I mean
that literally—blues and hip hop and jazz and rock differ from town to town—but
also figuratively. Cities have different
rhythms, different styles of driving, different prides and language
patterns. Writing urban fantasy is at
its best an exercise in writing the city's music, transcribing its crazycool
dreams and sometimes nightmares into monsters, magic, and mayhem.
That's
difficult enough for cities that actually exist, places a person can walk
around and breathe and come to know. New
York's real; you can taste it like wine on your tongue. Boston you shoot more than sample. London rolls smoky in the mouth. Beijing you drink like baijiu: raise it in toast with your friends in thimble-sized cups
and slam it down and exhale to avoid as much of the taste as possible, then do
it all again, and probably light a cigarette because you're dying already
aren't you? The country kills you.
It's
possible, I mean, to know a real city.
But I
had to go set my books in a world that's not Earth. I did that for good reasons—I wanted to
depict a society where magic is woven through life, rather than Something Scary
Out There. For my first book, THREE
PARTS DEAD, the task was pretty straightforward. I imagined a city, and built it. But I wanted the next book, TWO
SERPENTS RISE, to focus on a different city in the same world, so that city
had to feel different from the one in the first book. I couldn't just go there to walk around.
Alt
Coulumb, where THREE PARTS DEAD took place, had a very Northeastern feel:
vertical lines, skyscrapers and tight alleys and central city parks and the
like. I drew off New York and Boston and
London and Shanghai. So, for the next
book, why not go to the opposite extreme?
Which meant a horizontal city, a city that sprawled, a city of low roofs
and occasional massive buildings, a city of heat and open space. My wife's from Los Angeles, so I'd visited before,
and, Tennessee boy as I am at heart, the place bowled me over with difference;
Beijing did the same when I lived there.
And both cities had trouble with water, which fed into ideas I'd been
worrying over about debt and dependency.
So
far, so good. I started paying more attention
to Los Angeles when I visited, and I dredged up old memories of Beijing, some
pleasant. I stole stuff wholesale,
reconfigured, warped, revised. Cackled,
sometimes, to myself, when I thought no one could hear.
What
can I say? I wrote this book in stolen
half hours when any reasonable person would have been sleeping. If you can't cackle at your own work at one
o'clock in the morning before a long day at the office, when, I ask, are you
allowed to so cackle?
And at the end of all that cackling and
warping and cutting and rearranging, I found myself with a city that owned its
own rhythm, and its own horror. A city
in which my characters could live—which Caleb and his friends could love, hate,
and want to defend.
Excellent,
I thought. Now I have something to
destroy.
I read Three Parts Dead recently and really enjoyed it, a good combination of urban fantasy mystery set in a secondary world. One of the aspects I liked most of it was the world building, so glad that Max visited here and touched a bit upon his approach on creating societies and cities for his stories; thanks for stopping by.
Hope to read the sequel soon.
Well, let's get on with the giveaway, one winner for physical copies the two books of the Craft Sequence: Three Parts Dead and Two Serpents Rise.
Participants have to be 18 years of age or older to participate. Void where prohibited by law. Giveaway rules are subject to change.
The giveaway is open for US and Canada shipping addresses only, and it will run from November 4, 2013 until 11:59 pm ET on November 15, 2013.
How to participate:
To participate simply log-in into to the Rafflecopter and "Enter" through the easy entry.
One entry per person, or face disqualification.
Entries accepted until 11:59pm ET on November 15, 2013.
There'll be ONE winner only for a physical copy of Three Parts Dead andTwo Serpents Rise.
Will have to confirm email to be considered a winner within 48 hours.
Additional entries may be had by following the steps provided in the Rafflecopter instructions, and only by doing those steps.
Winners will be chosen by random selection using the Rafflecopter.
Kitty Norville is a fun urban fantasy series that follows a werewolf DJ from author Carrie Vaughn. It's one of the first ones I began reading in the genre, which is now in its twelfth installment. This latest one is Kitty in the Underworld which was released at the end of Summer, and naturally I have a giveaway for you guys (3 copies) sponsored by Tor.
As Denver adjusts to a new master vampire, Kitty gets word of an intruder in the Denver werewolf pack’s territory, and she investigates the challenge to her authority. She follows the scent of the lycanthrope through the mountains where she is lured into a trap, tranquilized, and captured. When she wakes up, she finds herself in a defunct silver mine: the perfect cage for a werewolf. Her captors are a mysterious cult seeking to induct Kitty into their ranks in a ritual they hope will put an end to Dux Bellorum. Though skeptical of their power, even Kitty finds herself struggling to resist joining their cause. Whatever she decides, they expect Kitty to join them in their plot . . . willingly or otherwise.
Participants have to be 18 years of age or older to participate. Void where prohibited by law. Giveaway rules are subject to change.
The giveaway is open to US and Canada shipping addresses only, and it will run from September 16, 2013 until 11:59 pm ET on September 27, 2013.
The giveaway is for a chance to win a copy of 3 of the twelfth installment in the Kitty Norville urban fantasy series by Carrie Vaughn, Kitty in the Underworld from Tor.
How to participate:
To participate simply log-in into to the Rafflecopter and "Enter" through the easy entry.
One entry per person, or face disqualification.
Entries accepted until 11:59pm ET on September 27, 2013.
There'll be 3 winners for only 1 copy each of Kitty in the Underworld.
Will have to confirm email to be considered a winner within 48 hours.
Additional entries may be had by following the steps provided in the Rafflecopter instructions, and only by doing those steps.
Winners will be chosen by random selection using the Rafflecopter.
Good luck!
For more information please visit Carrie Vaughn's website.
Hello there! Jess Haines here. I’m the author of the
H&W Investigations series—urban fantasy novels about Shiarra Waynest, a
human private investigator in an alternate, present-day New York. Somehow she
keeps getting pulled into supernatural troubles way above her pay grade…
One of the most fascinating aspects of fantasy is, of course, the
magic. Magical items, magical creatures, magical spells and locations—they all
have their place, but I think sometimes the human side is forgotten or taken a
little too much for granted.
Take some of the big players in urban fantasy—Harry Dresden, Anita
Blake, Sookie Stackhouse, Mercy Thompson, Rachel Morgan, Atticus O’Sullivan,
October Daye, just to name a few well known characters—and you’ll notice not a
one of them is human. Most of those characters’ closest friends are also not
human. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, but it was one of the
factors that drove me to write a main character who was both human and had
something of a phobia of supernaturals.
It’s easy to admire a character who has incredible powers at their
fingertips. Whether it’s magic spells, shapeshifting, to command the dead, to
control animals, or to be able to tease and trick the senses, those abilities
are often larger than life and more fascinating than the humdrum existence of
the mundane. It also makes it easier to save the day when you have such a leg
up on the rest of humanity. Not to mention face a bad guy whose powers might be
comparable, even if they are greater.
In urban fantasy, humans (usually) make up the bulk of the
population and shouldn’t be underestimated. Even when a minor character’s
purpose is solely to be a victim, they shouldn’t just be fodder or collateral
damage. Being food or an unintended casualty doesn’t excuse a writer from
making their humans into more than just a parody or stereotype. After all, we readers and writers are—I hope—Homo sapiens. We work and interact with
other humans every day. Even when the mythology of a particular series states
that the monsters are in the majority, it doesn’t mean the people in the
background shouldn’t act as… well… people.
In urban fantasy, when a supernatural is faced with the general
public, the humans tend to react badly once they realize that what they’re
dealing with isn’t like them. After all, we generally fear the things we don’t
understand. Most urban fantasy takes the opportunity to present anything
different or “Other” as prompt enough for blatantly xenophobic behavior out of
the general populace. Once in a while there might be a few in the minority who
exhibit intense fascination instead. In general it seems they lean more towards
a barely contained fear displayed as covert or sometimes overt hostility.
Just because something—someone—is different doesn’t mean they’re
not worth getting to know. Just as someone who isn’t magical in nature isn’t
necessarily boring and not worth getting to know. True, it all depends on their
role in the tale, but their untold story could be every bit as gripping and
complex as that of the magical beings who feature if only they’re given an
opportunity to shine.
It’s a challenge to write a main character who is vulnerable to a
werewolf’s claws, could fall under a vampire’s hypnotic gaze, or might end up
enchanted by a mage’s spell. It’s all too easy to make a normal person look
foolish or their circumstances overwhelmingly depressing when the character is
easily outshone by their supernatural counterparts. Even if you’re shooting for humor, making
every person who isn’t magical in nature into a caricature of the worst humanity
has to offer is not the way to go.
Though, on a related note, one doesn’t have to be a monster to do
monstrous things. When faced with the extraordinary, sometimes it’s easy to
forget amidst all that exoticism just how dangerous and clever we can be. Having
fur, fangs, claws or magic are not prerequisites to being tough, skilled, or
capable of dark deeds.
A person also doesn’t have to be capable of superhuman feats to
show great compassion. Humanity falls all over the spectrum and while we all
might occasionally hold someone up or tear someone down, everyone has the
capacity for great good and great evil. Even when it’s not readily apparent,
character, intelligence and competence has nothing to do with superpowers or
unnatural hungers—and the supernaturals of the world best never forget that.
Author Bio: Jess Haines writes about furred
and fanged things that go bump in the night. Best known for the H&W
Investigations urban fantasy series, she's been writing since she was a
teenager and was first published in 2010. Her latest release is Forsaken by the
Others (Kensington/Zebra; July 2, 2013). Visit her at www.JessHaines.com for the latest news
and updates.
Forsaken by the
Others Book Description:
The Others–vampires,
werewolves, things that go chomp in the night–don’t just live in nightmares
anymore. They’ve joined with the mortal world. And for private investigator
Shiarra Waynest, that means mayhem…
Have a
one night stand with a vampire, and you can end up paying for it for eternity.
P.I. Shiarra Waynest, an expert on the Others, knows that better than most. Yet
here she is, waking up beside charismatic vamp Alec Royce with an aching
head…and neck. Luckily, Shia has the perfect excuse for getting out of town–namely,
a couple of irate East Coast werewolf packs who’d like to turn her into a chew
toy.
On
Royce’s suggestion, Shia temporarily relocates to Los Angeles. But something is
rotten–literally–in the state of California, where local vampires are being
attacked by zombies. Who could be powerful enough to control them–and reckless
enough to target the immortal? Following the trail will lead Shia to a
terrifying truth, and to an ancient enemy with a personal grudge…
Sea Change is debut novel from S. M. Wheeler which was released 2 days ago on June 18 from Tor. Reviews so far seem to be very positive, and now you'll have a change to win yourself a copy.
The unhappy child of two powerful parents who despise each other, young Lilly turns to the ocean to find solace, which she finds in the form of the eloquent and intelligent sea monster Octavius, a kraken. In Octavius’s many arms, Lilly learns of friendship, loyalty, and family. When Octavius, forbidden by Lilly to harm humans, is captured by seafaring traders and sold to a circus, Lilly becomes his only hope for salvation. Desperate to find him, she strikes a bargain with a witch that carries a shocking price.
Her journey to win Octavius’s freedom is difficult. The circus master wants a Coat of Illusions; the Coat tailor wants her undead husband back from a witch; the witch wants her skin back from two bandits; the bandits just want some company, but they might kill her first. Lilly's quest tests her resolve, tries her patience, and leaves her transformed in every way.
A powerfully written debut from a young fantasy author, S.M. Wheeler's Sea Change is an exhilarating tale of adventure, resilience, and selflessness in the name of friendship.
Recently read Generation V by M. L. Brennan and I can honestly say that it was very refreshing and the most fun I've had reading an urban fantasy novel recently. Now I bring you a giveaway sponsored by the author for one signed physical copy of this novel, and you don't want to miss out.
Reality Bites
Fortitude Scott’s life is a mess. A degree in film theory has left him with zero marketable skills, his job revolves around pouring coffee, his roommate hasn’t paid rent in four months, and he’s also a vampire. Well, sort of. He’s still mostly human.
But when a new vampire comes into his family’s territory and young girls start going missing, Fort can’t ignore his heritage anymore. His mother and his older, stronger siblings think he’s crazy for wanting to get involved. So it’s up to Fort to take action, with the assistance of Suzume Hollis, a dangerous and sexy shape-shifter. Fort is determined to find a way to outsmart the deadly vamp, even if he isn’t quite sure how.
But without having matured into full vampirehood and with Suzume ready to split if things get too risky, Fort’s rescue mission might just kill him...
It's with great reluctance that I admit to be Malazan ignorant. My brother's best friend has been on my case for years trying to get me to read it, with obvious failure. Today we celebrate the release of Blood and Bone of the Malazan Empire by Ian C. Esslemont published by Tor, with a giveaway of course. Just so I didn't make a total fool out myself, I got my hands on Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson, which is the first novel as I understand it in the world of Malaz. Read the prologue, read the first chapter, and it looks like it'll be an awesome series to get into, which I will definitely be doing as soon as I can.
Blood and Bone is the fifth novel in the Malazan Empire series written by Ian C. Esslemont, but also the fifteenth in the Malazan universe, though I personally don't know how integrated the two series are with one another; something to look into elsewhere. In any case, Blood and Bone is released today in the US, and we'll be having a giveaway here for one copy of any of the Malazan Empire books by Esslemont published by Tor for two winners.
In the western sky the bright emerald banner of the Visitor descends like a portent of annihilation. On the continent of Jacuruku, the Thaumaturgs have mounted yet another expedition to tame the neighboring wild jungle. Yet this is no normal wilderness. It is called Himatan, and it is said to be half of the spirit realm and half of the earth. And it is said to be ruled by a powerful entity whom some name the Queen of Witches, and some a goddess: the ancient Ardata.
Saeng grew up knowing only the rule of the magus Thaumaturgs—but it was the voices out of that land's forgotten past that she listened to. And when her rulers mount an invasion of the neighboring jungle, those voices send her and her brother on a desperate mission.
To the south, the desert tribes are united by the arrival of a foreign warleader, a veteran commander in battered ashen mail whom his men call the Grey Ghost. This warleader takes the tribes on a raid like none other, deep into the heart of Thaumaturg lands. Meanwhile word comes to K'azz, and mercenary company the Crimson Guard, of a contract in Jacuruku. And their employer...none other than Ardata herself.
Ian Esslemont thrills again with another gripping entry into the New York Times bestselling Malazan World in Blood and Bone.
Giveaway will be for 1 physical copy for two winners of any of Ian C. Esslemont's Malazan Empire novels which include Night of Knives, Return of the Crimson Guard, Stonewielder, Orb Sceptre Throne, and Blood and Bone provided by Tor.
The giveaway is open to US, CANADA, and the UK shipping addresses only, and it will run from May 21, 2013 until 11:59 pm ET on May 30, 2013.
How to participate:
To participate simply log-in into to the Rafflecopter and "Enter" through the easy entry.
One entry per person, or face disqualification.
Entries accepted until 11:59pm ET on May 30, 2013.
There'll be two winners only for one physical copy any of Esslemont's Malazan Empire novels
Will have to confirm email to be considered a winner within 48 hours.
Additional entries may be had by following the steps provided in the Rafflecopter instructions, and only by doing those steps.
Winners will be chosen by random selection using the Rafflecopter.
It's been a while since I've had an interview on the blog, and a good opportunity presented itself so that we could get acquainted with charming debut author Wesley Chu. It's always my goal to have an awesome and worthwhile interview, and I think we accomplished that.
That said, I want to take this moment in time to state my intent to wage war against this Chu character. I forgive him for making a fool out of me with some of his answers, even sidestepping a few of my most insightful questions, but he took it too far when he dared to blaspheme against the almighty god Jack Bauer, my daddy. Here I was rejoicing the future return of this great hero, when Mr. Chu with his clever words alluded to Bauer's human mortality, and diminished badassery. Unacceptable. And he didn't stop there. While last night, much as it pains me and to my repulsiveness, the world conspired to mettle a small token of revenge for this slight, I'm not ready to forgive and forget just yet.
In any case, have a look for yourselves... oh, and don't forget to enter the giveaway at the end of the post; The Lives of Tao was awesome.
**********
Bastard:Hey
Wes, welcome to our house at Bastard Books. Looks like all the begging you did
to get invited finally paid off. I hope you don’t come to regret it as you’ve
just given me permission to invade your privacy, never a good idea. How are you
doing today?
Wesley Chu: I’m
good. Fantastic even.
Uh, I was fantastic at the beginning of the
interview. By the end, I was far from fugging fantastic. Bastard’s a right
bastard when it comes to interviewing!
Bastard:For the
record, can you tell us a bit about yourself? Make sure to state your full name
and inform us of the when and where you first got your diapers changed, as well
as your favorite color and your favorite song to dance to when you don’t think anyone is watching.
Wesley Chu: Hello all, my name is Wesley
Chu, and I’ve never had my diapers changed. You see, when you grow up in the
jungles like I did, you don’t wear diapers. After all, predators can follow
your scent. Therefore, it’s extraordinarily important to bury the feces right
away. Remember kids, one in five children don’t make it to three years old
because they don’t bury their poop.
My
favorite color is blue. No, yellow! (One geek point if you get the reference)
Bastard:Budweiser
has been my beer of choice for as long as I can remember, but lately I’ve been
partial to some Blue Moon with the orange slices. Which is your preferred beer,
and don’t you dare tell me you don’t drink, else we can’t be friends any longer.
Lie if you have to, some things are just too important to ruin with unwelcomed truths.
Wesley Chu: I think you’re the first human
being that actually admits to drinking Budweiser. It tastes like a mixture of
armpit sweat and carbonated Robitussin. I used to like beer, being partial to
Magic Hat #9, but drinking too much of it ill fits my small bladder lifestyle.
Now, I
just drink Scotch neat. My current favorite scotch (changes weekly) is Ardbeg
Uigeadail, but I like basically anything peaty that punches you in the face. If
someone forces me to drink something else, I’ll drink stuff from Speyside, but
I refuse to drink any of the Glens.
Bastard:You
mention on your website that you got into Information Technology for your
professional career, what do you actually do within it? Programming,
networking, Excel Master, Google Search specialist? Or is this an elaborate way of calling
yourself a gamer? Yes indeed, I’m well aware of all the boasting you’ve been
doing around about your elite WoW skillz.
Wesley Chu: I do Middleware design and
build for large financial institutions, but let’s talk about the important
stuff. World of Warcraft raiding is the best thing one can enroll in for
leadership training.
As the
former recruiting officer for the #1 end game raiding guild on my server, I had
so much power in the palm of my delicate blood elf hands that it was
intoxicating, not to mention I was one of the richest guys on the server. I was
like the Jared of my server, and no, not the Subway guy, the jewelers. I’ve
managed people in real life before, but they’re nowhere as difficult to herd a
group of 150 pubescent and not so pubescent guys (and a few girls) hot for epic
loots!
Bastard:As any
self-respecting person would do, as soon as I learned you were an actor I IMDB’ed you.
To my surprise you had a role in Fred
Claus as the “Banzai Chef”. I’m a very skeptical person, as I’m sure the
readers in my blog are too, so I went and gathered proof. Behold!
I take it you’re the one
shouting “Banzai!” Tell us a bit about your experience as an actor, is it a
career you’re still pursuing?
Wesley Chu: I am impressed you found this
thing. It was a dangerous job. I bled my own blood shooting that cinematic
scene. No honestly, I did. I nearly cut Rachel Weisz too. They actually had the
hot plate turned on. And no, I didn’t have any teppanyaki training.
Acting
is still there on the side, but I’m starting to fill the second class older
roles. Meh, it goes with the territory. When I was young, tuned, and limber, I
used to chase work. Now, it’s all about the writing. That and I’ve come to the
realization that there’s just not that many roles for Asian guys.
We’re
pretty much near the bottom of the acting totem pole, relegated to token Asian
guy roles. That’s the problem with Asian male roles. Asian women are highly
sought after and can play many more roles than us dudes. Hell, even Lucy Liu
even got to play Watson sidekick in Elementary. Asian guys, we get to be Sulu,
and your doctor telling you that you have cancer, or the guy at Best Buy
selling you a phone.
Bastard:Don’t know
how far you went with your gymnastics, but it seems like your dreams of
becoming a professional athlete didn’t materialize, at least not yet. I assume
you’re still a sports fan though, what are your preferred sports? And what
about those Chicago Bulls and how far they’ve gone without Derrick Rose? I
sympathize with my Boston Celtics missing Rajon Rondo, but I still won’t
forgive Chicago for stealing Tom Thibodeau and Brian Scalabrine from us.
Owie
Wesley Chu: Hey, don’t you mention that
Derrick !@$@ #%% !%#% piece of !#%!@& @$!%%@ #$^&$%$ that damn !@!%^ *$@!
Rose guy. I mean, he’s been !@$#% cleared ^&** since {honk} January to
play! Yo DRose, man up and go help your team in the playoffs. Otherwise, the
Bulls are aight.
I’m
really a Bears fan though, which makes my life even more tragic. I mean !@%%
dang draft !#$^@ !(&(^&%^ Long, a 2nd round !@%!$^ (&(^$
in the first? But hey, we’re gonna win it all this year!
Bastard:I’ve
also seen that you call yourself a Kung-Fu Master, so I just know everyone is
wondering if you and Jack Bauer got into a slapfight, who do you
think would win? Obviously Jack Bauer would win, but I’ll give you the benefit
of the doubt. Give us a blow by blow account if necessary.
War has been declared!
Wesley Chu: First of all, that’s a load of
BULL! Jack Bauer can’t kick my ass! He’s 47 years old and he’s been in hiding!
So that means he’s probably not eating well. Not to mention since he’s keeping
a low profile, he’s probably not working out anymore. And if we’re going to
size people’s weaknesses, heroin addicts have a higher sensitivity to pain. I
would crush him in a fight.
Oh
wait, I see what you did there. Very tricky, Bastard. Very tricky. Slap fight
eh? We both know Jack Bauer’s hands can only make fists. He is physically
unable to touch another human being with an open hand. Jack Bauer does not slap.
Bastard:Before
I became engrossed with my SF&F reading, I was mainly a manga reader and
anime watcher. I’ve seen your picture around with the Superman t-shirt, all the
talk about WoW gaming, so on that respect as you were growing up, and even now,
what has held your interests?
Wesley Chu: I used to play a lot of first
person shooters, and then as time went on, I realized that I sucked at them. Sure
there were a few I got pretty mediocre at, but my FPS experience usually
involves me spawning at the safe zone and getting crushed like a worm 15
seconds later.
So
now, I’m all about the Civilizations, the Total Wars, and if I feel the need to
be competitive, I play Heroes of Newerth. And before any of you DOTA masters
challenge me, I will admit that I pretty much suck at that too.
However, I will challenge ANYONE to a game of Axis & Allies as long as I
get to be Japan.
Bastard:What’s
your tale about your trials and tribulations to get your book published, every
author seems to have one? The uncensored version please.
Wesley Chu: I’m
gonna cheat a little on this one:
It all started with an expensive email. Wait, let me back track.
I’m sure the Great Angry Robots Open submission of 2011 is old news now, but in
case you don’t follow their every spoken word (like I do), here’s a quick
recap. In March 2011, AR had their first open submission ever. Nearly 1000
people submitted works, 65 were asked for full manuscripts and 24 made it to
the editors’ desk. Out of those 24, 5 received offers. The End.
Back to the expensive email. In December of 2011, my wife and I
were vacationing in Bora Bora, which while a fantastically beautiful place, had
perfected the fine art of legalized racketeering. Yes it’s a very small island
in the middle of the ocean. We get it. But $24 for a 6oz bottle of bug spray? Yeah,
you suck, Mr. Convenience Store Owner. Don’t even ask what sunblock was going
for. I could have bought 6oz of plutonium for less. So after a week being
disconnected from the internet, we finally caved and bought access for a
whopping $40 a day.
My wife and I were watching “The Bounty” starring Mel Gibson
(ironically, the movie was filmed on the island – no wonder it came so highly
recommended) when an email popped in from a certain Mr. Lee Harris expressing
interest in publishing The Lives of Tao. I did what anyone wearing a bathrobe
in an over-water bungalow would do in that situation. I ran around the room in
circles about nine times whooping and making a fool of myself, and then I
jumped into the ocean.
Then when I got home, I bought a bottle of scotch which I was
supposed to save for the actual signing. My friends got into most of it during
my New Year’s Party (/shakes fist at said friends). The rest I shared with my
bestie literary friend Laura Lam (of Pantomime fame) over Skype when the
contract appeared in my inbox. It was 6AM in the morning. Friendly tip folks;
scotch and toothpaste make a foul combination.
(Co-opted from my original signing post)
Bastard:The Lives of Tao is your extremely fun debut novel, one that I would describe as the bastard
child of NBC’s Chuck and, as you
mentioned in the novel, the Invasion of
the Body Snatchers film. Share with those who haven’t read it yet a bit
about the novel and advise them on why The
Lives of Tao should be in their next shopping basket.
Chuck being badass
Wesley Chu: The
Lives of Tao is a modern day science fiction about an alien that inhabits an
overweight loser and convinces him to fight in a civil war over humanity’s
evolution. The alien, Tao, with his millions of years of wisdom and experience,
has a slight problem. He can only talk to Roen, the overweight and highly
unmotivated loser, but can’t control him. So now, the two must learn to work
together as Roen loses weight, learns how to throw a stiff jab, find love, and
stay alive as Tao’s powerful enemies hunt them down.
Oh,
and some guy on the internet said that it’s an extremely fun debut, and a
bastard child of Chuck and Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
Bastard:What is
a Quasing and what is the name of yours? What do you make of the voices inside
my head? Maybe I’m destined for greatness.
Wesley Chu: My Quasing’s name is Eva,
which incidentally is the name of my dog. See, that’s how my Quasing got me.
Eva spiked my brain and convinced me to get a dog and call her Eva. It’s really
confusing.
And
since I’m always with my dog, and think my dog’s talking to me, my brain has no
issues dealing with this alien in my head. Got it? Of course, for some reason,
Eva the dog and the Quasing both sound like Marge Simpson.
Bastard: Considering that you were born in
Taiwan, and without getting
into its tricky relationship with mainland China, The Lives of Tao integrated plenty of Chinese history, mythology,
and folklore into its narrative. How much did your country of origin and your
family’s culture influence how you went about writing your novel? In other
words, how the heck did a typical fat loser white American end up being named
Roen Tan? Maybe because of his
English or German heritage?
Wesley Chu: Ahh…but
is he white? Let me put it this way. I purposely named him Roen Tan and did not
describe his ethnicity or physical features too closely for two reasons. I
wanted him to be the common man blank enough so that any reader can think to themselves
“man, I could be this Roen guy.”
Also,
in my opinion, far too often minority roles are written with stereotypes in
mind. That’s why people assume leads are white. Sure there have been lead roles
that utilize Latinos, African Americans, and other minorities, but how many
books and movies have written lead Asian males without minority stereotypes in
mind? I wanted to address that.
So, what you're saying is that Seth Rogen still has a chance...
Bastard:The Lives of Tao was recently released, as a rookie author you’re in the unique
position to divulge some trade secrets. What kind of hazing have you had to
endure from fellow veteran authors? It’s quite all right, you’re in a safe
environment. And so far, how has your early publishing life been treating you,
as expected?
Not Jack Bauer
Wesley Chu: Well, there was this one night
at Immortal Confusion when Myke Cole started handing out tequila shots like
candy. Now, I would tell you what happened next if I remembered, but I believe
Diana Rowland, who is an ex-cop, had to save my life at one point.
But
honestly, I love the writing community. When my non-writing friends ask me what
it’s like going to all these SFF conventions, I tell them I feel like the
hobbit coming back to the shire. It’s the strangest and most unique feeling
when a guy finally finds a place he belongs.
Psst…Myke
Cole is Jack Bauer.
Bastard:While
we’re at it, does this series have a name? What can you share with us about the
future of this series and the sequel you’re currently working on? Any other
projects or is writing this series holding your full focus at the moment?
Wesley Chu: Due to the great early
reception for The Lives of Tao, the
Angry Robot overlords have green lit The
Deaths of Tao and moved it up to Oct 29, 2013. Fans of the first book can
expect something a little different in Deaths. After all, it is five years
later and the Quasing civil war has put Roen through the ringer. He’s a little
older and a lot more pissed off. Oh yeah, and things aren’t looking too rosy.
As for
a series name…um… let me get back to you on that.
Bastard:At the
risk of a copy/paste answer, what novels and authors have had the biggest
influence in your writing and life? Any recent novels you've read you’d like to
recommend?
Wesley Chu: I’m gonna cheat again and just
talk about an upcoming novel dropping in August. I have the arc for Jay Posey’s
Threeat the moment. It’s a gritty
dystopian about a guy trying to help a woman and her son from a slew of
baddies, both human, kinda human, and some straight up weird bad shit.
Now,
Jay works for Red Storm Entertainment, and he’s one of the guys who brought us
Rainbow Six and Ghost Recon. The first thing I felt about reading Three was how visceral the book is. I
felt like I was right there in his clusterphobic world, and I’ll be honest,
it’s not a nice place to be for someone of my low pain threshold.
Keep
an eye on for Three; it’s going to make a good splash.
Bastard:Well
off you go, I’m sure you have other places to invade. I’d like to say it was a
pleasure… well, it actually was. Thanks for stopping by, hope to see you
around. Good luck with The Lives of Tao,
and any future projects you get involved in. Any parting shots?
Wesley Chu: Thanks
much. You’re not as bad as they all said you were, even if you are a Boston
fan. By the way, how did your guys doing in the playoffs? Oh, oops. =) It’s
okay. I’m sure my Bulls will be joining you soon.
They sure did, Nostradamus. In the interest of not being an ungrateful host, I'll call for a temporary truce for the rest of the day.
All kidding aside, thanks to Wesley Chu for stopping by, much appreciated. The Lives of Tao was a really good read, so go buy yourself a copy as soon as you can. It's extremely fun. Or, you can try your luck and see if you can win a copy in the following giveaway (if you're honest, this is probably why you came here in the first place).
For more information on Wesley Chu you can visit his website and follow him on Twitter @wes_chu.
Participants have to be 18 years of age or older to participate. Void where prohibited by law. Giveaway rules are subject to change.
Giveaway will be for 1 physical copy of The Lives of Tao by Wesley Chu provided by Angry Robot.
The giveaway is open to US and CANADA shipping addresses only, and it will run from May 16, 2013 until 11:59 pm ET on May 31, 2013.
How to participate:
To participate simply log-in into to the Rafflecopter and "Enter" through the easy entry.
One entry per person, or face disqualification.
Entries accepted until 11:59pm ET on May 31, 2013.
There'll be 1 winner only for one physical copy of The Lives of Tao.
Will have to confirm email to be considered a winner within 48 hours.
Additional entries may be had by following the steps provided in the Rafflecopter instructions, and only by doing those steps.
Winners will be chosen by random selection using the Rafflecopter.
The dilemma of self-publishing is the constant nagging thought of, “What do I have to offer that people can’t find elsewhere and how do I get it to them?” At least it is for me.
With the shelves of (remaining) bookstores stocked full of traditionally published books and those of the big small houses, being self-published without a traditional publishing background is a challenge. It’s not insurmountable, as many authors have shown, but it certainly puts the onus of marketing and promotion and the drive toward success squarely on the shoulders of the author. And while I’ve got the internet to spread the word and hopefully sing the praises of my books, the reality of it is more like throwing a book into the ocean and hoping it hits each and every shore. It’s an unrealistic expectation, especially at the outset; a hopeless dream that appears doomed from the onset.
And that’s exactly what it felt like when I started publishing. I’d sold a few hundred copies of Armageddon Bound, the first of my Demon Squad series, and while that was awesome, it certainly didn’t pay me back the money I’d spent on giveaways or my web page, and it definitely didn’t pay for my occasional convention trip. Not that it’s all about money, mind you. I write because I love to, but there’s an uncomfortable reality of return when you’re writing for public consumption. You can’t just constantly hemorrhage cash trying to get your name out there with no return and expect any sort of longevity.
For me, the first few years were hard as far as my aspirations were concerned. Seriously, $400 a year doesn’t go very far. I was fortunate—and still am—to have a solid, full time job with benefits. I’m no starving artist living on the street, but for me, the goal is to write for a living. $400 isn’t going to get me there. It’s not going to get anyone there.
Seeing that paltry sum in return for all the long hours I’d spent writing and editing and imagining was a kick to the baby parts. The first four novels I’d written were stashed in a trunk, rejections having piled up with no substantive advice buried in them, and writing the fifth felt like taking a swim with a cannonball. I was drowning.
Early on, I was under the delusion that writing was all about the writing. Turns out I was wrong. It isn’t how good a writer you are these days, and it isn’t about how poetic your prose or awe-inspiring your plots are. Of course those matter, but they’re just one piece of the publishing puzzle. It took me a while to realize this, focused as I was on bettering my skills and storytelling.
In the end I learned it was about writing plus marketing plus promotion plus networking plus—and this is the most ephemeral piece of the puzzle—plain luck. You can be the best storyteller in the world but if no one hears you, you’re nothing. Same goes for promotion. You can pitch a sack of gussied up poo all day long but once folks figure out what it is, you’re done. A successful author has to be all things publishing-related if they hope to make a name for themselves. And they have to be lucky, right place, right time.
Once I figured that out—after plenty of mistakes and the mantric advice from more talented buddies and colleagues echoing inside my head—things changed. They changed a lot. The relationships I’d formed with bloggers—people I now consider friends—gave me a soapbox for my work, a pedestal to display it where more than just my wife and the cats got to see. It was the same with conventions. While I blew more than a year’s worth of royalties booking a flight and was forced to nickel and dime to eat while I was there, the relationships I’ve created at these conventions have more than made each and every trip worth the effort.
Add this to what I learned with regards to my actual writing and I suddenly had more of a platform. People were starting to tune in. That increased as I put more effort into not being an anti-social introvert and expanded my visibility through social media. Just like in real life (if you can believe it) I made friends and met folks whose skills and willingness to help only furthered my ability to grow an audience. Word of mouth had gone from forced self-promotion to something more natural, folks talking about my books on their own, discussing them and telling their friends. It’s a great feeling seeing the tiny seed of my career sprout.
While I’m hardly one of the Michael J Sullivans or Hugh Howeys of the world, I’m finding my groove, and I know for a fact it isn’t because of just one thing I’ve done (write) but the sum of all I’ve done and has been done for me, and that elusive bit of luck I’ve managed to catch a wisp of. And as solitary as writing might seem, the long hours cooped up in front of keyboard making stuff up, it really becomes a community when you expand beyond the function of writing and step into publishing. It has to if you want to get your manuscript into the hands of someone not related to you.
Ultimately, self-publishing is a lot of work with no guarantees of success—just like life. There’s no certainty you’ll wake up every morning, and there’s definitely no certainty you’ll wake up with a contract from one of the big publishing houses in your inbox. So, if your dream is to write and be published and your options are limited, just do it. Tell your stories, make friends, dream big, and work your ass off. There are no guarantees but there’s plenty of regret to go around. And while I might not be the textbook example of success when it comes to self-publishing, the fact that I can make something of myself doing it is proof there are opportunities out there. You simply have to make the most of them.
As always a pleasure to have Tim around, author of one of my favorite urban fantasy series in Demon Squad. Most here should already know him as I keep inviting him over whenever I want to give free books, without having to spend my own money, and whenever he's released a new book.
His newest novel is the latest in the Demon Squad series, the fifth installment Beyond the Veil, which was great. To celebrate that release, he's decided to give an eBook set of all his Demon Squad novels to three lucky winners.
Participants have to be 18 years of age or older to participate. Void where prohibited by law. Giveaway rules are subject to change.
Giveaway will be for 3 full eBook sets of the Demon Squad urban fantasy series by author Tim Marquitz.
The giveaway is open WORLDWIDE, and it will run from April 29, 2013 until 11:59 pm ET on May 10, 2013.
How to participate:
To participate simply log-in into to the Rafflecopter and "Enter" through the easy entry.
One entry per person, or face disqualification.
Entries accepted until 11:59pm ET on May 10, 2013.
There'll be 3 winners only for all eBook Demon Squad novels.
Will have to confirm email to be considered a winner within 48 hours.
Additional entries may be had by following the steps provided in the Rafflecopter instructions, and only by doing those steps.
Winners will be chosen by random selection using the Rafflecopter.
Each
city has its own music.
But I
had to go set my books in a world that's not Earth. I did that for good reasons—I wanted to
depict a society where magic is woven through life, rather than Something Scary
Out There. For my first book, THREE
PARTS DEAD, the task was pretty straightforward. I imagined a city, and built it. But I wanted the next book, TWO
SERPENTS RISE, to focus on a different city in the same world, so that city
had to feel different from the one in the first book. I couldn't just go there to walk around.
What
can I say? I wrote this book in stolen
half hours when any reasonable person would have been sleeping. If you can't cackle at your own work at one
o'clock in the morning before a long day at the office, when, I ask, are you
allowed to so cackle?
