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January 2016: Beyond Redemption - Author Q&A with Michael R. Fletcher
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Lisa
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Jan 04, 2016 08:27AM
Michael R. Fletcher was kind enough to do an author Q&A. Feel free to ask your questions for him here!
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Hey, Michael! Just want to say I've been recommending this book to friends, on Twitter/Reddit, everywhere I can really. It's great. I was just curious how your path to publication went? I'm glad you wrote it and put in all the hard work because it's a new favorite of mine.
Matthew wrote: "Hey, Michael!
Just want to say I've been recommending this book to friends, on Twitter/Reddit, everywhere I can really. It's great. I was just curious how your path to publication went? I'm glad ..."
Hi Matthew,
Thanks for spreading the word! That really means a lot to me!
My first novel, 88, was published by a Canadian micro-press in 2013. Taking the lessons I learned during the editing process (they absolutely slaughtered my manuscript and I pretty much rewrote the entire book) I set about writing Beyond Redemption.
I'll be honest, the submission process I went through with 88 (I submitted to any publisher who would even look at it and hundreds of agents) kicked the crap out of me. This time, instead of going after everyone, I instead researched agents until I had a small handful--six, actually--I thought might be interested.
Funny story: I got an email back from Cameron McClure (who later became my agent) which I received while stopped at a traffic light. I got as far as "Okay, I've read the whole thing. And wow. I don't think I've ever read such a viscerally disgusting novel" before the light changed and I had to drive on. I spent the rest of the trip wondering if there was any way "a viscerally disgusting novel" could be a good thing.
Anyway.
Submitting to publishers when repped by an agent is a very different experience. With 88 I was still receiving rejection letters two years after I'd published the novel. With an BR we heard back from every publisher—and with a personal response and thoughts on the book—within two months.
We submitted to about ten different publishers and wound up with offers from two, Titan in the UK, and Harper Voyager. Even though Titan offered a three book deal, in the end I went with HV because I really wanted to work with David Pomerico. As I'm currently waiting for HV to decide if they want the next book I am trying not to second-guess that decision. So yeah, folks spreading the word, telling their friends about the book, is hugely important to new writers.
This is of course glossing over the fact I first started writing in 2008, managed to publish a few short stories between then and 2013, and amassed a truly staggering pile of rejection letters.
Did I answer the question or just babble?
Just want to say I've been recommending this book to friends, on Twitter/Reddit, everywhere I can really. It's great. I was just curious how your path to publication went? I'm glad ..."
Hi Matthew,
Thanks for spreading the word! That really means a lot to me!
My first novel, 88, was published by a Canadian micro-press in 2013. Taking the lessons I learned during the editing process (they absolutely slaughtered my manuscript and I pretty much rewrote the entire book) I set about writing Beyond Redemption.
I'll be honest, the submission process I went through with 88 (I submitted to any publisher who would even look at it and hundreds of agents) kicked the crap out of me. This time, instead of going after everyone, I instead researched agents until I had a small handful--six, actually--I thought might be interested.
Funny story: I got an email back from Cameron McClure (who later became my agent) which I received while stopped at a traffic light. I got as far as "Okay, I've read the whole thing. And wow. I don't think I've ever read such a viscerally disgusting novel" before the light changed and I had to drive on. I spent the rest of the trip wondering if there was any way "a viscerally disgusting novel" could be a good thing.
Anyway.
Submitting to publishers when repped by an agent is a very different experience. With 88 I was still receiving rejection letters two years after I'd published the novel. With an BR we heard back from every publisher—and with a personal response and thoughts on the book—within two months.
We submitted to about ten different publishers and wound up with offers from two, Titan in the UK, and Harper Voyager. Even though Titan offered a three book deal, in the end I went with HV because I really wanted to work with David Pomerico. As I'm currently waiting for HV to decide if they want the next book I am trying not to second-guess that decision. So yeah, folks spreading the word, telling their friends about the book, is hugely important to new writers.
This is of course glossing over the fact I first started writing in 2008, managed to publish a few short stories between then and 2013, and amassed a truly staggering pile of rejection letters.
Did I answer the question or just babble?
You did both, and I loved it. Thanks for the in depth answer. I went to a panel at LonCon few years back about the subject and enjoyed hearing Scott Lynch and others tell their stories. Whether it's a BR sequel or a new series you can't count on me for a preorder. Thanks again, Mike.
Matthew wrote: "...you can't count on me for a preorder..."
I'm not sure if that's a typo or an awesome jab. Got a laugh either way.
I'm not sure if that's a typo or an awesome jab. Got a laugh either way.
Haha, oh no. Definitely a typo. You CAN count on me preordering your next book. There we go.
Matthew wrote: "Haha, oh no. Definitely a typo. You CAN count on me preordering your next book. There we go."
Whew!
Whew!
OK, I am curious about the German naming conventions in this book. How/why did you decide to go that route, and do all the names (for people and groups) have a translated meaning? If so, I'd be curious if there is somewhere that has a quick translation of them :)
Lisa wrote: "OK, I am curious about the German naming conventions in this book. How/why did you decide to go that route, and do all the names (for people and groups) have a translated meaning? If so, I'd be cur..."
I started writing Beyond Redemption in 2009, back before I'd sold my first novel, 88. I'd sent 88 to every publisher who would look at unsolicited submissions and had rejection letters from hundreds of agents. At that point the only people who'd read the book were my half dozen closest friends. I started writing BR with the assumption these same folks would likely be the only people who read it.
None of them speak German.
I loved the harsh sound of the language and the feel it gave the book. And I couldn't resist the urge to hide little Easter eggs in the names. Sometimes it's about the character's personality, or their eventual fate.
Wichtig Lügner = Important Liar
Bedeckt Imblut = Covered in Blood
Some characters are based on people I know, and I found funny (to me) ways of hiding this within the names.
For example, if I was going to use myself as a character he'd be Pfeilmacher. Sometimes it's subtler. These were really jokes for myself as I didn't think the book would ever be published.
I know no German. I am absolutely guilty of plugging words and phrases into Google Translate and Reverso until I got something I liked the look/sound of. An aside: I very much write by feel/sound, paying as much attention to how the words sound together as any actual grammar/writing rules.
No quickie translations. Sorry. But if you punch most of the names into any translator you'll get something close. To make things difficult, sometimes I chopped words or crushed them together to make myself happy. I also realized at some point I needed to refer to the characters almost solely by their first names (though I believe their full names appear at the back of the book) and many Easter eggs went the Humpty Dumpty route.
Almost every single name/place name means something, but not all of it is German. I think I dipped into Turkish folk lore once, and I'm using Basque for the Basamortuan tribes in the desert to the east, though that won't really surface until later books. If anyone wants to see a map without venturing into the wiki for fear of spoilers: http://michaelrfletcher.com/beyondwik...
I started writing Beyond Redemption in 2009, back before I'd sold my first novel, 88. I'd sent 88 to every publisher who would look at unsolicited submissions and had rejection letters from hundreds of agents. At that point the only people who'd read the book were my half dozen closest friends. I started writing BR with the assumption these same folks would likely be the only people who read it.
None of them speak German.
I loved the harsh sound of the language and the feel it gave the book. And I couldn't resist the urge to hide little Easter eggs in the names. Sometimes it's about the character's personality, or their eventual fate.
Wichtig Lügner = Important Liar
Bedeckt Imblut = Covered in Blood
Some characters are based on people I know, and I found funny (to me) ways of hiding this within the names.
For example, if I was going to use myself as a character he'd be Pfeilmacher. Sometimes it's subtler. These were really jokes for myself as I didn't think the book would ever be published.
I know no German. I am absolutely guilty of plugging words and phrases into Google Translate and Reverso until I got something I liked the look/sound of. An aside: I very much write by feel/sound, paying as much attention to how the words sound together as any actual grammar/writing rules.
No quickie translations. Sorry. But if you punch most of the names into any translator you'll get something close. To make things difficult, sometimes I chopped words or crushed them together to make myself happy. I also realized at some point I needed to refer to the characters almost solely by their first names (though I believe their full names appear at the back of the book) and many Easter eggs went the Humpty Dumpty route.
Almost every single name/place name means something, but not all of it is German. I think I dipped into Turkish folk lore once, and I'm using Basque for the Basamortuan tribes in the desert to the east, though that won't really surface until later books. If anyone wants to see a map without venturing into the wiki for fear of spoilers: http://michaelrfletcher.com/beyondwik...
Michael wrote: "To make things difficult, sometimes I chopped words or crushed them together to make myself happy."Oh I noticed that. Took me a while to understand that "Konig Furimmer" is actually "König für immer" = King forever. Drove me half mad that his name had no apparent meaning, haha.
Michael wrote: "Michael wrote: "To make things difficult, sometimes I chopped words or crushed them together to make myself happy."
Oh I noticed that. Took me a while to understand that "Konig Furimmer" is actual..."
Yeah, I'm a bastard that way. I wanted to stay away from umlauts in part to save my sanity while typing, but also to distance it a little from real German. For reasons I can't discuss.
Oh I noticed that. Took me a while to understand that "Konig Furimmer" is actual..."
Yeah, I'm a bastard that way. I wanted to stay away from umlauts in part to save my sanity while typing, but also to distance it a little from real German. For reasons I can't discuss.
Were you involved in the cover design process at all? I ask because while I get why it might want to signal a "gritty western" vibe, it doesn't signal fantasy genre much at all, and I'm curious how that decision was arrived at.
E.J. Xavier wrote: "Were you involved in the cover design process at all? I ask because while I get why it might want to signal a "gritty western" vibe, it doesn't signal fantasy genre much at all, and I'm curious how..."
While my opinions were asked for I had absolutely zero say on the final cover. I like the cover, thought it captured the feel of the book, but it doesn't really tell you anything about the world or story.
I did a blog post on the art process a while back: http://michaelrfletcher.com/2015/10/0...
I am going to try and be more involved for the next book. I'd like to see a cover that captures some of the madness.
While my opinions were asked for I had absolutely zero say on the final cover. I like the cover, thought it captured the feel of the book, but it doesn't really tell you anything about the world or story.
I did a blog post on the art process a while back: http://michaelrfletcher.com/2015/10/0...
I am going to try and be more involved for the next book. I'd like to see a cover that captures some of the madness.
Hello. I'm enjoying the book. About names, there was a character named GroBe. It didn't sounded german, and I'm wondering if there's any meaning.Also, about names (view spoiler)
Siegfried wrote: "Hello. I'm enjoying the book. About names, there was a character named GroBe. It didn't sounded german, and I'm wondering if there's any meaning.
Also, about names [spoilers removed]"
Grobe. Sigh. This is one of the things I fucked up. Somewhere along the line große got changed to Grobe and I didn't notice.
Damn. (view spoiler)
Also, about names [spoilers removed]"
Grobe. Sigh. This is one of the things I fucked up. Somewhere along the line große got changed to Grobe and I didn't notice.
Damn. (view spoiler)
Finished and loved the book. Made a long review on it as well. And added almost three dozen quotes on the quotes section.As I was doing that, I noticed some philosopher's quotes are actually real and also not german, like from Akira Kurosawa and Guy de Maupassant.
I'm wondering what this means:
Does the world in BR have any connection to the real word? Post-Apocalyptic?
Is it a delusion of someone here and its manifestation a view of our own world? Or maybe this one is a delusion and that one is the real one!
Or just amazing quotes that fitted the book?
Cheers! I'm glad you,liked the book. Off to check out that review in a moment.
I hope you'll forgive me if I don't answer any of your questions. You know....for reasons.
I hope you'll forgive me if I don't answer any of your questions. You know....for reasons.
Lanko wrote: "Finished and loved the book. Made a long review on it as well. And added almost three dozen quotes on the quotes section.As I was doing that, I noticed some philosopher's quotes are actually real ..."
I'm curious which real world quotes you uncovered.
I thought there were some hints here and there that there were more layers to the world and that delusion was more than a magic system. Subtle things, but for example the following exchange seemed to be hinting at something (at least on Stehlen's part)
"Bedeck took a drink to buy time and discovered his mug empty. “I’m empty.”
“I feel the same way,” she said sadly. “There should be more.”
Is she talking about ale? He struggled to formulate an intelligent question. “What?”
“Something is missing. You feel it too.”
There is a quote from Akira Kurosawa, a real life, famous Japanese filmmaker, and from Guy de Maupassant, a French writer and poet. Don't know if there are more, but these were the ones that caught my eye. I knew Akira Kurosawa. Maupassant was because it wasn't a German name.
From Guy de Maupassant (chapter 30): “Solitude is indeed dangerous for a working intelligence. We need to have around us people who think and speak. When we are alone for a long time we people the void with phantoms.”
Akira Kurosawa (chapter 26): "In a mad world, only the mad are sane."
Ah, thanks, now it's pretty clear. From their willingness to kill without a care throughout the book I should have thought of that.I actually thought about (view spoiler)
They are slaves of their own beliefs, locked in prisons made by their own minds and that's a powerful theme. Good job!
Thanks! The Manifest Delusions world is such a fun playground. And it ties in so many ways to our own reality... or at least my perception of it.
This book is phenomenal and I definitely am looking forward to the sequel. I worked in long-term/mental health care for a while and the characterizations in this book are definitely legit.Is there any word on the fate of book two in the series?
Christopher wrote: "Is there any word on the fate of book two in the series? "
I finally heard back from Harper Voyager the other day. In spite of the rave reviews and hitting something like 14 best-of-2015 lists, they have decided to pass on the sequel. My editor really liked the book (The Mirror's Truth) but the money folks said BR just hadn't sold enough to warrant investing in another.
Sigh.
It will however still get published. We're currently shopping it to other publishers. If there's no interest there (apparently selling a sequel is not easy) I'll either self publish or go with one of the very small publishers who has already offered to publish the rest of the books.
In the meantime I'm finishing a YA fantasy novel and have two more epic/dark fantasy books/series on the go.
And I'm glad you enjoyed it! A lot of research went into the mental health angle. The only one I didn't have to research was the sociopath (Gefarhgeist) as I had lived with one for several years. Some of Wichtig's dialogue was taken verbatim from conversations.
I finally heard back from Harper Voyager the other day. In spite of the rave reviews and hitting something like 14 best-of-2015 lists, they have decided to pass on the sequel. My editor really liked the book (The Mirror's Truth) but the money folks said BR just hadn't sold enough to warrant investing in another.
Sigh.
It will however still get published. We're currently shopping it to other publishers. If there's no interest there (apparently selling a sequel is not easy) I'll either self publish or go with one of the very small publishers who has already offered to publish the rest of the books.
In the meantime I'm finishing a YA fantasy novel and have two more epic/dark fantasy books/series on the go.
And I'm glad you enjoyed it! A lot of research went into the mental health angle. The only one I didn't have to research was the sociopath (Gefarhgeist) as I had lived with one for several years. Some of Wichtig's dialogue was taken verbatim from conversations.
I am so sorry to hear they passed!! I would imagine switching publishers mid series is a nightmare. Keep us updated because I certainly want to read the next one wherever/however it gets published.
Lisa wrote: "I am so sorry to hear they passed!! I would imagine switching publishers mid series is a nightmare. Keep us updated because I certainly want to read the next one wherever/however it gets published."
Will do!
Will do!
Lisa wrote: "I am so sorry to hear they passed!! I would imagine switching publishers mid series is a nightmare. Keep us updated because I certainly want to read the next one wherever/however it gets published."Same thing here!
Lanko wrote: "Lisa wrote: "I am so sorry to hear they passed!! I would imagine switching publishers mid series is a nightmare. Keep us updated because I certainly want to read the next one wherever/however it ge..."
Cheers!
Cheers!
I'm really shocked they didn't pick up book 2! Especially with such good ratings. (I'll stop there before this turns into a rant!!) Anyway just wanted to say loved it and will be eagerly awaiting The Mirror's Truth regardless of how its published!
Tracey (Queen of Blades) wrote: "I'm really shocked they didn't pick up book 2! Especially with such good ratings. (I'll stop there before this turns into a rant!!) Anyway just wanted to say loved it and will be eagerly awaiting T..."
I too was surprised. I think everyone involved was.
And thanks!
I too was surprised. I think everyone involved was.
And thanks!
That ... "Upsets me" is the only polite thing I can think to say. I think (or hope) you might be better off in the long run. I bought your book because of your interactions on Reddit and the good Amazon reviews. It's unclear to me what your publisher did to promote it. (I've already somewhat commented on how the cover wasn't helpful to me.)
It's a small consolation I'm sure, but I spent the $50 for a voting membership with the Hugos this year, and I'm putting Beyond Redemption on my ballot, along with Baru Cormorant and the Fifth Season. (Still reading for the last two spots). So I really do mean it when I say I liked the book. I know it's only one nominator out of hundreds, but hey. Aside from buying the books again, it's the best I got.
Keep us updated on book two. I have no problem buying from a self pub or a small press. Starting to prefer it to be honest.
In spite of the rave reviews and hitting something like 14 best-of-2015 lists, they have decided to pass on the sequel.Whoa, that's disappointing. I just finished the book yesterday and that explains why I couldn't find a spot to preorder the next.
E.J. Xavier wrote: "That ... "Upsets me" is the only polite thing I can think to say.
I think (or hope) you might be better off in the long run. I bought your book because of your interactions on Reddit and the good..."
Wow! Thanks for the nomination! That's amazing!
I haven't read Fifth Season or the Traitor Baru yet, but both are high on my list. Not enough hours in the day.
I'll definitely make announcements (facebook/my site/reddit if I can do it without getting smacked for self-promotion) whenever I have something confirmed. My guess it'll be a couple of months; I'm not sure how fast the smaller presses move. I'm guessing they're pretty busy and seeing a lot of submissions.
Cheers!
I think (or hope) you might be better off in the long run. I bought your book because of your interactions on Reddit and the good..."
Wow! Thanks for the nomination! That's amazing!
I haven't read Fifth Season or the Traitor Baru yet, but both are high on my list. Not enough hours in the day.
I'll definitely make announcements (facebook/my site/reddit if I can do it without getting smacked for self-promotion) whenever I have something confirmed. My guess it'll be a couple of months; I'm not sure how fast the smaller presses move. I'm guessing they're pretty busy and seeing a lot of submissions.
Cheers!
Hannah wrote: "In spite of the rave reviews and hitting something like 14 best-of-2015 lists, they have decided to pass on the sequel.
Whoa, that's disappointing. I just finished the book yesterday and that expl..."
I was pretty bummed too. I've gotten over it - no choice but to move on. Luckily I'm stubborn. Gotta be in this biz.
Whoa, that's disappointing. I just finished the book yesterday and that expl..."
I was pretty bummed too. I've gotten over it - no choice but to move on. Luckily I'm stubborn. Gotta be in this biz.
Is there something you learned from the edits of 88 that helped you write a better first draft? You said you rewrote that. Did you have similar rewriting needed with BR, or was there a new tactic with plotting that helped keep from starting over?You said you were going to roleplay with your magic system to get a better handle on mechanics. Is there a system that works for you in terms of charting magic usage in terms of strength and drain so that it is consistent throughout the book? Or is it more of a feel thing?
Timothy wrote: "Is there something you learned from the edits of 88 that helped you write a better first draft? You said you rewrote that. Did you have similar rewriting needed with BR, or was there a new tactic w..."
There were a of of lessons learned in editing/rewriting 88. It's difficult to pick just one that made the difference, so...
- Have a reason for choosing the tense and POV.
- If character is important, write in a suffocatingly close POV. Get right in the character's head. There is no "Narrator,"describe everything from the character's POV, use their personality to filter every description.
- Be willing to delete even great paragraphs and pages and chapters if they don't further the story.
- Deleteeach and every word that you don't absolutely need.
- Don't be lazy. Don't tell the reader the character was angry, show it in the facial expression and action.
And let's be clear, I'm still learning so any advice should be taken with some salt and chipotle.
I wrote a game system years ago with a bunch of friends and that's what I used for the Manifest Delusions magic system. Everything is pretty detailed. That said, I wasn't tracking points or anything and the story always came first. The book should be fairly consistent, but I'm not a believer in balance. There is no reason some folks can't be much more powerful than others. I did however try to make sure that the more powerful someone was, the crazier they were (and the less able to control/make sane use of their power.
I'm currently polishing the game system with an eye to publishing it in the next year or two.
There were a of of lessons learned in editing/rewriting 88. It's difficult to pick just one that made the difference, so...
- Have a reason for choosing the tense and POV.
- If character is important, write in a suffocatingly close POV. Get right in the character's head. There is no "Narrator,"describe everything from the character's POV, use their personality to filter every description.
- Be willing to delete even great paragraphs and pages and chapters if they don't further the story.
- Delete
- Don't be lazy. Don't tell the reader the character was angry, show it in the facial expression and action.
And let's be clear, I'm still learning so any advice should be taken with some salt and chipotle.
I wrote a game system years ago with a bunch of friends and that's what I used for the Manifest Delusions magic system. Everything is pretty detailed. That said, I wasn't tracking points or anything and the story always came first. The book should be fairly consistent, but I'm not a believer in balance. There is no reason some folks can't be much more powerful than others. I did however try to make sure that the more powerful someone was, the crazier they were (and the less able to control/make sane use of their power.
I'm currently polishing the game system with an eye to publishing it in the next year or two.
Michael have you considered doing a Kickstarter campaign to assist funding the BR sequel? It has been a viable option for other artists in the same genre recently.
Paul wrote: "Michael have you considered doing a Kickstarter campaign to assist funding the BR sequel? It has been a viable option for other artists in the same genre recently."
Hi Paul,
Yep, that's one of the options under consideration. Being so new at this I'm not sure I have the fan base or social media presence to successfully run a kickstarter, but...maybe.
Hi Paul,
Yep, that's one of the options under consideration. Being so new at this I'm not sure I have the fan base or social media presence to successfully run a kickstarter, but...maybe.
