A.L. Butcher's Blog, page 172
May 27, 2015
A Week with the Dragon Eaters – Alexandra Butcher/Ilsa
At the risk of being self serving I thought I’d join in the fun of Heroika week.
Heroika: The Dragon Eaters
Character questions (choose from):
*Who are you?
I am Ilsa, of the Order of Blood Sisters. My past is my own concern, the Order do not ask such questions and most of us tell no such answers. My kind know the wisdom of the old ways, we know the power of blood, and the old gods.
Why are you embarking on this quest?
Why? Because the Followers of Arun have brought us to this. The Archduke Darrin is dead, murdered, his sons are dead. The only hope we have is a dying girl-child of his line and her noble mother. If the Ivory Throne does not hold the pure blood there will be civil war as the nobles squabble over it. Not a worthy man among them to rule this land, puppets and sycophants all. War striped this land of its dignity and the return of war will ruin it. I embark on this quest for love, for love of this land, of what it once was and could be again and for the love of the peace which is so fragile.
*Tell us about dragons in your world.
The dragons are ancient creatures, from a time when the world was free. Thus they are of the world, far more so than humans, who merely live on it until such time as it is cleansed. In the old times they were revered as the primal beasts they are. Now the people forget, but the land does not. The dragons do not. Their blood hold much magic, the ancient magics from before the coming of Arun, that fool. Do not think them kind, or noble, or even possessing the morals most people claim they have. Dragons are killers, the ultimate killers. They once ruled and may do so again when the time of Mankind is done. Dragons have the hunger which drives all creatures and none of the illusions with which we fool ourselves.
They fly, they fight, they hunger. They kill with caustic breath, claws and fangs like blades and sheer power. Not many dare fight them, and of those who do most die.
What is the best way to kill a dragon?
With courage, luck and a very good plan. If any of those fail….
Do you see yourself as a hero? What is a hero?
I am merely a Bloodsister, no greater or lesser than my sisters who share my skills. I would not say I was a hero, for those are far too few these days.
What is a hero? One who will risk all for what is right. One who will stand and do what must be done. One who does not turn from the job in hand and one who will speak for the voiceless.
Author questions (choose from):
*Who are you?
L (Alexandra) Butcher, fantasy author, poet, lover of history and nature. I’m a scholar, a dreamer, a lover and a writer.
How do you define a hero?
Someone who does not think about their own wellbeing when faced with a dangerous challenge. A person who will defend what they see is right, and those who often cannot defend themselves. A person who is selfless, brave and modest about it, they simply do what is needed without expecting any thanks, indeed sometimes despite criticism. There are many heroes in our world.
How much research did you need for your story?
Spear usage, flying creatures, and mountain terrain. I tend to do quite a bit of research for novels.
Have you written for anthologies before?
I have an anthology of mythic-style tales, plus another short story set in the world of my novels. I also have several poems and short fantasy and/or horror tales in anthologies with the Indie Collaboration and a group of Smashwords authors.
How does it differ from writing a novel?
Telling a tale in, say, 5000 words instead of 50000 has a number of challenges. One needs to be a lot more succinct and there is a lot less room for character or complex world building. In many instances it depends on the length and style of the story. For example I have some short tales about the Kitchen Imps – pesky little creatures that steal socks, knock food from shelves and generally get up to no good unseen by people. There is not enough material for a novel but they work well for short tales. Another example – the tales of lore for my Tales of Erana are good ‘fireside tales’ of monsters, myth and legends of the world of Erana, but again only as part of a novel or short story.
A novel, at least for me, needs a lot more background, more character building and a continuous level of action and excitement. I hate books with little or poor world/character building. Make me care what happens.
What book(s) are you currently reading?
I’ve just finished re-reading the Odyssey, I read it some years ago when I was studying Classics, and I’d forgotten what a gem it is. This time the read through was for a course on Greek and Roman mythology. I’m about to start the Aeneid, which I’ve not read before.
I’m also reading the other Dragon Eaters stories, plus a fascinating book about pirates. Oh and an account of true crime in the 17th Century (which is hard going).
How important is the fantasy genre to our society?
I believe fantasy, myth and folklore are core to our cultures. Why? Look around you – it’s everywhere. In Britain we have a rich mythic heritage – George and the Dragon, fairies, elves, Welsh dragons, Scottish monsters, imps, sunken towns, ghosts, goblins, witches, King Arthur. Even Robin Hood – the outlaw who robbed the rich to give the money to the poor. The Heroic mythic is all over the place. There are influences from Scandanavia, Rome, Celts, Christian, Pagan, Indian, Chinese and many more. In such a diverse country the folklore is rich indeed. Storytelling is vitally important – be it via books, movies, even games. This is how we learn about ourselves, dream, adventure, and seek the past – albeit a fantastical one. How many kids dress up as St George? Fantasy Princesses? Fairies? Monsters? As adults perhaps we lose a lot of the wonder of fantasy – but it’s there in the background. Novel reading is an escape from real life, it’s a way to find a new world and meet new people.
Tell us one unusual fact about yourself.
I am claustrophobic and caulrophobic.
Tidbit:
Hot and Sour Dragon Soup
Prep time 10 mins (plus however long it takes to kill the dragon) Cooking time 30 mins- 1 hour depending on size of cauldron.
1 large cauldron spring water or watered wine or ale as preferred.
1 small goblet fresh dragon’s blood (for stock)
2 large handfuls St George’s mushrooms (if in season)
1 small handful Penny Bun Bolete
Selection of bamboo shoots
2 cloves chopped garlic
3 slices fresh ginger
1 spoon chopped dragon’s breathe chilli (size of spoon according to taste –mild to certain death as required)
1 dragon cullion per person
1 dragon’s egg – lightly beaten
2 table spoons of cornflour
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Sesame oil and herbs to flavour
Cooking instructions
In large cauldron combine the dragon’s blood, water (ale) mushrooms, ginger, garlic, and crushed chilies. Bring to boil then cover the pot, settle on the heated stones or reduce the heat to simmer.
Place the cullions in a bowl, toss in sesame oil to coat and roll in the herbs. In a separate bowl stir together cornflour, wine vinegar (or wine) and set aside.
Bring stock back to boil as add the coated cullions, drizzle in the beaten egg until long strands are created. Add in the beaten cornflour and vinegar. Simmer until the stock is thick and the cullions cooked through.
Serve with ricebread, hardtack, bread or noodles.
Blog: https://libraryoferana.wordpress.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6430414.A_L_Butcher
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Alexandra-Butcher/e/B008BQFCC6/
Twitter:@libraryoferana
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DarkFantasyBeyondTheStorm
These Are Not Rules of Fantasy
Interesting post from one fantasy author. What ARE the rules and is it OK to break them?
Originally posted on Legends of Windemere:
Yahoo Image Search
A big headache for genre writing is that nearly every reader has their own set of rules about how that genre should work. They have their favorite authors and all others get compared to those ‘elite’. Any deviation is met with disagreement or outright rage because god forbid you have two fantasy authors who take different approaches to the genre. So I’m going to have a little fun here and go over a few rules that have been hurled my way over the years:
YOU HAVE TO KILL CHARACTERS– No I don’t. Just because you have a disturbing blood lust doesn’t mean I have to give you a body count. We can’t all write ‘Game of Thrones’, which is actually a rarity in terms of death. 8 of the 9 Fellowship members survived Lord of the Rings. Drizzt is still kicking around since the 1980’s. Conan…
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Heroika Dragon Eaters Anthology Interview with Beth W. Patterson
A great interview with Beth W Patterson – one of the Heroika authors.
Originally posted on Legends of Windemere:
Welcome to Beth W. Patterson and Thérèse Naquin. Hope everyone enjoys the questions and check out this new release.
Character Questions
Who are you?
My name is Thérèse Naquin, but they call me Pichou. (That means “wildcat” in Creole.)
Where are you from? (Tell us about it).
I am from St. Landry Parish in Louisiana, not too far from a little town called Grand Prairie. It’s not a big city, but there’s lots of stuff to do. Hunting, fishing, playing Cajun music, going to dances and to the bingo games are what the grownups like to do. Some of the old people still speak French. I like it because ther are other children to play with, but if you want to be by yourself, it’s safe. And there are plenty of snakes, turtles, frogs, and lizards.
Tell us about dragons in your world.
There was only one that I ever…
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May 26, 2015
Heroika Dragon Eaters Anthology Interview with Joe Bonadonna
Joe’s interview for Heroika
Originally posted on Legends of Windemere:
Welcome to Joe Bonadonna and Vadreo. Hope everyone enjoys the questions and check out this new release.
Character Questions
Who are you?
My name is Vadreo. I am a Gluriahan warrior, a Warhand of Thoon Wolf. My blood is the blood of the Dragon Eaters of old.
Where are you from? (Tell us about it)
I was born in the Bloodland of K’Thoon Morai. This is the land to which my people, the Gluriah, fled hundreds of years ago when the Vuladraakoi, the Mountain Dragons, destroyed our ancestral homeland of K’Shar Wovay. The realm of my people is rich in forests and farmland, fresh water, hills, mountains, and to the south-east, a vast and barren desert. We are farmers and fishermen, craftsmen, artisans, and hunters. But first and above all, we are warriors.
Tell us about dragons in your world.
The last dragon was slain nearly five centuries ago. According…
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Cover Artist Interview Number Six – Roy Mauritsen
Hi and welcome to the Library of Erana, please tell us a little about yourself.
My Name is Roy Mauritsen and I’m a professional graphic artist with a career that spans over 20 years working for print houses and advertising companies. I have a background in fine art from my days of crayons to college. These days I do digital fantasy artwork and I work a lot in television commercial graphics. I also serve as an art director for some small press publishers. I’ve won several awards for my fantasy artwork, my television commercials and even for my book covers. I have worked for two years with a fan based science fiction convention as their Art/Marketing director. I also do photography. As the Art Director for Perseid Press, it fell to me to create not only the book cover for Heroika, but also the supplementary promotional materials including the book trailer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbmtCQJsKIU&feature=youtu.be
You are a cover designer, what made you decide to get into this line of work?
My own novel, actually. It was important for me when my novel “Shards of the Glass Slipper” was published that I maintain creative control including cover design. Padwolf Publishing was happy to work me and afterwards they offered to work with me if I continued own as an art director… and things snowballed from there.
Can you tell us about some of the covers you’ve designed and authors you’ve worked with? (Name of books, authors you’ve worked with etc.)
I’ve done over 50 or so covers. ’ve worked with Padwolf Publishing, Perseid Press, Crazy 8 press, and Dark Quest Books. And many authors, Patrick Thomas, Ed Mcfadden III, Janet Morris, John L. French, Darin Kennedy, Russ Colchamiro, Andrew P. Weston, Brad Aiken and Matt Schiariti, to name a few and myself of course. Some titles include “Heroika”, “With Great Power”, “The IX”, “Ghosts of Demons Past”, “Our Dying Land”, “Genius DeMilo”, “Apocalypse 13” and “Bartender of the Gods” (Which features my own hand modelling), and obviously “Shards of the Glass Slipper”. I’ve been working with Janet Morris for her upcoming re-release of her original Silistra Quartet series, and that has been very exciting!
Can you tell us what is involved? (I have no clue so you can be as elaborate as you like!)
There are so many different flavours of books that it requires a little time to figure out the best path to proceed down. I’ve worked in graphic design long enough that I can get something together that looks professional in a quick amount of time. Very few authors are like… do whatever, most have an idea and others already have some elements they want to incorporate. There are times when I’ll have to convince an author to let go of their idea in favour of something that would be better and not even something they would think of. After that I might utilize some stock imagery or some Photoshop and Illustrator work. More involved covers I’ve used 3D programs like Vue, which is a 3D landscape environment generator, Poser and render engines like Reality (which can create high-end photorealistic imagery) and I have even used After Effects (which is a graphic program used primarily for video) for other titles. Though I’ve a strong background in fine art I don’t draw or paint much anymore, but that training in design theory, colour and composition for example, still apply. I have done a book cover over a lunch hour and some I can take weeks or even months of trial and error. The important thing is the end result; does it help sell the book?
Where does your inspiration come from? Do you read the book first, then come up with a design, or can you produce something from an author’s description?
The majority of the time it’s from an author description or perhaps something they’ve tried to do themselves. For a cover like Heroika, Janet Morris had a piece of art she wanted use which was the medallion of the man on the horse killing a dragon. I was able to work the art into more of a medallion feel and the rest of the design fell quickly into place. The cover was done months before the book interior was completed.
What are your thoughts on ‘generic’ covers – such as a sword or throne and skulls for fantasy, or interchangeable torsos for romance?
They are instantly recognizable and easily convey a feel for the story… almost to the point of cliché. But if you were to do something different with it, they still could be interesting.
When you buy a book do you look at the cover first? What else attracts you? What turns you off?
A good book cover is extremely important! You will judge a book by its cover. It’s a visual attractor and really the first impression… and you always want to make a good first impression. Of course I will look at covers first… for professional reasons, design ideas (or what not to do) how the typeface is handled, what styles and trends are out there, things like that. Probably the big turn off is a cover that was not done professionally… I’ve seen far too many books with covers obviously done by the author to save a couple of bucks; low-resolution images, choppy images, poor type handling, and no sense of design.
What advice would you give to anyone starting out in this line of work or who might want to design a cover?
For an artist starting out… it’s not easy- pay attention to designs everywhere. Inspiration can come from unlikely ideas… It will take a long time. Keep trying different things, as they are many different ways to approach a cover concept. Keep thinking out of the box. Learn the under-the-hood technical aspects of design, layout, printing, how to make pdfs correctly and pre-flighting, and the differences between creating for print or web. Not everything has to be a masterpiece effort to achieve what is needed. Your work ultimately has to best serve the book, not your ego.
What are your thoughts on sites like Fiverr where people can buy covers cheaply? Do you think they encourage substandard or very generic images?
I can buy a lot of things for $5 dollars… Coffee and a bagel, a ham sandwich with some chips and soda and a bunch of things things at the dollar store! My artistic knowledge my creative tools, my experience and skillset, my time are worth considerably more than a ham sandwich…especially if I am making your book look professional and marketable to your readers. You get what your pay for. And if a generic design adequately describes your book, then that says something. Or think of it this way… as an author you probably laboured for years to hone your craft and write your masterpiece; attending conferences, writing groups, blogging and query letters, tracking agencies you submitted to, and getting rejection letters. Blood sweat and tears, bad days and good days… edits and re-writes and now you are finally done-ready to publish. All of that you go through, but then for your cover art you’ll spend five bucks on a generic “your title here” type cover? You do yourself such a disservice. You deserve an awesome cover for all of that work and time you invested.
Do you have a genre you prefer?
That’s a great thing about working with so many types of authors. You get to explore a variety of genres. Probably my preferred one is Fantasy… I grew up studying a lot of fantasy artists Like Roger Dean, Boris Vallerjo, Larry Elmore etc. I like the challenge of trying different genres though… up to a point. I ‘ll draw the line at doing erotica covers; it’s really not my thing, though it is a widely popular genre. It’s not something I would want to have myself, as a professional brand, associated with.
Please tell us about your favourite image and the favourite cover you have worked on?
One of my personal favourites is the cover art for “With Great Power” a super hero anthology. The concept came together very quickly and early on. It was a year later before the book was finally published. It was created almost entirely in After Effects (a rather uncommon use of this software that I hope to have opportunity to do more with.) But it was an image that for me really embraced the spirit of the book. It was nice to hear from anthology contributors like Gail Z. Martin and Jonathan Maberry, who called it “a pretty damn cool cover!”
I’m also enjoying the challenge of reinventing all four covers for Janet Morris’ Silistra Quartet series. It incorporates and image across the cover of all four books in a rather striking way. It’s probably my most ambitious cover project to date. For Apocalypse 13, I had to render over a dozen individual character elements and composite them in photoshop- quite a complicated endeavour!
Can you give us a silly fact about yourself?
I’m feeling generous! Here’s three:
My favourite book of all time is Alice in Wonderland.
As a child, I was inspired to draw after watching the original Land of the Lost on Saturday mornings.
My favourite animal is the Platypus.
Blog/website links etc.
www.roymauritsen.com Both my digital fantasy artwork series Chess Pieces and information and artwork from my novel Shards of The Glass Slipper are here.
www.padwolf.com the majority of covers you’ll find here I’ve worked on…
Here’s an overview of book covers I’ve done ( via facebook) https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10205677896134136.1073741847.1456655061&type=1&l=d0cd2ba92c
Twitter: @roymauritsen
May 24, 2015
A Week with the Dragon Eaters – Janet Morris
As today is a special day – the release of the anthology itself I’d like to welcome back Janet Morris.
Over to you, Janet…
Character questions :
*Who are you? I am Penthesilea, queen of the Azzi lands, what you would call an Amazon. I have two breasts, by the way, as do my sisters.
Why are you embarking on this quest? This dragon hunt is meant to rid Paeonia of this plague of dragons, and that feat, if successful, will keep them from overrunning Azzi-Hayasa, where I rule. But I am here not for dragon claws to wear around my neck, or for the glory of beating these self-proclaimed dragon eaters at their own game, but because when hunting I killed my beloved sister, Hippolyta. Therefore, my quest is for honorable death in battle, not scaly trophies. I can find what I seek here, if the gods allow. If not, I’ll find it on the beach at Ilion, where I’ve been invited to join in the defense of Troy against the Danaans.
*Tell us about dragons in your lands. Dragons are fearsome legged serpents, pestilential, destroyers of flocks and crops.
What is the political system of your land? I am now queen of the Azzi lands, ruled by women since Aegaea’s time. I am daughter of Ares and Otrera, and with my sisters we rule and defend our people – mostly women; we keep only the best of men as breeding slaves; when we bear male children, we send them to their fathers or expose them on hilltops. Homer and his ilk call us Antianeirai (‘those who fight like men’). We tamed the first horses and invented the use of cavalry forces.
Do you have a family? My sisters born were Hippolyta, Antiope and Melanippe, all of us daughters of the god of war and Otrera. We Azzi warrior women are dwindling in numbers. Soon we will be gone. Some say I am the bravest queen and warrior ever among us, even , but now I am the most bereft.
What is the best way to kill a dragon? The best way to kill a dragon is band together to stab him in the eyes or through the throat. Since I’ve come here I’ve slain a dozen, along with the other dragon eaters gathered for this competition.
Do you see yourself as a hero? What is a hero? A hero is one who so distinguishes herself in battle that she dies honorably, or lives while she destroys a mighty enemy for the pleasure of the gods and the safety of weaker mortals.
Author questions: Heroika: The Dragon Eaters is a dark heroic fantasy – as all heroic fantasy was by definition dark until recent times. The heroic model fascinates me: moderns call it species altruism, but heroic models and heroic ethos have been with us since the earliest days of humanity. In writing heroic fiction and heroic fantasy, I am delving into the commonality of humans at their best – and sometimes at their worst. Many great heroes of literature and history have been deeply flawed, yet their heroism made them role-models to generations.
How much research did you need for your story? I always research everything I write; even if I am writing alternate history or science fiction, or a book that is primarily allegorical, I am human. I can only write about what humans know about. And what humans know best is the testing that defines them and makes them unique. Our human condition, which always ends in death, is the song we all must sing. Learning about how others perceive life and death, eschatology, if you like, is a study I find endlessly fascinating. And, as a writer, I take the paths that other writers have taken – research historical models on which to build fantastical characters, or recount the stories of human history in my own way. The more I learn, the more I realize that history and fantasy are two sides of the same coin; for me, heroic fiction is the edge of that same coin.
Have you written for anthologies before? How does it differ from writing a novel? I enjoy conceiving and writing for anthologies that have a defined nature and/or objective. The limitations of short fiction then become its greatest strengths – the writer as hero answers the call to duty: to tell a story that might well be true, or might once have been true, or might someday be true.
What other novels/short stories have you written? I have written books and stories about heroes who are historical, mythological, legendary, and fantasies of my own creation. These include the Sacred Band of Stepsons series, the heroes in Hell series, the biographical novel of Suppiluliumas 1 of Hatti, I, the Sun, the Silistra Quartet, Outpassage, as well as stories for Thieves’ world, the iconic fantasy shared-universe into which I brought legendary and historical characters.
What are you reading? King Lear, by William Shakespeare; The Western Canon by Harold Bloom.
How important is the fantasy genre to our society? The fantasy genre goes back as far as the legend of Gilgamesh and comes with us on our journey of mental and spiritual evolution. Every great writer has written fantasy or prose with fantasy elements, which help us explore our humanity.
Tell us one unusual fact about yourself: I like music, literature and horses better than people.
Tidbit: Both the stories written by Janet Morris and Chris Morris for Heroika 1: Dragon Eaters are historically/mythically based. The First Dragon Eater is a synthesis of the various versions of the Hittite and Hurrian Illuyankas myth rendered in story form – and arguably the earliest myth about dragons (with the possible exception of references in Gilgamesh, which were not actual separate myths). The second story, “Bring Your Rage” is based on Rhesos of Thrace and Penthesilea as they appear in Homer’s Iliad, and closely related to the authors’ novel in progress, Rhesos of Thrace. Rhesos himself is closest related to the ancient hero cult, Heros equitans, and the various early carvings in what was once Thrace.
Author website/blog:
Twitter: @uvmchristine
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JanetMorrisandChrisMorris?fref=ts
Sunday Surprise
Here’s my interview with Barbara – and of course the promo for Heroika: The Dragon Eaters.
Originally posted on creative barbwire (or the many lives of a creator):
The art of dragon killing:
Dragons have been eating humans for centuries. Now heroes throughout history stalk their legendary foe. Learn how to hunt, kill, and eat the wild dragon. Never before has revenge tasted so good. A literary feast for the bloody-minded.
In Janet Morris’ anthology on the art of dragon killing, seventeen writers bring you so close to dragons you can smell their fetid breath. Tales for the bold among you.
HEROIKA 1 — DRAGON EATERS, an anthology of heroic fiction edited by Janet Morris, features original stories by Janet Morris and Chris Morris, S. E. Lindberg, Jack William Finley, Travis Ludvigson, Tom Barczak, J. P. Wilder, Joe Bonadonna, Milton Davis, Alexandra Butcher, William Hiles, M Harold Page, Walter Rhein, Cas Peace, Beth Waggoner Patterson, Bruce Durham, Mark Finn.
And now, ladies and gentlemen, Alexandra Butcher’s interview! Stay tuned…
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May 23, 2015
A Week with the Dragon Eaters – Chris Morris
Today I welcome author, singer and songwriter Chris Morris and his character.
Character questions:
*I am Tarhunt the Storm God of the Hittites and the Hurri lands.
Why are you embarking on this quest? The dragon Illuyankas brought me battle and vanquished me, eating my heart and my eyes. From that day on, I planned revenge, and now I will take it, using my own children, now grown, to triumph over this dragon who eats the children of our country.
Where are you from? I live in the heavens, but my main temples is are in Nerik and Hattusas
*Tell us about dragons in your world. This dragon Illuyankas demands human children for sacrifice. He is a dragon of the sea, and sometimes he mates with human women.
Do you have a family? I begot upon the daughter of a poor man and a goddess a son named Sarruma, through whom I will avenge myself upon the dragon Illuyankas. And also I begat a daughter, to help me lay low this dragon and stop him and his family from eating Hattian children.
What is the best way to kill a dragon? To kill such a dragon, even a god must go carefully. I will smite him with my lightnings, and overcome him with my lightnings. I will strike the sea, and it will arise to my purpose. I will summon the storms, and they will come to aid me. When he is weak I will pierce his eyes with my trident. I will make the sea boil with my wrath, and the dragon will die of my rage.
Do you see yourself as a hero? What is a hero?
To be a god, one must be a hero. One must heed the peoples of the lands, and bring good things upon them. I bring the thunder, the lightnings, the rain to nourish beasts and crops. I fight beside my people when they war, striking down their enemies and even their gods. I summon the rain and the wind and all weather. In the Hatti lands, where we have 1,000 gods, I rule them all. For the sake of my peoples, I call the other gods to aid me and together we fight great battles.
Author questions: I am Christopher Crosby Morris, writer, narrator, and musician. I have been a defense policy analyst and futurist.
How do you define a hero? A hero is one who serves a cause greater than the self.
Why did you choose this era to write in? This anthology needed to start with a dragon from earliest days of myth. I chose the Hittite and Hurrian Illuyankas myth because it may well be the earliest battle of god and dragon ever told.
Give us a couple of lines about your characters.The narrator of my story is Kella, the actual narrator of one of tablets that record a variant of the Illuyankas myth. In my story Kella, high priest of Nerik, in the north of Hatti, tells a first-hand account of the second battle between the dragon and the storm god. The hero of this tale is the storm god himself, Tarhunt, who begets two children specifically to help him defeat the dragon who previously had eaten his heart and his eyes. There is another variant of this story, in which Tarhunt’s daughter and her human lover get the dragon drunk and tie him up so that the gods can come down and slay him, but that is not the variant we tell. In our story, although the storm god’s daughter has a role, he himself fights this rich and predatory dragon… and if I tell you more, I’ll give away the story’s ending.
Heroika: The Dragon Eaters is a dark heroic fantasy – how do you define that genre? Dark heroic fantasy was once called simply heroic fiction or mythology – which is always dark, always allegorical, and usually carries a moral whose value is shown in the story. For me, heroic fiction is any tale in which a character strives to put aside his personal well-being in search of a solution to problems greater than his own.
How much research did you need for your story? My wife, Janet Morris, and I have spent many years reading and researching Ancient Near Eastern myth and legend, some of mankind’s earliest stories. But researching in detail the myth of Illuyankas required not only a deep familiarity with the various versions of the story, but enough command of the early texts to be able to create a single version out of several.
Have you written for anthologies before? How does it differ from writing a novel? I have written for a number of shared universes, including Janet Morris’ Heroes in Hell universe, Bob Asprin and Lynn Abbey’s Thieves’ world universe, C.J. Cherryh’s Merovingen Universe, and more. I actually enjoy the challenges of working in a shared cosmos. I’ve also written stand-alone short stories, another different form. A novel allows you time to work with more layers of story than does a short story, in which space is very limited. In a short story, you must know everything about the “past” of the characters, but not tell all, only the climax. So compression of the most radical sort is needed for a shot piece of fiction which must have a beginning, middle, and end in a confined space.
What other novels/short stories have you written? With Janet Morris, I have written a number of novels: The Sacred Band is my favorite, with its grand canvas and heroic ethos. I have also co-written The Fish the fighters and the Song-girl, Outpassage, The 40-Minute War, Threshold, Trust Territory, The Stalk, The Little Helliad, M.E.D.U.S.A, and other novels, including several by pseudonyms.
Tell us one unusual fact about yourself. Recently, I came to the craft of narration, and found that it allows me to mix my musical, technical, and prose skills in a new and most satisfying way. I have recently finished narrating The Sacred Band for Perseid Press, available on Audible.com, and am just in the final stages of producing I, the Sun for Perseid Press, which will be released on Audible.com for Perseid Press.
Tidbit: My favorite recipe for dragon meant is simply to brush it with olive oil and vinegar and cook it over an open fire for about two hours, or until the skin is black and the scales fall off.
Author website/blog: sacredbander.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christopher.c.morris.7?fref=ts
Amazon page: http://www.amazon.com/Chris-Morris/e/B008L41JNO/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_2
May 22, 2015
A Week with the Dragon Eaters – M Harold Page
Character questions (choose from):
*Who are you? M Harold Page – Martin Harold Page, but I share that name with an English folk singer and a French YA writer, hence the M.
Where are you from? (Tell us about it) Edinburgh, Scotland. The place is like a year-round SF Con, with writers underfoot in the bars, and oddly dressed people coming and going carrying poorly concealed medieval weapons – I once spotted a part-time Viking on my street; he had a daneaxe wrapped in brown paper and parcel tape.
*Tell us about dragons in your world. Big, scary, [spoiler redacted].
What is the political system of your world? 17th-18th century mixed. The city where the action happens is probably a republic run by guilds. However, one character is a duchess and actually rules a duchy, and the protagonist comes from the Godless Delta where they practice radical democracy.
Do you have a family? Yes. Wife, son, daughter, all geeks. 11-year-old son fights my friends at Warhammer. 7-year-old daughter is a dab hand at Halo.
What is the best way to kill a dragon? Technology and guile. Beowulf used an iron shield and – ultimately- relied on a henchman to injure the thing. Siegfried used a Vietcong-style network of trenches to attack from beneath. Tristram attacked from horseback and out of ambush. Some Vikings I read about killed a Russian dragon by feeding it the salted leg of a giant, then – after it had drunk so much water it couldn’t move – whacking it with axes. Very few legendary heroes go up against a dragon man-to-dragon, because that would be stupid.
Do you see yourself as a hero? What is a hero? No. I’m just a mild mannered urban swordsman and dad. A hero is somebody who takes responsibility for doing what needs to be done when the doing is nasty and dangerous.
What is the technology level of your world? 1700s style Steampunk. I am particularly proud that my dirigible runs on a gunpowder engine – these were real things. Go check Wikipedia.
Where do dragons come from? [Spoiler Redacted]
Are there other such monsters in your world? Not sure. I’ll have to write another one and find out.
Author questions (choose from):
*Who are you? SEE ABOVE ANSWER
Why did you choose this world/era to write in? It was my first published fantasy story, so I wanted to try out all the tropes. That meant a world where both dirigibles and sword fights existed.
How much research did you need for your story? A little! I had to find a viable engine for my dirigible.
A lot! in the sense that I’ve spent years reading about history, industrialisation etc etc. I guess any story reflects all the research the author has ever done on anything.
Have you written for anthologies before? How does it differ from writing a novel? This was my second time – I have a story in Crusader Kings II: Tales of Treachery. It’s much harder than writing a novel because there’s less space. I think of it as trying to choreograph a cavalry battle in a sheep pen.
Are you a plotter or a pantser? Plotter. I even wrote a book on how to do it. However, plotting is just a more efficient way of pantsing and involves a lot of visualisation.
What other novels/short stories have you written? You can buy several of my books on Amazon, including three Historical Adventures tying to Paradox Interactive video games plus one Foreworld SideQuest. My two most recent books are:
Shieldwall: Barbarians! in which a young Jutish prince must lead his unreliable warband into the teeth of Attila the Hun’s invasion of Roman Gaul.
Storyteller Tools: Outline from vision to finished novel without losing the magic which pretty much does what it says on the tin. I wrote four novels to order in just over a year; this is how I did it.
What book(s) are you currently reading? I’ve been reading a lot of Edmond Hamilton, largely forgotten but hugely influential Space Opera writer of the mid C20th.
Tell us one unusual fact about yourself. I have a sword scar.
Author website/blog
Author website: www.mharoldpage.com
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.co.uk/M-Harold-Page/e/B00FLZP9VY
Foreworld Author Page: http://foreworld.com/the-authors/m-harold-page/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MHaroldPage
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mharoldpage
I blog at heroic fiction magazine site: www.blackgate.com
May 21, 2015
A Week with the Dragon Eaters – William Hiles
Today I welcome William Hiles for Heroika Week.
Character questions:
*Who are you? Captain Jackson Turner.
Why are you embarking on this quest? Revenge. For the killing of my men. For the devastation wrought by the beast.
Where are you from? (Tell us about it.) From Morgantown, Western Virginia. Though my family were farmers and shop keepers, I managed an appointment to West Point, where I was eventually commissioned as an officer in the United States Army.
*Tell us about dragons in your world. One exists. I don’t know why. I don’t know how. All I care about is killing it.
Do you have a family? I lost my family, a wife and child, to cholera many years ago.
Do you see yourself as a hero? What is a hero? No. What is a hero? That’s for others to decide. For me, it’s a matter of duty. To your men (or family). To yourself.
What is the technology level of your world? Mid-19th Century.
Author questions (choose from):
*Who are you? William Hiles
How do you define a hero? Someone who does what needs to be done, no matter the risk, for the benefit of others. Someone who performs a selfless action. Ordinary people who proceed with grace under extraordinary circumstances.
Why did you choose this world/era to write in? I’m a history nut. I love the challenges of bringing the past to life. I have a very special connection to military history, especially that of the United States.
Give us a couple of lines about your characters. Brave men who take a stand against an unimaginable horror, far beyond that of ordinary war. Former enemies, forced together for survival, who become brothers in a soul-searing crucible.
Heroika: The Dragon Eaters is a dark heroic fantasy – how do you define that genre? Dark heroic fantasy, to me, is a story of ordinary people, faced by extraordinary challenges, in a landscape that seemingly offers only obstacles or heartache. And yet despite this, these people rise to the challenges, overcome the obstacles, and ultimately succeed in bringing hope or peace or some fitting resolution to the story—even at the cost of their own lives.
How much research did you need for your story? Not much actually, having been a student of the era for many years.
Are you a plotter or a pantser? Mostly pantser. How a story ends is usually what I need to know before I begin, everything else is a journey to that end.
What other novels/short stories have you written? Early in my career I had quite a few stories in small press magazines. However, most of my output in recent years has been articles relating to my work (video games). I’m now getting back to writing more fiction.
What book(s) are you currently reading? War on the Run: The Epic Story of Robert Rogers and the Conquest of America’s First Frontier by John F. Ross
Tell us one unusual fact about yourself. I’ve kept a list of books I’ve read since I was 12 years old. I have over 1600 books on the list.
Tidbit:
This can be a Dragon-Eater recipe, interesting info about the world in which your story takes place, historical info, or somesuch.
Red Rain is set during and after a real American Civil War battle. The first land battle of the Civil War, in fact, fought in the vicinity of Philippi, Virginia (now West Virginia) on June 3. 1861. Writer Ambrose Bierce did serve in this battle.
Author website/blog: http://williamhiles.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WJHiles
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/10943148-william-hiles
Amazon page:
Bio:
William Hiles, is a former magazine editor, game designer, writer and artist, living in Round Rock, Texas, with his wife, son, and a menagerie of pets. He likes to ramble on about history, cooking, art, and writing. Although he has been accused of living in the past, he does not write with a mere quill. It has to be an Australian Black Swan quill.
