Official Interview: Garon Whited
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Official Interview: Garon Whited
To view the official review, click here.
To view the book of the month discussion, click here.
To view the book on Amazon, click here.
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1. When you aren't writing, what do you like to do?
... what do you mean, "When you aren't writing"? I don't understand the question. There are other things to do?
Laundry, maybe. Sleeping. I might leave the house to look for food. My marketing people sometimes send me on book tours, but I bring my laptop, so that's writing with interruptions. Do those count?
2. How did you get started writing?
I didn't. I got started reading. Eventually, I realized some of the stories I wanted to read weren't available, so I started writing them.
3. You've written a plethora of books. Which one is your favorite and why?
Is seven a plethora? I thought it took more than that. I think I like Dragonhunters the best. It really came together well, I think. It's short, it's filled with memorable characters, it's got dragons, religion, magic, and a huge overarching plot suitable for more books, as well as (I think!) a fantastic premise.
4. Let's talk about Nightlord: Sunset which was book of the month for December of 2016. Eric is a vampire, but he's a bit different. What was your inspiration for Eric's character?
There are lots of different takes on vampires. Most of them wind up with a character who is all about the blood and the whining about being cut off from humanity. It's a fundamental theme for vampires, but how many species are there of this particular undead subtype? Then there's the question of who someone is beyond the question of vampirism. Let's start with a Perfectly Normal Person and give him a really bad day... so bad, in fact, the whole "I'm an undead monster" is really a subplot--it's not his biggest problem, not by a long shot. Now we're on to something! A character who winds up treating his blood-drinking, soul-sucking requirements as the *most* mundane parts of his life...
And there's Eric.
5. The book is more than a vampire book; it's an epic saga in its own right. Where did you get the idea for combining a vampire story with an epic saga that includes magic and dragons?
I'm rather eclectic. I couldn't decide on urban fantasy, high fantasy, epic fantasy, magical realism, science fantasy, science fiction, humor, horror, or other genre. So, rather than decide, I just went for all of them. The idea of great power bringing great responsibility merged with the thought of some men are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them. Eric has power (greatness) thrust upon him--and doesn't want it. His sense of responsibility, however, keeps dragging him outside his comfort zone and forcing him to face up to things For The Greater Good. (An irony I rather enjoy, him being a self-acknowledged bloodsucking fiend.)
Once he had power and a sense of responsibility, there was nothing for it but to go big!
6. How much research went into the book?
Counting all the reading I did up to this point in fantasy, sci-fi, history, and the sciences? Tons. Half a lifetime. If we only count what I had to look up, it was still a fair amount. Frequencies for electromagnetic radiation, metallurgy, weather patterns, thermodynamics, computer science, quantum theory, geography, chemistry, geology--the list goes on and on.
7. Can you tell us a little bit about the other projects you have going on?
Aside from the Nightlord series, I may be assembling a book of short stories soon... ish. Some are based in the Nightlord continuity, others are not.
Dragonhunters, a straight-up fantasy book (Eric has a cameo in the first chapter), is something I would like to turn into a series, making Dragonhunters the first book in my Shattered World series, but it's hard to put time and effort into it while I'm still working on Nightlord. Maybe when the Nightlord series is done...
8. What's your favorite part of being an author?
I'm really not sure. It's like asking, "What's your favorite part of breathing?" I don't know. I just do it. I suppose I'll keep doing it until I'm dead. Not doing it might kill me.
How about a few fun questions?
Oh, all right. What's the airspeed of an unladen swallow? African and European.
You got me. No idea.
What's the funniest joke you know?
Knock Knock.
Who's there?
Banana
Banana who?
Knock Knock
Who's there?
Banana
Banana who?
Knock Knock.
Who's there?
Banana
Banana who?
Knock Knock
Who's there?
Orange
Orange who?
Orange you glad I didn't say Banana?
What kind of cult would you like to start? With or without a partner?
Any that I could make money off. Sure my husband can come along.
Is a hotdog a sandwich or a taco?
Neither?
If you were wrongfully committed to an asylum, how would you convince them you were sane?
I wouldn't even try. I probably deserve to be there... Now, I think I was supposed to be asking the questions.
9. Coffee or tea and what do you put in it?
Neither. Damn kidney stones--I don't dare risk either drink. I'm stuck mostly with water and lemonade. The lemonade is on doctor's orders, and I despise it.
10. You are a science fiction author, so I have to know... Star Trek or Star Wars?
For the action/adventure saga, Star Wars. If I want to watch something centered around a big fight scene, Star Wars is the way to go.
For the more cerebral moments, Star Trek. If I want to see people solving a puzzle or mystery, working out solutions and avoiding violence, I'll take Star Trek.
And then there's Doctor Who...
11. Breakfast for dinner or no?
Understand, being a writer is how I live. I wake up, make a grueling ten or twelve-step commute to my office, plunk down in my chair, and spend hours there. Eventually, I'm tired, so I go to bed. In between, I eat and do other life-associated things.
What time does this happen? I wake up when I wake up. I go to sleep when I'm tired. When I eat, it's a question of what I have available. Scrambled eggs, reheated French fries, and a slice of cake? Breakfast!--or lunch. Or dinner. Meals are kind of uncertain, since I don't have a formal breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Just... I'm hungry, so what's in the kitchen?
12. Plane, train or automobile?
Do I have luggage? Automobile.
Do I want to enjoy the trip? Train.
Do I want to get there quickly? Plane.
Do I need to get there yesterday? Tardis. --wait. That wasn't an option.
—Neil Gaiman
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