Tag: Interview Page 9 of 18

Earlier today, I posted about James Brayken’s debut, The Veiled Edge of Contact (please give it a look if you haven’t seen it yet). Now I get to ask the author a few questions. I really appreciated his answers and time. Hope you enjoy this!

Why don’t we start off with you telling us a little about yourself, what got you into writing/your path to publication, and so on.
Ever since I was a teenager I wanted to write novels, but for a long time I didn’t seriously pursue that goal because whenever I sat down to write, I found I didn’t really know how to effectively express the ideas in my head. So, I would stop before giving my ideas much of a chance. Not until I took up drawing as a hobby did I fully appreciate that you need to work through the initial difficulty when you first put pencil to paper and what comes out isn’t what you intended. Rather than stop in disappointment, I realized I needed to keep drawing and redrawing, and the improvement was visually obvious. They say that writing is mostly rewriting, and once I fully digested that, everything changed.

How much of James Brayken is there in Okon (or another character from the book)?
Ha, hopefully Okon and I don’t share too many characteristics. But admittedly, I would imagine there is a bit of me in all of the book’s characters. Some of these shared characteristics I’m aware of and some, I’m sure, I’m completely oblivious to. That said, I think who we are is many-sided and fluctuating, i.e., I think we all have the capacity to be a bit Okon-like from time to time.

Clearly (well, it seems clear to me), the stories told here aren’t something you arrive at all at once, can you describe the genesis of the idea?
In the early stages, I naturally turned to the things that were of interest to me. In fact, I have a rule that I only write about what I’m personally interested in rather than what I think others might like. I’ve always been fascinated by the existence of uncontacted tribes (although they are growing fewer in number, there are still at least a hundred uncontacted tribes out there according to estimates), and I’ve always been captivated by the idea of extraterrestrial contact and what the outcome of this might be. I think the genesis point came when I began exploring how different levels and types of “first contact” might be overlaid in the same story, and this theme formed the foundation of the narrative for The Veiled Edge of Contact.

All authors have more ideas running around in their head than they can possibly develop—what was it about this idea that made you commit to it?
I do recall being acutely aware that I could forever flit between entirely different ideas and never develop any of them to any substantial degree. And so, I made another rule (I like giving myself rules) that I would stick with my uncontacted tribe/alien contact premise because I was personally excited by the potential scenarios that might unfold. I kept playing with that premise until (after many many iterations of ideas and drafts) I had a fully fledged story that I was happy with.

Not to pick a fight here, but you’ve described the book as “genre-breaking.” I’m not sure that I buy that. In your mind, what do you mean by that phrase and how does your novel do that?
I use the term “genre-breaking” as shorthand communication to potential readers that this science fiction novel breaks a number of first contact sci fi conventions. It’s tricky to be too specific about this without giving spoilers, but I want readers to know up front that this book is going to be different from what they might typically expect of a first contact story, and feedback from readers seems to agree that this book is “different”, “surprising”, “unusual”, “refreshing”, etc.

Just to add, I have no issue with conventions. I love them, in fact. They are integral to how we communicate through narrative, and The Veiled Edge of Contact certainly contains conventions including those that place the book firmly within the genre of sci fi (advanced tech, extraterrestrials, etc.). But the story also contains a number of atypical elements and atypical turns. This is what I want potential readers to be aware of so they can make an informed decision as to whether the book is something they might like.

It’s hard to pick just one or two things to focus on to ask about that don’t involve spoiling the whole book…but I want to talk about Ratu for a minute. I don’t know precisely what to ask—just tell the reader something you want to know about him.
I really enjoyed developing the character of Ratu and in particular his interactions with Okon. I have a theory that “outsiders” tend to be drawn to each other, perhaps sometimes by necessity, even if they have nothing in common except the fact that they don’t fit in very well elsewhere. That in itself can be a bond. I view Okon and Ratu in this way. They squabble like siblings but are initially bonded by their outsider-like status. Another reason I enjoyed developing Ratu’s character is that he annoys the other characters and through doing so we get to learn more about not just Ratu but also those he has annoyed—usually Okon. Not that Ratu is the only tribe member to rub others the wrong way. Far from it. I was very keen for the Wuchumbu to be a living, breathing collection of individuals, each with their own set of idiosyncrasies and opinions. And the result is they bicker a lot.

What was the harder thing to develop and write about—the SF future tech and culture or the culture and practices of the Wuchumbu?
I’d say I found the culture of the Wuchumbu to be less difficult to develop and write about than the SF future tech. Perhaps I felt this way simply because I so much enjoyed bringing the Wuchumbu to life—establishing their values and cultural practices, defining what it is that unites them and makes them Wuchumbu and what it is that separates them from their fellow tribe members. In my view, the tribe are the lifeblood of the novel, and, ultimately, it’s the characters that cause us to invest in a story, right? Well, for me that’s the case.

Who are some of your major influences? (whether or not you think those influences can be seen in your work—you know they’re there)
If we are talking about artists, writers, and filmmakers then my thoughts initially turn to the cyberpunk genre. Although The Veiled Edge of Contact isn’t cyberpunk, I am a big fan of the genre and I’m sure it has influenced me and will continue to do so. The classics of cyberpunk (including proto-cyberpunk) have probably influenced me most, such as Neuromancer (William Gibson), Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (Philip K. Dick), both Blade Runner movies (Ridley Scott and Denis Villeneuve), and the original Ghost in the Shell manga (Masamune Shirow). I imagine the cyberpunk influence will become more apparent the more work I produce. I’m also a fan of horror and so there will be some influences creeping in from there too.

I wouldn’t have guessed cyberpunk to be in that spot (there’s a reason I say “you know they’re there”), but I have to say after reading that answer that I can see that in the background of the novel (deep background, maybe—it’s in the DNA).
Let’s play “Online Bookstore Algorithm.” What are 3-5 books whose readers may like The Veiled Edge of Contact?
Okay. I promise I won’t cheat by looking at the Goodreads “Readers Also Enjoyed” section. So, I think if you like sci fi stories (or any story really) that involve unusual scenarios with some humor and darkness thrown in the mix, then you may well like The Veiled Edge of Contact. With that in mind, I’ll include Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer in my answer for its unusual scenario and darkness. Annihilation is a very different type of book than mine, but there are some similarities in subject. I’d also include Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood for its eccentricity and humor. And finally, The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch for its dark tone—a tone that sometimes surfaces in The Veiled Edge of Contact.

Disclaimer: I find it difficult to predict what people will like. It seems to me that taste is a complex beast.

What’s next for James Brayken, author?
I’m presently developing the idea for my second novel, which will also be science fiction, and I intend to publish it some time in the second half of 2023. Well, actually, I’m developing two ideas concurrently as I’ve been unable to decide which one to go with next. Hopefully I’ll be able make that decision soon. I’ll probably need to make another rule for myself!

Thanks for your time—and thanks for The Veiled Edge of Contact, I was swept up in it and I hope you have plenty of success with it.
Thank you, H.C. Newton. It’s been a pleasure.

A Few Quick Questions with…Danielle Higley

By HCNewton

On October 20, 2022

In A Few Quick Questions With..., Literary Locals, Non-Fiction, YA/MG/Children's Books

Earlier today, I gave my take on Danielle Higley’s great book, The Stories Behind the Stories, and now I’m very excited and pleased to share this Q&A with her. I hope you enjoy

What was the genesis of this project? How did you select the authors to feature?
This book came about in a somewhat unconventional way. In my spare time, I proofread and copy-edit for publishers and independent writers. I was referred to Bushel & Peck via another publisher and began proofreading for them in late 2020. I guess they liked my work, because shortly thereafter, they came to me with an idea for a nonfiction children’s book: The Stories Behind the Stories.

They gave me free rein to come up with what titles would be included and how those stories would be told. We did go back and forth on a few of the chapters—Peter Pan or Peter and Wendy was particularly challenging to write—but they gave me a lot of creative freedom. I chose the stories inside, initially, based on the books I’d consider the most famous or influential children’s classics. I then filled out the list by looking at other lists. I did consider diversity in my selection process, but looking back, I wish I would have included more books by authors of color.

I compare my publishing journey to that of The Magic School Bus creators, where Craig Walker, an editor for Scholastic, recruited Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen for the project. Walker believed that if someone could find a way to combine curriculum science with fun fiction, kids would be more engaged with the subject matter. He was challenged to find an author who could do all the research and writing, and an illustrator who could meld creativity with scientific sketches, but of course we know that the end result was a huge success. As a Magic School Bus enthusiast, I’m secretly very pleased to be in the same camp as Joanna Cole and all the other writers out there who’ve been gifted with this sort of incredible publishing opportunity.

I loved the design of this book—both the cover and interior—did you have a hand in that? If so, what can you tell us about that process?
Thank you! I’ve received so many kind comments about the art in this book! Alas, I don’t have that sort of talent. The art in The Stories Behind the Stories was all created by David Miles. He and his wife are also the founders of Bushel & Peck—an incredibly talented and busy power couple. David used a collage of images in the public domain, I believe, to create the artwork for each story.

Undoubtedly, there were facts/stories that you couldn’t work in—any spring to mind? How about authors that you’d wanted to cover, but because of time/space you had to cut? Any chance of a volume 2 to get those?
Oh man, it’s absolutely impossible to tell someone’s whole story in such a brief number of words. And also, in many cases, the story behind a book. The challenge, for me, was trying to keep all the stories fun. I knew children would be reading them—not just their parents. And that meant I had to leave out the gruesome details of Peter Pan’s history, and the somewhat boring (but really fascinating to English majors like myself) connection between The Golden Compass and Paradise Lost.

I did write a piece for The Hunger Games, but the quotes I used from Suzanne Collins were a bit dark. She talked about seeing Iraq war updates on the nightly news, interspersed with reality TV shows, and how unsettling it was when those two things fused together as entertainment. I thought that was really interesting, as well as her perspectives on “just-war theory,” but I have to say that after doing in-person readings with small children and seeing my book in elementary school libraries, I’m glad that story didn’t make the final cut.

I don’t know if there will be a volume 2 in the future, but I hope so!

What was the biggest surprise about the writing itself? Either, “I believe X is so easy” or “If I had known Y was going to be so hard, I’d have skipped this and watched more TV.”
I think the biggest surprise, for me, was finding that I could do it—on multiple levels. From the beginning, I knew this was a topic I wanted to write about, but I was also nervous. My baby was weeks old when Bushel & Peck sent the proposal. I didn’t know how I was going to write a book and take care of a newborn. I felt very much like I only had half a [mom] brain, and I was getting like two hours of consecutive sleep a night. Not exactly ideal conditions for being smart and creative.

But I also knew that if I didn’t say yes, I might be missing out on the biggest opportunity of my life. Book deals don’t just drop into people’s laps—believe me, I’ve been rejected by editors and agents many times. I’m so glad I said yes, though. I learned that I can write a lot of words in just a few months (provided they’re split into bite-sized chunks). I also learned that I can write, even under the most challenging circumstances. I feel like I’m stronger for that experience.

Given your subject, I have to ask: What’re your personal Desert Island Top 5 Children’s Books?

The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963 for sure; that book makes me laugh and cry every time, and the characters would make great company on a desert island!
The Mysteries of Harris Burdick because each page is so intriguing; I could spend the rest of my life coming up with stories for every illustration.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire because it’s Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
The Adventures of Mrs. Pepperpot because it’s perfectly nostalgic for me.
Some kind of nonfiction survival book, because the thought of being on a desert island gives me anxiety haha!

What’s next for Danielle Higley, author?
I’ve recently been asked to be on the jury for the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award for Children. Because of that, I’ll be doing a ton of reading between now and the end of the year. Still, I’m hoping to write more when I can. I’m working on some children’s picture books right now, and also an adult novel that needs some serious love and attention.

Thanks for your time—and thanks for The Stories Behind the Stories!

A Few Quick Questions with…Susan Grossey

By HCNewton

On September 13, 2022

In A Few Quick Questions With...

I talked about the first of Susan Grossey’s Sam Plank mysteries, Fatal Forgery earlier today. Grossey was kind enough to take part in a Q&A with me, too. I really enjoyed these responses and hope you do to, and hopefully they make you inclined to check out the book.

Your website talks a little about your background and how you got into focusing on financial crime professionally—how did you get from writing Non-Fiction about it to writing Fiction about it?
Like most bookish people—and those who study English at university—I had always harbored dreams of writing a story book. In my professional life I wrote many technical books on the subject of money laundering and financial crime, and one day I came across a short account of a banker who had stolen all the money from his own bank and then inexplicably confessed to it quite readily. I started writing a straight biography of him, but then decided that fictionalizing it would be more fun—and that became, after many false starts and different iterations, “Fatal Forgery”. And once I’d written one fiction book, I found I couldn’t stop! It’s the temptation of hiding from the world in a fictional environment that I can control…

I don’t want to ask “where do you get your ideas?” But out of all the ideas floating around in your head, how did you latch on to Regency-era Financial Crimes? Can you talk a little about the decision to make this a series instead of just one novel?
Once I had come across the story of Henry Fauntleroy, I started to research his era more closely. And I found that the late Regency—the 1820s specifically—was a time of great upheaval in two arenas that fascinate me: finance and policing. In finance, paper money had just been introduced, and much as we today are having to come to terms with cryptocurrencies, people in the 1820s had to learn to trust paper money instead of weighty coins, where you had value in the actual metal. And stories of rogue bankers didn’t help! And in London—a growing city with escalating rates of crime—thoughts were turning to improving policing. Everyone has heard of the Bow Street Runners (founded in 1749) and their work tackling crime, but having men who are paid bounties according to who they arrest brings certain problems. In 1829, the world’s first organized police force—the Metropolitan Police—was created in London. Between the two, London had a system of “magistrates’ constables”—and Sam Plank, the narrator of my series, is one of these. As far as I have found, there are no other novels with a magistrates’ constable as the hero!

As for the series decision, it was actually Sam’s idea. When I first wrote “Fatal Forgery” I wrote it from the point of view of the banker, but it didn’t really come alive. As an experiment I tried a couple of chapters with the arresting constable telling the story, and it just leapt off the page. And I am afraid that by the time I finished I was hopelessly in love with Sam and couldn’t face saying goodbye. Just one more Sam book, I thought—as the first one was set in 1824, I’ll do one for 1825. And then Sam suggested that it would be logical to see what he would make of the arrival of the Met Police in 1829, and so I needed to write a book for each intervening year…

I have zero previous knowledge of the criminal justice system in this era of English history, but I really never felt too lost during this case. How did you approach weaving just enough information into the book to keep it authentic (or at least relatively authentic) without turning this into an information dump?
I am a research addict—I would happily spend the rest of my life in archives and libraries! But I once read a review of a book (sadly, now forgotten) which said, “The author wears his research lightly”. And this is what I strive for. I try to drop in just enough information for the reader to feel oriented, but not so much that it’s like reading a history book. I like to think that I hold all the information in the background, so that if a reader said to me, ah that’s interesting, but what would have happened in this instance, or where did that street actually go to, I would have the answer. I like the reader to feel that they can trust that I have done the research on their behalf and am sharing with them only the bits they actually need. And you should see my research files—they are ENORMOUS!

Who are some of your major influences? (whether or not you think those influences can be seen in your work—you know they’re there)
At the formative age of about twelve, I discovered that the “Poldark” stories I had loved on television were in fact books – and lots of them! I read them at a gulp, and I think my preference for historical series (rather than standalone books) started there, with author Winston Grahame and his dashing Cap’n Ross. In more mature years, I admire the historical writing skills of Antonia Fraser and CJ Sansom. And for sheer volume and sticking at it, there are few to beat Agatha Christie, Catherine Cookson and Barbara Cartland—all women, as it happens. When I am feeling lazy, I gee myself up with thoughts of their astonishing output: 66 novels for Agatha, 104 for Catherine and an unbelievable 723 for Barbara!

Is there a genre that you particularly enjoy reading, but could never write? Or are you primarily a mystery/suspense/thriller reader when you’re not doing Financial Research?
For relaxation, I enjoy what are sometimes disparagingly called “Aga sagas”—slice of life family dramas by authors like Joanna Trollope and Maeve Binchy. I could never write them myself, as I am childfree and know very little about that sort of family life, but perhaps that’s why I enjoy learning about it. I actually read very little in the crime/thriller genre as I am rather squeamish and frankly have had enough of nasty things being done to women, which seems to be a trope these days. I do like more gentle whodunnits, but have no interest at all in gore, torture or psychological horrors.

I’ve often heard that writers, or artists in general, will forget hundreds of positive reviews but always remember the negative—what’s the worst thing that someone’s said about one of your books, and has it altered your approach to future books?
I don’t know whether I’m lucky or mercifully forgetful, but I honestly can’t remember a poor review. Someone once gave me one star on Amazon because “Amazon always asks for reviews too soon and I haven’t even started this book”, which was rather annoying – but it was no reflection on the book. After about book two in the Sam Plank series, a couple of readers asked for “more Martha” (she’s Sam’s wife) and so the later books have given them just that, albeit within what would have been realistic for a working class, uneducated woman in the 1820s.

This year you released the seventh and final book in this series. What’s next for your fiction?
I am already knee-deep in research for my new series, and have written about six chapters. I just can’t leave the 1820s so we’re still there, but this time we’re in Cambridge (my hometown) and our narrator is a university constable called Gregory Hardiman. There will be five books, each—again—with financial crime at its heart. It’s interesting knowing from the outset that this will be a series, as I’m allowing myself to wallow in the research (it will pay dividends down the line) and also I’m choosing my characters carefully as I know I’ll have to live with them for a long time! So far, Gregory’s friends include a coroner and an innkeeper, so we’ll see both life and death in action. I’m hoping that “Gregory 1” (with a much better title) will be out in spring 2023.

Thanks for your time—and thanks for Fatal Forgery and for introducing me to Sam Plank!

A Few (more) Quick Questions with…K.R.R. Lockhaven

By HCNewton

On August 25, 2022

In A Few Quick Questions With..., Fantasy

Life keeps interrupting me when I try to write my post about K.R.R. Lockhaven’s new book, The Marauders, the Daughter, and the Dragon, the first in his new trilogy, The Azure Archipelago. So, I’m going to post this today just to get a little something up about the book. Hopefully, I can get my post up tomorrow, so check back if you’re curious (or just to help my pageview count).

We did a similar Q&A for his first novel, The Conjuring of Zoth-Avarex: The Self-Proclaimed Greatest Dragon in the Multiverse last year–and Lockhaven interviewed me for his series on Humor in Books, and Other Places, Too!. Some of what he says here echoes and/or builds off of things he’s said in those.

Talk about the genesis of this novel a little bit. Can you pinpoint where it came from? What was it about the idea that grabbed your focus?
I’ve been thinking about trying a nautical fantasy for quite a while. I’m fascinated by pirates, sailing ships, and tropical locales, and I’ve been wanting to create my own fantasy world, so I made my own little magical archipelago.

The idea for the main plot is very personal. Unfortunately, the relationship between my dad and I has been really rocky for the past several years because of a deep political divide. He became obsessed with…a certain political figure, and it made dealing with him very difficult. We’re in a much better place now, and I feel that writing this book may have helped me in that regard. But anyway, the basic plotline involves a tumultuous relationship between the main character, Azure, and her father. The split between the two ends up sending her on a mission across the islands to ultimately try to save his life. I wanted to focus on the difficulties that an ideological divide can create in families, as I know A LOT of us have been there. My goal was to show that love can heal damn near anything, and that common ground can be found with the right treasure map (okay, that was extremely cheesy, but I’m leaving it in!)

When talking about writing The Conjuring of Zoth-Avarex, you said the floodgates opened and you embraced the silliness. The tone of The Marauders, the Daughter, and the Dragon is very different from TCoZA. Yes, the humor is still there—and frequently juvenile—but this isn’t a comedy. There’s an earnestness to the characters and plot, the story and characters are more important than the laughs. Is that more natural for you or did you have to reign it in a little? Or given the subject, did that not really enter your mind?
Thank you for this question! I’d love to talk about this real quick. The subject is something I’ve thought about a lot.

When I’m reading, I’m really drawn to moments that resonate emotionally. I haven’t always trusted myself as an author to make that kind of thing work, though. I did a lot of time thinking about where I wanted to go with my writing, and came to the conclusion that I needed to go in a more earnest, and hopefully emotionally resonant, direction. I trusted myself to do that effectively this time because the subject matter of this book was so emotionally meaningful to me. I still fully embrace the silliness, but it’s no longer the main point. Many of my (favorite) characters have mirthful spirits, and that kind of joyous levity is very important to me. I’ll probably always have an element of that in my writing. Maybe it’s just semantics, but I like to think of myself as having traded in humorous fantasy for fantasy with humor.

Where did Elijah come from? Is he your attempt to bring Marvin the Paranoid Android into Fantasy, or was that just me reading into things? His demeanor is so different from everyone else’s—Pratt is confident, driven, and full of bluster; Azure has that determined optimism; the Marauders are full of their intentional romanticism; and then there’s Elijah’s defeatist outlook. He really stands out.
That wasn’t exactly my intention, but there are undeniable similarities between Elijah and Marvin. Elijah is more hopeful, though, and his negativity is directed only at himself. I’m not really sure where the idea came from, to tell the truth. I knew I wanted a reanimated skeleton character, as it’s such a cliché part of pirate-themed entertainment, but I wanted him to be completely different than people might expect him to be. I went with self-deprecating because I always find that to be endearing in people I know in real life.

A sidekick named Robin, really? Did you have your shame surgically removed?
Shame? What’s that?

I actually didn’t think of that angle until quite a few chapters were written. face palm Robin’s origin story started in a different book that will likely never see the light of day. After The Conjuring of Zoth-Avarex, I wrote two sequels, but I ended up deeming both of them not good enough to put out there. They had their moments, and I actually like them quite a bit, but they were just more non-stop silliness and references. Anyway, Robin was a very minor character in these little snippets from other worlds that I wrote. I loved her so much that I eventually transported her into the MD&D world. And she’s more of a sister than a sidekick, anyway. If she heard you call her a sidekick she would probably threaten to peck out your eye 🙂

Setting aside the tone/tenor/etc. idea for a moment, how was the process of writing The Marauders, the Daughter, and the Dragon different from TCoZA? Did having that under your belt give you a confidence boost? Or did you find a whole new batch of issues/problems to work through?
The writing flowed fantastically. I loved writing in this new world, and the subject matter just poured out of me. There were challenges in regard to creating a new fantasy world, but those are fun challenges. Everything one would take for granted in a book set on Earth has to be created and thought through. It was also challenging to strike a balance between the emotional through line and the humor. I wanted the main plot to feel serious and urgent, but not so much so that fun along the way would feel out of place.

Since this book is so different from TCoZA, let’s play “Online Bookstore Algorithm” again: What are 3-5 books whose readers may like The Marauders, the Daughter, and the Dragon?
This is always the hardest question to answer! I feel like it’s almost obligatory when talking about fantasy books with humor, but I do think that readers of Terry Pratchett might enjoy the spirit of my book. I’m not completely sure about this next one, but possibly readers of The Princess Bride, too? Again, I believe it shares the same spirit of adventure and fun. Also The Part About the Dragon Was (Mostly) True by Sean Gibson and Duckett and Dyer: Dicks For Hire by G.M. Nair.

How’s the rest of the trilogy going for you? Any word on when we can expect that? Have you decided what’s next, or are you too deep in the weeds on The Azure Archipelago to get serious about that?
I’m sending in Book 2 for the first round of edits in a few days! It is due to be published January 20th, 2023. I think I’m going to put the title out into the world for the first time right here… It will be called (with 93% certainty) The Foundling, the Heist, and the Volcano. These titles are wordy! Book 3 will be out a few months after that.

I actually have become way too serious about what’s next, as I’m currently trying to write Book 3 and this new project at the same time. another face palm My new idea was heavily inspired by Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree. It’s a standalone cozy fantasy set in the same world as my trilogy, but having almost nothing to do with it. I’m very excited about it, and I love it already.

Thanks for your time—and thanks for The Marauders, the Daughter, and the Dragon, I can’t wait to see what’s next and hope it finds its audience.
Thank you! These questions were challenging and fantastic! It’s so cool to talk about my little world with someone who has really dived into it! Your support means a lot to me 🙂

Final Heir: A Few Quick Questions with…Eli Younger and Jane Yellowrock

By HCNewton

On August 22, 2022

In A Few Quick Questions With..., Faith Hunter, Jane Yellowrock/Soulwood, Urban Fantasy

As part of this tour, I was given the opportunity to post a quick Q&A with the Dark Queen herself, Jane Yellowrock. I also snuck in one with her brother, Eli Younger.

I would love to ask Eli… How did you hear about the “gig” with Jane. What were you told? What thought process and research did you (and Alex) do before showing up for the interview. Did you decide before showing up what your “minimum” compensation needed to be to take it?
Eli: I worked with crack team in the military. Afterward I worked alone. The solo money was okay, but not worth the danger I exposed my kid brother to, and I wasn’t still a hundred percent after the injury that ended my Army Ranger career. And though we weren’t going hungry, we weren’t rolling in the hundreds either. Then, in a dark-web former-military chat room that Alex was monitoring, people were talking. He heard about Jane Yellowrock. The money? Yeah, I had a bottom line in mind. But in all honestly once I met her that didn’t matter. I never expected to like working with a non-military chick, but she was okay. The attraction was instantaneous, but in about two days solidified into friendship. Then into family. Worth everything.

How tempting are Beast’s pleas to have “kits” for you, Jane? Do you feel sympathy or does the concept not appeal, despite Beast’s longing for a mate and kits?
Jane: My life has never been a safe place. Deliberately bringing children into this killing scene seems foolish. On top of the danger, I have questions I have to consider (in no particular order): Children with Bruiser would be what? 1/4th Skinwalker, 1/4th human, 1/2 Onorio? Can Onorios even have “children of the body?” And if I abandoned Bruiser and found a mountain lion to mate with, what would those children be? Skinwalker? Mountain lion? Mountain lions keep their kts with them for years to teach them to hunt. In those years, would I forget about being Jane at all? How would Bruiser feel about being abandoned?

You file away a lot of questions or things you need to analyze on some future time. Do you take the time to do it? When? I hope you do!
Jane: Hmmm. Life’s been kinda busy. Sometimes answers pop up and I know my subconscious has figured out things as life pushed me along. But maybe I’ll have time for reflection when everything is done, and the world is at peace. If that ever happens.

How do you feel about all the changes in your life? Does having a family and friends make you feel stronger or more vulnerable? You can now be attacked through them.
Jane: Life was easier without anyone. Way easier. In the beginning, I never got lonely. Even now I don’t feel abused or crash and burn when I’m by myself for too long. But now I have all these people! I mean, allll these people. And I love them. And while it’s freaking hard to keep them all safe, they are all here, and that’s my job, and … and I not only love them, I like most of them. Yeah, I’m vulnerable in my heart, but they are vulnerable in their hearts, their minds, their bodies, and their souls because of me. And yet they stay.

How do you think you’re going to handle a precocious and snoopy Angie Baby as she tries to see how you bubble time? Do tell!
Jane: I am fully aware that Angie will discover all my secrets and all her mom’s and all her dad’s. And I shudder with terror at the thought. She is a sweetheart right now, but eventually she will be hunted by the military, the dark-government, billionaires, cartels, and anyone who thinks humans are dispensable. Then she will need all her power, all her family’s teachings, and all the restraint she can muster to stay alive and safe and keep her loved ones alive and safe too. Because there are people in this world who will use others to get what they want, and they might take Angie’s family to force her to work with and for them. I wouldn’t want to be that person, mind you, because I already see a spark of vengeance in her eyes. But I fear for the person she might have to become to keep them all safe.

Thank you both for your time, I easily could’ve asked a dozen more questions. I’ll let you get back to your duties.

My thanks to Let’s Talk! Promotions for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials (including the book via NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group) they provided.

A Few Quick Questions with…Valerie D. Johnson

By HCNewton

On August 16, 2022

In A Few Quick Questions With..., YA/MG/Children's Books

Earlier this morning, I posted about Valerie D. Johnson’s 1 2 3 Count with Me on Granddad’s Farm. Now I have the opportunity to share this Q&A she participated in with me–this is a picture book with a difference, and it’s that difference that makes it special. But I should let her talk about it.

Your author bio starts with “math whisperer,” which is a great title—I could’ve used one of those forty years ago! Would you describe what you mean by that and tell us a little more about your background and how it led to you writing children’s books?
During my tenure as a classroom teacher, I noticed that students often exhibited math anxiety or expressed how much they disliked math. Truth be told, I never thought of myself as a “math person.” Math was not my favorite subject as a student; it was too abstract. But now that I’m a mathematics specialist, I not only know the how, but I also understand the why. Now, I LOVE MATH and it is my mission to ignite a love of math in all children, one book at a time.

My superpowers are making learning math easy to understand, engaging, meaningful, and fun. And, I help to build math confidence and cultivate a positive math mindset in children with classroom-tested teaching strategies (i.e. encourage mistakes, play games, use tools, etc.).

I have served in education as a classroom teacher, math instructional lead, and currently as a math specialist. As a math specialist, I design and deliver professional development steeped in research and best practice in education. I also coach teachers in finding new teaching methods, tools, and techniques to improve math instruction.

Can you talk a little about the genesis of this particular book and the series?
Some children think of themselves as readers and not mathematicians. They think that math is not engaging and fun. I’d like to help all children develop a positive attitude about math and think of themselves as both readers and mathematicians through charming, math-themed stories with beautiful illustrations.

For over two decades, I’ve always wanted to write a book that would impact the lives of young mathematicians. So, after two years of sleepless nights, lots of editing, and learning about the children’s book industry, I will finally get to share my story with the world. I have poured my heart, time, and effort into writing a picture book, 1 2 3 Count with Me on Granddad’s Farm, that was inspired by summers on the farm with my grandfather.

The illustrations are adorable—how did you team up with Cee Biscoe? What was the process of working with her to combine story and pictures?
Illustrating my picture book went through a lot of stages and took many months to complete. I found my illustrator, Cee Biscoe, with the help of a publishing company that I hired to edit, design, and format my book. She’s a traditional illustrator specializing in children’s books, with work published in over 20 countries worldwide.

First, I sent her my manuscript along with other background information so that she could start imagining how everything would look. Over the next several weeks, we collaborated on character development. I sent her pictures of possible character hairstyles, clothes, and features from my vision board. Then, she drew pencil sketches of the characters and animals. Next, she planned what to show on each page of the story (to determine if there would be single or double-page spreads). Then, she created the thumbnail sketches, rough sketches, and full-size sketches. Revisions also occurred during that time. Once the page layouts (text placement and illustrations) were finalized, she painted the final artwork on large sheets of watercolor paper using gouache paint.

You don’t just tell the story, you give some tips for the parent/teacher/whoever who is reading to/with the child to help spur and develop counting in the book and in real life, with some discussion questions to get the child thinking about numbers. I absolutely love that. Was this where the series came from—looking for ways to get parents/etc. to talk about numbers and counting and then using the story as a vehicle for that?
My picture book was created as a way to engage students in meaningful math practice at home and introduce young readers to my grandfather.

I have two passions—teaching math and empowering parents to support learning at home with tips, tools, and hands-on tasks. Parental involvement helps to increase student engagement and academic achievement. Parents can also help make learning less scary by practicing math at home. Learning to count is more than just memorizing and calling out numbers. The book’s back matter helps little ones develop (and reinforce) a strong foundation in counting and quantity by engaging in meaningful learning experiences (i.e. practicing the counting sequence, counting a collection, matching the number words with the objects being counted, exploring the idea of more or less, etc.) with visual supports.

The Discussion Starters, questions in the back of the book, help young readers comprehend and analyze the story for deeper meaning. The visual models (counting dots, fingers, animals, etc.) on the following pages help little ones to dive deeper into counting and reasoning mathematically.

This book isn’t just about numbers—it’s numbers and family, right? It’s common to set picture books on a farm, but you bring in an individual angle—it’s your actual grandfather’s farm and you bring him in as a character. Could you talk a little about that choice?
This story was inspired by summers on my grandfather’s farm and pays tribute to the special bond between children and their grandfathers. The concept of the book is based on my work with young mathematicians in grades K-6 as an Elementary Math Resource Specialist. And, I dedicated this book to my Aunt Katherine Johnson, NASA Mathematician and Hidden Figure, because she loved to count.

This is the first of a series, what other settings are you going to be counting in? Do you have a schedule for what’s to come?
The setting for the next book in the 1 2 3 Count with Me series will take place in my hometown, Philadelphia. But, I haven’t decided whether I’ll finish the manuscript and publish the next counting book or a growth mindset book.

Thanks for your time—and thanks for introducing me to your grandfather—I hope these books take off!

1 2 3 Count with Me on Granddad’s Farm by Valerie Johnson, Cee Biscoe (Illustrator): A Cute Read-Along with Some Great Bonuses

By HCNewton

On August 16, 2022

In YA/MG/Children's Books

I’ve got a Q&A with the author coming up later today, be sure to check back then!

1 2 3 Count with Me on Granddad’s Farm

by Valerie Johnson, Cee Biscoe (Illustrator)

DETAILS:
Series: Count with Me 
Publisher: West Oak Lane Kids, LLC
Publication Date: August 30, 2022
Format: PDF
Length: 32 pg.

What’s 1 2 3 Count with Me on Granddad’s Farm About?

Every summer this family goes to grandpa’s farm—there are several things around this farm—crops, animals, and so on—to count. We spend some time looking at those things, learning a bit about the farm—and as the title suggests, counting them.

Special Features

Since none of the intended audience for these kind of books spends time reading book blogs—especially book blogs that feature as much Crime Fiction as mine does—I tend to focus on how things will be for adult reading to/with the intended audience.

On that front, this book excels. Counting the number of horses or tomatoes is easy enough to do, and the book provides plenty of opportunities for that.

But after the story part of the book are 3 pages of bonus materials designed to help the grown-ups use the book more effectively and to apply the skills practice in the book outside of the book. There are general prompts and specific questions to use.

I love both the idea and the execution of this—more people need to do this kind of thing.

A Word About the Art

Biscoe’s art walks the line between cutely exaggerated and realistic. Let’s see if I can explain that (long time readers will know this is not a strength of mine).

All the animals and people are drawn in a true-to-life manner, they’re not cartoonish, nothing’s overblown. But everyone from people to horses and deer are smiling.

I think it’s catchy and attractive.

So, what did I think about 1 2 3 Count with Me on Granddad’s Farm?

The only negative I can think of is that the text might be a little small—but it’s hard to tell that sort of thing with a PDF. I might have no complaints if I was looking at a hard copy to have a better idea of scale. Basically, this is designed for the adult to read and guide the child/children.

When read by the adult—especially using the helps provided—I think this’d be a fun and educational read. I think the interactive nature of the book plus the art will grab the attention of the child and will bring them back for more.

Parents/grandparents/caregivers who are wanting a little more out of story time will do well to give this a try. If my kids were a couple of decades younger, I know I’d be grabbing a copy.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this from the author in exchange for this post and my honest opinion.

4 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.

A Few Quick Questions with…Nick Kolakowski (2022 edition)

By HCNewton

On August 8, 2022

In A Few Quick Questions With..., Fiction, Love & Bullets Hookups, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Nick Kolakowski

He’s back for the sixth time, now to talk about the fourth installment of this Love & Bullets series of hookups, Hell of a Mess (I posted about it earlier today). I look forward to these Q&As a lot, I know that when I get the responses I’ll learn a few things, understand the books better, and will grin at least twice. Not only does he write a good book, he writes a good answer. The novel comes out at the end of the month, get your orders in today!

So what brought you back to Bill and Fiona? Did you get a hankering to do something new with them while putting The Megabomb Edition together or did you get the idea for a heist in a hurricane (or something like that) and decide they’d fit better than someone new?
I’d always wanted to do a heist in a hurricane. When I was a teenager, for reasons I can’t quite explain, I was really into the movie “Hard Rain” with Morgan Freeman and Christian Slater, which centers on an armored truck robbery in a flooded town. It’s a pretty mediocre flick, but I really dug the idea of taking two distinct genres—crime and natural disaster—and slamming them together.

So, the basic framework of heist-in-a-hurricane rattled around in my brain for years. I thought about it more after Hurricane Sandy smashed through New York ten years ago, which came with all the chaos you can imagine—no power, flooded buildings, chaos in the streets. I even wrote some crime-themed short stories that took place during Sandy, but the itch to turn it into a full-fledged novel didn’t grip me until 2020.

Originally, it was supposed to involve all-new characters, but I really like Bill and Fiona, and I thought: why not? I know how they think. I know what they’d do. It seemed more organic to make it another Love & Bullets adventure.

This question might have fit better for the first Love and Bullets novella, but it still applies here. Can you talk a little about your decision to have the unnamed-assassin as your first person narrator rather than one of the protagonists, or a third-person omniscient narrator? He’s important to this novel, and the first novella—but not as important to the rest of the series—but he’s not a John Watson or Nick Caraway kind of non-protagonist narrator, either. Maybe you can describe his function in the series as well (I clearly can’t do it concisely). Also, was leaving him nameless a conscious decision, or just something that happened along the way that you stayed with it?
Leaving him nameless is just something that happened along the way. The assassin is human, obviously, but I also think of him as a supernatural or mythical force—almost like a Loki, a spiritual trickster who’s not firmly implanted in this world. Giving him a name seemed to reduce him somehow, at least in my mind.

I can’t explain why he’s written in the first person, and the other characters are shoved into the omniscient third. Not to give too much agency to a fictional character, but it’s what he wants; when I sit down and write from his perspective, it just spools out effortlessly. When I started Hell of a Mess, I very briefly tried writing him from the same third-person perspective as the other characters, and it simply fell flat.

There was also a version of Hell of a Mess where he didn’t appear at all, and it didn’t work, either. He’s the levity that differentiates the series from other crime fiction, in my mind; he’s the crazy element, the secret sauce, the glue that binds the narratives together on a subtextual level. Maybe that’s because he’s always articulating the book’s themes as he wrestles with his own feelings and coincidence; maybe it’s just that I find him funny as hell.

How do you balance the threat of a hurricane with the various human threats running around this book? Are there special challenges involved in using a natural disaster like this in a book, or is it a gift—allowing a random tree branch or torrent of rain to come along and interrupt things when you want?
It’s a gift and a curse. If you’re jammed up in the plot, yeah, you can send a tree branch or a flood through to shake things up—it’s the nature equivalent of Chandler’s old adage about how if you’re stumped on how to advance the plot, just have someone walk in with a gun. Living through Sandy, I learned firsthand how a big storm can really impact even the most mundane physics; at one point, I had to open a door with another big guy, and it took all of our strength to crack it open even a few inches against the wind and the air pressure. You throw those physics into a fictional narrative, and you generate some really interesting potentials for suspense.

At the same time, especially when you’re using a hurricane, you have to make sure the tempo of the storm aligns with your action—for example, as the storm intensifies, your characters really can’t do anything outside, which is why I decided to have the climax of the book take place just as the eye passes overhead, cutting out the wind and rain.

Let’s take a break from your work for a moment—you’re a reader/viewer as well as a writer, what’re some of the books/movies/shows this year that you’ve been enjoying?
I loved Heat 2. I was lucky enough to get an early copy, and I had some trepidations about how well Michael Mann would carry off that shift from cinematic to novelistic, but I needn’t have worried—the book is fantastic. Meg Gardiner, his co-author, layered it with her trademark suspense, and the whole thing really works.

I’m also reading Jordan Harper’s Last King of California, which is coming out in late September in the UK (although U.S. readers can find a copy via Amazon.co.uk pretty easily, I think). It’s a real treat because Harper is one of the best wordsmiths working the crime genre, and every sentence is rich and thick. The book itself is in the proud tradition of noirs like Blood Father and Tapping the Source, and it’s wonderful.

You’ve got Beach Bodies coming out on Halloween, right? I understand that’s a horror novella? Do you want to give a quick pitch for that one?
Beach Bodies is a super-short horror novella that began as a potential project for a smaller horror publisher, but when that didn’t work, I decided to dip my toe into self-publishing. It’s a weird book with one bloody moment near the end that will probably excite hardcore horror fans while freaking other folks out (one early reader texted me, “DUDE, WTF, LOL,” when she reached it).

The short pitch for it: Julia and Alec are two twentysomethings paid to “house sit” a billionaire’s luxury doomsday bunker on an isolated stretch of beach. Three strangers invade the bunker on a sinister mission, and very bad things happen. There’s a big twist that’ll have you questioning the nature of the characters’ very reality.

As usual, I’ve got to ask, what’s coming down the pike? Are you far enough into your next book(s) to talk about it/them?
Right now I’m working on an episode of A Grifter’s Song, which is a long-running series (something like 28 novellas and counting) written by various crime-fiction authors, including S.A. Cosby, Hilary Davidson, and Paul J. Garth. The series follows two hustlers as they attempt to cheat bad folks out of their money. The main challenge for me is taking these two preexisting characters with a rich backstory established by other authors… and trying not to mess it up.

And by “mess it up,” I mean, “make it too much like Bill and Fiona from Love & Bullets,” which I’m definitely at risk of doing. But I’ll make it work.

Thanks for your time—and thanks for Hell of a Mess—it’s always fun spending time with these characters.
Thank you! I love these questions!

Yet A Few More Quick Questions with . . . David Ahern

By HCNewton

On March 16, 2022

In A Few Quick Questions With..., Fiction, Madam Tulip, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

The fifth Madam Tulip—Madam Tulip and the Rainbow’s End—book came out two weeks ago, and I’ve somehow conned the author, David Ahern, to come back for his third Q&A with me. I’ll try to get my post about the book up in a couple of hours, but until then, enjoy Ahern’s As to my Qs. And maybe go check out his website and the books if you haven’t yet.

Madam Tulip’s back for her fifth adventure, you’ve said all along that this was intended as a series—did you see it going this long originally? Have the characters/mysteries developed the way you initially imagined, or have they taken on directions you didn’t expect?
I did envisage five books, but only if I could make each as good or better than the last. I’ll be honest, I hadn’t a clue how the characters would develop. They’ve gone their own way, and I just tag along. They’re wandering into book #6 just now.

On the craft side of writing—looking back over these five books (plus whatever drafts you have in progress), can you see the difference in your own writing? Would you say you’re a better writer now, or (as I’ve heard others say) are you finding new and exciting mistakes to make?
If I wasn’t learning something with every book, I’d quit. Writing by numbers, never trying anything new, would make writing too boring for me. On the other hand, getting out of the comfort zone is risky. With ‘the Rainbow’s End,’ I thought more than once I might not be able to pull off what I was trying to do. The story has both a mystery and a puzzle running in parallel. Neither should weaken the other, and they have to synch neatly at the end. Technically a tall order, but I knew if it worked it would be a great read. And when you do pull off a craft challenge and everything clicks, you know it, and that’s satisfying.

While the MadamTulip books aren’t really “humor” per se, there’s a lot of comic moments throughout them. One of the things I’ve been thinking about lately is how authors strike the balance between comedy and the serious matters being depicted in their stories. How do you approach this idea? Also, is that something that’s there from the first draft onwards? Or is that something you address in one of your re-writes? On a related note: when you read for pleasure, what do you gravitate toward—the comedic or the serious/dark?
On the technical side, mixing humor and serious material does have to be managed carefully, but it’s more instinctive with me than thought through. I never have to redraft for taste reasons, only for pace. Good mysteries are very moral books and crime isn’t funny. Folly is where the comedy lives, and that’s ok.

I’ve always loved comic writing. Thurber, Wodehouse, our own Flann O’Brien, Douglas Adams – I adore them. Most of my reading these days is non-fiction, especially history, and almost all of my TV work when I used to produce documentaries was on subjects that don’t leave much room for cheer. Humor is a great relief from all of that. I’ve pretty well given up reading dark fiction, especially anything with graphic violence. Having said that, I’m reading Alexander Pope’s translation of Homer’s Illiad right now, and the thing is one long catalogue of brilliantly described homicides. I should stop reading it but I can’t. That boy Homer has talent and may have a future.

Not only do you have to come up with new settings and mysteries for Derry to stumble into for each book, you have to come up with a storyline for her father, Jacko. Which idea is harder to plan: his escapades or Derry’s? The first time we did a Q&A, you said your grandfather inspired Jacko—are you still drawing on your memories of him?
Derry’s adventures are by far the most demanding, because they’re both mystery and thriller. Jacko’s scrapes seem to arrive of their own accord, though I do like them to share something of the same drivers as the main story. In ‘the Rainbow’s End,’ everybody is chasing some dream, and Jacko is no exception.

Yes, my old granda is still in my thoughts. He had the wonderful quality of relishing life with an infectious enthusiasm. He always had a plan, usually none too practical. My mother lately reminded me that when he left the Irish Army (he was a sergeant several times), he spent his gratuity payout on a piano he could hardly play and a stuffed alligator that cluttered up the hallway for years. I guess he just liked the idea at the time.

We’ve also talked about Bruce before—Derry’s ex-Navy SEAL friend who she can pal around with, and who provides the physical prowess she occasionally has to have to stay alive. He’s such a great character, have you considered a novel/short story focused on him alone?
To be honest, I haven’t thought of a way to do that. Although the Tulip stories are unlikely in the way all amateur sleuth stories are, I keep them psychologically very realistic. Bruce uses his acting vocation to help cope with the more troubling things from his history in the service. That works for him, and no big deal is made about it. But if he were the main character, keeping him realistic without veering into the darker side would be impossible and not the Bruce we know now. In the life he has in the Tulip stories, he’s just himself. There’s something charmingly unreflective about him that in a main character could veer into a cartoon.

What’s next for David Ahern, author?
Another Madam Tulip. She’s not finished with me yet.

That sounds like a win for me! Thanks for your time—and thanks for Madam Tulip and the Rainbow’s End and I hope you have plenty of success with it.
Thanks, H.C. A pleasure talking to you as always.

A Few Quick Questions with…Nick Kolakowski (2021 edition)

By HCNewton

On November 22, 2021

In A Few Quick Questions With..., Fiction, Love & Bullets Hookups, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Nick Kolakowski

I’ve given up trying to come up with titles for these, this is the fifth Q&A I’ve done with Nick Kolakowski. I’m going to revert to tracking them with years. The focus this time is on Love & Bullets: Megabomb Edition, that I’ll post about sometime today–you’re going to want to get your hands on it’s a lot of fun. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the Q&A:

You address this in the Introduction to Love and Bullets: Megabomb Edition, but can you give a thumbnail version of the choice to combine the novellas into a novel?
I never intended to combine them—at least at first. But Suhrkamp Verlag, which is a pretty sizable German publisher, approached Down & Out Books and Shotgun Honey about doing a combined, translated edition. That hefty book proved a solid success in Europe when it came out in 2020, which inevitably led to thoughts of doing a combined, English edition over here.

I think most writers, when given the opportunity to tweak their work, will take it. In fact, they might take the opportunity a bit too far. I started out envisioning some minor alterations—akin to what we did with the German edition, mostly to clean up some timelines—and ended up steering hard into a full-on rewrite. And that, I found, was pretty good for the soul.

To create this version, you include, “a change in a major character’s fate that ripples throughout the narrative.” I was pleased once I saw who that character was, and I really enjoyed the new material (and it felt seamless). Was that a choice that leapt immediately to mind when you started thinking about this version, or was there a little bit of struggle to decide what kind of new material to put in this edition?
Yes! Bringing that character back was the first thing I wanted to do. His voice had always poured out so effortlessly, and I came to regret killing him off as quickly as I did. Plus, taking him on a cross-country journey, then setting him up for a bit of third-act revenge, nicely added to the overall page-count—I wanted to give a lot of new material to anyone who’d read the novellas before, and was potentially wondering what they might get out of picking up the combined edition.

Knowing how things ended up allowed me to focus a bit more on details of the book—I wasn’t racing to see what happened next. One of the things I wished I’d paid more attention to the first time was the descriptions of the artwork in the gallery in Slaughterhouse Blues. Your descriptions of them function really well as either a satire of contemporary art or a positive depiction of it (depending on the inclination of the reader, I suspect). Were any of those works inspired by actual works you’ve seen? Or did you just sit down and have fun with the idea?
Like so many of the things I write about, all that art was pulled from real life. In New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood, there used to be a string of warehouses near the West Side Highway that housed small galleries, and those galleries were filled with new art on what felt like a monthly basis (most of those galleries have been replaced by ultra-expensive condos, which is the way of NYC, I guess). When I was younger and broke, it was fun to grab a group of friends and head down there and drink free wine and view whatever was on display and selling for an absurd amount of money. Some of the art was quite good, and some of it was dreck so memorable it stayed in my head for years, just waiting to be translated into fiction.

I love a lot of modern art but it’s stunning what will sell for the cost of a new Tesla. I seriously suspect that money laundering is involved. Or very expensive favors between friends. It’s something I’d love to write about someday but haven’t quite come up with the time to invest in it.

I could come up with three or four questions about every supporting character in this book, but neither of us has that kind of time, so let’s focus on The Dean. He’s a both a comic figure (in mannerisms, vocabulary, etc.) and a violent criminal that should not be underestimated. How hard is that balance to strike (although, for this novel, it’s par for the course, so maybe no harder than any other). Where did The Dean come from?
I felt like too many books featured criminals who’d been born into the lifestyle. You read lots of thrillers with assassins who’d been taught the killing arts since birth, and/or were raised in a family or culture where criminality was as natural as breathing. I’d always wanted to construct a villain who was almost a criminal against their better instincts, someone who saw it as a way to make good money but who found it so stressful he basically woke up on the trembling edge of a coronary every day of his life.

With The Dean, having as a comic foil was also key. But as I wrote the novellas, I began to realize that his stress was also what made him dangerous—he prided himself on his rationality, but once his blood pressure skyrocketed past a certain point, he lost all control. When I was deep in the rewriting, I thought about extending his arc a bit, maybe giving him a bit more explicit backstory; but with villains, sometimes less is truly more.

Let’s play “Online Bookstore Algorithm” (a game I made up for these Q&As). What are 3-5 books whose readers may like Love and Bullets?
Definitely Winslow’s Savages, which is a masterpiece of splattery, slapstick violence that also has real consequences. I feel like people who loved Anthony Bourdain’s snarkiness in Kitchen Confidential and Medium Raw would get into the tone of this one. Anyone who liked Frank Miller’s Sin City series would probably dig the action.

As usual, I’ve got to ask, what’s coming down the pike? Are you far enough into your next book to talk about it?
Right now I’m working on a novel-length sequel to “Love & Bullets,” which is set in Manhattan during a hurricane. I’m about a quarter of the way through writing it, and that’ll primarily be aimed at the European market. After that, I want to write a culinary-themed noir, but I’m still very much in research mode—I’ve been reading a lot of Anthony Bourdain and Bill Bufford, but also Kem Nunn’s Tapping the Source, which is a big inspiration for it. We’ll see how that goes.

Thanks for your time—and thanks for this fresh look at Bill and Fiona! I hope this version of their story finds a lot of new readers.
I do, too!