 2018
Sale!!!!! Bundles
There’s a spring bundle sale!
Spring Surprise will be on sale for $2.99 until 28th April
Universal Link Spring Surprise
Immortals will be on sale for $2.99 $2.99 from 24-Apr-18 through 30-Apr-18
Here Be Dragons will be on sale for $3.99 from 1-May-18 through 5-May-18
Universal Link Here Be Dragons
April 14, 2018
Book Spotlight – Addict (The Cassie Tam Files) #Sci-fi #Crime #Lesfic
Title: Addict (The Cassie Tam Files #1)
Author: Matt Doyle
Genre: Lesfic, Sci-fi, Crime Noir
Main character description (short):
Born in Vancouver, Cassie Tam is the daughter of a cop and an out lesbian. Now situated in the technological haven of New Hopeland City, she plies her trade as a Private Investigator, taking on odd job cases that the police either don’t care about or won’t touch. She’s built up a good reputation over the years and tends to solve cases with a healthy mix of the three S’s: smarts, snark, and sheer stubbornness. Oh, and the odd assist from her robo-gargoyle pet, Bert. Despite her tough exterior though, Cassie is prone to keeping stuff in, and is more than capable of finding social awkwardness when faced with the unfamiliar. That combined with her compulsion to keep digging, even when she knows she shouldn’t, can often leave her biting off more than she can chew.
Synopsis:
New Hopeland was built to be the centre of the technological age, but like everywhere else, it has its dark side. Assassins, drug dealers and crooked businessmen form a vital part of the city’s make-up, and sometimes, the police are in too deep themselves to be effective. But hey, there are always other options …
For P.I. Cassie Tam, business has been slow. So, when she’s hired to investigate the death of a local VR addict named Eddie Redwood, she thinks it’ll be easy money. All she has to do is prove that the local P.D. were right to call it an accidental overdose. The more she digs though, the more things don’t seem to sit right, and soon, Cassie finds herself knee deep in a murder investigation. To make matters worse, Cassie’s client, the deceased’s sister Lori, is a Tech Shifter – someone who uses a metal exoskeleton to roleplay as an animal. Cassie isn’t one to judge, but the Tech Shifting community has always left her a bit nervous. That wouldn’t be a problem if Lori wasn’t fast becoming the first person that she’s been genuinely attracted to since splitting with her ex.
Easy money, huh? Yeah, right.
Brief Excerpt 250 words:
I ALWAYS DID like Venetian blinds. There’s something quaint about them in a retro-tacky kinda way. Plus, they’re pretty useful for sneaking a peek out the front of the building if I feel the need. That’s something that you just can’t do with the solid, immovable metal slats that come as a standard in buildings these days. That said, a thick sheet of steel is gonna offer you a damn sight more security than thin, bendable vinyl, so I keep mine installed. Just in case.
Another round of knocking rattles the front door, louder this time than the one that woke me.
The clock says 23:47, and the unfamiliar low-end car out front screams “Don’t notice me, I’m not worth your time,” which makes for the perfect combo to stir up the paranoia that the evening’s beer and horror-film session left behind. This is my own fault. My adverts are pretty descriptive in terms of telling what I do: lost pets, cheating partners, theft, protection, retrieval of people and items, other odds and sods that the city’s finest won’t touch…I’ve got ways to deal with it all. That’s right, I’m a real odd-job gal. The one thing that I don’t put in there are business hours. The way I see it, even the missing pet cases usually leave me wandering the streets at half-past reasonable, so what’s the point in asking people to call between certain hours?
More knocking, followed this time by the squeak of my letterbox.
Why should readers buy this book (50 words max)? Described as Sam Spade meets Blade Runner, Addict throws an old-style PI into a near future world and blends sci-fi world building with noir corruption. If you want a speculative fiction title with an LGBT lead that isn’t a coming out tale or erotica, this is the book for you!
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Links etc.
Purchase Links
Author Links
Website: www.mattdoylemedia.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/mattdoylemedia
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MattDoyleMedia/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/105461183776248861486
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14173377.Matt_Doyle
Pinterest: https://uk.pinterest.com/mattdoylemedia/
DeviantArt: http://mattdoylemedia.deviantart.com/
RedBubble: https://www.redbubble.com/people/mattdoylemedia
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattdoylemediaprojects/
Tumblr: https://mattdoylemedia.tumblr.com/
Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/mattdoylemedia
April 12, 2018
Dirty Dozen Author Interview – Charles E. Yallowitz
Author name: Charles E. Yallowitz
My two biggest publications are Legends of Windemere and War of Nytefall. The former is a 15 book adventure series that takes place in the fantasy world of Windemere. I published the final book in December and I’ve just released the first volume of my vampire series, which takes place in the same world. Both series have plenty of action, humour, and colourful characters.
What have you found the most challenging part of the process?
As strange as it sounds, I find the most challenging part to be the later editing stages. I’m always having a blast with outlining and writing the first draft, but I’ve found that I hit an odd mentality when I’m doing my 3rd or 4th readthrough. I begin making changes for the sake of making changes, which makes it difficult to do a true editing run. So, I guess the biggest challenge is my own insecurity and doubt here.
Are you a ‘pantser’ or a ‘plotter’?
75% plotter and 25% pantser. I used to be more of the former, but I realized that so many of my character bios and outlines didn’t survive the first draft. So, I come up with a general idea of what I’m doing and key points that I want the plot and characters to hit. Everything in between is up to what strikes my fancy while I’m writing.
What are your views on authors offering free books? Do you believe, as some do, that it demeans an author and his or her work?
I used to think the Perma-Free idea was a mistake. Not that it demeaned the author or the work, but that it didn’t serve a purpose. It wasn’t until I sat down to think of ways to help promote my own series that I realized a free Volume 1 could help get people into the rest of the books. Creating a low or no risk introduction is a great way to attract readers, especially those who might not normally read your chosen genre.
How do you deal with bad reviews?
I eat an entire cartoon of ice cream and yell at myself in the mirror. Kidding since I can’t do that without making myself sick these days. I read the bad reviews to see if there are any good points that I can use to improve myself. If not then I shrug, talk to a few friends about it, and move on. You’re not going to please everybody, especially in this business.
Sort these into order of importance:
Good plot
Great characters
Awesome world-building
Technically perfect
This is a lot more difficult than I thought it would be. I’m going with Great Characters, Awesome World-Building, Good Plot, and Technically Perfect, but they’re all coming in very close. I think the first three on the list influence each other too much to really put one above the other. A good plot can stem from a great character while helping to forge an awesome world. With the technically perfect part, you do need to get close to that, but I think you’ll also always get someone pointing out mistakes. Then again, I’m a Present Tense Third Person author, so my entire style is sometimes called a typo.
How much research do you do for your work? What’s the wildest subject you’ve looked at?
With my fantasy books, I don’t do a lot of research beyond monsters and weapons that exist in the real world. Most times, I find myself looking things up in the spur of the moment because a scene doesn’t feel believable. This happens a lot when I have a character who uses poisons or I’m trying to make a monster act like a certain real world animal. As far as the wildest subject, I’ve had to look up a lot of anatomy to see if a character will survive certain blows and to make sure a villain that enjoys torture knows what they’re doing. With that second thing, you’d be surprised how quickly it can go from cringe-worthy evil to groan-inducing comedy.
How influential is storytelling to our culture?
I think it’s more influential than people realize. We run into stories every day that cause us to think and act in response to them. It isn’t always a grand tale of adventure or the in-depth story of a real event. Some stories are nothing more than a person telling you about their day. They might not have the same impact as a fantasy adventure, but people who listen will walk away with something new in their heads. That can lead to changes in the culture, especially if the story reveals an area of society that needs to be worked on.
If you could be any fantasy/mythical or legendary person/creature what would you be and why?
Rip Van Winkle because I could use a good night’s sleep. Seriously, I think I’d like to be a griffin, but the more docile kind that will allow people to ride on their backs. That way I won’t be seen as a threat and I can still fly around whenever I want to. As much as I hate heights, I like the sense of freedom that I feel when I imagine flying without a plane. Almost like you’re part of the world, but still isolated with your own thoughts until you return to the ground. Typing on my laptop might be rather difficult, so I’d have to go with a human who can transform into a griffin.
What is your writing space like?
I switch between two writing areas because I don’t have a designated spot to call my own. One is sitting on my bed with my laptop and notebooks while the other is the dining room table. The second choice doesn’t have as much privacy as the first, but it’s easier on the back. I’m hoping to have an office one day, but I work with what I can get for now.
Tell us about your latest piece?
My latest work is called War of Nytefall: Loyalty and it’s the first volume of a new series. It takes place in the magical world of Windemere like Legends of Windemere, but a few hundred years earlier. The Great Cataclysm has just struck and changed the entire world, including transforming a vampire named Clyde. Having been buried for fifty years, he has returned to discover that his people have been in an endless war against the hunters and sun priests. It is not long before Clyde realizes that the strange events that buried him also gave him unique powers. He no longer loses his strength in the sun and physical strength that surpasses even the vampire nobles, which he fears will make him a target. As he fights in the war alongside his old friends, he starts to uncover more changes, including one that kicks of a vampire civil war between the Old World Vampires and the newly arrived Dawn Fangs. As with my previous series, there’s a lot of action and colourful characters to drive the plot along.
Are indie/self published authors viewed with scepticism or wariness by readers? Why is this?
I think there is still a stigma about indie authors being of low quality and it might never go away. Many readers think indie authors refuse to edit or are so unskilled that no publishing company will touch them. A lot of people also look at the indie author scene as easy money and crank out a simple book to make a few bucks, which seems to get more attention than the majority who take the trade seriously. Those who are sceptical of the self-publishing world will always point to the lower quality works as examples of the whole too. It really comes down to the exposure one has to the indie scene and where the majority of attention goes to. If the community is painted in a negative light then the stigma will remain, but if you have a positive reputation then it will go in the other direction.
How important is writing to you?
Writing has been an important part of my life for a long time. It’s how I relax and what I love to do. If I’m not working on a full-length book then I’m fiddling with my outlines. Some days the only time I feel like I have any control over things is when I’m writing, so it acts as a stabilizer in a way.
Links:
Bio
Charles E. Yallowitz was born, raised, and educated in New York. Then he spent a few years in Florida, realized his fear of alligators, and moved back to the Empire State. When he isn’t working hard on his epic fantasy stories, Charles can be found cooking or going on whatever adventure his son has planned for the day. Truthfully, his tales of adventure are much more interesting than his real life, so skip the bio and dive into the action.
New Release! Here Be Fairies Bundle
Now on Preorder (coming May 1st)
Here Be Fairies Bundle
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Fairies, fair folk, imps, trolls, and pixies—they haunt our myths from Ireland to Iceland and everywhere else. Join in the fairy fun, or fairy fear, as good, bad, and mischievous they show themselves. Dare you take the trip to Fairyland? No one who returns is ever quite the same.
A 13 -book fairy bundle.
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Featuring:
Flower Fairies by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Bride Thief by Brigid Collins
Feyland by Anthea Sharp
Phouka by Liz Pierce
The Giving Year by Alexandra Brandt
Summerland’s Paladin by Diana Benedict
Real Girl by Leslie Claire Walker
The Troll’s Belt by J.M. Ney-Grimm
The Clockwork Fairy Kingdom by Leah Cutter
The Kitchen Imps by A. L. Butcher
Faerie Fruit by Charlotte E. English
By Winter’s Forbidden Rite by DeAnna Knippling
Dark Dancer by Jaleta Clegg
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April 10, 2018
Dirty Dozen Character Interview – Mab Winthrop – Vampire/Fantasy
CHARACTER NAME: Mab Winthrop
Tell us a little about yourself.
First of all, I really don’t like my last name, so let’s pretend it doesn’t exist from this point forward. Now, let’s get to the real information such as I’m a vampire and a highly skilled burglar. My partner and I used to run one of the most infamous crime gangs on the continent until the Great Cataclysm hit, the idiot got sucked into the ground, and the mortals declared war on my entire species. So, I’ve been more of an assassin and spy for one of the nobles since heists are a little too dangerous now. I still swipe things that my targets won’t have any use for after I kill them, so I get my kicks that way. Now that Clyde, he’s the idiot and partner, is back, I’m hoping to return to my roots. I mean, he’s stronger and more powerful than ever with more of an interest in fighting than stealing, but I’m sure I can smack some sense into him.
Do you have a moral code? If so what might it be?
You might think I don’t because I’m a thief and a vampire, but I do. Basically, you don’t betray your friends and family. Top predator or not, mortals still outnumber us, so we have to depend on each other to survive. You prove to be a traitor and I’ll make sure you don’t get a chance to stab anyone else in the back. I kind of have a soft spot for kids too, but most vampires do. I mean, you need the little ones to grow into adults in order for there to be future meals. Not sure if that’s morality or agriculture.
Would you kill for those you love?
I would and have done that on several occasions. Not only for those I like, but those I’m okay with too. Not a big fan of killing on command though, but it’s the only way I can make a living these days.
Would you die for those you love?
I’d prefer not to, but I won’t say it’s never an option. Being a vampire, I can regenerate a lot of injuries, so the chance of dying isn’t as high as it is with mortals. Still, I guess I would take a beheading for certain people if I knew they would go on to do great things. You know, the idea isn’t really sitting well with me, so I think it would be a spur of moment decision that I’d regret with my final breath.
Is your world populated by different races? How do they get along?
I come from Windemere, which is a world of magic and many races. We have elves, dwarves, halflings, calicos, and a long menu . . . list . . . No, I’ll stick with menu of entrees for my kind. As a whole, most of the races get along with a few forced onto the outskirts of society like the chaos elves and ogres. Vampires don’t get along well with the rest of the world, but that might be changing with the Dawn Fangs turning up. W . . . They can live among mortals and don’t have to kill when they feed, so maybe the hunting and hatred will chance.
Tell us about your family?
Considering I’m a couple centuries old, my only blood relation is my younger brother. Titus is a vampire too and he’s in charge of the Vengeance Hounds. They acted as the mercenary side of the gang while Clyde and I did our thief stuff. My baby brother is a decent swordsman and is huge, so he tends to simply overpower whatever he’s fighting. The rest of my family would be the gang because we look out for each other. I know I can depend on them when I’m in trouble and I return the favour whenever I’m called upon. Not many of us are left since this war started though. There’s my brother, his two friends, Decker who is more of a partial member, and someone who I refuse to say by name. I guess every family has that black sheep you want to beat with their own femurs. She knows what she did.
What is your greatest skill/asset?
Definitely my ability to sneak around and breaking into things. I know that’s rather general, but I’ve always had a natural talent for getting into places that I shouldn’t be. That’s basically how I got turned. The gang depends on me to be the best burglar in the world, so I’ve made sure my stealth skills are honed to perfection. In my opinion, this is a better way to be instead of using brute force. If you can’t be seen or caught then you can get away with anything.
What is your greatest weakness (we won’t tell)?
Thanks for keeping this a secret, but I have to admit that my greatest weakness might be pretty well known. It’s not that I have a temper since I can remain calm in the face of a lot of frustration. The problem is that once I blow, I have a lot of trouble coming back down. I tend to hold grudges, especially towards those I feel have betrayed me. Titus and Decker tell me that I need to learn forgiveness since eternity is too long a time to be holding onto hate and anger. Not that they know what they’re talking about since some things can’t be undone with a simple apology.
How would you describe yourself?
I’m a dedicated friend and a highly talented thief who is always willing to share her blood with a hungry ally. Sure, you don’t want to make me an enemy because I’ll either rob you blind or gut you depending on what you did. I’m rather easy-going though, so there’s nothing to worry about for the most part.
How do you think others see you?
That entirely depends on who you ask. Most of the gang sees me as they should, which is the second-in-command and a dependable presence. There are a few that mistake my honesty and carefree attitude with rudeness, but I don’t deal with nobles enough to care about that. I will admit that there are some who would call me a stubborn, impatient, angry female dog, but they earned my wrath. I have no illusions about having enemies. Is it illusion or allusion? I always get those mixed up.
Do you believe you will be successful in your quest?
To claim every shiny object in Windemere? I’m going to do my best, but there are new ones being found every day. Thank the gods I have eternity. Although, I might need to change my hiding habits. I misplaced a few of my stashes, which is why the others keep calling me a vampiric squirrel. If you’re talking about winning this war with the Duragians then we’ll definitely come out on top. Clyde is back and stronger than ever. The two of us together never fail.
Tell us about your greatest achievement
That’s a tough one. As odd as it sounds, I’d have to say it was making my hydra-skin jacket, which is my prized possession. It works a little like armour, but I’m very proud of how I got the pieces. Hydras are pretty nasty even for vampires because they can spew acidic gas and spit poison. They might not kill my kind, but it takes a long time to heal melted skin and purge those toxins. I spent weeks sneaking into lairs and snatching scales when the hydras were distracted by other prey. That still wasn’t as hard as learning how to make clothing without using magic. Wasn’t easy since the seamstress I was talking to kept asking for Placid blood. Those things are practically extinct, so I ended up mixing saltwater with elf blood by the end of our deal. She never figured it out even after she got really sick, which she totally deserved. Anyway, all of that hard work helped me get this one-of-a-kind jacket that I refuse to part with.
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For the author
Books in which this character appears:
Legends of Windemere: The Mercenary Prince
Links, short author bio…
Bio:
Charles E. Yallowitz was born, raised, and educated in New York. Then he spent a few years in Florida, realized his fear of alligators, and moved back to the Empire State. When he isn’t working hard on his epic fantasy stories, Charles can be found cooking or going on whatever adventure his son has planned for the day. Truthfully, his tales of adventure are much more interesting than his real life, so skip the bio and dive into the action.
April 8, 2018
Book Spotlight – War of Nytefall – Fantasy/Paranormal
Title: War of Nytefall: Loyalty
Author: Charles E. Yallowitz
Genre: Action Adventure Fantasy, Vampires
Main character description (short): Clyde was a vampiric thief, but the Great Cataclysm and fifty years of being buried alive has changed him. He has returned with more strength, speed, and ferocity than has ever been seen among the vampires. While fuelled by arrogance and confidence, he is aware that Windemere is not the same world he previously thrived in. Even worse, Clyde must contend with a savage bloodlust that even his old friends might be unable to help him keep under control.
Synopsis:
In the wake of the Great Cataclysm, a new predator will emerge from within Windemere’s shadow.
For fifty years, Clyde has been trapped beneath the earth while the vampire kingdom has been gradually losing its war against the Sun God’s followers. Only Mab believes that her partner survived his holy execution and is determined to bring him back to the city of Nyte. Retrieving the vampiric thief is only the beginning as he comes out of the ground stronger, faster, and possessing abilities that their kind have never witnessed throughout their ancient history. Thrown into the war, Clyde must be careful to hide his true nature while fighting alongside his old friends. Too bad he is having so much fun being free that keeping his secret might be the furthest thing from his mind.
Will anyone be ready for the inevitable rise of the Dawn Fangs?
Brief Excerpt 250 words:
“Let me give you a hand,” Mab says while taking him by the wrist. She immediately jumps back and lets her friend fall to the ground, her eyes wide with fear. “You have a pulse! What is going on here, Clyde? You can’t be human again after what I saw you do, but vampires don’t have heartbeats.”
“This is new to me too, so let’s keep it between us,” Clyde requests as he puts his fingers against his neck. He is about to gesture a spell to cover the unexpected change, but he finds that the trick appears with the merest thought. “Okay, I have it masked and we’ll get it checked out once we can visit Gregorio. I did say that things felt really weird down there, right? Well, I’m saying it now if that counts. Anyway, we don’t want to keep Xavier waiting. He might not be expecting me, but he’ll want to know where you are. I’d rather meet him on friendly terms than running into his men. What’s say we grab a bite and head out?”
Cocking her head to the side, Mab casually reaches out with growing claws and calmly tears open up her friend’s chest in one movement. “Yeah, it’s beating. Looks tasty, which is kind of gross to think about. I mean, I’ve seen vampire hearts before and they’re usually dull red with black veins. This reminds me of the time mine was nearly torn out by that troll and you had to hold it in while fighting since I was dismembered too.”
“Do you mind, Mab?” Clyde asks, smacking her hands away.
Why should readers buy this book (50 words max)?
War of Nytefall: Loyalty is an exciting adventure full of action, magic, and colourful characters. It is designed for pure escapism to help people leave reality and relax. It’s also a story where all of the characters are vampires, who act both monstrous and oddly human.
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Links etc.
Author Blog- www.legendsofwindemere.com
Course Review – The Ancient Greeks – Coursera #History #Learning
This is another interesting free course run via Coursera, created by The Wesleyan University and presented by Professor Andrew Szegedy-Maszak. It’s a good starting point with which to learn about some of the battles, significant persons, and events of Ancient Greece.
Over 7 weeks the course covers:
Prehistory to Homer
The Archaic Age (ca. 800-500 BCE)
Two City-States: Sparta and Athens
Democracy. The Persian Wars
“The Great 50 Years” (ca. 480-431 BCE)
The Peloponnesian War I
The End of the War, the End of the Century
We learn about Homer, Socrates, Thucydides, Critias, Herotodus, and the major players in the array of battles, laws, political systems and arrangements and shenanigans which went on during this important period in European history. There is one video on women in Greek society but other than fairly brief mentions women and the lower classes aren’t discussed in detail (to be fair this IS a short course and there is not a lot of info remaining about the common man and woman in Greek society).
The course comprises of informative videos and reading. I have to confess I didn’t do much of the reading (partly as I’ve done some in the past and partly because I didn’t have a lot of time) and I would have got more out of this had I done so – my bad.
I’d recommend doing at least some of the readings, and watching all the videos. There are quizzes to be completed at the end of each section – and these count as the grading for the course so MUST be completed.
The tutor was very engaging, easy to listen to and obviously is very well informed on this historical era. There were a couple of issues with sound quality – but I have found this an issue with Coursera before (but to be fair the course is free).
Coursera is a good way to pick up cheap or free ‘taster’ courses (One can pay for the course and gain a certificate – otherwise you can an acknowledgement of completion but no actual certificate. The cost of this is not much.)
Overall I enjoyed this and would certainly look out for more courses from this university and tutor.
4 stars.
April 6, 2018
Dirty Dozen Author Interview – John D. Payne #Fantasy #Dragons
Author name: John D. Payne
Please tell us about your publications.
Well, in this bundle https://bundlerabbit.com/b/here-be-dragons#cbp=/products/detail/crown-dragon, you will find my debut novel. The Crown and the Dragon is an epic fantasy about an uncrowned princess and an outlaw with a price on his head. Thrown together on the road by fate, they are pursued by a blood-soaked sorceror, an occupying army, a demon monster made of crows, and a dragon of mass destruction. They have nothing in common, but somehow they end up saving the kingdom and falling in love.
Also in this bundle is Dragon Writers: An Anthology, which happens to feature one of my stories. “Lullaby” is about a mommy dragon (and a daddy dragon) trying to get noisy little ones to pipe down and go to sleep. I wrote it in my head while rocking my own kiddos to sleep. In fact, I was rocking our second child when my phone informed me that this story had been accepted to the anthology. I said “Awesome!” which woke my little boy just enough to barf all down my shirt. Lots of other great stories in this book, but I don’t know that any of the others have received this particular mark of quality.
What piece of advice do you wish you’d had when you started your publishing journey?
Write what you love, but also try new things. You never know when you’re going to find something new that you love doing.
What’s the worst piece of advice you’ve received about writing/publishing?
I heard: “Don’t try it. It’s impossible to make a living as a writer, and you’ll waste years of your life trying and failing.” And for a while, I believed this.
But! Anything worth doing takes years to learn. And while you’re learning, you won’t be making much money. And there’s going to be a lot of failures along the way. This is normal in any field of study, in any trade, in any new venture. But are any of those as much fun as playing make-believe? If your answer is an emphatic NO, then write.
And don’t worry if you can’t spend eight hours a day at this. Take twenty or thirty minutes every day and write one page. In 365 days, you’ll have a 365 page novel. Then move on to the next one, and the next. So what if they’re not perfect? You’re learning. And having fun!
Tell us about your latest piece?
Just finishing a short story for D.J. Butler’s anthology of Mormon Steampunk. It’s about two stowaways on a giant steam-powered land ship heading out west with the pioneers. One is a Danish house-gnome following one of his household, and the other is a labor automaton who decided the Emancipation Proclamation applied to him. It was my first ever steampunk story, and I had a blast writing it. Not every day I get to talk about Elizabeth Barrett Browning, salty black licorice, and the alchemist Paracelsus in the same story!
If you could be any fantasy/mythical or legendary person/creature what would you be and why?
As a stay-at-home dad with a kindergartener, a preschooler, and a toddler (so far), the mythical person I most envy is Sleeping Beauty. To conk out for a hundred years? Man, that is the life. Tell you what, if I ever see a spinning wheel I am going to be stabbing my finger with that spindle. You never know, right?
What is your writing space like?
When we were house-hunting for our current place, I was so excited to see that it had a room that would work as an office. Good natural light, out of the way but close to the bathroom. Perfect! I lined the walls with bookshelves and set up the world’s best futon, so I could write sitting or lying down. (I don’t like to stay in the same position too long when I write.) I put a mini-fridge in the closet and filled it with my very favorite Brazilian soda pop (Guaraná Antarctica), and made sure to stock some snacks so I could stay in there for hours and just write.
Naturally, the kids have decided this is the funnest room in the house, and absolutely will not leave me alone when I’m in there. So I do a lot of my daytime writing at our church, sitting on a couch in the foyer with pillows I steal from the mothers’ lounge. It’s not nearly as comfy as my office at home, but there’s usually nobody else there so it’s nice and quiet. Which is really all I need.
What is the last book you’ve read?
Most of my reading is actually listening. It’s a habit I picked up back when I had a long commute. So the last audiobook I listened to was Food: A Cultural Culinary History by Ken Albala. The first three-quarters of the book (everything up to about 1800 AD or so) was full of great new information. And it made me want to try the recipes!
If we’re just talking about fiction, my most recent read was Obstacles, Volume 1 of the Acts of Androkles, by Ryan English, which I read as an ebook. Set in a world much like our own ancient Greece, it’s the tale of a hardened warrior who sets out on a quest for vengeance and along the way finds a family. It’s like 300 meets Payback, plus The Bad News Bears. Or maybe Horsin’ Around.
What are your views on authors commenting on reviews?
I think the wisest course (and the happiest) is to avoid reading reviews, much less commenting on them. But if I was going to comment, it would probably be to thank a fan for leaving the review. Or to let someone know I was glad they noticed something I worked hard on.
How much research do you do for your work? What’s the wildest subject you’ve looked at?
I mostly do research as I go, when I bump into something I need to know to write the scene. For example, the novel I’m working on now is a superhero book that takes place in a city built on the old Roanoke Colony. So I’ve been learning a lot about the Outer Banks in North Carolina. But lots of other stuff, too. For scenes in the last few chapters, I’ve researched all of the following: garbage trucks, supermodels, barbecue, electromagnets, she-crab soup, secret societies, mary jane pumps, tax fraud, dark energy, good pistols for women to concealed-carry, missing planets, and the demon wife Adam had before Eve.
If you could have dinner with any literary character who would you choose, and what would you eat.
Bilbo Baggins. That little dude knows how to lay out a spread. And I think I’d want to drop in for Elevensies, so we could do breakfast food, brunch food, and lunch food. All of which will feature bacon. Yum!
Is this the age of the e-book? Are bricks and mortar bookshops in decline?
People love stories, and they get them in a lot of different ways. Leaving out movies, comic books, TV, games, etc., and just thinking about written fiction, there are so many ways to deliver it these days. Hardcovers, mass-markets, trade paperbacks, ebooks, audiobooks, etc. People might buy your novel online, or in their local bookstore. They might borrow it from a friend, or from a library. You can chop it up into chapters and serialize it in magazines (print or electronic), a newsletter, on blogs, podcasts, or Patreon.
Ebooks are great, but they’re not the only way to experience a story (or to reach an audience). This is the age of innovation, of creativity. I think this is the best time in the history of the world to be sharing your stories. There are just so many options! And it’s only going to get better.
What’s your next writing adventure?
As soon as I finish my superhero book, I’m finishing (and revising) a novel that follows on from a story I wrote for One Horn to Rule Them All: A Purple Unicorn Anthology. In the story, an awkward grad student (Lem) finally gets the courage to ask out the cute hipster girl (Pris) who’s always reading at his stop. But what he doesn’t know (that the reader does) is that she’s really a secret watcher from another dimension.
The book is set a few months after their disastrous first date. Pris shows up out of nowhere on Lem’s doorstep, reveals her true identity, and asks him to help her unravel a sinister conspiracy that spans the multiverse. They have 48 hours to clear her name, save earth from extradimensional spies, and win the film competition at the local Con. And maybe . . . have a second date?
Meet the author: John D. Payne grew up in the American midwest watching the lightning flash outside his window and imagining himself as everything from a leaf on the wind to the god of thunder. Today, he lives with his wife and family at the foot of the Organ Mountains in New Mexico, where he focuses his weather-god powers on rustling up enough cloud cover for a little shade.
His debut novel, The Crown and the Dragon, is a thrilling epic fantasy published by WordFire Press. His short fiction has been published in anthologies like Tales of Ruma and magazines like Leading Edge.
For monthly stories, exclusive bonus content, updates and more, please subscribe at: patreon.com/johndpayne. Or tweet-stalk him @jdp_writes.
April 5, 2018
Swift Six Character Interview – Rufus Redblade #Dragons #Fantasy
Name: Rufus Redblade
Which book/world do you live in?
I live in Ilmar, which I understand is featured in Of Blood and Scales – which itself is in Here Be Dragons Bundle and Heroika – Dragon Eaters. I suppose you could say it’s part of my chronicle – although I have never met the bard who sang the song, nor the scribe who penned it.
Tell us about yourself: (Name, race/species, etc.)
I am a Griffin-rider. We used to protect the Archduke and his household before he was murdered. One might say we failed, but a man may be killed in many ways which do not look like murder.
The Griffin-riders are, I suppose you would say, airborne cavalry. We have fought with monsters, men and sometimes magic, but since the new religion has swept the land we were disbanded, now we are scattered. I am now, officially, a mercenary. But I work for the Archduchess Silena if she requires me. I make my money where I can these days.
How do you see your world?
Before the Followers of Arun spread their lies it was a pleasant enough world for a warrior. Border skirmishes, battles with rival houses for the Ivory Throne. The late Archduke brought peace, hard won and hard fought. We maintained the peace, and kept the lands free of monsters, such as hydra. The old gods were more…understanding. Arun is a jealous god and his Followers zealots, one does not disparage Arun’s name in public. There have been a great many…purges.
I have a remarkable, strong and intelligent woman in the Archduchess, and one whom eclipses all other women. I have loyal companions and a fine, courageous griffin. I have money enough to live, and food in my belly. The world is not as bad as it might be for me. Even if I now have to live on the edges.
What part do you play in this tale?
The young princess – who is the last remaining heir – is dying. If she does not live there will be bloody civil war. Peace is worth the cost of my life if it maintains the throne in the correct hands. Silena is regent, and fair, but a woman has never ruled the land. Times must change, but many are loath to see it. I must find a cure for the malady, the curse on the young princess. The Archduchess rightly trusts few and prayers to the new god have brought no response. We must seek the old ways. We must kill a dragon to save a throne.
Do you consider yourself a good person/creature?
Define good. I have taken life in battle, that makes me a killer. I have turned away from the state religion and dabbled in forbidden magic, that makes me a heretic, I have brought about the downfall of a noble house – some would say that makes me a traitor. Good and bad are defined by who is asking, and where he is standing.
Do you follow any religion?
If anyone asks I pay homage to Arun, same as everyone else. In truth I hedge my bets. I have paid homage to the old ways and the old gods. When a man is a warrior and especially a Griffin-Rider one must murmur a prayer to whoever is listening and hope they look favourable on the unworthy such as myself. Religion can be dangerous.
What is your favourite colour/food/music (pick one)?
I have never really thought about my favourite colour. I like good ale and mead, soft bread, firm cheese and good meat. I have eaten far worse.
Here Be Dragons bundle
They stalk our myths and hunt our past—dragons—humankind’s greatest and oldest foe. Good, bad, legendary and deadly. Dare you enter the dragon’s lair?
Tales of dragons, their friends and their foes.
Available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, I -books and Nook on the universal link
Universal Link https://books2read.com/HereBeDragonsBundle
Published by Kydala Publishing
Heroika: Dragon Eaters
Published by Perseid Press
Available on Amazon, Amazon print and audible.
Amazon.com http://amzn.to/2lRDLPf
Amazon.co.uk http://amzn.to/2lHCrN4
Amazon print UK http://amzn.to/2mpBNnn
Paperback US http://amzn.to/2mwZbhY
Audio – narrated by Rob Goll
Audible UK http://adbl.co/2bnbGu1
Audible.com http://adbl.co/2kXAQp2
Amazon audio http://amzn.to/2mpH6mC
