7 posts tagged “fiction”
You may be aware that my story One Billion Souls Served has been printed in the Fall 2008 issue of The First Line magazine. This is a quarterly publication that operates on a unique idea: every story must begin with the exact "first line" that they supply on their site.
The first line for the Fall 2008 issue was: "Roy owned the only drive-thru funeral business in Maine." When I read this line, I instantly had the general concept for the story, and I began to act upon this inspiration immediately.
Having an opening line provided for you can act as potent kindling for creativity; combine this with an enjoyable experience working with The First Line's editor, and it is guaranteed that I will be submitting work to them in the future. With their gracious permission, I am posting an exclusive excerpt of One Billion Souls Served here on my blog. Please pick up a copy of the Fall 2008 issue here: http://www.thefirstline.com/subscribe.htm and leave comments and/or send me an email; I would love hearing from you!
Random excerpt from One Billion Souls Served:
It was a foggy night in Days Ferry, Maine--a quiet night--with not a headlight bleeding through the pines. There were always a few cars following the east bank of the Kennebec on River Rd, but tonight was different if not down-right unusual. Roy was sitting still, lifeless as a corpse he'd serviced, staring out his drive-thru window. He liked to ponder the strange shadows that moved by way of moonlight and wind through the patches of birch trees sheltering his parcel of woods. He liked to imagine that they were now happy specters passing from his customers, but at times the hair on his arms stood straight up, and he feared being watched by vengeful wraiths: tonight was one of those nights. A constant dupe to his own vivid--and sadly wasted--imagination. He took pride in his work, but had no passion for it; he did not have much passion for anything and it was evident by the departure of each of his five wives. He was a respectful and honest mortician who was known as "two-coin Roy" for his insistent habit of putting two coins on the bodies of his dead clientele."
© 2008, R. Schuyler Devin
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.
Quick Links pertinent to Joshua Palmatier:
+ Buy his books The Skewed Throne, The Cracked Throne, and The Vacant Throne.
+ Places to find Joshua on the Net: Blog and Website
+ His publisher DAW books.
1) Q. Were there any pivotal books or authors that inspired you to become a writer?
A. Hmm . . . well, there was a pivotal author that got me into reading SF and Fantasy. I was reading mysteries (Hardy Boys, etc) and was reading a Mary Norton book from the library. I couldn't go the next time my mom went, so I asked her to pick up another "Norton" book. (At this point, everyone nods knowingly.) You guess it, she brought home an Andre Norton book. I ditched the mysteries like yesterday's news and read every Andre Norton book I could get my hands on. I even asked the library to inter-library loan everything they could by her. Eventually I moved on to other authors. As for which writers and/or books inspired me to write . . . I'd have to say Terry Brooks (I loved the way he evoked his world) at a younger age, and Tad Williams and Guy Gavriel Kay more recently. Tad because of the complexity of his worlds, and Guy for the characterization that he brings to the stories.
2) Q. Is there a theme for an anthology and/or another author's world/character(s) that you would enjoy working with?
A. Well . . . I'll admit to a guilty pleasure first: I've written (and intend to continue writing) short stories set in the Star Trek universe. I particularly like to play in the Deep Space Nine series, although I've written things for Voyager and the others as well. None of these stories have been published. They might be publishable (I can't tell) but I've never sent them out and don't intend to send them out. If someone in the Star Trek field approached me about writing stories or novels in their universe, well then, that's a different story. *grin* So yes, I would like to play in other universes other than my own. I find I don't really want to play in other published author's worlds though. For example, I have to urge or need to writer something set in the Shannara world, or on Pern, or from the Wheel of Time series. That's someone else's creation, their own PERSONAL creation. And besides, I have enough ideas of my own to create my own world. Perhaps that's also why I haven't seriously tried to do anything in the Star Trek universe either. As for anthologies . . . I'd love to participate in some anthologies. I've been invited to one and will hopefully be writing for that one soon (they still need to sell the concept of the anthology somewhere). If someone approaches me with an idea that interests me for an anthology, I'm all for it.
3) Q. Has your success as a writer inspired any of your past students (yes, I do know you are a math teacher)? Have any of them had success of their own?
A. This is a "double-edged sword" question. So what the hell, I'll impale myself. I'd say yes, my writing has inspired a few students. . . . However, it hasn't really inspired them to do well in MATH. *grin* Mostly it inspired their own writing aspirations, because they actually KNOW someone who managed to get published even though they were actively seeking a career in something entirely different. For me, I went to school and got a math degree, so that I could teach math at the university level. I did the writing on the side, even through grad school, and managed to sell the first novel the same semester that I graduated from grad school. (That was totally unexpected, but a godsend. The plan was to get the degree, get a job, then sell the first book a few years or so after that. But the fates intervened.) So I think my students are inspired more by the fact that I achieved all of this. They tend to think that it's impossible to dream big and actually gain those dreams. I hope that they see they can do whatever they want and that they shouldn't let anyone tell them they can't do something. I was told repeatedly that I'd never be able to get a degree in math AND write at the same time, and yet. . . .
As far as I know, none of my former students has had any successes in writing. But I've just started teaching within the last couple of years, so it's a little early yet.
4) Q. For the writers out there: what do you feel is your greatest strength and weakness in your writing? How about the most unique aspect of your style and prose?
A. Ugh. I hate these questions. You can come off sounding pompous or condescending. But here goes:
I think my greatest strength comes in my characterization. I'm hoping that my characters capture the reader and draw them into the story, moreso than the plot, so that the reason the reader is reading is because they care about the character and want to know what happens to them. When I first started out writing, I felt this was my greatest weakness (my first attempts at novels were very heavy on plot and worldbuilding and extremely light on characterization). I've been working on this for years--at least ten years before I sold The Skewed Throne--and I continue to work on it now. I think I've brought my characterization up to an "acceptable" level and have recently shifted my attention to other things. At the moment, I'd say that my greatest weakness is structure. I'm currently working on a book that's written in the third person, and when you move from character to character you have to pay very close attention to the structure of the story--which scenes are important, which scenes should be included to heighten tension, which should be consciously left out to heighten tension, etc. Also a factor is the form of the story. In first person (which is what the three Throne of Amenkor books are written in), the point of view character restricts the structure of the story quite a bit. Not so in third person. So there's a lot more that the writer has to think about in my opinion.
And all of this is a factor in what I think is unique about my style and prose: my characters. I think in the Throne of Amenkor books that you are literally submerged into the main character named Varis. You see her world through her eyes exclusively, and it really PUTS you there. You see the dirt and filth of the slums, and desperation of the inner city, the visceral unknown threat from the sea. At least, that's what I hope readers feel when they read my books.
5) Q. Everyone has their own fervent opinions about true and timeless classics in books and other media. Give a proclamation regarding modern classics: the best book(s) (and/or comics), movie(s) (and/or TV), and album(s) of the last ten years. What are your reasons for these choices?
A. Ah, I can see the threatening emails even now . . . *grin* But here are some of the books, movies, etc, that I think will be classics from the last ten years. (And this is an incredibly hard question to answer, by the way.)
Books: George R.R. Martin's "Song of Ice and Fire"--I can't pick out any one book from the series, but I think the series as a whole will have huge impact on future writers and fans of the genre. Some of this may hinge on how he ends the series, but so far, things are looking good. Terry Pratchett's "Discworld"--this will be classic just for good old fashioned fun, BUT it completely deserves classic status. It's humorous, yes, but it's tight, biting, SMART humor.
Movies/TV: "Sixth Sense"--I feel this should definitely be a classic; even though everyone "knows" the secret now, it's still talked about. "24"--OK, this isn't really genre, but they blew everyone away with an entirely new concept and it's still going strong (even though we missed out this year due to the writer's strike). "Lost"--OK, I have to say that this show simply rocks. I have no idea if they really know where everything is going, but they're certainly keeping me interested. Like 24, it did something completely different.
Disclaimer: I suck at these types of questions, mostly because when someone asks me something like this my mind goes immediately blank and I can't remember what I've managed to DO over the last ten years, let along what books, movies, etc I've read in that time. So I'm certain I've left out some incredibly intriguing book and/or movie/TV show that is obviously an instant modern classic. Don't hate me if I've forgotten something obvious. I do have a brain. Really. This is what I managed to come up without one though.
6) Q. Is there anything you would like to write or have already written that you would desire published, but feel it has no commercial viability?
A. Oh, I've written a few things . . . *grin* I actually have a few novel "in the trunk" that may possibly see the light of day again at some point. I have a mainstream horror novel called "Fever" that I think has some commercial viability, plus a few other fantasy novels written that my current editor has already expressed an interest in.
However, there ARE a few pieces that I've trunked and have no intention whatsoever of resurrecting at any point. Mostly they have no commercial viability because they're written badly, but even if I did go back and rewrite a few of them with my new writing "expertise" . . . I think they'd still suck. There are just some story ideas that come and just don't gel, or the characters just don't work, or the plot has a major hole in it that can't be filled no matter how much BS you throw at it. These things happen. So you print the story out, pat it lovingly (because you love the story even though you hate it), and you put it away with a sigh . . . and move on.
Quick Links pertinent to Michael Ehart:
+ Buy his book Servant of the Manthycore.
+ Buy the excellent anthology The Return of the Sword featuring Michael.
+ The center of the Ehart universe - Michael’s Blog.
+ Some current short fiction from Michael on a great site - www.everydayfiction.com
+ Up and coming publisher of Servant of the Manthycore - Double Edged Publishing
1) Q. Were there any pivotal books or authors that inspired you to become a writer?
A. That’s a good place to start, as I had an unusual advantage in that my Mom is a romance writer, and as I was growing up she was going through the same things that most early career writers do. This was a tremendous help, as it never occurred to me that there might be something unusual or difficult about writing.
Early influences were Robert E. Howard, Robert Heinlein and Lester Dent, with later polish added by Roger Zelazny, Hunter S. Thompson and Kurt Vonnegut.
2) Q. What inspired you to set Servant of the Manthycore in Bronze Age Mesopotamia? What made this time and cultural setting appealing to you?
A. Several years ago a friend bought me a subscription to a wonderful magazine, Biblical Archeological Review. It was crammed full of pictures and articles about excavations and finds throughout the ancient middle-east. Soon I was haunting bookstores and abusing the inter-library loan system for any new information I could find. When I wrote the first story it occurred to me that the mood felt a lot like The Epic of Gilgamesh, and the particular chimera I chose as the beast felt like a good choice as well. Later, more Euro-centric monsters seemed too friendly--- I wanted something that was scary in the terms of “the beginnings of all things” sort of fashion.
The time and cultural setting is enormously appealing for me. This was the era when nearly everything we take for granted about civilization was invented, from writing and astronomy, to literature, money and a written social contract and courts of law. I am amazed that it is so little used; there is a near-endless amount of material to be mined here, with more being discovered literally every day.
3) Q. Is there a theme for an anthology and/or another author's world/character(s) That you would enjoy working with?
A. Roger Zelazny was the master--- I would love to write in his Jack of Shadows world, or any of a dozen others he created. That being said, I’m not certain that I would actually do so. I am not a reader of fan-fic, and I would be so afraid that it would come out as such.
Now, if Michael Moorcock wants to collaborate on something…
4) Q. When was the first time you felt truly successful as a professional writer? Was it a personal milestone within your own work, the sale of a certain short story, perhaps selling your first novel?
A. I have been writing and selling stuff for most of my life, since my mid-teens, and I am in my early 50’s now. It has always been easier for me to make money selling non-fiction, and a couple of times for a couple of years I worked as a reporter. During those times it was easy to be comfortable with the idea that I was successful, but the first time I really felt like a pro was about ten years ago when I successfully pitched a fairly ambitious project to a small newspaper chain for pretty stiff amount for freelance, and they accepted. Having a human-interest story picked up by one of the wire-services was another.
As a fiction writer is was having an editor I had worked with before ask me for a story for an upcoming issue. Knowing how buried they were under slush, It was a definite “you have arrived” moment.
5) Q. You had mentioned being successful in selling your short fiction when you were in your teens; In retrospect, are you proud of these stories and feel that they stand the test of time? Is it possible for anyone to find and read any of these early pieces?
A. Most of what I sold in my teens and early twenties was non-fiction. I did sell some fiction, though, and for the most part when I run across it I am appalled by the low-quality stuff that managed to find its way past first readers and make it into print! I sold to a number of venues, nearly all defunct now, including confession magazines, college humor and underground rags, a number of literary fiction quarterlies and one very stupid story to a short-lived mystery magazine. I had pretentions, too, which though embarrassing to recall have saved me from recent humiliation; I wrote most of my early fiction under a pen name. Made all my girlfriends read it, too, which may explain why I’m on my third marriage.
6) Q. Everyone has their own fervent opinions about true and timeless classics in books and other media. Give a proclamation regarding modern classics: the best book(s) (and/or comics), movie(s) (and/or TV), and album(s) of the last ten years. What are your reasons for these choices?
A. Sturgeon’s Law still holds true: 90% of everything is crap. Still, there is some amazing stuff being written, filmed and sung. Best is going to be relative, but I certainly can tell you some of my favorites. In short fiction some up-and-comers who just blow me away are Michael Canfield and Nisi Shawl, both of whom I am lucky to be with in a live crit group, so I get to see their stuff in the making (Canfield is a particularly sick man--- always a treat to read something from him), Camille Alexa, and nearly everyone in The Return of the Sword anthology.
Novelists? Kat Richardson, Neil Gaiman and James Sallis are all producing stuff that may very well be taught in schools someday.
As far as comics are concerned, DC has been doing some wonderful stuff, both in their books and with DCAnimation, bringing back characters long forgotten and using them in wonderful new ways, and (this is older than ten years, but still rocks) it is hard for me to think of a better deconstruction than Watchmen--- I am thrilled that there will be a movie version of this.
The best film I have seen in the last ten years? The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada has to be near the top, with Clay Pigeons, Sin City, and The Constant Gardener all crowded around.
I’m a middle-aged guy, with appropriate tastes in music, but I like some of the newer artists like Del Castillo, Joe Santorini and Kanye West.
Thank you Michael for your illuminating answers and gracious participation in my little project.
and pervasive spirit of Norwescon is but a shadow of Saturdays ebullient mob. Slow and sparse is a nice reprieve from the fever pitch of the last three days, I am contented, yet tired. Many panelist were missing, perhaps, I am not the only outwore soul.
These topics really bring out the pith of an authors
personality and thought process. Discourse regarding the business of writing is helpful, but talking about the craft itself is insightful.
This was my first Norwescon, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I will definitely be there next year...counting the days until Norwescon 32 in 2009.
Special events and Saturdays are always a dichotomy of excellence and annoyance: the best events mixed with boisterous crowds. The panels were packed, but there were some great rewards too. Speaking of dichotomy, it was enjoyable to watch charismatic and spontaneous Jay Lake in the same panel with stoic Dan Simmons. These are two very talented authors with contrary demeanors and energy. It was also enjoyable to attend a panel with Namoi Novak: It was a good discussion with pertinent advice. Jay Lake brought out the best in everyone being the panel’s moderator.
as an author is interesting and he was enjoyable to listen to. What also stood out though was his current book Servant of the Manthycore, which was immediately appealing since it was set in the under-appreciated Bronze Age Mesopotamia. I love the familiar, and often cliché western cultures and mythologies, but so many fascinating, rich, and untapped cultural and mythological elements are demanding to be infused into popular fantasy fiction. Mr. Ehart has realized this potential and has brought it to publication. I wasted no time in purchasing Servant of the Manthycore due to this intrinsically undervalued setting; It also helped my decision knowing that Michael Moorcock loved it and wrote the forward in Ehart’s book. Michael will also be a participant in a 6 sided Q&A. I am extremely appreciative and excited.
Today was the day of the unnecessary, but oh-so-cool purchases: 2 T-shirts. Here are images of what they look like.
With the panels being so appealing and quite plentiful, I found myself
hungry and in need of a restroom break for most of the day. I just had
to soldier on forward...
Another edifying day filled with morsels of good information. Today, I was fortunate in meeting author Joshua Palmatier, author of The Skewed Throne, The Cracked Throne, and The Vacant Throne. I am a regular reader of his blog and looked forward to meeting him at Norwescon. He is kind, approachable, and filled with funny anecdotes and advice. He has also graciously agreed to participate in my 6-sided Q&A (along with Jay Lake): I am very excited about these nano-interviews.
Also, in meeting Patrick Swenson, I made an unexpected discovery: Talebones magazine. It is a first-rate Sci-fi and Dark Fantasy magazine of impeccable quality—with a fantastic editor—Mr. Swenson. I happily picked up the Spring 2008 edition at the convention and have been pondering some of the back issues (and a current subscription) that are available online at www.talebones.com. It seems that this wonderful tome of quarterly fiction could use our support to carry on; please consider an issue or two or even four today! It should also be said that Patrick seems to be a fine acquisitions editor with an eye for outstanding short fiction. He also proved to be a wealth of experience and advice; panel after panel, day after day. It would be a pleasure to see my own work featured within the pages of his reputable publication someday.
Make sure to check out Jay's two major novels available now: Mainspring and Trial of Flowers. There is also a sequel to Mainspring available for preorder entitled Escapement, and a sequel to Trial of Flowers entitled Madness of Flowers, due out December 2008 from Nightshade Books.
Sails & Sorcery: Tales of Nautical Fantasy. I had to get up and hold the book, I had to tell Renee how wonderful the cover was, I had to keep staring at it throughout the whole panel, I had to look it up on the internet when I got home that night, I had to read reviews and excerpts, obsess about it awake and within my dreams, and finally, I had to buy it and I should have 'my precious' next week.
Next up: Day of the convention horde (Saturday)
addressed to some of my favorite authors.
Mr. Rothfuss has graciously agreed to be one of the
first contributors. An authors time is so very valuable and
I am honored by any benignant participation.
Tomorrow is a marathon of panels for me--seven hours worth--I hope I survive!
BTW, I am digitally recording these panels...more on that later
