Interview- J.Scott Nelson

J Scott Nelson is the author of the “Saga of the Riven Blade”. You can get a taste of his writing style from excerpts of the first book in the series—“Path of Peril” by clicking here. J Scott has been kind enough to take the time to answer a couple of questions for me, despite being a very busy businessman. ~~~ Holding down a full-time job and writing a series of novels must take an awful lot of stamina—how do manage it? I don't know about "stamina" -- because writing is something I love to do. It certainly does take time, though, although that is (usually) also considered "fun time" for me. So do you have a set writing routine? Not as set as I would like it to be (say -- 8 hours every day!). Unfortunately, I am not able to work in little pieces -- I need to devote a couple hours to really create good writing. I can edit in small time segments, but to create I generally need to write first thing in the morning (almost every weekend that is my main creation time). I prefer to have at least four hours, and usually within that time I can get a rough chapter done. It will need a lot of revision and editing, of course, but I really need to immerse myself in each character's mind for several hours to feel I get them "right." Since I write in multiple POV's, I can't easily switch between them. I usually choose my POV's with the idea of them being very different people, in different places of the story, with different perspectives. Have you still got time to read for leisure? Almost every night I spend at least 30 minutes reading for fun before I go to sleep. I know some fantasy writers say they can't read fantasy while they're writing -- but I love fantasy so much I almost can't read anything else! And I can rarely read only one book at a time. Right now I'm reading "Waylander" by David Gemmel, "House of Chains" by Steven Erikson, and I've ordered Patrick Rothfuss' "In the Name of the Wind" (he is also repped by my agent Matt Bialer.) Do you ever wish you’d begun writing the “Saga of the Riven Blade” sooner? If I had, it probably would not have been the same book. I brought a lot into it that related to the time when I was writing it -- themes I was interested in from the world around me, character and personality traits that I was seeing around me. So -- I guess I could NOT have written it sooner. How hard is it for you, as a “fresh face”, to find a publisher? What’s been the greatest help in your search? What’s been the biggest disappointment? Obviously, it IS pretty hard -- because I haven't found one yet! The greatest help was getting an A-list agent to represent me -- he knows the business, who to talk to, etc. The biggest disappointment is that I haven't been picked up yet -- although only a few houses have looked at me. I understand it took Matt a couple years to find Patrick Rothfuss a home -- but look how well his book is doing now. So I have no doubt it will happen when it is meant to. Does “Path of Peril” contain any commentary on current events or our world? Completely! I enjoy delving into the "gray areas" of life. It is rare in my writing to find anyone who is "completely good" or "completely evil". That is decided by motivation, context, and situation. I believe that is true in almost every conflict -- and our world has plenty of conflict. The story involves two empires clashing over resources and political differences. Neither side entirely understands the motivations of the other, and both operate under false assumptions that lead to a lot of bloodshed. There are layers to the story that involve ego, eliminating those who are different from you, even genocide. I basically look at the world around me, usually pondering "how do we ever fix this?" There isn't a lot that I can do about what happens directly in the "real" world, but I can play with scenarios and possibilities in the worlds that I create. I try very hard with my characters to make sure they face very real, universal types of challenges and opportunities. With the hundreds of readers who have responded to the samples on my website, over and over I hear how interested they are in the characters. Just like real life, sometimes they make the right decisions and sometimes they make the wrong decisions. I think the readers will be very involved with them and care when those critical junctures occur. Do you feel your characters are a reflection of parts of your own personality? Certainly in many senses that is true. I certainly have identified with Bria -- who is a plucky but naive person who doesn't know much of the world but who is trying to do her best and make a life for herself (this publishing journey is something like that!) Baron Fralen is an honorable soldier who begins to question the orders he's been given and the motivations of those he serves -- certainly many of us are feeling that way about our foreign relations these days. Visicus reflects some of my dark side. Lady Deidre desperately wants to save her country but the tools she has available for that lead her to a difficult place -- and I've felt that way at various times when decisions require a "means versus ends" consideration. I think it would very difficult for a writer to say "I've written this character and they are nothing like me." Perhaps we haven't always done all the things our characters do -- but we've wanted to -- or at least have imagined how we could be driven to do so. Happy Birthday! Have you anything specific in mind to celebrate? What’ll be your wish be as you blow out all those candles? There aren't THAT many candles :) I'm not big on birthdays, but I'm hoping that in the next year I can celebrate a book deal. I've had over 21,000 visitors to my website to check out my samples, and I'd like to celebrate getting to 30,000 visitors! ~~~ Show your support for J Scott Nelson by visiting his website, and signing the petition! Publishing is a lucrative business, so by expressing your interest in someone's work you improve their chance of striking a deal. It's a win-win situation because publishers then have a better idea of what books you want to read!

Interview: Natasha Mostert

Following the review of “Season of the Witch”, the talented Mrs Mostert graciously accepted Bookie Monster’s offer of an interview. Thankfully her friendly attitude made this potentially nerve-wracking experience really enjoyable. The following is the sum of our web-conversation. ~~~ I'm a bit confused Natasha—you said “Season of the Witch” was being filed in the Horror section of several bookshops? What genre would you class it as? That is a good question. My books straddle many genres. Crimesquad.com recently chose me as Author of the Month and those guys usually deal in hardboiled detective stories featuring private investigators and forensic pathologists. But the SF crowd tend to see my work as belonging to their neck of the woods—and it is true that there are fantasy and SF elements in almost all my stories. Every one of my books has a love story at its heart and readers who like a dash of romance seem to find my novels of interest as well. I'd probably class myself simply as a mystery writer. I know you've recently been kissed by Stephen King—what did it feel like, and who else is on your “hit list”? He kissed me on the cheek, the dear man, and I was absolutely thrilled. I felt like a rock star groupie who got noticed! Seriously, he is a master storyteller and his use of language always takes my breath away. I started reading his books when I was a young girl and even after all these years, his writing still captivates me. Next on my hit list—hmm… Let's see. Probably Neil Gaiman, another author who knows how to spin a tale. He has an outsized imagination, a wonderful way with words and great hair! :) What has led you to write about the supernatural, parapsychology etc? If you were to write in a genre other than this one, what would it be? I grew up in Africa, an environment where magic is very much a part of every-day reality. My nanny was a Zulu woman who was training to become an isangoma (witch doctor) and she sharpened my interest in mysticism and the paranormal. She made me aware of all those little things that cannot be readily explained—but that hint at wonderful things hiding behind the dusty curtain of our mundane existence. When I was thirteen, I read an article in a magazine about people receiving phone calls from relatives who were no longer alive. I remember thinking that receiving such a call would frighten me a great deal more than seeing a ghost. Many years later when I sat down to write my first book, I thought this would make a great story...a late night phone call from a beautiful woman who had died mysteriously... If I wrote in a different genre, I would write comedy! I know readers who are familiar with my work would find this difficult to believe because my stories are quite dark and the endings quietly chilling. But I have a very highly developed sense of the absurd. Humour is what keeps us sane. Is that so? What comedies really tickle you then? Do you think TV and Film are more effective vehicles for humour than books? I usually do not enjoy physical comedy that much although I confess to loving Mr. Bean. I enjoy The Office and Everybody Loves Raymond. But humour in prose is what pushes my buttons. The funniest book I've ever read is Auberon Waugh's "Will this Do?" It is shameless and wicked and altogether wonderful. What do you find is the most enjoyable part of the writing experience? Has the writing become any easier since your first book was published? The fun part of writing lies in creating the characters. I know I'll be spending six to eight hours every day in their company so they need to be quirky and interesting! In “Season of the Witch” I very much enjoyed creating my two witches. But it was also a challenging task because they had to stay enigmatic and ultimately unknowable. Much of the suspense in the book lies in identifying who the killer is, so I had to be careful not to reveal too much. As for my hero—well, I tend to fall in love with all my leading men but Gabriel has a special place in my heart. Arrogant, flawed but so sexy... Has writing become easier over time? Yes and no. On the one hand, I now have the experience not to write myself into a corner. On the other, my books are getting more ambitious so the challenges are greater. So do you treat your writing as a “9-5” job, or do you allow yourself a looser routine? I am not a serendipitous writer. For me, it is all about discipline and I write between six and eight hours five days a week. I envy writers who only write when they feel inspired but if I should wait until the muse speaks to me, I'll never get anything done. A number of writers say their characters are based from a certain aspect of themselves—do you think that applies to any of your characters? No, but wouldn't it be nice to be as brilliant, daring and beautiful as my witches? I probably do live vicariously through my characters. Instead of this dull person who stares at her computer screen every day, I get to bungee jump, dabble in witchcraft and pose in the nude... And finally, Natasha, if you had one dish named after yourself, what would it be? Devil's Cake. But that's wishful thinking again. I probably do not rate more than a bland custard flan. ~~~ And with that, it was all over. If you want to find out more about Natasha Mostert or her works, visit her official website, located HERE. If you venture a couple of pages in, you will find the memory game—a highly addictive and well-produced miniature of the Memory Palace. There are prizes to be won, but only until May 31st! So hurry!

"Season of the Witch" By Natasha Mostert

"Season of the Witch" delves into several complex issues—memory, magic, parapsychology…. but maintains its readability in the face of the accurate, quite detailed information it exposes the reader to. In other words it does not get “bogged down” when explaining the necessary background facts and history the reader may not be familiar with. Gabriel—an electronic scam artist—is asked to investigate the disappearance of an old flame’s stepson. It is soon apparent to Gabriel that the sisters Monk, the deceased’s friends, are somehow involved in his murder. But all Gabriel’s original reasons for meeting the sisters are thrown aside as they become thicker and thicker friends. I’ve been searching for a book with a “sexy” feel to it for a long time, and this has been the first one to hit the mark—it has enough suggestion in it without any of the downsides you thought of when you saw the word “sexy”. The sisters are enticingly but not overtly creepy, and never failed to send a frisson down my spine or make my blood rush. The closest comparison that can be drawn has in fact been quoted in the book itself—the vampires that seduce Harker in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The intrigue is sustained throughout most of the book—partly through Gabriel’s past traumas only being hinted at, partly due to the inclusion of the occasional pre-chapter diary entry by a mysterious woman. I found these entries to be the most intriguing parts of the book, but unfortunately after a certain event they become part of the narrative. Although I can see why this was done, I’ve yet to be convinced it was for the best. At that point the focus of the tension switches from intrigue-based to situation-based. It’s still reasonably effective, although I have a preference for intrigue and psychological tension than event-based terror. Perhaps that is why the conclusion felt slightly anti-climactic. Despite the minor complaints, I still derived a lot of enjoyment from “Season of the Witch” and it is by no means a badly written book—au contraire. Score: 8/10 Rationale: Sexy and readable, with a lot of class. It’s well written and has me paranoid I’m getting aneurisms every time I have a headache. Spooky!

"The Lies of Locke Lamora" by Scott Lynch

If you’re a regular visitor to Internet book forums, I doubt you will have been able to avoid the hype surrounding this book. A few of you may have run straight to the bookstore to buy a copy- some of you may not have been bothered too much, and a couple of you may have put off reading it precisely because it was the subject of such immense hype. Hype, by definition refers to exaggerated publicity or claims in order to increase sales. In this case I’m not sure it’s quite the right word to attach to “The Lies of Locke Lamora” as it is indeed a fantastically written and greatly enjoyable book. In a very small nutshell, the book follows the thieving masquerade of one Locke Lamora and his gang, the Gentlemen Bastards. Of course, the story goes much further than that simple premise, but saying more than “Lamora gets into a deadly predicament” would ruin a sizeable portion of the tale. The only criticism I have heard levelled at this book is its difficulty to follow, due to small chapters or interludes where either important side notes or the characters’ pasts are revealed. Utter Poppycock. The interludes are not only clearly labelled, they are easy to recognise as asides. These allow Lynch to include information that is essential to the novel in a (contrary to the above complaint) non-intrusive manner. Written in chronological order—or even as thoughts/emerging memories—the book would suffer immensely. Another of the things Lynch manages to pull-off to great effect is foreshadowing. Many of the events or descriptions in the asides pull together the story, leaving clues or references that the reader will pick up on later when they are referenced again. One of the best of these occurs towards the end, but is so memorable that you cannot help but feel your hair standing on end (“I just have to wait, wait until…”). Locke’s character isn’t immediately likeable. In fact I’m not sure whether I really liked him at all—but inevitably he gets (at the very least) the sympathy vote as the world unravels around him, and he’s exposed for what he is—an insecure man, still wracked with guilt about events he set in motion as an infant. Score: 9/10 Rationale: An original twist on the fantasy genre, with a renaissance atmosphere added. “The Lies of Locke Lamora” is only the first of a sequence of books, the next of which will soon be available for purchase: “Red seas under Red Skies”

"Acacia: The war with the Mein" by David Anthony Durham

David Anthony Durham's debut in Fantasy is absolutely spectacular. A writer of historical fiction, David has had ample time and practice to hone his craft. This is obvious from the first few opening chapters of "Acacia: The war with the Mein", from the bubbling tension to the perfect characterisation of even the supporting characters. In fact it takes a while to realise who the supporting characters are, as David has taken as much care developing them as the main "cast". By the middle of part one, this is cleared up. The star of act 1 is one of the secondary characters--Leodan, King of the Acacian empire. Although many other, less capable authors would not have bothered developing a character they intended to die early on in the story, David seems to have bucked the trend and done the opposite. Why is this so important? Because the reader cares more about what happens to a guilt-ridden, disillusioned widower and father of four than just "a King". In fact, Leodan is a pivotal character in the entire book, despite appearing relatively briefly. Were he not so well written, I wouldn't have cared what happened to his children. Were he not so believable and remorseful, I wouldn't have cared what happened to the "Known World". Secondary characters are just as important to the enjoyment of a book as Primary characters, whether they have a huge effect on the plot or not. One of the great things about "The war with the Mein" is definitely the characterisation. The protagonists and indeed antagonists do not stagnate (which is a good job, as the book leaps a 9 year gap between act 1 and 2), and being in totally different situations grow in different ways- no two characters are the same. Skirmishes are usually skimmed over, or taken down the the personal level, allowing for yet more characterisation and tension as violence is experienced on the personal rather than grand scale. Although I've made a huge issue of how well the characters are developed, Acacia has a lot happening in it, from full-scale invasion, through gigantic explosions to duels and weaselling. I was utterly blown away by The war with the Mein--and cannot wait for the next installment. This isn't so much a fantasy novel as a novel written utilizing the fantasy genre. It feels far more realistic than a great deal of other fantasy books out there, partly due to the characters' realistic actions and reactions, and partly due to the inclusion of non-caucasian people and tribes (which in a lesser writer's version of events may have turned into elves or dwarves). Score: 10/10 Rationale: I was going to give it a 9 to play it safe--but I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. A great many people are looking forward to George RR Martin's "A Dance with Dragons", when they really should be queuing up to buy a copy of this. "Acacia: The War with the Mein" is on release in the US on June the 12th.

If you're up for a bit of audio stimulation, and can tolerate Australian accents, you might want to check out Faster than Light's chat with British author James Barclay. Although they cover babies, the US dollar exchange rate, etc...they eventually do get to James' career and writing. (To skip straight to the Interview, fast forward to 14.5 minutes in) Here is the Audiofile. I've finished "Acacia" and should have a review up in a day or two. Keep your eyes peeled.

David Anthony Durham, author of "Pride of Carthage" has his new website up and running. You can find it Here. The new website has been created to give him a bit more of an online presence (rather than one at all, sorry I made that assumption David!) in order to market his new book better. Due to the shift in audience that "Acacia" will appeal to, it's quite a clever move to make. I've managed to get my hands on an advanced readers' copy of Acacia, so I will be reviewing it soon.

BT Robertson Update

BT Robertson, author of the "Chronicles of the Planeswalkers" has a lot on his plate at the moment! He e-mailed me a bit of news recently: "Things here have been very busy and somewhat stressful, but nothing I can't handle in time. With my current day job, the new book, and the Random House thing, my stomach has been tied up with anxiety for about two weeks straight now. Right now, Random House has two of my books and I signed the contract for my third last week with Lachesis/LBF Books. This way, if Random House wants me, they can have all three books. The current offer on the table is for international print rights, which is unreal and happens rarely for authors with my experience. I'm considering it a once in a lifetime opportunity, and Lachesis told me to think of it as such. [...] Keep your fingers crossed for me; I appreciate your support." (emphasis added by myself)

"The Sacred Diary of Adrian Plass, aged 37 3/4" by Adrian Plass

The Sacred Diary of Adrian Plass, aged 37 3/4, written by Adrian Plass, is a fictional diary. As far as I can discern, it includes no real events whatsoever, and feels distinctly reminiscent of the Adrian Mole Diaries by Sue Townsend, which it intends to spoof. Instead of a teenager, we're introduced to a middle-aged Christian man who despite trying to live according to the straight and narrow, tends to fail miserably-leading more often than not into silly situations with stuffy members of his local church. That is part of the book's charm: although it is written by Christian and focuses on a Christian protagonist, it does not whack you over the head with holier-than-thou or God-is-my-saviour moments. It portrays the humanity in "experienced" Christians, and pokes fun at a lot of the silly stuff that goes on in the Christian world. Admittedly, this book was published in the late 1980s but it is surprising and quite scary that I know quite a lot of the character types being used in the book. The enjoyment doesn't really come from recognising the stereotypes that are being ribbed, although it certainly helps--the non-Christians whom I've lent this book to seem to have had quite a good time reading it...probably due to the humour and the fact that even members of the church realise how stupid some believers act. One thing about the "funny" aspect of The Sacred Diary is missing, as I said earlier it was published 2 decades ago, so a lot of the jokes or comments may be totally out of context, or appear very lame. However, there are enough silly anagrams, puns and downright ridiculous situations to keep a smile on your face. Rating: 6/ 10 Rationale: It would be a lot funnier if it had aged a bit more gracefully, and I'm afraid some of the jokes are "insider" jokes to a pretty small community.

About Bookie Monster

Bookie Monster is a "Generic" book reviewing website only in the sense that it covers many literary genres. You may notice over a period of weeks that I may focus on one particular genre--currently this would be fantasy. However, I tend to have broader tastes running from thrillers and crime fiction to young adult and the occasional romance. The purpose of Bookie Monster is to provide easily digestible reviews--filling like a plate of cookies and nutritious as a glass of milk! I won't pontificate on minor matters, instead focusing on what make each book either enjoyable, painful, interesting, boring, complex or cliche. Recommendations Most of the books I review are based on recommendations from friends or Bookie Monster readers. If you would like to make a book suggestion, or would like me to review a book you're marketing--e-mail me via the "Contact me" link in the left sidebar. I reserve the right not to review all suggestions--the main reasons being I've already read/reviewed it It's a manuscript I am pretty certain that I will not enjoy or finish the book. In regards to the last point, please do not be offended--it's better to get no review than a bad review--which brings me to scoring. Scoring As most books are recommendations, the standard score is relatively positive. Giving books numerical scores and ranking has become, to be frank, very difficult. I will now just give a recommendation level--but it is usually pretty obvious from the review itself what my opinion of each book is.