Chad Post
asked
Jeff VanderMeer:
Annihilation and Authority bring to mind a few Stanislaw Lem books (Solaris and His Master's Voice in particular) along with the Strugatsky brothers (Roadside Picnic)--do you view Lem & Strugatsky as influences on your work? Which other works by these authors, or works by other fantastic world authors would you recommend to bide the time until Acceptance finally comes out?
Jeff VanderMeer
Lem and Strugatsky have had zero influence on my work, for better or worse. They aren't authors who really resonate with me, but I haven't read that much of their work. To be honest, I haven't even read Roadside Picnic--I read the first chapter in a bookstore once. But I do plan to catch up on Lem soon. I'm not really sure what to answer re what to read....most of what I've loved recently hasn't been fantastical. Smith Henderson's Fourth of July Creek is spectacular and so is anything by Evie Wyld.
More Answered Questions
Cristina
asked
Jeff VanderMeer:
One of the most difficult things, in my opinion, while writing a story is to give every character a distinctive voice. Often times all the characters sound almost the same. I thought that in "Shriek: An Afterword" (a wonderful book that I cherish) you create a fantastic setting to differenciate Janice and Ducan. In any given story, how do you make sure each character has a trademark voice?
Heather
asked
Jeff VanderMeer:
I really love your stories. The Southern Reach Trilogy and Ambergris Trilogy are amazing. Can't wait for Acceptance! Just out of curiosity is there any hope for more from the fascinating life of Dr. Lambshead? The first two anthologies are so much fun, and I love that you bring so many talented authors ( and artists) together not only into a solid collection but a cohesive new world. Thank you.
David
asked
Jeff VanderMeer:
When I got my book published, I was told that I couldn't publish another book for two years, for fear of cannibalizing my own sales. You're releasing three hardbacks in a year. Is this a new publishing idea--a reflection, say, of pressure from ebooks (where single authors sell many books a year)--or is it just a trilogy-specific marketing plan that isn't reacting to ebook realities at all? Why did they let you do it?
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