Interview with A.F.E Smith, author of Darkhaven
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Interview with A.F.E Smith, author of Darkhaven
1. Why don’t we start by telling the folks a little about you?
Hmm, OK. My name isn’t really A.F.E. Smith, at least during the daytime. I work as an editor for a distance learning institution, on the subjects of maths, computing and technology. (I’ve always been both a writer and a mathematician. Go figure.) I have a husband and two young children. My hair is red, but only when I remember to dye it; my eyes are blue. And I have a very minor chocolate obsession.
2. When and why did you start writing?
I started writing pretty much as soon as I started reading. I still have the very first ‘book’ I ever wrote, when I was six years old, about a rabbit with superpowers. And that’s far too long ago to remember why, but I think it simply always seemed natural to me that if I enjoyed reading stories so much, I should write down some of my own.
3. Who is your favorite author and why?
That’s probably the hardest question you could have asked me! I love so many authors. Narrowing it down to ‘authors whose entire oeuvre is sitting on my bookshelves’, that gives us a shortlist of Terry Pratchett, Juliet Marillier and Diana Wynne Jones. And I’m going to have to go with Diana Wynne Jones, because I’ve loved her the longest. She wrote so many wonderful children’s books, and a few for adults besides. I think what I like most about her books is that you never get the same thing twice. I really have no idea how she managed to come up with so many amazing plots in her lifetime, but if I could steal any author’s creative talents, I’d steal hers.
4. Do you feel that this person inspired your writing? Do you feel that your writing is modeled after him/her?
Yes, I think DWJ inspired my writing – insofar as she was one of the authors I loved most as a child, and any author who is loved by a child who writes can be said to have inspired him or her to do so. I think if I were to write a children’s book, it would owe more to her than I might realise. But I don’t think my adult writing is modelled after her, because I tend to a little more darkness than she did – though, of course, her Tough Guide to Fantasyland is a great reference when it comes to being aware of fantasy tropes.
5. What do you hope to accomplish with your writing?
Nothing profound. I hope to find some readers who really enjoy reading my books. If I can provide an escape for a miserable teenager or a few hours of pure entertainment for a busy mother, I will have done for others what other authors’ books have done for me. That’s all I require.
6. Traditional or self-publishing and why?
I am traditionally published … semi-traditionally published. My publishers are Harper Voyager, who are truly massive in fantasy publishing, but my contract is digital first (the ebook comes out six months before the paperback), which isn’t a traditional way of doing things.
Why did I go for traditional publishing? Because I am a terrible self-doubter and if Voyager hadn’t given me validation that my book was good enough, I would still be rewriting it now. And also … when I was a child and dreaming of being an author, my dream was always of a big publisher rather than going it alone. So even though the publishing landscape is changing, and many people do very well for themselves as self-publishers, my heart was still in the traditional route.
7. Tell us about your most recent book and why we should love or hate your characters.
Darkhaven is a fantasy murder mystery. The main characters are a brother and sister, Myrren and Ayla Nightshade, who belong to a ruling family of shapeshifters. Their father is murdered, all the evidence points to Ayla being the culprit, and the book follows both of them as they work from different angles to try and figure out who really did it.
You should love my characters because they’re real, I think. They certainly have flaws. Ayla in particular seems to have divided reviewers; some of them really like her, some … not so much. And from my perspective, that means she’s rounded and real and alive enough to have sparked a reaction in people. Characters aren’t meant to be perfect. Sometimes they should drive you up the wall.
8. If your book had a soundtrack, what is the first 5 songs you would include?
I’m useless at soundtracks. I write in complete silence, because although I love music, I find it a terrible distraction. So I’m possibly the only writer in the known universe who hasn’t put together a playlist for their books. Off the top of my head, it would be a weird mixture of prog rock and 90s indie, with a bit of classical music and/or film score for variety.
I don’t think there’s much chance I’ll ever get a job as a soundtrack composer.
9. Aside from writing or reading, what is your favorite pastime?
You mean people do things other than read and write? 😉
I like playing board games. Computer games and role-playing games have never been my thing, but old-fashioned board games are brilliant. And cards – I love me some cards. Oh, and Yahtzee! I could spend a whole afternoon playing Yahtzee.
10. What is the one thing you want to do, or the one place you want to go, that you would put at #1 on your bucket list?
I’d really love to visit Australia and New Zealand. But I think it will be a while before I dare to take my children on such a long trip.
11. Finally, what else would you like readers to know?
When I said my chocolate obsession was minor, I lied. Basically I live for sweet snacks and so if you ever want to do anything nice for me, send me chocolate.
Oh, and also, I have a mailing list if you want to keep up with what I’m doing: http://www.afesmith.com/mailing-list. Everyone who is on the list in January will be entered into a prize draw to win a signed paperback copy of Darkhaven and some other stuff too.
Website: http://www.afesmith.com
Links to book:
HarperCollins
Amazon (global link)
Barnes & Noble
Google play
iBooks
Kobo
Meet the Grimbold Authors number 3 with the brilliant Kate Coe
Meet the Grimbold Authors number 3 with the brilliant Kate Coe
Hi, Kate Coe and Welcome. Would you like to begin by telling the readers something about yourself?
I’m an accidental librarian, a DIY enthusiast, a crafty geek and a writer. I currently live in Stonehouse with an engineer, two disdainful cats and a very grumpy bearded dragon, work part-time in a library and spend the rest of the time alternately writing and wondering which part of the house to tackle next…
What is your series about and what inspired you to write it?
The Green Sky series is a world of magic that’s just discovering technology, and follows the effect that the technology is having on the people and the world in general. It’s a mix of fantasy and sparkpunk and is very character-focused.
The series itself came from a wide range of places. The original story was a very ‘fantasy’ one – a quest, a magical girl, a love story – and then I started re-writing, and two of my characters fell in love. It sent the story off in a completely different direction, but it also let me broaden the world. I realised I could add new lands and new ideas that I already had, and I started thinking about how magic would actually work – and then started wondering what effect technology would have on it. A lot of strands wove themselves together, and I realised that this was a world, and these were characters, that I wanted to keep writing about: I wanted to know what would happen next!
How long did the first one take to write and how many times did you go through it before it was finally done?
I’ve been writing it since I was 14, but it’s gone through at least three different revisions! The current version was started around about 2010 and has mostly remained intact from that first draft. The next two books were a little slicker at two years, and I’m currently down to about six months per book.
Where do your settings come from? Are they taken from real places, made up entirely, or a conglomerate of the two?
Some of the names are real (I didn’t realise that Oare and Huish are real villages until a few years ago…) but most of the places are conglomerates. Taderah is a land of forests, based on the Redwoods and all the woods I used to walk through as a child; the islands of Tao are tropical, balmy and beautiful – and also happen to have islands floating in the air. A lot of the places are from maps I drew as a child of imaginary lands, but they are also based in some degree of Earth reality because it’s a lot easier to imagine places based on real geography!
Who is your favorite character and why?
I think my favourite has to be my Lord-turned-engineer, Toru. He’s charming, witty, ruthless and a pain in the backside – mostly because he keeps accidentally crashing his planes and causing absolute havoc!
As a close second, my favourite group of characters are the Mages, because I love breaking the fantasy stereotypes. It’s all very well being able to make something float through the air, but you’ll get a thumping headache after doing it – and you still have to earn a living! You can’t be a snooty Mage in a society where you have to get your hands dirty every day.
What inspired a series of novellas rather than a novel?
I tend to be…how did my English teacher put it…a rather “sparse” writer. I don’t like long descriptive passages and absolutely hate telling the reader more than I have to, and I find novellas suit me as my Green Sky stories naturally end at about that point. I can write novels – and have written two! – but I much prefer not having to stretch the length just for convention’s sake.
Are you an outliner or a pantzer when it comes to start a book? If the latter, do the ideas come to you in one big lump, or are they piecemeal?
Oh, absolutely a pantser! The ideas are completely piecemeal; I’ll usually start with an image or a scrap of conversation, and then go from there – what’s that character doing? Where are they? Why are they there? What’s going to happen next? What else is happening in the world that I can bring in? How does that change things? And then I’ll have scraps of conversations, things that need to happen, events that I have to put in – and somehow it comes together in a vaguely coherent plot. Yes, I’m quite a strange writer, but it works.
Finally, where can the book be purchased and what are your plans for the next ones?
The first book, Green Sky & Sparks, is available from Amazon and Smashwords in paperback and ebook. Grey Stone & Steel is due out in Winter 2015, and as I’m currently writing the 5th and 6th in the series, I hope it will continue onwards for a while yet!
My review of Green Sky and Sparks
By Elizabeth Hull on July 16, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition
This story is a highly original mix of a very different steampunk and alien worlds. A green sky puts this away from Earth, which is a refreshing change, although the discovery of something like electricity has occurred, (sparks).
The people are defined by occupation and also by race. I especially like that one set are warrior/protectors and this includes their women. Equality appears to be far more developed, which is a refreshing change.
Starting off is Catter Jeck, who is tasked with finding a place that is the hub of all magic, which he can get near as he is an archivist and not a mage. His mission is made much easier when he teams up with Toru, the Lord Heir of Melton, who is also an air mage, something he uses to power his flying machine. Toru comes across as an explorer fired with enthusiasm but held back to a certain extent by his position in life, although he has a solution for this. After an accident, Toru finds himself mind linked to an injured female healer recently bereaved. Not a good thing to happen, and yet very useful when Toru and Catter need help later.
Loved the way this played out and am looking forward to the next instalment.
The people are defined by occupation and also by race. I especially like that one set are warrior/protectors and this includes their women. Equality appears to be far more developed, which is a refreshing change.
Starting off is Catter Jeck, who is tasked with finding a place that is the hub of all magic, which he can get near as he is an archivist and not a mage. His mission is made much easier when he teams up with Toru, the Lord Heir of Melton, who is also an air mage, something he uses to power his flying machine. Toru comes across as an explorer fired with enthusiasm but held back to a certain extent by his position in life, although he has a solution for this. After an accident, Toru finds himself mind linked to an injured female healer recently bereaved. Not a good thing to happen, and yet very useful when Toru and Catter need help later.
Loved the way this played out and am looking forward to the next instalment.
Meet the Grimbold Authors, Interview 2 with the talented Joanne Hall
Meet the Grimbold Authors, Interview 2 with the talented Joanne Hall
Art of Forgetting
Hi Joanne Hall and Welcome. Would you like to begin by telling the readers something about yourself?
Hello, thanks for having me! I’m a fantasy writer living in Bristol, England, teetering down the long slope towards forty. I like reading, music and gaming, and I’m mum to a beautiful white-and-black greyhound. I run the Bristol Fantasy and SF society Facebook page, and for the last six years I’vebeen the chair of BristolCon.
What are your books about and what inspired you to write them?
I always wanted to write fantasy – it’s been my favourite genre since I was little and I grew up reading fantasy books and watching fantasy films. I was lucky enough to grow up in the 80’s, which was kind of a golden age for fantasy films. I like to write something that takes me right out of the real world and into magical realms, but I also like to write about people and the troubles they go through.
How long did it take for each book and how many times did you go through it before it was finally done?
It varies, but usually about 12-18 months from start to finish of a book, and I normally write 6-8 full drafts. I write the first draft out from start to finish, and then I go back to the beginning and go through it again and again and again until it reaches the stage where I think if I fiddle with it any more I’ll mess it up. Then I know it’s ready to go to Kristell Ink, where Sammy tells me all the ways I can improve it!
Where do your settings come from? Are they taken from real places, made up entirely, or aconglomerate of the two?
A mix of the two. Sometimes I’ll see a picture of a real-world place and that will inspire me, but I like to take places and put my own twist on them, or mix them together. Northpoint in The Art of Forgetting : Rider is based on Marazion in Cornwall, which is one of my favourite places, but the town is nothing like the town in the book, and the political divisions in the book were inspired by 1970’s Belfast as much as anything else. So it’s a real mixed bag. Living in Bristol is great because there are parts of the old pre-war city tuck right alongside modern office blocks, and you can walk along a modern alley and find yourself suddenly transported into the past. I like weird bits of architecture like that.
Who is your favorite character and why?
Oooh, that’s like trying to choose between my children! I do have a very soft spot for Rhodri, but Ifall in love with all my heroes and heroines. And a good baddie is always tremendous fun to write –Allorise Carey from Spark and Carousel was brilliant to write because she was such a terrible, extreme character who did such awful things with no moral qualms whatsoever. When you have a character like that who will do anything it’s fun just to see what shocking things they get up to!I know my favorite is Rhodri, who is a bi character.
I am wondering if it is more difficult to write a bi character than a straight or gay one.
Not really *smiles* When I started writing The Art of Forgetting I didn’t consciously know that Rhodi was going to be bisexual; his sexuality emerged as the story progressed. It made sense to me that in the hyper-male environment he was thrust into with a lot of other teenage boys that there would be some sexual experimentation going on, and it was obvious that some of the characters would not be straight – it wouldn’t be realistic otherwise. Aside from make sure that I told his and Astan’s stories honestly and fairly and didn’t write anything crashingly insensitive; that was the only part I was wary over, and I hope I did them justice. But as to whether it’s more difficult to write a bisexual character– no. As Ursula Le Guin says, “love is love.”
Are you an outliner or a pantzer when it comes to start a book? If the latter, do the ideas come to you in one big lump, or are they piecemeal?
I am a huge pantzer – I usually have some idea how the story ends and a couple of plot points in the middle, but that’s it and I never write them down. Obviously there are as many ways of writing as there are writers, and what works for me may not work for you, or indeed anyone else, but I find that if I over-plan it takes the fun out of writing. I like the journey, the adventure of finding my way into, and through, the story, and the surprises that can get thrown up along the way. Sometime that leads me down a blind alley, but that’s part of the fun!
Finally, where can the books be purchased and what are your plans for the next ones?
To answer the second part of the question first, my next book, the aforementioned Spark andCarousel is released at the end of September this year. It’s a stand-alone set in the same world as The Art of Forgetting, but you don’t have to have read any of my other books to enjoy it (though you should, you know?). The story follows Spark, a mage-apprentice on the run after the death of his master, who finds himself the target of rival criminal gangs in the city of Cape Carey. It’s a lot of fun!
As for where the books can be purchased, both volumes of The Art of Forgetting are available fromAmazon, Smashwords, Barnes and Noble etc… and in paperback from Forbidden Planet. They can also be ordered through your local independent bookshop.
Thank you Joanne Hall.
Here is my review of The Art of Forgetting on Amazon. It is a fascinating read.
on July 1, 2013
Jo Hall’s book truly breaks the boundaries. So many fantasy novels are pat deliveries of what has already gone before. Hall takes the genre to the next level with her skillful handling of characters who are not quite what one would expect, but are beyond delightful because of this.
The hero, Rhodri, starts out in deprived circumstances because he looks different from other villages and he has total memory recall. As a found child, he is raised by suspicious guardians, who do little to nurture him. When a chance comes to leave his village, he jumps on it and begins a whole new chapter of his life.
What follows is Rhodri striving to find links to the past he remembers in vivid detail. The truth isn’t always how it is presented and he must adjust to this as well as his growing experiences. Without giving spoilers, this is a very character driven book that excels in to life in this world and Rhodri’s take on his surroundings.
I found Rhodri to be a compelling character and I was very disappointed when I came to the end of the book. I was so wrapped up in it that I read it straight through in one day. What I will take away from the reading experience is how much I enjoyed seeing Rhodri grow over the course of the story. I am very much looking forward to the next book so I may learn what happened next. This was an immensely enjoyable read and I can’t recommend it enough.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. Now where is the next in the series? I want it now.
Sex from the male perspective.
My friend Ellen has written a hilarious post on this.
Meet the Grimbold Authors.
There is something wonderful happening soon but we are not going to tell you what it is just yet. In the meantime enjoy a chance to meet some of my very talented colleagues.
Here is the first, Ellen Crosháin, author of Cruelty.
Hi Ellen Crosháin and Welcome. Would you like to begin by telling the readers something about yourself?
Hi, thanks for having me. Well, I’m from Northern Ireland originally but I now live in Cardiff, in South Wales with my husband and six guinea pigs. I teach English in a high school just outside the city but I am currently on maternity leave as I wait for our first baby to arrive. I’m a ferocious reader, there’s very little I don’t read or enjoy, but I’m knee-deep in Irish mythology at the moment as I write the follow up to ‘Cruelty.’
What is your book about and what inspired you to write it?
‘Cruelty’ is about Eliza MacTir, a magically Barren woman from a magical family. It is set in Ireland, in the countryside just outside of Dublin. Eliza, fed up of being ignored for her lack of power, leaves home by faking her own death. She is almost free when she is caught by the Cruel, the Family’s assassin and spy. A traffic accident leads them to being in hospital for a few days and Cornelius begins to see a different side to Eliza, as well as beginning to understand why she ran away. To escape the Cruel’s punishment, she makes a deal with him, sealed with her lost virginity. That act of sex wakes Eliza’s magic and she quickly discovers that her power is a new and strange one. Between them, Eliza and Cornelius set up an old enemy of the Family as her kidnapper so that she can return home and slot back into Family life. That is easier said than done. Her Family begin to notice that she’s different, and so too does the source of their power, the dark Fae-god Faroust who lives under their house. After the annual, horrific ritual which renews the magic, Faroust discovers that Eliza has been sleeping with Cornelius and blackmails her into being his concubine. While in his home, Eliza slowly unravels the terrible truth about their god and their magic, a truth she cannot ignore. (Insert dramatic music of your choice).
My inspiration for it was a song by the incredible Amanda Palmer called ‘It runs in the family’ about traits and problems that pass down through generations. It really struck a chord with me and ‘Cruelty’ was conceived.
How long did it take to write and how many times did you go through it before it was finally done?
Initially, it was a short story but I couldn’t leave it alone and it blossomed into something else. It took 18 months to write, 6 months to marinate (that is a really important step for me, it gives you distance to edit critically) another year to edit before I sent it to Kristell-Ink and just over a year, including working with the editor, to get it ready for publishing. As a whole, I went through the manuscript 5 times but some sections were read, re-read and edited at least a dozen times. And there are still a few things I’d like to change. Neil Gaiman said it best ‘it’s never perfect.’
Where do your settings come from? Are they taken from real places, made up entirely, or a conglomerate of the two?
My settings give you an idea of a place. Eliza lives in an Anglo-Irish Georgian house. There are lots of Georgian type houses in Ireland, left over from days of the plantations, so it’s entirely possible that this large estate could exist somewhere in Co. Dublin. It is a little bit of a fantasy though. The Otherworlds which I hint at come from Irish mythology. There are endless possibilities with the Celtic Otherworlds so it gave me free reign to do what I liked with the ones you catch glimpses of.
Who is your favorite character and why? Mine is the Cruel. Actually I was rather sorry for him.
I also love Cornelius. Eliza comes in and turns his whole world, his whole reason for existence, on its head and all he can do is hang on for the ride. He’s never quite sure if he can trust Eliza (for that matter neither am I!) and yet he can’t let her go. He is utterly devoted to her, but he doesn’t tolerate any nonsense either. If she goes too far, he reigns her back in, often sharply. He’s a good balance for her but he does have to cope with the fact that their god is sleeping with the woman he loves and that she is in real danger the entire time she’s with him. He puts up with a lot but he’s not weak or a pushover. I really enjoyed writing him.
Did you like your bad guy, or were you gleeful about his ultimate punishment?
I like Faroust. He started off as an absolute bastard, pure evil through and through, but as I was writing him he wouldn’t stay in that box. I wanted him to be evil, a Fae creature who was having an awful joke at the expense of the stupid mortals who worshipped him but he was funny, passionate and compassionate, and had a bit of a tragic backstory. I found myself empathising with him, and so does Eliza. His whole existence is taking care of the Family and at one point, they turn from him. Faroust, stranded in the mortal world because of his bond to them, just snaps at their betrayal. That said, nothing excuses what he was doing to the Family for a thousand years. Nothing. He thoroughly deserves his comeuppance. It is a fitting punishment for his cruelty.
Are you an outliner or a pantzer when it comes to start a book? If the latter, do the ideas come to you in one big lump, or are they piecemeal?
Outlining doesn’t work for me; because I handwrite everything, things sort of just develop on their own. I usually decide how things are going to end (though that’s never set in stone either) and work up to that. Things reveal themselves to me as I am writing and I am usually surprised by the choices my characters make.
Finally, where can the book be purchased and what are your plans for the next ones?
Amazon is the best place to get ‘Cruelty’. I am currently writing the sequel. It’s set twenty five years later and it’s going to be a lot more heavily involved with the Otherworlds, the Fae, the Sidhé (high lords and ladies of Fae) and Queens of Faerie. Some old favourite characters are going to resurface, but there’s lots of new ones to meet too.
Links for sale UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1909845655
US: http://www.amazon.com/Cruelty-Ellen-Crosh-in/dp/1909845655 
And here is my review of Cruelty from Amazon.
on February 28, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
That being said, I loved it. This is a story that starts off strong and builds up momentum from there. Eliza is the only member of an Irish Fae family born without a shred of magic and as such she is treated like a cripple they are ashamed to have around, all except for one, the ‘Hound’, another fae treated almost as bad as Eliza. Unable to bear the shame she feels she brings to the family, she runs away to spare them from her flaws, and so the Cruelty begins.
The story has vibrant, intense emotions as well as heartbreaking and thrilling love scenes. As Eliza’s sexuality comes alive, so does her need to survive at all costs. Layer upon layer of intrigue and misdirection are gradually unravelled until a stunning ending. I am not really sure what I liked the most, the characters or the highly original story. Of the characters my favorite is the ‘Cruel’ as he handled himself well in various circumstances. Even the bad guy is well drawn and sympathetic to a certain degree.
I hope there is a sequel or prequel to this as I would get it in a heartbeat. This is a must buy!
Bright new shiny idea.
Light faded in the Dwarril glade, but not from an absence of sun, no, this was the end of existence. The gold and brown leaves rustled overhead, unseen, but sound was the last sense to leave a body. Soon, so soon she would sink into to dark loam to become part of the earth again. As it was once, so shall it be again, only this was the last time for there was no more to learn.
The children of the lesser upstart god called on her to repent, knowing her end was at hand so with her last strength she had summoned up the Dwarril glade. Something she knew would horrify them if they had seen, but they had not, for she could still be one with nature and blend herself with the trees.
Repent; why should she, who had done no wrong think of repenting? Let them clamour about their own shortfallings to their upstart, in fear and trembling of an afterlife that seemed without merit to her. No, let the deep dark gather her to itself to end all thought and feeling until the end of times when the planet should crack asunder and all of the Alysh would fly free to wander the cosmos on clouds of fire and power until they once more found a virgin planet to seed with life.
Slowly, so slowly the black loam parted and she sank amid the earth smells and the skitterings of insects. The damp closed in around her like a wet embrace in a storm and all light vanished. Repent? Her final breath came out in a laugh. The last Alysh was freeeeeee…
How to make a mobile A/C unit.
1) Take one ball cap, one zip lock bag and one tray of ice cubes.
2) Put ice in bag and seal tight. Put bag in hat.
3) Place hat with baggy inside on heat. Ignore funny looks. Remember, they are hot and you are not.
cnlesley 