Trevor
asked
Guy Haley:
I just started listening to The Emperor's Railroad on Audible (on the road a lot) and I love it! Where I am in the novella, the characters are along the Kanawha River near Charleston. That's not in Virginia, that's West Virginia, with Charleston being our capital. I'm always pleasantly surprised to read books set in my home state when I'm not expecting it. Just wondering what made you choose West Virginia? Thanks!
Guy Haley
Hi Trevor, thanks for your message.
Yeah, I know Charleston is in West Virginia today, but in this future the states don't match up with the way they are now (indeed, they're not even states any more). In Quinn's time there is a kingdom called Virginia that lies in and around the boundaries of the modern day Virginias. There's a lot of this going on. Some places haven't kept the same name, and there are some far bigger geographical upheavals coming up in future books. At some point I'll have to draw a map.
I chose West Virginia because it represents a transition between the Eastern seaboard and central US landscapes. Quinn's already some way into his journey from the city of Atlantis when we meet him, and this story represents something of a turning point for him. Charleston of the future is a frontier town in many respects.
It was also important to me that this future makes sense. The cities and kingdoms have to be able to trade and so on. I wanted an area where the Mississippi river system starts to get big enough to carry large barges. In this future, most travel and communications are done along the rivers, as it was in the 19th century - and the Kanawha fit the bill.
If I'm truthful, part of it was down to confusion on my part between Charleston, South Carolina and Charleston, West Virginia, but once I did my research it all came together quite nicely.
I've no personal connection with the US, and have never been to that part of the the States, in case you were wondering. I'll have to visit for real some day!
Yeah, I know Charleston is in West Virginia today, but in this future the states don't match up with the way they are now (indeed, they're not even states any more). In Quinn's time there is a kingdom called Virginia that lies in and around the boundaries of the modern day Virginias. There's a lot of this going on. Some places haven't kept the same name, and there are some far bigger geographical upheavals coming up in future books. At some point I'll have to draw a map.
I chose West Virginia because it represents a transition between the Eastern seaboard and central US landscapes. Quinn's already some way into his journey from the city of Atlantis when we meet him, and this story represents something of a turning point for him. Charleston of the future is a frontier town in many respects.
It was also important to me that this future makes sense. The cities and kingdoms have to be able to trade and so on. I wanted an area where the Mississippi river system starts to get big enough to carry large barges. In this future, most travel and communications are done along the rivers, as it was in the 19th century - and the Kanawha fit the bill.
If I'm truthful, part of it was down to confusion on my part between Charleston, South Carolina and Charleston, West Virginia, but once I did my research it all came together quite nicely.
I've no personal connection with the US, and have never been to that part of the the States, in case you were wondering. I'll have to visit for real some day!
More Answered Questions
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more