Author Interview: David Keck

Lisa (@ Over the Effing Rainbow), Jorie (@ Jorie Loves a Story) and imyril (@ One More) are delighted to bring you WYRD AND WONDER, where they plan to celebrate all things fantastical throughout the month of May!

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Today I am interviewing David Keck, author of the new fantasy novel, In the Eye of Heaven, first book in the Tales of Durand series.

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DJ: Hi David! Thanks for agreeing to do this interview!

For readers who aren’t familiar with you, could you tell us a little about yourself?

David Keck: Big picture, I’m a prairie Canadian. Winnipeg is where I grew up, and it’s still the place I think of when someone asks about “home” although I’ve been living in New York City for fourteen years. Somewhere along the line I got hooked on science fiction and fantasy. I remember watching Star Trek reruns after school, and playing Hoth in the snow drifts. I will also confess to playing Dungeons and Dragons too much at high school.

I did a degree in writing at the University of Sussex and snuck off to climb around castles and henges as often as I could. I am not sure how many tombs and towers and mossy stones I’ve seen. (An Ordnance Survey map can be your best friend). Now, I’m a teacher in a Washington Heights middle school. Life can be astonishing. Oh, and, when I grow up, I also want to be a cartoonist! (I love drawing monsters and things, and a few have appeared in professional spots over the years).

DJ: What is In the Eye of Heaven about?

David: In the Eye of Heaven is the story of a real, rust-and-muscle knight who backs into the center of a civil war full of mad dukes and sorcerous horrors. It’s the first book in a trilogy, and it sees our hero, Durand Col, miss out on an inheritance and make some terrible mistakes as he tries to find his own way. Without giving away too much, Durand earns a place in the retinue of a young man who hopes to prove himself as a tournament hero. Before the end of the novel, the half-war of those early tournaments leads Durand and his friends deep into the politics that tear their nation to pieces.

DJ: What were some of your influences In the Eye of Heaven and the series?

David: I’m a huge reader of actual history and folklore. I’m deeply interested in how people actually lived and died–and what they believed while doing it. My bookshelves are crammed with the stuff. So, when I turned to writing In the Eye of Heaven, I brought with me all of the eerie folktales and grim histories I’d been reading. In some ways, what you get is an antidote to an Arthurian romance. You will find uncanny places and ancient sorceries, but the men and women you meet must deal with broken bones, grumpy horses, and at least one scrape with medieval dentistry.

Author Interview: Nancy Springer

Lisa (@ Over the Effing Rainbow), Jorie (@ Jorie Loves a Story) and imyril (@ One More) are delighted to bring you WYRD AND WONDER, where they plan to celebrate all things fantastical throughout the month of May!

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Today I am interviewing Nancy Springer, “legendary fantasy writer” according to Publishers Weekly, author of long-awaited mythic fantasy novel The Oddling Prince .

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DJ: Hi Nancy! Thanks for agreeing to do this interview!

For readers who aren’t familiar with you, could you tell us a little about yourself?

Nancy Springer: Well, I’m almost seventy years old, but some things haven’t changed since I was a child. I get a lot more pleasure out of seeing a giant swallowtail butterfly than having a new bracelet. My idea of a good time is wading up a creek, especially if I find a salamander. I like to go off by myself on foot or a bike or a horse to explore the backwoods. I’m contrary; for instance, a lot of people loathe snakes, but I like them. I’ve always been an oddball. Being a social misfit gave me a difficult childhood, but now it works very much to my advantage as a writer, which has been my profession for my entire adult life. There are times when I am lonely because, as a self-employed individual, I don’t have co-workers, but thank Mothergod for my family – two brothers, two grown children, and my husband, who is my rock.

DJ: What is The Oddling Prince about?

Nancy: Two heroes and the bond between them, which should surprise none of my longtime readers, because just this sort of thing has been a frequent theme in my writing. Why? Because vivid, compelling, almost frightening daydreams along those lines have obsessed me most of my life since I was fifteen. The first fantasies I wrote, which were also my first novels, always had two noble heroes, faithful comrades, one dark, moody, poetic and visionary, the other sunny and prosaic, gallant and steadfast. In hindsight, I can see I was working out profound psychological problems — but interestingly, the compulsion to fantasize ceased sometime after I met my second husband, the love of my life. Still, a good while later, I wrote THE ODDLING PRINCE because of one last daydream I’d kept in memory, a tale of a seemingly ordinary prince and his oddling double. This time, however, neither of my heroes is dark and moody. Devoted to each other, both are tall and fair-haired, looking nearly as alike as twins. This time the grim, stormy element comes from someone with authority over them, the king. The result is a fraught triangle of turbulent loyalties. This book is about a love worthy of legend, valor in battle, fealty threatened by jealousy and suspicion, a seemingly doomed quest for the sake of brotherhood, and the dangers come in so many forms…forgive me for being so vague. I don’t want to let go a spoiler.

Author Interview: Deborah A. Wolf

Lisa (@ Over the Effing Rainbow), Jorie (@ Jorie Loves a Story) and imyril (@ One More) are delighted to bring you WYRD AND WONDER, where they plan to celebrate all things fantastical throughout the month of May!

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Today I am interviewing Deborah A. Wolf, author of the new fantasy novel, The Forbidden City, second book in The Dragon’s Legacy series.

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DJ: Hi Deborah! Thanks for agreeing to do this interview!

Deborah A. Wolf: My pleasure! Thanks for having me back.

DJ: For readers who aren’t familiar with you, could you tell us a little about yourself?

Deborah A. Wolf: Aw, I’m just your run of the mill ex military, martial arts studying, horseback riding, single momming, fishing, adrenaline junkie fantasy nerd.  😉

DJ: What is The Forbidden City and then The Dragon’s Legacy series about?

Deborah: It’s about young people coming of age and having to correct the mistakes of their elders, while fucking the world up anew. It’s about friendship and love in the face of disaster. It’s about power imbalance and abuse, the absolute absurdity of war, gender norms… and, most especially, it’s about dragons.

DJ: What were some of your influences for the The Dragon’s Legacy series?

Deborah: Growing up in a mostly Athabascan village in the middle of Alaska, immersion in the Arabic language and cultures, and a passion for Tolkien make for a very potent brew. Also, George R. R. Martin basically gave me permission to really fuck my characters up, so blame him.

DJ: Could you briefly tell us a little about your main characters? Do they have any cool quirks or habits, or any reason why readers with sympathize with them? 

Deborah: I love all my characters. Each of them is imperfect, and flailing through life as best they can. Sometimes they fuck up, and those fuckups can have terrible, irreparable consequences, but they keep trying. Jian, for instance, lives in a slave empire and is constrained by his half-dae heritage to become a member of Sindan’s elite military force, but he tries to create a small bubble of safety and normalcy for those he loves. Sulema is dragged into politics when all she wants to do is ride her horse and be a warrior for her people, but she tries her best to live up to her new responsibilities. And Hafsa Azeina really is trying to kill fewer people.

Author Interview: Tyler Whitesides

Lisa (@ Over the Effing Rainbow), Jorie (@ Jorie Loves a Story) and imyril (@ One More) are delighted to bring you WYRD AND WONDER, where they plan to celebrate all things fantastical throughout the month of May!

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Today I am interviewing Tyler Whitesides, author of the new fantasy novel, The Thousand Deaths of Ardor Benn, first book in the Kingdom of Grit trilogy.

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DJ: Hi Tyler! Thanks for agreeing to do this interview!

For readers who aren’t familiar with you, could you tell us a little about yourself?

Tyler Whitesides: Hi! Thanks for interviewing me! I live in northern Utah with my wife and son. I’m the author of two fantasy series for young readers, JANITORS, and THE WISHMAKERS. ARDOR BENN is my first venture into fantasy for adults. I’m so excited!  

When I’m not writing, I love to get out into the mountains near my house and enjoy hiking, skiing, and fly fishing. I studied music in college (specifically percussion) and I still try to play as often as I can. I’ve always been cursed with an overabundance of interests, and you know what they say about a jack of all trades…

DJ: What is The Thousand Deaths of Ardor Benn about?

Tyler: The story centers around a con man, Ardor Benn, who calls himself a “ruse artist extraordinaire.” After years of successful heists, he’s hired by a priest for his biggest job yet – to steal the king’s coat and crown. To do it right, Ard needs to play the long game, consulting with expert criminals as he and his team infiltrates high society to gain access to the king.

DJ: What were some of your influences The Thousand Deaths of Ardor Benn and the series?

Tyler: I love smart heist movies and tv shows such as Leverage, and White Collar. I wanted to capture a similar feeling in a fantasy world. I also love the complexity and unique nature of the magic systems in Brandon Sanderson’s books, so I definitely found some inspiration there as well.

Author Interview: Kathryn Troy

Lisa (@ Over the Effing Rainbow), Jorie (@ Jorie Loves a Story) and imyril (@ One More) are delighted to bring you WYRD AND WONDER, where they plan to celebrate all things fantastical throughout the month of May!

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Today I am interviewing Kathryn Troy, author of the new fantasy novel, Dreams of Ice and Shadow, second book in the Frostbite series.

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DJ: Hi Kathryn! Thanks for agreeing to do this interview!

For readers who aren’t familiar with you, could you tell us a little about yourself?

Kathryn: Hi DJ! Thanks again for having me back! For people who don’t know me, here’s the run-on version: I have a B.A. in history even though I love literature and cinema too but when I went to law school I didn’t like that so I got two more degrees in history and wrote a nonfiction book about ghosts but when I decided to become a baker I realized that what I really wanted to do was write romantic fantasy. I still have day jobs (a few of them), but I’ve been writing fiction for a few years now, and can’t seem to stop producing more of my favorite things, which include dark fantasy, romance, horror, and a smattering of historical fiction.

DJ: What is Dreams of Ice and Shadow and then the Frostbite series about?

Kathryn: Dreams of Ice and Shadow picks up right where the first book, A Vision in Crimson, left off. Luca is on the outs with the love of his life, Katelyn, because he’s decided he needs to track down his father alone, so that Kate won’t do something impulsive with her magic that will end up hurting her. To keep herself from going crazy, Katelyn decides to join Alaric over in Likhan and help him start a revolution, but there’s just as much danger there. Twice as much if you consider that Alaric has the hots for Katelyn, always has, and now she’s hiding out in his room.

As far as the series as a whole is concerned, it’s a lot of things, genre-wise. It’s undoubtedly romantic fantasy, but there are also hefty doses of Gothicism and adventure, with some slight horror and weird fiction undertones. The series’ trajectory will take it into more solid fantasy territory, and deal more with mysticism and origins for the world, the source of Katelyn’s powers, etc. If I had to define the arc of the Frostbite series in a nutshell, it would be the perils of Icarya told through the eyes of a couple in love.

Author Interview: Stephen R. Lawhead

Lisa (@ Over the Effing Rainbow), Jorie (@ Jorie Loves a Story) and imyril (@ One More) are delighted to bring you WYRD AND WONDER, where they plan to celebrate all things fantastical throughout the month of May!

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Today I am interviewing Stephen R. Lawhead, author of the new fantasy novel, In the Region of the Summer Stars, first book in his latest series: Eirlandia.

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DJ: Hi Stephen! Thanks for agreeing to do this interview!

For readers who aren’t familiar with you, could you tell us a little about yourself?

Stephen R. Lawhead: Hi, DJ. It’s a pleasure to be here. I’ve been writing professionally for over 30 years, so many readers will already know that most of my books tend to be placed on the fantasy and science-fiction shelves of the various bookstores. For anyone curious about the more mundane details, I usually direct them to my official website: http://www.stephenlawhead.com, or my Facebook page.

DJ: The title of this new book, In the Region of the Summer Stars …. I think I remember a book by that name, and it’s about King Arthur. What gives?

SRJ: Actually, I think maybe your book is called Taliessin Through Logres and The Region of the Summer Stars. I have it, too, in fact. (As well as an old vinyl LP by an Irish group called The Enid.) These are two brilliant epic poems by the genius writer Charles Williams. For me, that phrase conjured up the sort of Otherworld feel I wanted for Eirlandia and, fortunately, there is no copyright or trademarking of book titles, so I felt free to use simply because it’s such a beautiful and evocative phrase, and one I repurpose and put to good use in the story.

Eirlandia is set in the great golden age of Ireland’s mystical past—part history, part fantasy, but totally inspiring. It is loosely based on the kinds of events, characters, culture, and life you find recorded in Ireland’s legendary Lebor Gabála Érenn, or more often called, The Book of Invasions which records a seeminly never-ending series of invasions of the island by various tribes and races—including faéries, and the Tuatha Dé Danann. Both of these folk come to the forefront in my tale.

Author Interview: Jeff Noon

Lisa (@ Over the Effing Rainbow), Jorie (@ Jorie Loves a Story) and imyril (@ One More) are delighted to bring you WYRD AND WONDER, where they plan to celebrate all things fantastical throughout the month of May!

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Today I am interviewing Jeff Noon, author of the new fantasy novel, The Body Library, second book in the Nyquist series.

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DJ: Hi Jeff! Thanks for agreeing to do this interview!



For readers who aren’t familiar with you, could you tell us a little about yourself?



Jeff Noon: I started writing plays in my early 30s, had some success with that, and lots of rejection slips! And then I switched to novels in the early 1990s. My first novel was Vurt, an attempt to portray the city of Manchester as I witnessed it around me at the time, while projecting it into a slightly alternative reality. The book came out on a tiny independent publisher but was lucky enough to win the Arthur C. Clarke Award, and so that was the start of my career as a science fiction author. I have written a good number of novels and short stories since then, in various styles, all of them hovering somewhere around the avant pulp interface.



DJ: What is The Body Library and then the Nyquist series about?



Jeff: The Body Library is the follow-up to A Man of Shadows and continues my SF Private Eye series. Each novel is set in a different city, and each city contains a different weird or fantastical element. So the first book was set in a city called Dayzone, where the sky is completely covered in lamps of various kinds: it never goes dark. The novel explores the concept of time as a liquid substance. Because the city is completely cut off from the normal cycles of day and night, time has dissolved into a complex series of interconnecting time lines. Nyquist leaves that city at the end of the book and The Body Library finds him taking up residence in a new city, one obsessed with language and stories. He gets caught up in a murder mystery that takes him closer and closer to the heart of storytelling, until he actually becomes a character and enters the story. The book explores many different ideas of narrative and what stories mean to different people. The Nyquist series as a whole places a lone individual against a world he can barely understood in its entirety, and then sets him on a path that leads to the very heart of the mystery. I tried to make sure that the second book stands on its own, separate from the first book, so they could be enjoyed separately. Although, of course, they work best as a series.