Interview with Christopher Moore

Q: When did you know you wanted to be a writer? Describe the journey that led to the publication of Practical Demonkeeping?

A: I first thought I might want to be a writer when I was 12 or so, and I was writing stories for class. I was a huge Mad magazine fan, so even though I wasn’t aware of it, I think I was writing satire even back then. I sort of toyed with the idea of writing through most of my teens, but by the time I was 17 or so, I knew enough about writing that I wouldn’t be able to make a living right from the jump as a writer, and my parents weren’t going to send me to college to learn it, so I turned to photography, which I pursued for several years. I dropped out of college, worked a number of jobs, didn’t write for years, and when I was about 25 my girlfriend said, “You said you used to write, there’s this writer’s conference in town, you should go.” 

So I did. Found out I was pretty good, and started pursuing a career writing while doing my day jobs, which again, were varied, from insurance broker to drive time radio DJ to waiter. I sold my 1st story at 27 and then nothing until I was 33, when I sold Demonkeeping to Disney as a film. It was my first book. (And the film has never been made.) Most of that in-between time was spent reading and getting my discipline together to actually finish a book.

Q: There’s something very real about Pine Cove, despite all the supernatural craziness. How much of Pine Cove, and its inhabitants originated from your own experience?

A: Tons. I lived in Cambria, which is what Pine Cove is based on, for 20 years. Like everyone, I was told to write what you know, so I wrote about a little coastal town in California.

Q: You’ve mentioned doing extensive research for your novels. What 2 books required the most research and what did you do to acquaint yourself with the subject matter before writing?

A: Lamb and Sacre Bleu. For Lamb I read probably 100 books. Everything from history to theology to religious practice in the 1st Century. I spent a little under a month in Israel doing “on site” research.  For Sacré Bleu, I had been looking at French Impressionist art for years when on book tour (we have a lot of it in the U.S. museums) so I knew a lot about the subject to start, but then I read biographies of all the artists, learned to paint, learned about the physics of the color blue, as well as the geology of the pigment, and finally I lived in Paris for two months, doing the on-site research. Sacré Bleu was an absolute joy to research. My book, Fluke, was a lot of fun too, and I got to hang out with marine mammal biologists and get in the water with singing humpback whales, but that’s a whole ‘nother story.

Q: The first book I read of yours which made me an instant fan was Lamb. Where did you come up with the idea for a book from the perspective of Jesus’ friend Biff? How was the book received (controversy etc.) Did you think about the potential backlash you could receive for taking a comic stance on religion?

A: I was reading The Master and Margarita, by Bulgakov, which has in it a scene from the trial of Jesus from the point of view of Pontius Pilate, who has a migraine at the time, and it was so vivid and real, for a story I’d heard a hundred times, I started to wonder what would happen if you told the story of Jesus that was that vivid the whole way through. A week or so later I was watching this show on PBS called From Jesus to Christ, where they said that 30 years of Christ’s life was lost to history – we did not know where he was. I thought, someone should write that, and since I don’t know anything about history or religion, I should be that somebody.

I thought there would be a ton of backlash but there was none. I mean, none. And now they teach Lamb in at least a dozen seminaries, some at colleges I couldn’t get into on a threat.

Q: You have written many different styles of satirical fiction, both series and stand alone. If you had to choose a novel that you are the most proud of which would it be and why?

A: Probably Lamb, just because I pulled it off. Sacré Bleu a close 2nd.

Q: I’m a huge fan of your books featuring Pocket the Fool, and I confess aside from the minimal Shakespeare I read in high school , much of my education has come from your books. Were you always a fan of Shakespeare’s work? Why do you think his work is so enduring, and what was the inspiration behind Pocket, one of your most hilarious creations?

A: I didn’t really intend to take on Shakespeare. I had about the same background that you did. Maybe a bit more, but not much. I had always been a fan of his language, but I was by no means a scholar. This was in the mid 2000s, the Iraq war was in full fire, and it seemed that the only trustworthy source for news was comedians. They were really the only ones calling bullshit on the Bush administration. So I thought I would write a story about a fool, a clown that could speak truth to power. I talked to my editor about it, and I said, “I want to write a book about a fool, but I don’t know if I want it to be a generic fool, or Lear’s fool.” She said, “Oh, you HAVE to do Lear’s fool.” And I was off to the races.

Q: Who are some of your biggest comedy influences both literary and otherwise?

A: Literary-wise, definitely Mark Twain and the comic novels of John Steinbeck. Later Vonnegut, Tom Robbins, Douglas Adams, and Carl Hiaasen. Robin Williams, Eddie Murphy, and Richard Pryor had a lot of influence on me, too. I think I learned comic timing from watching comics, less so, from books.

Q: When you are not writing what takes up most of your time these days?

A: Mostly dicking around on the internet. I work out every day, and I still kayak in the summer, although not in the ocean so much, but up on the Russian river where I have a writing cabin.

Q: I’ve heard you mention a number of your books having been optioned for films. Has anything new come out of that? Which was the first book that got optioned?

A: Practical Demonkeeping was bought outright for film by Disney before it sold as a book. I was still waiting tables at the time. That will be 30 years ago this year. Nothing has happened with it, but they gave me enough money to become a full time writer, which I’ve done exclusively since then. Most of the others have been bought or optioned, some several times by some very big names, but so far, nada. I don’t really have any control over that so I just take the check and go off and write another book.

Q: How important is reader interaction to you? I remember sending you a message after reading Lamb and being shocked that you wrote me right back. What is your current preferred method of interacting with your readers?

A: I got in the habit of answering all my e-mail back in the mid nineties when I wasn’t touring nationally. I think I was the first non-tech writer to have my e-mail address on my book. I thought it was a way to connect to readers I couldn’t meet. I’ve answered all my e-mail since then, although most of my interaction these days is on social media. Mostly Twitter. I only go to Facebook to post tour dates and book releases.

Q: If you could offer a piece of advice for new and aspiring writers what would it be?

A: Read. A lot. And read some more. Then learn to finish stuff. Start small, but get in the habit of finishing stuff.

Q: If you don’t mind can you give out readers some info on your next project?

A: I’m writing a sequel to my 1940s tough guy comedy, Noir.

Q: Your Vampire Trilogy came out at time when sparkly Vampires were in fashion and it seemed like you couldn’t escape from teen Vampire fiction. Was your intent to demolish all the then current Vampire tropes?, or am I reading in to things too much? What are your thoughts looking back on the trilogy as a completed work now that the Vampire craze has settled a bit?

A: Actually, the 1st of those books came out ten years before Twilight. I just wanted to write a funny vampire story. It wasn’t really a reaction to what was going on in fiction, but I had been reading vampire fiction since I was a teen and I thought I might have a fun take on it.

Q: You have tackled Shakespeare, Renaissance painters, Noir fiction, religion and Oceanography in your more conceptual novels. What are some of the other concepts that you would love to write about ?

A: I’ve had an idea set in the Aboriginal Dream Time for years that I think would be fun, but I’m not sure I could get away with it, now, being a privileged white guy. Cultural appropriation and whatnot.

Q: This one is for the hardcores. Is Pine Cove done, or might you return to that world? And will we ever see another appearance by Roberto the Fruit Bat?

A:I have no idea.

Website: www.chrismoore.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theauthorguy/
Twitter: @TheAuthorGuy

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Exploring Diversity in Fantasy Books with J.R. O’Bryant

This is the Books and Authors Fantasy Podcast Episode 87 with J.R. O’Bryant .

Good day and welcome to this episode of the Books and Authors Fantasy Podcast. I’m your host, podcaster and author of Fun Fantasy Reads, Jamie Davis. This podcast is exactly what the title says it is, a show focused on everything in fantasy books.

This show will cover everything to do with fantasy books. From Epic Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, and everything in between, expect to find the best and brightest authors from all the various corners of the fantasy book world. Plus we’ll add in a few other very special guests as well along the way.

To start off things this week, I’ll begin with my author update. I’m working on book 8 in the Extreme Medical Services series. It’s tentatively titled The Paramedic’s Amazon. I can’t wait to share it with my readers. It’s already a ton of fun to write and revisit that series again.

I’m also prepping things to get ready for the release of Huntress Cadet, book 3 in the Huntress Clan Saga. If you follow my reader group on Facebook or are signed up for my newsletter, you’ll get a sneak peek at the new cover design before anyone else. Huntress Initiate, is the first book in the Huntress Clan Saga in case you haven’t picked it up yet.

You can check out more information on what I’m up to, including sneak peeks of upcoming covers, special giveaways, and more, by visiting my fan group on Facebook, Jamie’s Fun Fantasy Readers and over at my website and blog, JamieDavisBooks.com. I look forward to hearing from you.

On today’s show I interview J.R. O’Bryant. J.R. is a mom to 3 daughters, 6 cats, and one red tailed boa. She loves both music and literature, as well as supporting alternative lifestyles and mental health. we chat about her book Cold Crypt Cellars, book 1 in her Krystianna Aramis Vampire Novels). Check out my interview with J.R. now.

Follow J.R. O’Bryant on Facebook here.

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Dagger and Scythe: by Emilie Knight – Review by E.G. Stone

We’re going to start off today with a review of the grim dark/macabre/dark fantasy story Dagger and Scythe by Emilie Knight. The story was difficult to classify genre wise for me, because I am really not very good at classifying genre. However, this definitely follows along the lines of the dark fantasy and macabre genres. Given that, though, readers must note that this also contains a decent amount of romance. I would say the romance definitely qualifies as a subplot in this story, though it is possible to classify this as a romantic grim dark/macabre/dark fantasy story given that the romance actually is bigger than a subplot. What you get when you put all of this together is a fascinating story that is probably more adventure then otherwise with characters that are absolutely entertaining.

Let’s start with a bit of a summary. In the words of the author, “an undead couple takes over the underworld.” Yeah. It’s exactly like that. And it’s wonderful. It starts off with Dagger and Scythe being called to the office of their boss, the god of the underworld, Maniodes because they… made a mistake. They were both causing a bit too much in the way of chaos, and death and violence, and needed to be chastised. Maniodes decides that the best way to do this is by marrying them, forcing them to live and work together — without killing each other — and still doing their job. Things go from there.

So the story is basically Dagger and Scythe trying to figure out how to live with each other as a married couple and also perform their duties as a reaper without causing unnecessary chaos. Oh, and by the way, they’re not allowed to kill anybody without permission.

I would say that this story is definitely a charming one, which is a little ironic given the fact that Dagger and Scythe and their compatriots are quite violent and take great pleasure in death and destruction and chaos. There is a lot of interesting development that goes into the building of this world and exploring these characters. The story features a set of gods that are based off of a Greek pantheon, skeleton centuries who are sentient and absolutely entertaining, decor by human entrails (don’t worry they were already dead), and much more.

This story has a very good amount of depth in the development of the characters. At first, I was incredibly confused by Dagger and Scythe because: a) what was their purpose in life, and b) why was it such a problem that they were married? But as the story went on, I learned a good deal about their back stories and everything made sense. Scythe is the epitome of tragic and bitter, and her past definitely impacts who she is at present. And Dagger has an equally tragic back story, but is basically a giant puppy dog. With knives. You see a lot of interesting change in developments over the course of the story as we get to know the characters more and as we get to explore the world more. Even characters who are not seeing all that frequently, such as the fellow members of Dagger and Scythe’s order and the god of the underworld, have a very impressive amount of depth to them. The only exception to that, in my opinion, would be Axe, who is a little flat. But we don’t see him all that often, so I think it works out all right.

I think this story does very good job of exploring the line between reality and something that you think is there but isn’t. Dagger and Scythe have a hard time trying to figure out their purpose in the world, why they’re so violent, and their relationship with each other and their boss. However, this story also does a good job of not taking itself too seriously. There is a decent amount of humor, even given the fact that the majority of the story involves bloodshed, torture, etc.

And then there is the ending… As a reader, you know sort of exactly what is coming at the end, because it is talked about by the characters for a good portion of the story, but it isn’t at all what I would’ve expected. It was rather much more dramatic than anticipated. And I liked it. A lot. I can say no more than that for fear of spoilers, but but I shall say that if you read this book the ending is very lovely. And yes, I note the irony, given that this is a dark fantasy.

Overall, I would say that this book is a very good one and I would highly recommend it. I think that the characters are well-developed and well-rounded. I think that the world is well-developed and there is a lot of interesting culture there. I would have liked a map, but I am directionally challenged and can hardly keep track of my own neighbourhood. If you are interested in a grim dark/macabre/dark fantasy/romantic story, give this one a read. Oh, and by the way, it’s perfect for Halloween. (Decor by human entrails and all that.)

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dagger-Scythe-Ichorian-Epics-Book-ebook/dp/B082VKS26V

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Interview with Alan Baxter

At what point did you know you wanted to write professionally? Describe the journey that led to your first published novel?

I’ve always written, but I decided to take it seriously and try to get published in the late 90s, and that’s when I started writing more seriously. In 2003 or 4 I had a novel make it to acquisitions at a couple of big publishers, but it never quite got over the line. In the end I self-published it in 2006, and that was REALMSHIFT, my first book. In 2008 I re-issued it along with the sequel, MAGESIGN. Then in 2010 both books were acquired by Gryphonwood Press. In 2013 I sold a trilogy to Harper Voyager here in Australia, which was the Alex Caine Series. So it’s been an interesting path!

I’m a huge fan of your Alex Caine trilogy. What did you have in mind when you created Alex as an MC and for the series in general? While being Urban Fantasy, it seems to develop in to something far more epic in scope.

I’m a career martial artist and I run a kung fu school, so I wanted to write a main character who was a martial artist. And the first Alex Caine book, BOUND, was originally conceived as a standalone novel. I wanted to take the old epic fantasy quest idea and make it happen in a single volume dark urban fantasy thriller. I did that with BOUND, but in the writing I realised I’d created a history and backstory that could be explored a lot further and it became a trilogy. All three – BOUND, OBSIDIAN and ABDUCTION – can be read as individual novels, but it’s best to read them all in order as the over-arching storyline is complete that way. There are still some threads that could be picked up and I might write more Alex Caine books one day, but for now it’s finished. I do love those characters though…

Over the past couple of years you have drifted from Fantasy series to standalone horror novels and short story collections. Was there a conscious reason for the change? 

Not really, just a natural progression. I wrote REALMSHIFT thinking it was a standalone dark urban fantasy, but the sequel was in my mind before I’d finished it, so that became a duology. I wrote BOUND thinking it was a standalone but that became a trilogy. I was determined to write a standalone novel! So I wrote HIDDEN CITY and that’s very much a standalone dark urban fantasy which is complete as it is. But it was also darker. I’ve always enjoyed the horror aspects of dark fantasy, so I leaned more into that when I write DEVOURING DARK, which is another standalone.

You’ve gotten a great deal of critical acclaim for Devouring Dark. Describe the novel for new readers?

Yeah, it was nominated for all three major Australian genre awards, which is amazing. It’s essentially an urban horror crime novel. It develops from a short story I wrote called “Shadows of the Lonely Dead”, which won me an Australian Shadows Award. That story is reprinted in the back of DEVOURING DARK, in fact. The novel follows a man with a dark power which is killing him, but which he’s using to kill bad guys before it gets him. He’s a vigilante of sorts. Then he gets tangled up with an organised crime boss who wants to use those powers for himself. And then on top of that he meets a woman who has a similar power, but hers isn’t killing her. And things only get more intriguing from there! It’s also set in London, as I’m English originally, and I always wanted to write a London crime novel, so I scratched that itch with this one too.

What are some of the biggest influences on your writing? 

By far the biggest is Clive Barker. I love that dark fantastique thing he has going on and it’s closely related to what I’m always trying to do. I was also heavily influenced by comics – Gaiman’s Sandman, Garth Ennis and Jamie Delano on Hellblazer, stuff like that. I’ve always been a big Stephen King fan too. With fantasy, people like Ursula Le Guin, Anne McCaffrey, Lovecraft… so many, I could go on and on.

How important is reader interaction to you? What’s your favorite way to get in contact with your fans? 

Having readers is the most important thing. If people want to read but not interact with me, that’s fine! Equally, I love hearing from readers. I’m most active on Twitter @AlanBaxter but I’m also on Instagram as @warrior_scribe and I have a Facebook page and a Facebook Group that’s a lot of fun. More than happy to chat in any of those places. Find them all via my website at www.warriorscribe.com

You’ve self published and had traditional releases over the years..how have the experiences differed for you ? 

They’re wildly different in some ways, but generally I always prefer to have a publisher do things for me. I’d rather just write. But I think in this day and age, the hybrid model is good, and I like having a few self-published things too. I’m just about to release a crazy new horror novella called THE ROO, as you know, and that’ll be self-published.

What takes up most of your time when you’re not writing these days?

I have a 6 year old son and I run a kung fu school. There’s really not much time for anything else other than writing!

You’ve written a large amount of short stories which you are rather well known for. Describe your newest collection Served Cold in brief detail for those that may be looking to try out some of your shorter works.

SERVED COLD is a collection of horror stories. Almost all are supernatural, and have that fantasy element too, but much more influenced by horror. My previous collection, CROW SHINE, is more of a dark fantasy and horror collection. I’ve had over 80 short stories published, but those two collections are a good cross section of my short fiction. Not including a small amount of sci-fi that I’ve written. I might self-publish a small SF collection one day.

How much of your real life persona makes it into your characters? 

Who knows, man? Hard to say. All writing is at some level autobiographical, but the real trick is to push away from that as much as possible. Some characters are a lot closer to my own philosophical position than others. Alex Caine, for example, or Matt McLeod from DEVOURING DARK. But they’re also very much not like me as well.

What’s next for you in 20/20 and beyond?

THE ROO is out any time now, so that’s exciting. Crazy Australian gonzo horror in the outback. And I’ve just delivered a new novella to Grey Matter Press that might appeal to fans of 2018’s MANIFEST RECALL. Look out for that mid-year, but it’s not officially announced yet. And I have a standalone folk horror novel out on submission with my agent, so please keep your fingers crossed for me there.

What one piece of advice do you have for new and aspiring writers? 

Read everything. Read voraciously, in and out of your genre. And do not quit.

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/alanbaxterbooks/
Website: www.alanbaxteronline.com
Website: www.warriorscribe.com
Twitter: @AlanBaxter
Instagram: @warrior_scribe

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Interview with Tom Holt

1. Can you tell us a bit about the journey that led to your first published novel?

It’s not an inspiring story, since it’s basically dumb luck and shameless nepotism – without which, I maintain, it’s practically impossible to get published these days. My mother was the literary executor of a Truly Important Author. In the course of her work, she got to know many publishers. I’d just started writing a novel (I was 21 or so) She showed the first 6 chapters to one of the editors she knew. He read it and said that when it was finished he’d be prepared to take a look at it. I wrote the rest of the book in no time flat, in case he got away. It was accepted, and the rest is a tiny, tiny footnote to literary history.

2. Your books are absolutely hilarious. What are some of the influences that led to your satirical style, and led to such a unique blend of humor and Fantasy?

When I was a kid, I read nothing but comedy; by the time I was 13 I’d read everything Wodehouse, Runyon and Bramah had ever written; also Caryl Brahms and C J Simon – forgotten now, except (I suspect) by the late Terry Pratchett; also Eleanor Farjeon and Alan Coren, Aristophanes and the greatest of them all, W S Gilbert. All the above wrote what was essentially fantasy. Wodehouse, Bramah and Runyon wrote about a self-contained world that never existed, though it shared some place-names with our own. Gilbert’s stock in trade was incongruous inversion, the art of pushing what-if to impossible conclusions. Fantasy, after all, is simply holding a distorting mirror up to Nature and seeing what’s really there

3. You’ve had a massive career having published nearly 40 books under your own name. What is the key to your prolificacy?

Poverty; or, at least, the avoidance thereof. After seven years in the legal profession I came to the conclusion that my momma didn’t raise me to be no lawyer, and furthermore I’m unemployable – I have a bad attitude to authority and find it very hard to work *for* someone; also, I’m not much good at most things. That just left writing, so that’s what I’ve done ever since. And, unless you’re lucky and talented enough to make it big, on the Rowling/Pratchett level, living by writing means writing lots and lots. So I have. I stopped counting at fifty, but that was a while back. It may not keep the wolf from the door, but it keeps him from getting upstairs.

4. For an author with such a large catalogue it’s often daunting to know where to start. For new readers looking to dive in to hint work, where would you recommend they begin?

You’re asking the wrong guy. My favourite is always the one before last. On which basis, I would wholeheartedly recommend The Management Style of the Supreme Beings and Sixteen Ways To Defend A Walled City.

5. Recently the secret that you are in fact, Fantasy Author K.J. Parker as well. Can you go in to a bit of detail about how the pseudonym began, why it was such a secret, and why you finally decided to come clean with the revelation?

One string to your bow is bad SOP for a professional, so I wanted to diversify a bit; also, I felt my comic fantasy books were getting a bit stale, and a little variety would help. I fancied the idea of writing rather more orthodox fantasy, but I knew that if I did that, my comic fantasy readers would pick up the new book expecting to find A and get B instead; they’d be disappointed and put off. So, since the name Tom Holt was hardly one to conjure within any case, I started writing the other stuff under a pen name. That worked just fine for a long time, and I wish I hadn’t spoiled things by coming out of the closet. I liked it when there were two of us.

6. When you are not reading, what takes up the majority of your time?

For the last 20 years or so I’ve worked a very small smallholding; a few cows, pigs, chickens &c and a small timber lot for firewood. I started too late in life and I’ve made every mistake possible, but it’s been fun and put food on the table

7. You’ve relatively recently signed on to Orbit Books both as Tom Holt and K.J. Parker. How did that arrangement come to be? How has it been working with such a well known force in Fantasy Fiction?

I’ve been with Orbit for many years and I can’t imagine a better publisher. Actually, they’re not so much a publisher as a patron of the arts, since they’ve supported and encouraged me way beyond what I’m worth to them in commercial terms. The same goes for Bill Schafer at Subterranean Press. Other writers have harsh things to say about publishers, but that’s not been my experience.

8. How important is reader interaction to you? What are your favorite ways to network with your fans?

What readers think is very important to me, and it’s very frustrating that I know so little about it. Basically, the only index is book sales; and if one title sells much better than the others, was that because they liked the book, or was it the cover design or the blurb, or just a fluke? K J Parker has had some good reviews over the years but the readers have stayed away in droves (old Broadway saying; everybody loved it except the public) and I don’t know what I’m doing that’s such a turn-off.

I don’t network, because (a) I’m a technophobe (b) my life is very boring and I can’t imagine that anyone would want to hear about it; no, really. I have a reasonable mental profile of my readers, and they don’t want to hear about pest damage on the fodder beet or ear-tagging the pigs.

9. Have you read anything in the Fantasy/Sci-Fi genres this year that you can recommend to our readers?

To be honest, no. I used to review SF/F for a magazine in the UK, which was great because I kept up to date with what was happening in the genre. Since I lost that gig, I’m sadly out of touch. So, when I say that the best thing in SF right now is ‘The Orville’, you’re getting a catastrophically uninformed opinion. Great show, though.

8. What’s next for Tom Holt and K.J. Parker in the foreseeable future?

More of the same, I hope, for as long as people want it.

9. If you could offer a couple of words of wisdom to new and aspiring authors, what would they be?

One of the pleasures of being a published author is occasionally being able to help someone get into the trade – not through influence or contacts, since I haven’t got any, but with a little gentle advice about the basics of the craft. My advice is; (1) All new writers overdo it. Don’t overdo it. And thereby hang all the law and the prophets. (2) prose should be like a diamond – hard, clear, sharp, compressed and invariably improved by skilful cutting (3) prose is also like painting a door; finish one coat, and move on. Don’t keep going back and fiddling with what you’ve just done, or you’ll end up with a horrible mess. As for how to be a good and successful writer; if I ever find out, I’ll let you know.

10. You’ve often been affectionately compared to Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett, in fact, the brilliant Christopher Moore blurbs the Adams comparison on the cover of your new novel. How do you feel about that? Is there ever any pressure on you as a writer when you receive such accolades?

When I first heard the radio version of Hitchhikers’ Guide back in the late 70s, I knew with Saul-on-the-road-to-Damascus certainty that this was the technique for me. I admire Adams this side idolatry; I can see exactly how he does it, but I can’t quite do it myself. I came to Pratchett quite late (the first book I read was Guards!Guards!) and I’d already developed my style and technique, so it was a case of differentiating myself from him to avoid accusations of off-ripping; sometimes difficult, since we shared the same influences (there’s an academic paper to be written on the influence on Pratchett of Caryl Brahms and C J Simon). I never met Adams; I met Pratchett once and we loathed each other on sight, which is a shame. It’s hard to read books you love to bits when you don’t like the man who wrote them.

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Paranormal Investigator Jonathan Shade with Author Gary Jonas

This is the Books and Authors Fantasy Podcast Episode 86 with Gary Jonas.

Good day and welcome to this episode of the Books and Authors Fantasy Podcast. I’m your host, podcaster and author of Fun Fantasy Reads, Jamie Davis. This podcast is exactly what the title says it is, a show focused on everything in fantasy books.

This show will cover everything to do with fantasy books. From Epic Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, and everything in between, expect to find the best and brightest authors from all the various corners of the fantasy book world. Plus we’ll add in a few other very special guests as well along the way.

Let’s kick off this week’s episode with my author update. I just turned in book 3 in the Huntress Clan Saga to the editor. It’s always a relief to get a book finished and on to the next level. Huntress Cadet should be out around the end of February or the beginning of March. You’ll definitely want to check this series out. Huntress Initiate, is the first book in the Huntress Clan Saga in case you haven’t picked it up yet.

I’ll be starting on Book 8 of the Extreme Medical Services series. The tentative title is going to be The Paramedic’s Amazon and it will surround the discovery of a human trafficking ring who are smuggling fairy slaves into the country. Don’t worry, though. Our hero, paramedic to the supernatural Dean Flynn, will be on the case and you can be sure he’ll bring along his friends to break up this supernatural criminal ring.

You can check out more information on what I’m up to, including sneak peeks of upcoming covers, special giveaways, and more, by visiting my fan group on Facebook, Jamie’s Fun Fantasy Readers and over at my website and blog, JamieDavisBooks.com. I look forward to hearing from you.

On today’s show I interview, Gary Jonas. Gary is a good friend of mine. We’ve met up at conferences on a regular basis. Thought he started out thinking he’d go into writing and drawing comic books, he eventually landing in writing fiction.

He sold his first short story back in the 1990’s and his first novel in 2002. In 2015, Gary went full-time as an author and hasn’t looked back. We talk about several of his series, especially his Jonathan Shade series (12 urban fantasy books). Here’s the link to his Half-Assed Wizard Series boxed set, too.

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COVER REVEAL: Objects of Power, Fate of Wizardoms Book 4 by Jeffrey L. Kohanek

In a realm where wizards rule, magic reigns supreme

Power. The ambitious thirst for it. But when a power-hungry wizard lord seeks to expand his might, he triggers a series of events unforeseen.

The balance of magic is altered, races of old returning and beasts of legend stalking the land.

This tale follows a team of unlikely heroes: a clever thief whose outrageous exploits force him to hide his identity, an acrobat scarred and obsessed with her need for revenge, a dwarf outcast from his people as a result of urges he cannot control, a jaded warrior burdened by years of regret, a princess caught between her mad wizard lord father and jealous brother, a mysterious storyteller who everyone seems to know.

These characters lead a quirky, memorable cast including ruthless who vie for thrones able to grant them the power of a god.

How can one defeat a god?

Fate of Wizardoms is a re-imagining of the classic epic fantasy of yore. It is fast-paced, action-packed, and filled with beloved genre tropes twisted in an uncommon fashion.

Here is the fantastic cover of Book 4: Objects of Power!

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Previewing The Bard’s Blade with Brian D. Anderson

This is the Books and Authors Fantasy Podcast Episode 85 with Brian D. Anderson.

Good day and welcome to this episode of the Books and Authors Fantasy Podcast. I’m your host, podcaster and author of Fun Fantasy Reads, Jamie Davis. This podcast is exactly what the title says it is, a show focused on everything in fantasy books.

This show will cover everything to do with fantasy books. From Epic Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, and everything in between, expect to find the best and brightest authors from all the various corners of the fantasy book world. Plus we’ll add in a few other very special guests as well along the way.

As always, I kick off this week’s episode with my author update. I just released book 2 in the Huntress Clan Saga. Huntress Apprentice carries on the story of Quinn Faust, absolutely one of my favorite characters ever. You’ll definitely want to check this series out. Huntress Initiate, the first book in the Huntress Clan Saga is here in case you haven’t picked it up yet.

I’ve finished the first draft of Huntress Cadet, book 3 in the series and I can’t wait for you all to read what’s next for Quinn and her band of supernatural heroes. I should have that out around the end of February once I’m finished editing it.

You can check out more information on what I’m up to, including sneak peeks of upcoming covers, special giveaways, and more, by visiting my fan group on Facebook, Jamie’s Fun Fantasy Readers and over at my website and blog, JamieDavisBooks.com. I look forward to hearing from you.

On today’s show I interview, Brian D. Anderson. You might remember I had Brian on the show before about seven months ago where he teased an upcoming project that he couldn’t say much about. Well, that project,The Bard’s Blade, comes out next week.

If you didn’t check out the original episode with Brian about his other books, you should check it out. Brian is the indie-bestselling fantasy author of The Godling Chronicles, Dragonvein, and Akiri (with co-author Steven Savile) series. His books have sold more than 500,000 copies worldwide and his audiobooks are perennially popular. Currently, he lives in the sleepy southern town of Fairhope, Alabama with his wife and son, who both inspire him daily.

Here’s my chat with Brian. Check it out and check out Brian’s book The Bard’s Blade, too.

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Interview with Brian D. Anderson

1. Describe the journey that led to your huge signing with TOR for The Sorcerer’s Song series. How has the experience been so far?

I’ll give the abridged version. Telling the story in its entirety would be a novel unto itself. As some may already know, my roots are in indie. I was a part of what some call the “first wave” from 2010-2012. This was when I was writing The Godling Chronicles. There were few resources and much of what you see available for indie authors today (editing services, cover art, formatting services, etc.) was built largely as a result of our rise in popularity. I was writing like someone possessed, cranking out three books per year. But as more time passed the pace began to take a toll on me, both mentally and physically. By the time I was writing The Vale, I knew I needed to make a change.

Tor had expressed some interest in me, so my agent, Laurie Mclean (Fuse Literary) sent over Behind the Vale for their consideration. Unfortunately, as I had already sold the audio rights, they couldn’t make an offer. However, they said that they wanted first look at my next project. I had roughly 20k words of a new series written that I’d shelved while trying to finish The Vale. So I wrote up a synopsis and pitch letter and we sent what ended up being The Bard’s Blade as a sample. But the world building being so complex, they were insistent on a full manuscript. So shoving everything aside, I finished it up and had a quick edit done.

By the time it was ready, though, Devi Pillai had been promoted and handed it off to another editor. At the time I was extremely disappointed. Lindsey Hall, senior editor, had a stellar reputation, having worked on several highly acclaimed books, not least of which was Kings of the Wyld by Nickolas Eames. Still, she had no reason to be excited about my work. So my expectations were lowered considerably.

As it turned out, Lindsey getting her hands on The Bard’s Blade was the best thing that could have happened to me. She absolutely loved it. From submission to deal memo only took five days, which is next to unheard of. And from there we were off to the races.

The transition to Tor has been unique. The negatives are centered mainly around methods to which I had to adapt, the slower pace of traditional publishing which forced me to learn patience, and letting go of the complete control I enjoyed as an indie.

But working with Lindsey has been a wonderful experience. She’s elevated my writing to levels I could not have achieved on my own, and helped bring out in me new skills, and learn new perspectives on both my world building and character creation. The Bard’s Blade was a really good book when it was first written – at least I think it was. Lindsey helped me make it better than I had thought possible. In fact, the entire Tor team has been fantastic. I was so fearful that my indie origins would be a hindrance. But they made it easy. And hey…it’s freakin’ Tor! How cool is that?

2. From past conversations we’ve discussed both being musicians and how important music is in our lives. Was this the catalyst for writing Lem’s character ? What is it about the Bard archetype that compels you?

I was a professional musician for many years. So for PR purposes I should probably say that was what inspired me. But it wasn’t. Lem was inspired by a flash fiction contest I entered (and failed miserably) which was centered around a piece of fan art for a Mark Lawrence book. The image showed a young man with a stringed instrument across his back, hair blown in the wind and looking rather despondent. The scene I wrote from this is still in the text, though not 100% as I’d written it originally. I may have failed to keep it under the required 300 words, disqualifying the entry, but it was the catalyst for the entire series. Bard’s have always fascinated me. The thought of traveling the countryside, spreading news and telling stories through song and verse has a very romantic quality to it.

3. What do you hope readers that may be experiencing your work for the first time get out of The Bard’s Blade?

Fun. If I can put a smile on the face of a reader and make them feel their time was well spent, I’ve done my job. That’s all I have ever wanted to accomplish as a writer.

4. You’re writing classic Epic Fantasy in an era where more and more authors are going in a Grimdark direction. What’s your feeling about the Grimdark genre?

I have no particular feelings about it. A well written story is a well written story. Grimdark is just another way to express ideas, build worlds, and create narratives. While as you pointed out, my work doesn’t really fall into the Grimdark genre, it has its darker moments. The great thing about fantasy readers is that they enjoy more than one style of fantasy. They can pick up a Mark Lawrence book one week, and a Brandon Sanderson book the next. Then they’ll give someone new a try like Evan Winter. Or with a bit of luck, me.

5. I’m a huge fan of your Vale series, and of Drake , it’s main protagonist. It’s a difficult series to categorize but one that I think many readers would love. Describe The Vale to new readers.

Let me start by saying this is not GameLit. You don’t level up, and there are no gaming elements. Imagine the novelization of a game that doesn’t exist. Basically, I took the tropes and character types of RPG’s such as Final Fantasy and Tales Of and inserted them into an original world. So if you love those types of games, you’ll love The Vale. It has it all: The dark hero, the princess, the roguish thief, the mischievous mage, the evil prince, sinister conspiracies, tightly wrapped around an end of the world plotline. And like RPG’s, uncovering one mystery only reveals another.

6. Who are some of your biggest influences in the Fantasy Genre?

Too many to name. But if I had to narrow it down to three: Tolkien, of course. The Lord of the Rings was my introduction to fantasy. Robert Jordan. Watching his progression from the early Conan days to The Wheel of Time taught me so much about what it means to be a writer. Anne Mccaffrey. She taught me that stories can be about anything and still be amazing. That you shouldn’t limit yourself. I realize her books are not considered fantasy in the strict sense of the word. But her influence is felt throughout the genre.

7. How important is reader interaction to you. What’s your favorite way to interact with fans of your work?

Very important. The readers are why I am where I am. So, I do my best to be accessible. I don’t really have a favorite way of interaction. Any of my social media platforms are fine. And I love meeting fans at conventions and festivals too. The excitement you see in a reader when they express their passion for fantasy is amazing to me.

8. What’s been taking up most of your time when you are not writing?

Sleeping. Seriously. I’m in the middle of copy edits for A Chorus of Fire (the second Sorcerer’s Song novel), I’m writing the final Vale novel, and the final Godling Chronicles novel. So right now, all I do is work and sleep…and occasionally ride the Harley.

9. Talk a bit about your podcast and what the idea behind it is?

I’m still in the process of building it, so it’s in that vague, fluid stage. For now, it’s small – recorded at my desk. But later I’ll be opening a studio in my basement. I’m focusing primarily on writing and publishing advice, but in the near future I will be including reviews and have live guests.

10. What’s next for you in 2020? Will we see a Vale wrap up, and do you have plans for another series once the current one wraps up?

I’m wrapping up The Vale, The Godling Chronicles, and Akiri. This will complete all my outstanding indie works. I also have to finish the final book in the Sorcerer’s Song. After that, I’ll be working on a new project for which I have about 80k words already written. It’s a massive undertaking, written in a world on a scale I’ve never attempted. But for now….that’s all I can say about it.

11. What one piece of advice would you offer to new and aspiring writers?

I’m not sure there is a single piece of advice I could give that would make a difference. The best I can do is to say: Keep writing. You don’t get better without practice and you can’t edit what’s not on the page.

12. For all the Bards and Wannabe Bards reading, describe your best Rock n’ Roll story.

Let’s see…I need to keep this PG-13. While not impressive but funny, there’s my first paying gig.

I was fifteen years old and had joined the band led by the brothers of a girl I was dating. We were pretty damned good, I have to say. Mike (guitar) and Jim (bass) were a few years older and highly accomplished musicians. Kevin (drums) also older, was a huge fan of Neil Peart and could pull off Tom Sawyer and YYZ. We were mostly a hard rock band. Though we did play a few Police and REM tunes. But it fit in nicely with Iron Maiden and Ozzy. We practiced constantly and in time we thought we were ready to play out. So Alex (vocals) and Jim set out to book us a gig. Nothing big. A local party or school sock-hop. That was the plan, anyway.

To my surprise, and mild horror, they managed to get booked for New Year’s Eve (circa 1985) at Boo-Boo’s King Cole Club. And if you’re thinking, “That sounds like the name of a bar” you’d be right. I couldn’t drink at a bar. But they were more than willing to let me play there. Hey! It was the 80’s.

Anyway, the night of the gig arrived and having done sound check early that afternoon, walking in at around 8PM was the first time I saw the crowd we had been hired to entertain. Packed inside were John Deer and cowboy hats…an ocean of them. On the jukebox, Hank Williams…Sr. I felt like I’d stepped into the movie The Blues Brothers. And to be honest, I was missing the protection of chicken wire, being that our opening song was The Trooper. The stares we received were curious, to put it mildly. Five kids, ranging in age from 15-19 timidly pushing through the crowd to get to the stage must have looked…well…out of place.

I’d like to be able to say that we started playing and through the strength of our talent, won over the crowd. Yeah….that’s not what happened. What ensued was a bar brawl straight out of a 1950’s western. Those who hated us-v-those who didn’t. But I think after the first minute or so, being that there was no real way to tell the difference, folks were just punching random people. Though not known for my common sense at that age, I did move behind the PA until it was over.

By the time it settled down, half the bar was cleared out, which we thought meant the end of the gig. But the owner was determined we were going to finish the night no matter what. Not about to argue with the man, that’s what we did. Without the riff-raff to heckle us…okay….with the riff-raff who liked rock having a good time, the bar owners willingness to serve underaged musicians, plus time enough for everyone to get thoroughly drunk, it ended up being a lot of fun. Shouts of “Play Crazy Train” in thick southern accents called out from the audience. We even did an encore. So that’s my rock-n-roll story. Such as it is.

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TheGodlingChronicles/
Website: https://briandandersonbooks.blogspot.com/

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Interview with Richard A. Knaak

Richard A. Knaak

At what point did you know you wanted to be a full time writer? Describe the journey that led to your first published novel.

From the moment I started reading, I wanted to create my own stories. I think I wanted to do it full time when I was in high school, but assumed it would be something I did on the side for years. However, in college, I began to get more serious and ended up with a writing degree. I assumed that I would work in something related, but my first jobs actually just paid the bills while I wrote.

One day, I was reminded by someone that TSR, a gaming and book company, was only an hour and a half from me in Lake Geneva, WI. By this time, I’d been out of college for a little over a year and had seriously submitted a couple of manuscripts (one of which came very close). I drove up to TSR and asked to speak to an editor. After some shock, one of the editors came out and spoke with me (the luck of the utterly naïve). He took my writing samples and said that if I didn’t hear from him in a couple of weeks to give him a call.

I didn’t hear, so I called (expecting the worst). Turns out that they really liked my samples, especially one, but were only publishing this one series of their own. Was I interested in submitting to some anthologies for the series? I naturally said yes, ran out and bought the available books in the series, then submitted the ideas. They bought three out of four, put me in all three anthologies, and then, based on the fact that they really liked the way I handled honorable characters such as knights, asked me to do a story called the LEGEND OF HUMA. That book went on to become a NY Times bestseller.

Oh. The writing sample they enjoyed? I sold that shortly after to another publisher. Book called FIREDRAKE. First in my Dragonrealm series.

 Your Dragonrealm series is incredibly extensive. What inspired you to write the series and how do you feel it’s changed and progressed over the years?

I’ve always loved dragons. I wanted to do something with all the traditional things of epic fantasy, but also with its unique quirks. Traditional, but new. I’d already envisioned the first 4 books. I wanted the magic to be wild, the characters to be memorable, yet fit it all together with subplots spreading throughout the saga.

I think it’s stayed very true to its nature, but with my growing skills, I’ve been able to better add depth to both the characters and world.  I’ve had situations in previous stories create new directions that I wouldn’t have thought of going. I’ve discovered that the characters have often rewritten their own futures. I like to think that, even 15 novels and 9 novellas in, that the Dragonrealm remains fresh. Characters have died and alliances have changed at times, but the story is still the story.

Despite having written so many original novels, you are also well known for your contribution to licensed properties such as Warcraft, Diablo and Dragonlance. How did this come about? 

Well, as you saw in a previous answer, I pretty much stepped into Dragonlance as if by fate. My success there led to other offers. I enjoy playing in other people’s worlds and I try to stay true to what they’ve built. Often, though, I’m asked to alter some things so that those series can grow. Nothing I do is done without direction of the creators. At this point, I’ve also been writing long enough that people who read my earlier work, especially the LEGEND OF HUMA, have grown up and started companies of their own. That’s especially the case with Blizzard, which owns Warcraft & Diablo. Several of the folks in charge at that time grew up on Huma and so I was at the top of a short list. I was definitely honored.

What do you enjoy most about writing in these worlds and how does it compare to writing your own original work? 

It’s fascinating to work in someone else’s world. I not only get to be an explorer, but to add my own mark. It’s amazing to see what others have come up with. Just as important, it stimulates ideas for my own works. There are things I know I can’t do in those series, but I can in my own worlds. Obviously, I enjoy creating my own the most, but I’ll never tire of playing in other sagas.

Black City Saint is quite different from the majority of your other work. Describe the series for new readers looking to check out something new? 

Prohibition Chicago, bootleggers, Saint George and the dragon, elves, reincarnation, ghosts, shapeshifters. This is the current world of Nick Medea, formerly Saint George. Cursed to guard the gateway between our world and Feirie after slaying its previous sentinel (the dragon), Nick followed the ever-shifting gate as it slowly moved along until misfortune brought it to Chicago in the 19th century. There, forced to release the dragon that is now part of him in order to stop the king of Feirie, Nick discovered that the gate is now permanently stuck near Lake Michigan’s edge (invisible to most). Since then, he’s tried to keep dark forces from both sides from using the gate’s power, while trying to discover why the woman he loves — and whom he saved from the dragon way back — keeps getting reincarnated, only to at some point die a terrible death

History can kill…and it’s coming for Nick.

You have likely inspired many younger writers, but who would you say are some of your biggest influences in the Fantasy genre? 

Roger Zelazny, Andre Norton, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Edgar Allan Poe.

How important is reader/fan interaction to you as an author? How do you most prefer interacting with readers ?

I think that it’s very important, but should not overwhelm you. I have a fairly good social media presence. Without my readers, I could work on all the stories I do. They enable me to have more time.

Fantasy has changed a great deal in the sense that there are many sub-genres such as Grimdark that are quite prominent in the market. As a writer that has been popular since the late ‘80’s what’s your take on the state of Fantasy fiction now compared to when you started writing? 

It’s spread into so many directions. That’s great. Not everybody wants to read the same thing all the time. I read some of the different sub-genres.

What is it about Dragons that inspired you to base so much of your work around them? 

They’re the epitome of fantasy. They represent magic, imagination. There’s so much that can be done with them.

When you are not writing, what’s taking up most of your time these days? 

Well, my life has gone through some tremendous changes this past year and I only recently moved, so,  good portion of my time is just settling in and letting things normalize again. I’m trying to read more and I enjoy old movies. I like long walks…hmm. This just turned into a profile.

You’ve also recently started the Rex Draconis series which began with a couple of shorter novels. Can you talk a bit about this series and the structure of its releases? 

REX DRACONIS is a bit of an homage Dragonlance and those who enjoyed my work in it. However, it’s very much a new world. It has a long, internal history and races both old and new to readers. This first set of books all take place during what’s called the Dragon Moon, which can last anywhere from a day to years. This looks to be a long one and ancient powers are trying to manipulate the human-led kingdoms and the minotaur empire into a war for reasons that will become apparent. There’s a number of subplots and unusual characters. Tiberos is a world rich with possibilities and I intend to explore it more after this cycle. There will be 6 novels total, including the two shorter ones I wrote in order to easier introduce readers to the setting. SHADOWS OF THE DRAGON MOON just came out and I’m working on OF DRAGON’S BLOOD. That means two more after that. I hope people will check them out.

Here’s my favorite question. What’s next for you in 2020 and beyond? 

Well, as I mentioned, I’m working on the 4th Rex Draconis novel. Also planning the next Dragonrealm book, SWORD OF GHOSTS. I have some projects for other  people. More Black City Saint, sequels to a novel called DRAGON MOUND, and some new projects, such as ROGUES GALLERY. Yeah, I have a lot planned….

What one piece of advice would you be able to offer for new and aspiring writers from all the years you’ve spent in the field? 

Write. Keep writing. Find some consistent time to write. Be stubborn. There’s no age limit on writing and, with indie publishing on the rise, there’s no reason why your voice can’t be heard one way or another. I’m a traditional/small press/indie hybrid.

Website: Http://www.richardallenknaak.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/richardallenknaak/
Twitter: @RichardAKnaak

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