S&L Video- #16 Pt. 1- Interview with Jim Butcher

[Becca]

Jim Butcher joins us to talk Harry Dresden's latest adventure, his upcoming steampunk series, and how LARP helps shape his world building.

http://youtu.be/BRv_ejA0BK0

Enjoy!

[Kris]

Great Show! I am looking forward to Jim's new series based on what he said during the interview.

[Rob, Roberator]

I loved the episodes, but that was pretty much guaranteed since Jim Butcher is my favorite author.

I've watched panels with him on it, as well as interviews and I've never seen him so talkative. Maybe because he seems to quiet among louder folks *cough Rothfuss*.

Maybe I just haven't seen enough interviews, or maybe you guys pulled something out him, either way..great interview!

I had hoped by pandering I'd get picked for "This Day in Alternate History" and I was right!

[Rob, Roberator]

Oh and I'm jealous of Tom having an advanced copy of Cold Days sitting on the table during the interview that he taunted us all with at the very end.

I also want a pop tart now. Thanks again for the great video Aaron!

[Tamahome]

Like it said in another thread, Jim Butcher's Livejournal has a ton of writing advice: http://jimbutcher.livejournal.com

[David Sven]

Great show guys. And Aaron, you have restored my faith/hope in urban fantasy. The Dresden Files stays on the to-read list - love your work.

[Jeff]

I'm going to assume they generally talk about Cold Days. So if I haven't finished Ghost Story and I want zero spoilers, I should stay away from the interview?

[Rob, Roberator]

Jeff wrote: "I'm going to assume they generally talk about Cold Days. So if I haven't finished Ghost Story and I want zero spoilers, I should stay away from the interview?"

He actually didn't talk about it at all, apart from saying it's roughly on track for his plan for the Dresden series. The only spoiler of any kind in the book is from well before where you are (view spoiler)[That Thomas is Harry's Brother (hide spoiler)]

[Jeff]

Rob wrote: "Jeff wrote: "I'm going to assume they generally talk about Cold Days. So if I haven't finished Ghost Story and I want zero spoilers, I should stay away from the interview?"

He actually didn't talk..."

Cool thanks for that info. I can now watch it.

[Daran]

I just want to thank Veronica for saying my name right. This was the best interview I've seen with him--though the Patrick Rothfuss' was a close second.

I'm really looking forward to Cold Days--also the Paul Cornell and Rothfuss interviews

[Becca]

Tamahome wrote: "Like it said in another thread, Jim Butcher's Livejournal has a ton of writing advice: http://jimbutcher.livejournal.com"

I know what I've reading through the next time I'm staring down a blank page, or, yah know, trying and failing at my NaNoWriMo novel tonight... :-/

[Rob, Roberator]

Daran wrote: "This was the best interview I've seen with him--though the Patrick Rothfuss' was a close second"

I enjoyed that interview too but I felt that it was more of Patrick Rothfuss talking than Jim Butcher.

[Kevin]

One thing I would like to add, Jim Butcher is not the first one, but one of the first. Glen Cook is one of my faovrite authors because he is one of the first to write dark fantasy and urban fantasy since the 80s. His Garrett P.I. series began in 1986 is still continuing. But what I have to say about Jim Butcher, and the Dresden Files is it is the most popluar series in urban fantasy, bring readers like me who would or don't read urban fantasy to read it.

[Daniel]

Great show, loved it.

[P. Aaron]

Kevin wrote: "One thing I would like to add, Jim Butcher is not the first one, but one of the first. Glen Cook is one of my faovrite authors because he is one of the first to write dark fantasy and urban fantasy..."

Ah, but the Garret, P.I. books are not urban fantasy...they're set in a pure fantasy universe, but just happen to be told in a noire style. And I say this as someone who loves Cook (though not as much as my five year old daughter does). I think the earliest urban fantasy noire I could name would be Clive Barker's Harry D'amour stories, most notably the one which became Lord of Illusions.

[Stephanie]

Great interview with Jim Butcher! Keep 'em coming!

[Ayesha]

"Someone help extend Jim Butcher's life." You heard it folks, Jim Butcher needs protection.

Honor guard, march! Straight to Missouri!

[Ayesha]

Dan wrote: "I feel like I'm WAY out of the loop, since I've only recently become aware of Butcher. However, the interview was great, and I picked up Storm Front yesterday to see what all of the fuss is about!"
That's okay. With 7 (or more) books to go and a rate of 1 written a year, you've got plenty of time to catch up.

[Tim]

Just downloaded Storm Front as this month's Audible pick (for when I've finished listening to Streets of Heaven). You know, I never realised James Marsters was American... (only ever seen him in Buffy!)

[Skip]

Masters has Dresden's patter and sense of humor down pat. I like the books for a first read, but the audiobooks are great for trips. The interview was great, as was Cold Days - I bought it at midnight and was done over lunch.

[Leesa]

I read the first six Dresden books in paperback, and I loved them, but then I went with the audiobook for Dead Beat. WOW! I'm reading the rest of them in audiobook as long as Marsters is the narrator. I really loved the necromancy mechanics in Dead Beat and so far that's my favorite Dresden story.

[Susan]

James Marsters does all the audiobooks and he is slanted to do Cold Days.

[Daran]

Susan wrote: "James Marsters does all the audiobooks and he is slanted to do Cold Days."

Except for Ghost Story, that was John Glover. I hope at some point they go back and rerecord it with Marsters.

The audiobook dropped the same night as the book. I make it a point to read the book first, though. I primarily use the audio to keep myself refreshed as to what happened to who in which book.

[Daniel]

20 books or so plus a trilogy. OK Jim, I'm in. But, BUT, please don't pull a Robert Jordan and waste time writing a prequel (or a book about Thomas) before completing your epic series that people have been following for over a decade.

I know Jordan's illness and death couldn't be predicted, but still I was really pissed when New Spring came out (pre-illness) when the Wheel of Time series wasn't even close to wrapped up. It seemed like epic hubris on his part.

[Keith]

Harry will be Ebenezer's age by the time this series wraps up!

However, I don't really mind. i know Butcher has a end game in mind, but since each novel is a contained adventure (albeit one with an increasingly complex mythology behind it), it's more like reading an old potboiler or comic book. As long as the series maintains its quality, it could go on forever as far as I'm concerned, a la The Destroyer or Matt Helm or any of the other serialized heroes of literature. "Wrapping things up" isn't as important to me with this series, because "the final showdown" isn't as touted as it was in Wheel of Time, not does it feel like Butcher has started just spinning out asides and catalogues of food and clothing the way Jordan and Martin have done.

But if Butcher follows up Cold Days with a book in which Harry spends fifteen pages describing a meal and another ten on the intricacies of yet another silk shirt (Jim Butcher LOVES men in silk shirts, doesn't he?) while Murphy habitually tugs her ponytail, I might reconsider

[Tim]

Skip wrote: "Masters has Dresden's patter and sense of humor down pat. I like the books for a first read, but the audiobooks are great for trips. The interview was great, as was Cold Days - I bought it at midni..."

I'm almost done with Storm Front (only get to listen in the car) and I've been loving Marsters' reading style. Gets 5 stars from me!