Author Interview: Devin Madson

Today I am interviewing Devin Madson, author of the new fantasy novel, We Ride the Storm, first book in The Reborn Empire series. 

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

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

Devin Madson: : I’m an Australian epic fantasy author… as in I’m from Australia not that I write epic fantasy about Australia. Honestly, I don’t think I could out-fantasy the animals we already have here. I self-published my first book in 2013 and was picked up by Orbit in 2019, I work a stupidly obsessive amount, love video games but never have time to play, love plants but never have time to garden, love doing jigsaws but… well, you get the idea.

DJ: What is We Ride the Storm about?

Devin: We Ride the Storm is the story of an empire built by war being brought down by war, crushed beneath its history of division and inherited hurts. We follow three different point-of-view characters, one from each of the three cultures clashing here. A snarky assassin with a voice in her head she can’t escape, an honourable warrior trying to hold on to his tenets while being forced to fight in a foreign war, and an ambitious princess who wants to rule the empire in her own right whatever the cost. There’s a lot of intrigue, tense battles, trippy necromancy, respectful head severing, tea, and my favourite of all – disaster humans.

DJ: What were some of your influences We Ride the Storm and the series? 

Devin: We Ride the Storm is the continuation of a generational story I started in my novella, In Shadows We Fall, and then continued on through The Vengeance Trilogy (also being re-released by Orbit and will be available early August). So while I deliberately wrote them to be read in any order, it means there wasn’t as much unique inspiration for this story. When I first started writing in this world, the story I wanted to tell informed much of the world building, but now the world and its history informs the stories I want to tell.

The world itself has lots of inspirational sources as it’s been growing slowly in my mind and in my books, trunked and finished, for more than ten years. The magic system came from listening to my aunt talk about the past lives she’d been regressed through, a lot of the world history is inspired by little bits of our own history, and the whole Levanti culture was born from the original first line of the book because I’m that much of a pantser.

Author Interview: Louisa Morgan

Today I am interviewing Louisa Morgan, author of the new fantasy novel, The Age of Witches.

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

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

Louisa Morgan: Hi, DJ, and thank you so much for inviting me. I’m a former classical singer, which is probably the most curious fact about me. I’m also a mother, a wife, a devoted yogini, and an equally devoted dog lover. My current dog (who I also think of as my spirit familiar) is a handful of a Border Terrier called Oscar. There are pictures of him on my website–he’s the cutest one of the family.

DJ: What is The Age of Witches about?

Louisa: This is always a hard question to answer concisely, because as the author, it’s about so very many things! This novel is set in the Gilded Age, in 1890. It’s about three women with abilities which they use, with varying degrees of success, to try to free themselves from the pre-ordained roles of women of their day. It’s also about a very sweet, very gentle man whose life is as proscribed as those of the female characters. In addition, there’s a hefty dose of herbalism as well as horsemanship (horsewomanship) and a good bit of cultural critique.

DJ: What were some of your influences for The Age of Witches? 

Louisa: As a Downton Abbey devotee, I became fascinated by the wealthy American girls who were more or less sold off to obtain noble titles. It’s a complex and rather strange history, and I was deeply interested in what became of these girls after the grand marriages and the handover of the dowry. I’m always interested in horses, and herbalism as well, so that came naturally for me. And witches–well. I’m into all things magical.

Author Interview: M.R. Carey

Today I am interviewing M.R. Carey, author of the new science-fiction novel, The Book of Koli, first book in the Rampart trilogy. 

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DJ: Hi M.R.! Thanks for agreeing to do this interview! 

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

M.R. Carey: For sure. I’ve been writing my whole life, but I only started doing it as an actual career back in 2000. Before that it was a hobby, and my day job was teaching English at post-16 and adult education levels.

I started out writing exclusively comic books, because that was where I got my break, but I gradually branched out from there into other forms of writing – novels and short stories, then screenwriting, radio, console games… The last two don’t appear on my resume because I didn’t get on with them all that well.

I always write in genre. My comfort zone stretches from horror through dark fantasy into science fiction. Even when I write comedy, which is very occasionally, there’s always a fantasy element. I have no interest whatsoever in writing what has come to be called literary fiction.

DJ: What is The Book of Koli about?

M.R.: It’s a post-apocalyptic narrative, set a few centuries in the future. Our current world-spanning civilisation has fallen apart for many different reasons. There was resource depletion, which caused resource wars. There was a catastrophic decline in biodiversity. The climate broke down, in spite of our best efforts – and throwing science at the problem mostly made things worse. In trying to make plant species hardier and more resilient, we’ve created forests of killer trees that trap and feed on anything that moves.

As a result of all these crises, the human population has spectacularly declined. The survivors live in small, isolated communities – so small that they’re probably not even genetically viable in the longer term. The level of technology has gone back to something close to a medieval level – except for a few precious pieces of tech salvaged from the old times. The people who wield this tech are known as Ramparts, and the protagonist of the book, Koli Woodsmith, desperately wants to become one. But it’s very much a case of “be careful what you wish for…”

Author Interview: Jason Arnopp

Today I am interviewing Jason Arnopp, author of the new horror novel, Ghoster.

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

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

Jason Arnopp: Hi there DJ! Thanks for having me here. I’m a writer of scary novels, who also tries to make you laugh from time to time. My background’s in journalism, originally rock journalism for the weekly UK magazine Kerrang! The exclamation mark is in the mag’s title, by the way. My first novel for Orbit Books was 2016’s The Last Days of Jack Sparks, about an arrogant celebrity who sets out to prove that the supernatural doesn’t exist and ends up in trouble with certain parties when he laughs during the exorcism of a teenage girl. And now here we are with Ghoster.

DJ: What is Ghoster about?

Jason: It’s about a paramedic called Kate, whose boyfriend Scott disappears on the eve of her moving across the country to live with him. When she breaks into his apartment, all his possessions have disappeared too… except for his mobile phone. As a self-identified phone addict, should Kate crack into Scott’s phone to find out where he’s gone and why he’s done this to her. Why do scratches keep appearing on the inside of the front door? And why does she feel so very watched? 

Beyond that summary of the premise, Ghoster is about modern dating, digital addiction and exactly what the hell the internet might have done to our brains.

DJ: What were some of your influences for Ghoster? 

Jason: In terms of real-world influence, as with The Last Days of Jack Sparks, the story was driven by my concerns about the dark sides or consequences of all this hyper-connectivity. I certainly feel like my attention span has reduced a fair bit over the last 10 years and I’m none too sure of how I feel about that.

Author Interview: Gareth Hanrahan

Today I am interviewing Gareth Hanrahan, author of the new fantasy novel, The Gutter Prayer, first book in the The Black Iron Legacy series.

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

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

Gareth Hanrahan: By day, I’m a game designer, creating adventures and rules supplements for tabletop roleplaying games. So, I spend all day writing about monsters and heroes and sinister plots, then switch over to Scrivener and… write about monsters and heroes and sinister plots.

Fortunately, I like monsters and sinister plots. Heroes… are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.

I’m based in Ireland. Bearded. Early 40s. Two or three children, depending on when this interview gets posted.

DJ: What is The Gutter Prayer about?

Gareth: Three thieves in a fantastical city are betrayed by the master of the thieves’ guild. One’s caught and imprisoned, one escaped, and the third is ransomed by an eccentric history professor after she starts to have bizarre magical visions. The three thieves reunite and plot to use this new power to get revenge on their former master. What they don’t realise is that this strange gift has deep and terrible connections to the secret history of the city, and they’re not the only people who seek to use this gift.

DJ: What were some of your influences for The Gutter Prayer and the series?

Gareth: It’s sort of a conceptual stew – there’s lots and lots of stuff in there. Worrying about climate change and just-in-time delivery while wandering around a grocery store. Tim Powers novels, especially DECLARE. Dungeons and Dragons monsters. Thinking about what the Crimean War – and the 19th century in general – might have looked like with magic alchemy. Some old BBC Series like the original House of Cards and Seven Wonders of the Victorian Age. Time misspent on World of Warcraft. Robert Holdstock’s Lavondyss.

Author Interview: R.J. Barker

Today I am interviewing RJ Barker, author of the new fantasy novel, King of Assassins, final book in the Wounded Kingdom trilogy.

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

RJ Barker: Oh, no problem, it is a joy to be interviewed by you. I’m quite tired after having been away for a week so if some of my answers don’t make sense that’s why. Although, to be fair, quite often I don’t make sense when I’m awake.  

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

RJ Barker: I’m English, I live in the north of England (or Stark country, if you learn your geography through GoT) which is unanimously agreed by all English people to be the best bit of England. I collect old taxidermy that’s gone a bit wrong and have a wonderful wife and little boy. Since Age of Assassins has been released it’s been a bit of a whirlwind. I’ve been shortlisted for: The Kitschie Golden Tentacle, the Gemmel Morningstar and the British Fantasy Society’s Best Newcomer and Best Novel awards. I’ve also been a judge in the James White short story award. I love to read (unlikely I’ll make it to the US in the near future but if I do my readings are fun) and I love to write but mostly I like people.

Erm, I am also enthusiastic.

DJ: What is King of Assassins and then the Wounded Kingdom trilogy about?

RJ: So MANY things. In the most basic way each book is a murder mystery and as a trilogy it’s the story of the assassin Girton Club-Foot. We grow with him, from quite a simple view of the world in Age of… to a much more nuanced understanding in King of… and the lynchpin of his world is the relationship he has with his teacher, Merela Karn. But, like with all books, there’s huge amounts of subtext, ideas about power and who holds it and the price that’s paid, of redemption and forgiveness, of friendship and familial love. There’s loads going on in the books but I think it’s important to make things accessible so you can ignore all the subtext and allegory and just read an exciting story with lots of battles.

DJ: What were some of your influences for the Wounded Kingdom trilogy?

RJ: A Huge influence was The Chronicles of Morgaine by C.J. Cherryh which is also based around a platonic m/f friendship. A lot of people have pointed out similarities to Robin Hobb’s Farseer books but, although I have read them and undoubtedly they are stored in my mind (and Robin is fantastic) they weren’t a conscious influence on Girton, the tone was much more influenced by C.J. Sansom’s Shardlake books about a lawyer in Tudor England. Also, a whole lot of history books too (probably written by people with the initials C.J. as it seems to be a theme.) Also, Patrick O Brian and American crime writers like James Lee Burke and Robert Crais.

Author Interview: Rich Larson

Today I am interviewing Rich Larson, author of the new science-fiction novel, Annex, first book in the Violet Wars trilogy.

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

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

Rich Larson: I was born in Galmi, Niger and now live in Ottawa, Canada. My work has been translated into Chinese, Vietnamese, Polish, Czech, French and Italian. I write a lot of short stories: I was the most prolific author of short science fiction in 2015, 2016 and probably 2017 as well. My debut novel, Annex, comes out from Orbit Books in July 2018, and my debut collection, Tomorrow Factory, follows in October 2018 from Talos Press. Alongside writing, I like travelling, learning languages, playing soccer, watching NBA basketball, shooting pool, and dancing kizomba.

DJ: What is Annex about?

Rich: Annex is about kids fighting aliens, but also about loyalty, family, and outsiderhood.

DJ: What were some of your influences Annex and the series?

Rich: Annex is heavily influenced by Garth Nix’s Shade’s Children, Cornelia Funke’s The Thief Lord and K.A. Applegate’s Animorphs. It also has shades of Coraline by Neil Gaiman, Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card and A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket / Daniel Handler. Basically, it’s a love letter to all the books I devoured as a kid.

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?

Rich: The two main characters are Bo and Violet. Bo is single-minded when it comes to playing rock-paper-scissors and has an alien parasite in his stomach that gives him superpowers. Violet hates baseball but is talented at maiming biomechanical othermothers with a baseball bat.

Author Interview: Craig DiLouie

Today I am interviewing Craig DiLouie, author of the new dark fantasy novel, One of Us.

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

Craig DiLouie: I’m very happy to be here!

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

Craig: I’m what’s called a hybrid author, meaning I publish through traditional publishers, usually big standalone novels, while also self-publishing, typically pulpy series of dime novels. I’m prolific as to genre, playing with dark fantasy, horror, apocalyptic, and military historical fiction. What I think my signature is for these very different works is putting ordinary people you care about in extraordinary situations, and putting fantastic elements–whether it be monsters, what have you–in a very realistic, gritty world. Otherwise, I was born in America, live in Canada, and I’m a proud dad of two wunderkinds.

DJ: What is One of Us about?

Craig: One of Us is a dark fantasy novel about about a disease that results in a generation of monsters who are now growing up in poverty-stricken and abusive orphanages in the rural South. As they come of age, they must find a way to fit in–or fight for what’s theirs. Author Claire North called it “The Girl with All the Gifts meets To Kill a Mockingbird,” which I think nails it.

DJ: What were some of your influences for One of Us?

Craig: I wanted to write a novel about prejudice in all its forms–societal, institutional, and individual–while taking it to its extreme. What if humanity produced a generation of frightening monsters who had the hearts and minds of children? What if these children achieved extraordinary powers as they grew up–would we admire or fear them even more? If Spider-Man half looked like a real spider, would he still be a hero? If Superman had horns and a tail?

My goal wasn’t to preach or offer a single solution but instead entice readers to experience the topic in their gut and reflect on what they felt. In its basic concept, the story is reminiscent of The Conquest of the Planet of the Apes and X-Men. Otherwise, the story screamed for a Southern Gothic treatment, with influences ranging from Carson McCullers to Cormac McCarthy. Violent and over the top, the Southern Gothic lit tradition often features a society in decay, taboo, the grotesque, prejudice, and larger than life characters. In my view, combining monster fantasy and Southern Gothic wasn’t a mashup but a natural fit.

Author Interview: Sebastien De Castell

Today I am interviewing Sebastien de Castell, author of the new fantasy novel, Spellslinger, first book in the Spellslinger series. Some readers might know him from the swashbuckling fantasy series, The Greatcoats.

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

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

Sebastien de Castell: I’m one of those terribly confused individuals who reads a book as a teenager and then tries to pattern his life around an unfeasible profession. In my case, when I was fifteen I read a book called BARD by Keith Tailor and decided I wanted a life of music, adventure, swordfighting, and storytelling. Over the years that ambition translated into a string of odd careers from being a full-time musician, a fencer and fight choreographer, and, of course, a novelist.

DJ: What is Spellslinger about?

Sebastien: Spellslinger is a series about magic and what price we’re willing to pay to have it. The books are full of wondrous spells and mysterious playing cards, but they’re also about the forms of magic that are available to all of us. Music can be a kind of magic, as can dance, or even human decency . Oh, and there’s a talking squirrel cat whose favourite pastimes are thievery and blackmail.

DJ: What were some of your influences Spellslinger and the series?

Sebastien: Oddly, in many ways SPELLSLINGER was driven not so much by influences as a desire to look at the other side of many of the fantasy novels I loved years ago. The Harry Potter series is terrific, for example, but I wanted to explore what it’s like to not be the chosen one – to in fact discover you’re the weakest of your people and your family, and to have to go out in search of other ways to make yourself special. That’s true of so many of the books that influenced me when I was a teenager. I loved the stories, but I knew I wasn’t the chosen one, so the question became: what do I do now? I was fortunate to have people in my life who – instead of assuring me that I was special – suggested I go out and find ways to make myself unique.

Author Interview: Alex White

Today I am interviewing Alex White, author of the new science-fiction novel, A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe, first book in the Salvagers trilogy.

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

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

Alex White: I am definitely not three cats in a trenchcoat, that’s for sure!

For real, though, I’m an American from the deep south, living in Huntsville, Alabama, colloquially referred to as “Rocket City.” Huntsville is the birthplace of the space program, and that always had a major influence on me growing up. In high school, I drove by a full-size space shuttle and Saturn V every day, so it was hard not to dream about space. I’m a huge nerd, and I love making music, taking photos and board games.

DJ: What is A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe about?

Alex: It’s a high-octane space fantasy! Nilah Brio, a pampered race car driver, witnesses a murder on the track, and she’s framed for it. Trying to get to the bottom of things, she goes into hiding, where she runs into Boots Elsworth, a washed-up treasure hunter turned con artist. Together, they have to team up with the starship Capricious, Boots’s old crewmates, and uncover a galactic conspiracy. Also, there are a ton of magic spells, explosions, killer robots and romance!

DJ: What were some of your influences A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe and the series?

Alex: It often gets the Firefly comparison, but I was always more of a Cowboy Bebop guy. I can safely say that if you liked either of those, you’ll love it. I’m a major Formula One fan, so there’s a bunch of that in there. The magic system comes from basic electrical engineering equations, and there’s a ton of magic tech, similar to Final Fantasy III.