Monday, March 31, 2014

An Editor's Job

Altered America is now officially released.  The pre-ordered copies will be mailed today, and readers are already picking up copies from Amazon, in both Print and Kindle formats.  As we see this latest Martinus release hit online shelves, I'd like to make a few comments on the purpose of editors and editing.

First, let's examine the term "editing."  It is a pretty broad term these days, and it can mean anything from "proofreading" to "rewriting," depending on the extent of the process.  Now, an Editor—capital E for emphasis—is the person in charge of a manuscript at a publishing house, and they have traditionally been in charge of the 3 R's: reading, revising, and releasing.  They read slush (submissions), they edit the manuscripts to suit their needs when necessary, and then they publish them.

The extent of an Editor's influence over a story or manuscript can vary greatly, depending on the story involved and the Editor himself (or herself, as the case may be).  Some Editors serve as little more than proofreaders, fixing typos and moving commas.  Some Editors are true revisionists, rewriting entire swaths of text, and sometimes even changing plot elements to suit their needs.  The revisionist Editors were much more common in the old days, but most stories you read today aren't too different from what the writer had in mind to begin with.

Yet, there still comes a time when you run into a good story that just has one or two little nits about it, things that don't work or need to be changed.  This is when the true Editor comes in.  Perhaps a character behaves inconsistently, or takes that blow too easily (gets up and runs around without a care in the world after getting beaten to the brink of death).  Such little changes can take a story that is simply "okay" and make it great.

When it comes to novels, Editors most commonly consult with the writer on changes.  However, that isn't always the case, and it often isn't the case when it comes to short stories in magazines and anthologies.  Minor changes are common, and there are rare instances where more substantial edits are required.  Of course, without these edits, some stories wouldn't be published at all.  It all comes down to whether an editor feels like working on a story or not.

There have been a few stories I have been willing to "fix" because I enjoyed them, even if they had some grammatical or style issues that were a tad off.  This is why there is a clause in each Martinus Publishing story agreement, reserving the right to edit the material.  Still, I can think of maybe a dozen stories that have required more than simple proofreading and a few word adjustments.  Most of those were grammar issues, where some sentences or paragraphs sounded "clunky," but a few needed more.

One example of a story that needed a change was one that had a main character with no name.  It was a 3rd Person tale that only identified the protagonist as "he" or "him," which got confusing at times when other characters were put into the mix.  In this instance, I gave the character a name during the initial round of edits.  Another instance was a story that was all "telling," and in the present tense, which made for a very awkward narration.  I past-tensed it and rewrote some paragraphs to make it smoother.  A third example had a character behaving out of character during a conversation.  It made things a bit confusing, so I reworked the dialog to make things clearer, and make the character more sympathetic and consistent.

These three examples, and the few other changes I've made over the years, were entirely necessary in my opinion.  As Editor, I must make the call about what gets published and how it gets published.  Sometimes, I'll ask the author to make changes, but in many cases I'll take care of it myself.

Of course, some writers take issue with an Editor who wants to actually "edit" their precious words.  I'll call these "Verbatim Writers," the people who have a vision and want everything published their way.  To be fair, every single one of us who writes has a touch of that in us, but some have it more than others.  These Verbatim folks get angry and upset if you ask them to change things, and I had one fellow outright pull his submission because I asked for a very simple scene change.  It's a shame, because the story in question would have been a really great addition to VFW.

Then there are the "Nitpicking Writers," those who will work with you on a story, but argue that "I want this, this, and that left alone," or "Can't we do this and this instead?"  This takes up time and energy, and while some of this can be tolerable, it can get excessive when you're dealing with a bunch of different writers all at once.

Nitpickers and Verbatim Writers are actually the minority, and most writers who submit are quite understanding and helpful.  Most understand that an Editor is "the boss," and it is the Editor's job to filter through and make changes when they deem them necessary.  As an Editor, I sometimes have time to consult a writer on little edits, and other times I don't, or they simply slip my mind.  Really, when you're going over a 21-story collection and decide to rewrite a few paragraphs, there isn't always time to stop for a consultation on each and every one.  I do my best to keep writers "in the loop," but if you happen to read one of your stories and see that Character A says or does something that you didn't originally write word for word, please don't chew me out for making an editorial decision.

Editors generally have respect for writers, and this is why they do their best to "improve" stories when necessary.  If a writer doesn't want anything changed in a story, they should forego the submission process and self-publish.  Some Editors these days may act like glorified proofreaders, leaving submitted content virtually unaltered, but don't count on it.  Sometimes, we actually edit.



Sunday, March 30, 2014

Postcard of the Week: Japanese Schoolgirls

This week's antique postcard is from Japan, hand colored, from about 1910:


And as a bonus, here is a vintage postcard of a solitary Japanese lady:


Saturday, March 29, 2014

Shows Cancelled Too Soon

In my second in the series of show exposés, we investigate a few shows that were cancelled early in their existence.  Each was dropped for various reasons, and in these brief commentaries I’ll explain some of my suspicions about why they were dropped.  Some people may find my feelings justified, some may deny them, and there were no doubt various other factors involved in each cancellation.  These are purely my opinions, based on my biased viewpoint and personal feelings.  Beyond that, I personally feel these shows deserved to be continued.  So, in no particular order...

Jeremiah:  A month ago, I’d never seen a single episode of this series.  Now, it is quite possibly the best post-apocalyptic series I’ve ever encountered!  The premise stirs the imagination; just think of the world falling apart when everyone past puberty dies of a disease—this is what the world could look like 15 years later.  The characters are well rendered and there is significant growth with them, and the acting is top notch.  There is some nudity/sex in some of the episodes, and they swear about as much as my father does (which is quite a bit), but if you can overlook these adult elements (or if you enjoy them), this show is incredible to watch.  It’s about surviving, rebuilding, and restoring hope.

It sucks that it only ran for 2 seasons.  There was so much more to tell!  I expect this show was cancelled because it was ahead of its time.  In the early 2000’s, there wasn’t as big a fan-base for this sort of dark, gritty future fiction.  Today, we have shows like The Walking Dead that prove there is a larger television market for character-driven dystopian survival stories.  Also, the “adult” elements hindered the show’s marketability.  If they’d gone for a PG-13 effect, they could have sold it to more broadcasters, even if it may have diminished its gritty realism in some respects.

Jericho:  Another post-apocalyptic show that I found quite captivating.  At the time it first aired, the theme may have been a bit too “9/11 Truther” for your average viewer, but now, with the exposure of the NSA spying, government surveillance, drones, and the continuing attacks on American liberties, the premise of factions within our own government conspiring to destroy the country, in order to “reform” it seems far more plausible—frighteningly so.  But, in 2007, it was only a few “conspiracy theorists” willing to buy into this premise, and that likely lowered the ratings.  Today, this show would be more popular.

Stargate Universe:  The final end to the great Stargate saga?  I hope not, but right now it’s looking pretty bleak.  SGU changed everything for the franchise, taking what had been a winning formula of action-adventure sci-fi and seeking to give us a darker, grittier series.  The storyline started out slowly, and after watching the first season I wasn’t all that pleased with it.  We had some good ideas, though also some real dud stories (I swear “Life” is the worst episode of any SG series ever).  Where the first season was lacking, Season 2 succeeded, bringing us back into the sort of imaginative, adventurous Stargate that I enjoyed in SG-1 and Atlantis, albeit with more “edge.”  The last 10 episodes are my favorite of any Stargate series, and I wish they could somehow bring this back, to continue the story.  Alas, that doesn’t seem to be in the cards.

The Job:  Denis Leary’s comedy about cops in New York City.  This show was hilarious, but its timing was wrong.  Its second season was due to air after 9/11/2001, so in the wake of the terrorist attacks nobody wanted to laugh about wacky NYC police officers.  They were “heroes” after that, so the cynical nature of this series was no longer funny for a lot of people.  If this had aired in the 1990’s it probably would have run for a few more seasons, as it should have.

Enterprise:  Well, at least we got 4 good seasons out of this last Star Trek series.  There was a lot to like about this “prequel” show, giving us a glimpse into events before the Federation.  The first couple of seasons were a little slow, and I think they may have tried to emulate the original series too much, giving us a lot of dry, moral lessons.  That all changed with Season 3, and by season 4 we had the perfect blend of action/adventure, think-pieces, and overall Trekkie-ness.  Some people found the third season to be somehow wrong, but I think it worked well (I just would have ended the whole thing differently, erasing the events from history via the temporal effects that went on—the attack on Earth at the end of Season 2 would never have happened because they changed the timeline by stopping the Sphere Builders).

The show’s decline and fall came about due to several factors.  One of those was the dry aspects of the first two seasons. I didn’t find them that dull, but others did, and some of the story elements were only interesting to bonafide Trekkies.  Another aspect, as minor as it might seem, was the theme song.  There was a lot of criticism of it, and there were actually people who boycotted the show over it.  Yes, it might seem ridiculous and petty, but when you have thousands of fans having a fit over you using “sickening soft-rock” instead of the traditional orchestration, it can cause problems.  I believe this alienation of a small percentage of the audience was just enough to diminish the ratings, and thus set the ball rolling for the eventual cancellation.

Believe it or not, there are still people pushing for them to make Season 5 of Enterprise, though I fear that starship has sailed.

Odyssey 5:  Another “adult-oriented” sci-fi show that got cut short with season 1 (and with an annoyingly-unresolved cliffhanger).  This show was a victim of Showtime’s short-sightedness.  There were a lot of fascinating elements to this show, and we were just getting a glimpse of how things were going to fit together with the finale.  I think this show would have been fantastic in its second season, but the first one was more of a set-up toward that end.  Sadly, it didn’t stir enough interest.

Firefly:  A must on any sci-fi fan’s list.  Canceling this series was the biggest mistake anyone in Hollywood has ever made.  This show had a solid fan-base when it was on the air for its single half-season, so much so that it justified the creation of a movie to help conclude it.  I have long held the belief that this show was shut down because it was too “anti-authoritarian.”  The characters came off as very libertarian, and not in the cool “mainstream” rebellious sort of way.  That was unacceptable to certain people in charge of programming.  Okay, enough of my conspiratorial rant.  This show should have run for years, not months, and it sucks that it’s gone.

Okay, there you have just 7 shows on my list of cancelled gems.  What are some of your favorite shows that didn’t survive?


Friday, March 28, 2014

Author Interview: Jeff Provine

As Martinus Publishing has some new contributing authors, I'll be conducting interviews to help promote their anthologies/works.  Today, I'm interviewing Jeff Provine, an excellent author who contributed the short story Wild Blue to "Altered America."  Thank you for taking the time to be interviewed, Jeff.

MTI:  Starting off, could you tell our readers a little bit about yourself?

JEFF PROVINE:  I grew up a farm kid out in the wide, open spaces of Northwest Oklahoma. After graduating the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics, I pursued writing in college, which was a big switch from the realm of numbers. Armed with a Master’s, I’ve been out adventuring in the world, teaching as a Composition professor, backpacking, and spending days on end hunched at my desk.

MTI:  Now, getting down to business; what first compelled you to weave fiction, and what's your favorite type of story to write?

JP:  We had to entertain ourselves out in the country, so I took to making games and writing stories early on. There’s nothing quite like asking “what if” and seeing how far it can go. Whole worlds can grow up to reveal themselves simply on taking a seed of an idea. That being said, speculative fiction is definitely my favorite, whether Fantasy, Sci-fi, Magical Realism, or what-have-you.

MTI:  Tell me, if you had to pick just one author who has influenced or inspired you, who would it be?

JP:  If I had to pick just one, I would probably say Mark Twain. He had such a great range of fiction and nonfiction, and always had that wit about him. Countless other authors are great inspirations for their many strengths, but Twain just seemed to have it all.

MTI:  Your story, Wild Blue, appears in Altered America, an anthology of alternate histories.  The fictional accounts in this collection let us imagine what it would be like if something had happened differently at different points in history.  Tell us a little about how your story changes history.

JP:  The story came from a marriage of posts I wrote on my blog, This Day in Alternate History, where I take an important event on a date in history and twist it around a bit. The idea of hot-air balloons goes way, way back; for example, to 1709 when a Brazilian monk impressed the King of Portugal with a flying paper balloon and a candle. With a century head-start on ballooning, we could see a world where the colonization of the West happens very differently. Freight carried by balloon wouldn’t need the expense of railroads, though it would make for a long trip.

MTI:  If you could go back in time and try to change any one historical event (aside from killing Hitler/stopping WWII—almost everybody tries that), which would you choose?

JP:  A lot of folks quickly pipe up with stopping the burning of the Library at Alexandria at various points in history, but I would have to go with 9/11. I wouldn’t want to tamper with history too far and find myself not born, and that would save a lot of modern lives. Plus, we wouldn’t have those weird body scanners at the airport.

MTI:  Conversely, name a historical event that you would never want to see changed/would go back in time to stop somebody from changing it.

JP:  The discovery of Penicillin was a pretty good one. I wouldn’t want to live in a world without modern antibiotics.

MTI:  Shifting back to your writing, can you tell us a little about what you're working on right now?

JP:  Right now I’ve got a Steampunk story set in a world where Aaron Burr’s Bastrop colony set up a state called Gloriana. It’s packed with intrigue, a little alchemy, and a whole lot of airships and jetpacks.

MTI:  Other than Wild Blue, appearing in Altered America, do you have any other stories being published in the near future?

JP:  This summer I have a short piece in the Grayhaven alternate history comic book anthology about Nikola Tesla. I’ll also have some previously released novels back in both print and online: the space-faring steampunk Celestial Voyages and a Young Adult SF Dawn on the Infinity, about a girl kidnapped by an inter-dimensional crew of vampires, robots, fairies, but doppelgangers, but nothing is quite as it seems.

MTI:  Sounds intriguing.  On a lighter note, have you watched any good television lately?

JP:  A lot, yes. Probably more than I should have. And then lately I’ve been delving online to the cartoon Bravest Warriors from the creator of Adventure Time.

MTI:  What sort of music do you enjoy?

JP:  I’ve been on a big techno kick recently, which seems to come and go as my favorite genre. I like the beats and complex warbles.

MTI:  What are three of your favorite movies?

JP:  Princess Bride, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Josie & The Pussycats

MTI:  You have the attention of potential readers?  In conclusion, do you happen to have any words of wisdom to share with them?

JP:  Recently I’ve been saying “If it were important, we would have remembered.” It puts things in perspective, almost spookily so.

MTI:  Definitely words to ponder.  Thank you, Jeff, for that fine interview.  It was most enlightening.  Those who would like to check out Wild Blue can check out Altered America. Now, here’s hoping Jeff forgives me for actually giving his main character a name...


Thursday, March 27, 2014

Coming Soon: Snake Oil by Bruno Lombardi

Martinus Publishing is pleased to announce that Bruno Lombardi’s novel, Snake Oil, will be released in the near future.  This wacky, cynical sci-fi story was originally published (electronically only) by a now defunct publisher.  Martinus is poised to give it a more substantial release, in both print and electronic formats.

Here is the current back cover blurb:

When the first aliens come to Earth, it is not with altruism or malicious intent, but with profit in mind.  Their arrival presents great opportunities for humanity, with the offer of miracle cures and advanced technology... for the right price!  What will a nation pay for exclusive rights to end cancer, or to possess the first interstellar spaceship?  Only mining rights to the moon, or perhaps a few metric tons of gold—as a good faith deposit.  Bids run fast and furiously among many industrialized nations, but not everyone is invited to participate, seeding greater global tensions.

As the nations of the planet sell the solar system’s resources for a shot at tomorrow, there remain those few individuals with suspicions, but still others with almost religious devotion toward “the Visitors.”  Stuck in the middle is Michael Baldwin, Special Assistant Advisor to the President for Alien/Human Policy Affairs.  Sometimes feeling in over his head, he is afforded opportunities few humans could have ever dreamed of, but at what price?  The answer will lead him to the truth of Earth’s alien benefactors, and an unlikely meeting of madmen at the crux of a madcap investigation.

Snake Oil is a cynical sci-fi story of humanity’s First Contact with an alien race.  Full of comic relief and zany characters, it is a compelling exploration of what could happen if Earth’s first alien visitors turn out to be a bit more like us, after all.

The last round of editing is now complete, and cover artwork is currently being created. With any luck everything will be set for a late April 2014 release.

Those who would like to check out other stories by Bruno Lombardi can acquire these anthologies:

Altered America:  Contains 2 of Bruno’s stories: A Single Decision, and The Road Was Lit with Moon and Star

Quests, Curses, & Vengeance:  Contains Bruno Lombardi’s Gold Fever.

The Temporal Element: Contains Bruno’s story, A Thursday Night at Doctor What’s Time and Relative Dimensional Space Bar and Grill, which is also available in TheBest of Martinus Publishing, 2013.
Bruno Lombardi in his "bunker."



Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Author Interview: Owen Morgan

As Martinus Publishing has some new contributing authors, I'll be conducting interviews to help promote their anthologies/works.  Today, I'm interviewing Owen Morgan, a talented author who contributed the short story The Loyalist Washington to "Altered America."  Thank you for taking the time to be interviewed, Owen.

MTI:  Starting off, could you tell our readers a little bit about yourself?

OWEN MORGAN:  I live in Vancouver, British Columbia. I have a Bachelor of Arts in History from Simon Fraser University. I took to writing about two years ago. I enjoy reading history, science fiction, and fantasy.

MTI:  Now, getting down to business; what first compelled you to weave fiction, and what's your favorite type of story to write?

OM:  My friends always liked the stories I wrote in high school and university. I have also played a series of role-playing games and one of my fellow players encouraged me to turn my hand to writing fiction.

MTI:  Tell me, if you had to pick just one author who has influenced or inspired you, who would it be?

OM:  J.R.R. Tolkien. I admire his ability to write a complete world. Not just a group of adventurers trying to complete a quest, but a world with histories, languages, culture, magic, and mystery.

MTI:  Your story, The Loyalist Washington, appears in Altered America, an anthology of alternate histories.  The fictional accounts in this collection let us imagine what it would be like if something had happened differently at different points in history.  Tell us a little about how your story changes history.

OM:  A student of history recognizes the size and power of the British Empire. Imagine a British Empire which encompasses the United States. It is difficult to conceive of any alliance of nations who would wish to challenge the empire. Some other differences would be an earlier end to slavery; no Canada; a later start to the European overthrow of Monarchy; and a greater rate of industrialization.

MTI:  If you could go back in time and try to change any one historical event (aside from killing Hitler/stopping WWII—almost everybody tries that), which would you choose?

OM:  I have no idea how I would do this, but I would present evidence to the government of Prime Minister Asquith of Britain to not enter war in 1914. This war and the Second World War ended British supremacy.

MTI:  Conversely, name a historical event that you would never want to see changed/would go back in time to stop somebody from changing it.

OM:  I would prevent anyone who tried to alter the outcome of the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The whole history of Britain, the empire, and by extension the United States would be altered and not for the better.

MTI:  Shifting back to your writing, can you tell us a little about what you're working on right now?

OM:  I am working on an alternate outcome to the Cuban Missile Crisis. I have also finished another alternate history based on Operation Sealion, the German plan for invading Great Britain in 1940.

MTI:  Other than your story appearing in Altered America, do you have any other works being published in the near future?

OM:  Not at this time. But I do have a couple of titles out for consideration.

MTI:  On a lighter note, have you watched any good television lately?

OM:  I am not a fan of reality TV, therefore the pickings are thin. The last TV series to catch my imagination was Babylon 5.

MTI:  What sort of music do you enjoy?

OM:  I listen to Gregorian Chants, Celtic, Chamber, Classical, and Military.

MTI:  What are three of your favorite movies?

OM:  Star Wars (1977); Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship; and Uncommon Valor.

MTI:  You have the attention of potential readers?  In conclusion, do you happen to have any words of wisdom to share with them?

OM:  With regard to history, I am reminded of Napoleon who said, “History is a lie agreed upon.” While Churchill wrote, “History will be kind to me for I intend to write it.” Alternate history is an exciting area, however, one must bear in mind that we are invariably given a slanted view of history.

MTI:  Interesting insights.  Thank you for an excellent interview, Owen.  Those who wish to check out his story, The Loyalist Washington, can pick up a copy of Altered America.


Monday, March 24, 2014

Author Interview: Ryan McCall

As Martinus Publishing has some new contributing authors, I'll be conducting interviews to help promote their anthologies/works.  Today, I'm interviewing Ryan McCall, an excellent author who contributed the short story Guns of the Green Mountains to "Altered America."  Thank you for taking the time to be interviewed, Ryan.

MTI:  Starting off, could you tell our readers a little bit about yourself?

RYAN MCCALL: I come from a science background-studied chemistry at university. I’ve traveled around a bit for the last few years, Singapore, Vancouver, Melbourne, but I’m back in my homeland of New Zealand now.

MTI:  Now, getting down to business; what first compelled you to weave fiction, and what's your favorite type of story to write?

RM:  Way back in my school days I loved writing stories, mostly it was myself and my friends fighting monsters and exploring new worlds. As I moved through my education and into working life I dropped off on writing, but was still an avid reader. The first time I decided to actually sit down and write more seriously was with the combination of a non-fiction history book and a short scenario I had read online. That led to my first novel, The Nanking War.

MTI:  Tell me, if you had to pick just one author who has influenced or inspired you, who would it be?

RM:  Harry Turtledove. Without him I highly doubt I would even know of the alternate history genre and without my passion for that, I wouldn’t have made the decision to try and write professionally.

MTI:  Your story, Guns of the Green Mountains, appears in Altered America, an anthology of alternate histories.  The fictional accounts in this collection let us imagine what it would be like if something had happened differently at different points in history.  Tell us a little about how your story changes history.

RM:  It’s based on the Newburgh Conspiracy where, at the end of the Revolutionary War, soldiers were concerned about not being paid for their years of service. In our history George Washington prevented it, but in my story it went ahead. The USA dies in its infancy and the colonies don’t unite, creating several new nations, while the British take advantage of the chaos to reclaim some of their losses. As one of the smaller nations the Republic of Vermont ends up as a choice target for the British.

When you really study the Revolutionary War, you realize just how lucky the Continentals were to succeed in not only the war but in creating a stable USA in those early days.

MTI:  If you could go back in time and try to change any one historical event (aside from killing Hitler/stopping WWII—almost everybody tries that), which would you choose?

RM:  I think people take the Hitler choice because it would save the most lives if you go by pure numbers, but in terms of having a bigger effect I think I can trump it. I would stop the Germans in 1917 from letting Lenin on the “sealed train.” Sure it worked out for them in the short term, but had disastrous consequences for the rest of the twentieth century.

MTI:  Conversely, name a historical event that you would never want to see changed/would go back in time to stop somebody from changing it.

RM:  The Magna Carta. I see it as the first real step that we took towards the democratic systems most modern countries have in place today.

MTI:  Shifting back to your writing, can you tell us a little about what you're working on right now?

RM:  I’m re-writing and editing the first book in my fantasy series, Industry & Intrigue and I’m somewhere between one third and halfway through a new alternate history book set in current times, where Imperial Japan attacked the Soviet Union instead of Pearl Harbor and established a large empire in Asia.

MTI:  Other than your story appearing in Altered America, do you have any other works being published in the near future?

RM:  I just a had a short horror story-‘Curious Soldiers’ published in Dark Eclipse, a monthly e-magazine and I’ve submitted another story to Emby Press for a deep sea Leviathan-Monster Hunter anthology.

MTI:  On a lighter note, have you watched any good television lately?

RM:  A friend introduced me to two shows recently, Banshee—a small town drama with a criminal who takes on the identity of the new town sheriff and Utopia—a very weird and violent British series about conspiracies inside a graphic novel. David Fincher is supposedly creating the American adaptation. I’m also eagerly awaiting the next season of Game of Thrones.

MTI:  What sort of music do you enjoy?

RM:  I like a lot of R&B and dance music, but while I’m writing I also like to listen to soundtracks of my favorite movies, TV shows, and video games.

MTI:  What are three of your favorite movies?

RM:  Jurassic Park, as someone who grew up on dinosaur books it will always be one of my favorites. The Cabin in the Woods for being the most clever genre-twisting horror movie I know. The Mist—the sheer emotional brutality of the ending never fails to get me.

MTI:  You have the attention of potential readers?  In conclusion, do you happen to have any words of wisdom to share with them?

RM:  Always get another set of eyes to read your work; they can see things that you’ll feel stupid for missing

MTI:  Excellent advice for any writer.  Thank you for taking the time for this fine interview, Ryan.  Those who want to read his story and many other alternate history tales can pick up Altered America.


Saturday, March 22, 2014

Kindle: An Endangered Species in Canada?

As we near the release of Altered America, Martinus Publishing’s 4th multi-author anthology (not counting our Best of 2013 sampler), I find myself reminded of a growing peculiarity among sales figures.  Our last anthology, Veterans of the Future Wars, had a surge of initial sales, and has now fallen to a familiar trickle.  Pre-orders of Altered America have been better than any previous anthology release, and I have high hopes that Kindle sales will also be up once the book is released (for technical reasons, there is no pre-order platform for e-book sales at this time).

Looking over the entirety of Martinus Publishing’s existence, one strange figure has caught my attention, that being the lack of any Canadian Kindle sales.  Yes, of all the books Martinus has released, not a single copy has been sold to Canada (at least, not according to Amazon’s royalties reports).  There have been a few sales in the UK and in Europe, but nothing from Canada. Truly strange.

It is possible that the Canadian customers who have chosen to buy Kindle copies have done so through the regular US Amazon site somehow.  I’m not 100% sure of how that works, but when Amazon supplies royalty reports they break things down by currency sales.  USD, GBP, CAD, etc...  Thus far, not a single Kindle sale has been made in Canadian Dollars.

This comes as a bit of a surprise, considering there are Canadian authors in every single Martinus anthology to date.  We’ve sold some print copies to Canada, which leads me to wonder if the Kindle is perhaps a rare luxury item there.  Perhaps our readers in the Great White North simply prefer to get print copies over electronic versions.  Though, the Kindle versions are substantially cheaper.


Right now, I invite any Canadian with a Kindle who reads this to go pick up a Martinus title.  Prove to me that you exist.  If I could see just a few Kindle sales from Canada, I’d be thrilled, as would the many Canadian writers who have contributed works to these collections.

Martinus Titles on Amazon.ca:






Friday, March 21, 2014

Author Interview: Charles Wilcox

As Martinus Publishing has some new contributing authors, I'll be conducting interviews to help promote their anthologies/works.  Today, I'm interviewing Charles Wilcox, an excellent author who contributed the short story The Lights on Broadway to "Altered America."  Thank you for taking the time to be interviewed, Charles.

MTI:  Starting off, could you tell our readers a little bit about yourself?

CHARLES WILCOX: I’m 23 and a lifelong native of beautiful Boulder, Colorado.  I have a passion for history and international politics, and pursued this in college to get a degree in international studies at American University.

MTI: Now, getting down to business; what first compelled you to weave fiction, and what's your favorite type of story to write?

CW: I have always loved learning about history and the various twists and turns it can take.  That interest got me started into writing alternate history.  It’s always been my favorite genre to work with because of how many different possibilities there are for settings while keeping a touch of familiarity.

MTI:  Tell me, if you had to pick just one author who has influenced or inspired you, who would it be?

CW:  That’s a tough one.  But I would have to go with Terry Pratchett.  The Discworld novels create a brilliant take on the fantasy genre and can weave witty satire in with a good story very well.

MTI:  Your story, The Lights on Broadway, appears in Altered America, an anthology of alternate histories.  The fictional accounts in this collection let us imagine what it would be like if something had happened differently at different points in history.  Tell us a little about how your story changes history.

CW:  Well I can’t say much without spoiling the story, but The Lights on Broadway is more subtle with the changes.  It’s more of a secret history than straight up alternate history.  There have been some changes to technological progress.

MTI:  If you could go back in time and try to change any one historical event (aside from killing Hitler/stopping WWII—almost everybody tries that), which would you choose?

CW:  I would go back and change the result of the 1954 World Cup so Hungary beats West Germany in the final.  As a big fan of international soccer, it’s very disappointing that one of the best, if not the best national team of all time didn’t win a World Cup.  And who knows; maybe a more optimistic feeling among the Hungarian population would alter the course of the Hungarian Revolution two years later for the better.

MTI:  Conversely, name a historical event that you would never want to see changed/would go back in time to stop somebody from changing it.

CW:  That’s a tough question.  There’s always something on a grand scale that could be changed for the better.  However, I probably would not prevent the assassination of President McKinley.  It gave the United States the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt, and it’s not likely Teddy would have gotten into office otherwise.  Without Teddy there would not have been a progressive era in the United States.

MTI:  Shifting back to your writing, can you tell us a little about what you're working on right now?

CW:  I have a few alternate history stories in the works at the moment.  Primarily I’m writing a story set in a New York that stayed Dutch and became the center of a merchant republic.  There are also a bunch of ideas for stories and settings in my head waiting to be fleshed out.

MTI:  Other than your story appearing in Altered America, do you have any other works being published in the near future?

CW:  Nothing at the moment, but I hope to have something else out there soon.

MTI:  On a lighter note, have you watched any good television lately?

CW:  Lately I’ve been watching Fringe, the Amazing Race, Vikings, and Borgia (the Canal+ production, not the Showtime series).  Borgia in particular is a great historical drama.

MTI:  What sort of music do you enjoy?

CW:  I’ll listen to just about anything.

MTI:  What are three of your favorite movies?

CW:  Run Lola Run, The Transporter, and Road to El Dorado.

MTI:  You have the attention of potential readers?  In conclusion, do you happen to have any words of wisdom to share with them?

CW:  Never immediately discount an idea you have for a story.  Even if it doesn’t seem like it could work at first, let it sit in your mind for a while.  Many times, just keeping a story in mind and coming back to it will give you a fresh look and new inspiration for the story.

MTI:  Solid advice for any writer.  Thank you for that excellent interview, Charles.  For those who want to check out his story, The Lights on Broadway, along with many other alternate takes on history, pick up Altered America.


Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Author Interview: James S. Dorr

As Martinus Publishing has some new contributing authors, I'll be conducting interviews to help promote their anthologies/works.  Today, I'm interviewing James S. Dorr, an exceptional author who contributed the short story Avoid Seeing a Mouse to "Altered America."  Thank you for taking the time to be interviewed.

MTI:  Starting off, could you tell our readers a little bit about yourself?

JAMES S. DORR: I was born in Florida, grew up in New Jersey, went to school in Massachusetts, and currently live in Indiana, which pretty well covers the area east of the Mississippi.  I am a short fiction writer and poet with nearly 400 credits both recognizable and obscure, from Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine to Yellow Bat Review.  I also have four collections published, Strange Mistresses: Tales of Wonder and Romance and Darker Loves: Tales of Mystery and Regret from Dark Regions Press; the all-poetry Vamps (A Retrospective) from Sam’s Dot/White Cat; and most recently The Tears of Isis from Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing, of which I may speak a bit more later.  I’ve also had some training in art, worked on set design in theatre - these being back in college days - and currently play tenor recorder and lead a Renaissance music group.      

MTI: Now, getting down to business; what first compelled you to weave fiction, and what's your favorite type of story to write?

JSD:  I did quite a bit of writing for college publications, along with occasional illustrating and cartooning and, as a graduate, was editor at one point of a campus arts magazine.  From there I went into technical writing/editing, but, losing that job during the Reagan Recession of the ‘80s, went into freelancing primarily real estate, consumer, and business topics.  However I had been a science fiction fan and had also toyed with amateur fiction so, recession ended, I got a “regular” job and started to put my writing activity primarily into fiction and poetry.  By that time I was also more hooked on darker approaches so, while I still do occasional sf (as well as mystery - and lots of crossing genres) most of my writing today falls into horror/dark fantasy  

MTI:  Tell me, if you had to pick just one author who has influenced or inspired you, who would it be?

JSD:  If only one, I would have to say Ray Bradbury who, harking to my answer just before, also bridged both science fiction and horror.  But I would also add Edgar Allan Poe as an early influence and, expanding the range a bit, the poet Allen Ginsberg and German playwright Bertolt Brecht in terms of technique as well as subject.   

MTI:  Your story, Avoid Seeing a Mouse, appears in Altered America, an anthology of alternate histories.  The fictional accounts in this collection let us imagine what it would be like if something had happened differently at different points in history.  Tell us a little about how your story changes history.

JSD:  At midnight on New Year’s Eve, 1999, the Egyptian gods return to Earth - or more specifically Memphis, Tennessee for starters - and not the nicest of their deities either.  While we’d thought the worst thing that could happen would be our computers going haywire.  Of course, though, it’s more complicated than that, bringing in a one-night-only wrestling exhibition in the Pyramid Arena, “Cat Country” at the Memphis Zoo, a solar eclipse, and a romantic breakup over a mouse that’s been spotted in the Pink Palace Museum.   

MTI:  If you could go back in time and try to change any one historical event (aside from killing Hitler/stopping WWII-almost everybody tries that), which would you choose?

JSD:  I would try to have someone whisper in President Nixon’s ear not to end the Apollo moon landing program but, instead, to let NASA build on it.  Perhaps by now we'd have people on Mars.   

MTI:  Indeed, the space program has not lived up to its potential.  Conversely, name a historical event that you would never want to see changed/would go back in time to stop somebody from changing it.

JSD:  The Buddha Gautama’s meditation beneath the bodhi tree.  No, I’m not a Buddhist, and yes, things that happened hundreds of years before Christ are (to say the least) not well-documented, and individual events may be distorted by many retellings or even made up.  But Siddhartha Gautama himself does appear to be historical and, in some way, presumably came up with what became the “Noble Truths” of Buddhism.  These principles subsequently spread from the India-Nepal border to cover the world, at the least in proclaiming that there’s such a thing as moderation - and that moderation is okay.  From this may come much of the teaching of Jesus (caravans constantly crossed through the Near East) and hence at least the more peaceful parts of Christianity.  Also from this comes the possibility that people can compromise rather than fight, something we might do well to remember more often today.    

MTI:  Shifting back to your writing, can you tell us a little about what you're working on right now?

JSD:  These are, indeed, exciting times!  I mentioned before that we might come back to my new collection, The Tears of Isis.  As it happens it is now an official 2014 Bram Stoker Award® nominee for superior achievement in a Fiction Collection, which even though the competition against it is fierce, could conceivably win.  (Hey, moderation doesn’t mean we can’t still have contests - just that we try to be friendly about them!)  So much of my time has been involved with the awards, reading other people’s work including in other categories, deciding which works I’ll vote on myself, and now as voting ends making plans to get to World Horror Convention in Portland, Oregon where the winners will be announced.  And with that, trying to keep a high profile for The Tears of Isis as well as keeping in touch with the publisher for any plans he might have for extra publicity.

MTI:  Other than your story appearing in Altered America, do you have any other works being published in the near future?

JSD:  And yet life goes on.  The biggest news is I have a new story, inspired by a tour I took at last year’s World Horror Convention in New Orleans, speculating about a sort of local historical urban legend which has been accepted by Daily Science Fiction.  The story itself is a short horror tale titled “Casket Girls” and, while I don’t have a publication date yet, readers can subscribe to DSF for free at http://dailysciencefiction.com (whereupon one can also search on my name in their archives for two more stories).  Then, earlier this month, I’ve just had two zombie stories accepted as reprints by Big Pulp and The Pun Book of Horror, respectively, “Cold, Lifeless Fingers” and “Olé Bubba and the Forty Steves.”

MTI:  On a lighter note, have you watched any good television lately?

JSD:  Oddly enough, with a season of new horror or horror-related TV shows, I haven’t really watched any of them.  I tend more to watch news and documentaries, the latter partly for ideas, then kick back sometimes and watch DVDs later at night.  (Two exceptions, though, I do make a point of watching The Daily Show and The Colbert Report on the Comedy Channel when I can - horror enough in their own ways sometimes.)

MTI:  What sort of music do you enjoy?

JSD:  For listening, jazz (particularly traditional New Orleans style, as well as the “cool” jazz of the 1950s and after); for playing, Renaissance dance music. 

MTI:  What are three of your favorite movies?

JSD: First, Nosferatu, the original German expressionistic silent with Max Schreck and still the creepiest adaptation of Dracula made (one warning, though - some cheaper DVDs are truncated American versions with about a half hour cut out); second, La Horde, a French film about corrupt police officers having to join forces with gangsters they’d first come to kill when a zombie apocalypse breaks out in Paris, both scary and funny, ultra-violent,  and, even though none of the characters are particularly likeable, strangely engaging; and third, Cabin in the Woods, a deconstruction of certain horror movie clichés revealing their mythical underpinnings and how what these hide can be far more frightening. 

MTI:  You have the attention of potential readers?  In conclusion, do you happen to have any words of wisdom to share with them?

JSD:  Let this be a plug for Altered America too:  If you enjoy an author who’s in an anthology, buy the book if you can.  Assuming you also enjoy the concept, chances are you’ll like the other stories with it.  If so, then tell your friends about it - and lending it to a friend is okay too, but ask them, if they like it, to tell their friends about it as well.  Also, if you really enjoy a book, consider writing a review. 

Then for readers who might want to know a bit more about me, I have a blog at http://jamesdorrwriter.wordpress.com .  All are welcome to stop by and explore around and, should the spirit move them, leave comments. 

MTI:  Excellent advice!  Thank you for the excellent interview, Mr. Dorr.  For those who want to check out his story and many other Alternate Histories, pick up a copy of Altered America.


Sunday, March 16, 2014

Author Interview: Jason Sharp

As Martinus Publishing has some new authors, I'll be conducting some interviews to help promote their anthologies/works.  Today, I'm interviewing Jason Sharp, an exceptional author who contributed the short story The Shining Path to “AlteredAmerica.”  Thank you for taking the time to be interviewed, Jason.

JASON SHARP:  I’m delighted to have the opportunity!

MTI:  Starting off, could you tell our readers a little bit about yourself?

JS: I’m married to a lovely, lively woman named Valerie.  We’ve got a hobby farm outside Ottawa, where we raise a variety of livestock and tend to a large garden.  Five days a week, I tear myself away and make the long drive into the city to work as a policy analyst for the Government of Canada.

MTI:  Now, getting down to business; what first compelled you to weave fiction, and what's your favorite type of story to write?

JS:  The creative spark’s always been there.  I started writing and drawing eight-page “graphic novels” (I use the term quite loosely) about misbehaving house cats when I was six years old, then spent my high school years writing sci-fi and faux-romance on our shiny new Apple IIE computer. 

A decade back, the latest creative period started as I got into a couple of online geopolitical sims and wrote some fictional pieces in support of it.  Valerie read some of it, thought it was pretty good, and suggested that I consider writing wholly original fiction for publication purposes.  I wasn’t really sure I was up to that, but she gave me a lot of encouragement, support, and the occasional kick to the posterior.  I took the plunge five years ago and sold my first story—Lonesome Charlie Johnstone’s Strange Boon—in 2012.

I tend to lean towards science fiction, with a fair bit of “weird stuff happens in the real world” scenarios.  I’ve also done a fair bit of alternate history and dabbled a bit in horror, fantasy, and poetry. 

MTI:  Tell me, if you had to pick just one author who has influenced or inspired you, who would it be?

JS: Arthur C. Clarke’s classics were my gateway into science fiction.  They were entertaining reads that nicely balanced storytelling with big ideas such as the evolution of life.  They’ve aged well, too, if one sets aside issues like colonies on Venus; I was often surprised to find some of the books were (at that point) twenty or thirty years old.

2010 happened to be the first time I encountered the difference between a book and its movie adaptation—which was unfortunate since my favorite part of the book was the loss of the Chinese mission to Europa.  The complete absence of China from the movie was perplexing and irritating, and my young self couldn’t predict that somebody would go make Europa Report a mere thirty years later.

MTI:  Your story, The Shining Path, appears in Altered America, an anthology of alternate histories.  The fictional accounts in this collection let us imagine what it would be like if something had happened differently at different points in history.  Tell us a little about how your story changes history.

JS:  The point of departure here is only briefly alluded to—a Hungarian-Canadian activist named Geza Matrai doesn’t jump Soviet Premier Kosygin while he and Prime Minister Trudeau are taking a walk in Ottawa.  Without that impetus for improved VIP security in Canada, Arthur Bremer does assassinate Richard Nixon during his 1972 visit to Canada. 

Consequently, George Wallace—whose own shooting by Bremer has been butterflied away—wins the 1972 presidential election.  Wallace isn’t too happy with Canada’s treatment of Bremer, and isn’t fond of Trudeau’s policies, so pretty soon he’s sent the army into Canada.

MTI:  If you could go back in time and try to change any one historical event (aside from killing Hitler/stopping WWII—almost everybody tries that), which would you choose?

JS:  Changing the big events is a risky proposition since the outcomes can vary so wildly.  Killing Hitler could lead to a golden era of peace, stability, and group hugs. It could also encourage Stalin to conquer Europe at a time when nobody’s effectively able to resist, leading to a continent-wide Holodomor worse than WWII.  I’d be pretty reluctant to interfere too much without some sort of insurance policy—like, say, the ability to go back in time and talk myself out of whacking Hitler.

So I think I’d keep my focus on smaller, discrete events that have no obvious up-side as they are now.  Murders, accidents, things like that. 

MTI:  Conversely, name a historical event that you would never want to see changed/would go back in time to stop somebody from changing it.

JS:  The Bre-X mining scam of the late 1990s cost a lot of investors a lot of money, and it pretty much blew up the Canadian mining sector for a few years.

I was just finishing university and looking for work in that sector, though.  As a result of the scam, industry jobs in the big cities dried up and I ended up working for the government in the north—and had the experiences I had, met the friends I did, married the woman I did—as a result.  Remove the scam and the whole trajectory of my life changes from something I’m pretty happy with.

I’d have to have words with some time-traveling disgruntled investor looking to undo that.  Maybe point out that he should be investing in Apple, Google, and all those guys instead.

MTI:  Shifting back to your writing, can you tell us a little about what you're working on right now?

JS:  I got to thinking one day about the vampire hunter genre:  The hunters corner a vampire at night in some remote field, shoot/stake/burn it, crack a beer and utter some manly talk, then vamoose before the cops show up.  Roll credits and fade to black, right?

But suppose one of the many, many bullets fired by the vampire hunters over-penetrates the vampire, goes through a nearby barn, and lodges itself in a sheep?  An unsuspecting farmer named Dwayne might get up the next day and find himself dealing with a confused, blood-thirsty, and undead sheep in Toasting Melba.

MTI:  Other than The Shining Path appearing in Altered America, do you have any other stories being published in the near future?

JS:  Live at Gus’s Place should be appearing in Song Story Press’ “Song Stories Volume 2” in the next month or two.   As the title suggests, the story is inspired by music—in my case, Bill Joel’s Piano Man and Guns ‘n’ Roses’ Estranged, although a line from the movie The Incredibles was also significant.  In this case, a young woman is playing piano for bar patrons who happen to be washed-up superheroes and supervillains.

I’ve also got a flash-fiction piece called Dead Air scheduled to appear in Apokrupha’s “Vignettes from the End of the World”.  In this case, the narrator’s morning commute is disrupted when everybody else on Earth disappears.

MTI: On a lighter note, have you watched any good television lately?

JS: To tell the honest truth—I haven’t watched television since Canadian broadcasters stopped transmitting analogue signals a couple of years back.  Life’s busy enough that when I do get free time, I don’t want to spend it passively watching a screen.  I’m more likely to read or write.

MTI:  What sort of music do you enjoy?

JS:  I like a fair range of rock music, ranging from indie-rock like Matt Mays & El Torpedo to shock-rock from Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie. 

Valerie and our friends have exposed me to a lot of folk and country in recent years, so I’ve come to appreciate some of that too.  Performers in those genres are more likely to tell a story in their lyrics, which is a refreshing change from the party/women/pick-up truck fixations of modern mainstream music.    

MTI:  What are three of your favorite movies?

JS:  I enjoy Dark City’s moody design and trippy story. Highlander has the historical elements, sword-fight set-pieces, and a highly entertaining villain.

And there’s an Australian gem called Undead that I think is one of the most entertaining and original zombie flicks around.  It also greatly amuses me that one of the heroes is a creepy farmer with a straw hat, denim overalls, and dual handguns

MTI:  You have the attention of potential readers.  In conclusion, do you happen to have any words of wisdom to share with them?

JS: Never under-estimate the power of one person to help another achieve success.  If you’re in the position where you can help somebody else, make the effort to do so.  If you’re in the position to receive such help, don’t be too fearful or proud to accept it.

MTI: Excellent advice!  I am hopeful that Martinus Publishing can be that help for more writers in the coming years, just as fellow writers can be that help for Martinus Publishing.  Thank you for that fantastic interview, Jason.  Those who wish to read his story and many other alternate history gems can pick up Altered America!


Saturday, March 15, 2014

Postcards of the Week: Drydock Dewey, Olongapo, Philippines

This week's postcards come from the Philippines around 1910.  They both show the floating drydock Dewey:


Caption: A cruiser in the monster Floating Dry Dock "Dewey" at Olongapo, Philippines.  This view will give an idea of the enormous size of the "Dewey."

You can see some ancient thumb prints on this postcard, left by someone long ago.  It is a hand-painted one, too.

This other postcard is a plain, uncolored photo.


As always, click the pics for a better view.

You can learn a little bit about the Dewey from its wikipedia article.

Friday, March 14, 2014

Shows Written off a Cliff

Today, I’d like to throw my three cents worth out there about a few old television shows that I felt failed in their latter year(s).  By this, I mean shows that started out decently, but at some point veered off a cliff into a place they never should have gone.  We’ve all seen it happen, and in some cases it can be entertaining to watch, but others not so much.

So, here, in no particular order, are a few shows I feel were written “to death.”

Earth: Final Conflict—This is a show I really enjoyed in its first few seasons.  I was 17 when the first season hit the air, and I found the intelligent nuances of the show to be quite intriguing.  Season two changed to a more traditional action-adventure sci-fi show, and to this day it is my favorite (though Season 2 has yet to be officially released in the US, due to copyright issues).  I didn’t get to see the last 3 seasons when they aired, but purchased the DVD sets ages ago, to finally see the rest of the story.

What I found was that season 3 mostly maintained the spirit and theme of the series, but as we hit season 4, things began to slide a little.  We got into the weird “Taelon energy drain” crap that seemed to be invented out of nowhere, and we ended that season in a spectacular mess, which could have been salvaged in Season 5, if the right writers were on the job.  Sadly, they weren’t, and we ended up with a barely-watchable train-wreck.  A lot of critics claim the show was seeking to be a cheap knock-off of Buffy, and I tend to agree with them.  With the exception of the two episodes where Boone came back, and the finale with Liam Kincaid, this season was total crap.  Grand Canyon-sized cliff!

House—Here’s a series that definitely had its ups and downs.  I thought the first three seasons were excellent, and season four, while different, also had some good points.  Season five felt a bit too “Soap-Opera-ish,” but then season six turned out to be the best of the entire run.  Then... season seven hit.  To begin with, it was quite good, but then later on it plummeted, and it ended in disaster (Cuddy being a bitch, House being a hopeless drug addict; yeah, real original).  It felt like the writers suddenly changed their minds about where they wanted to go, and ended up with a mess they couldn’t fix.  Season eight tried to recover from the end of the previous season, but it wasn’t enough (plus I never liked the contrived Wilson-cancer thread).  It was like the show fell off the cliff at the end of season seven, was airlifted to a hospital, only to limp out of intensive care at the final end of the series.

Frasier—I’m not that big on sitcoms these days (probably because they don’t have many good ones anymore), but when I was younger I remember quite a few, and Frasier was among my favorites.  It generally had intelligent, witty humor, and it was only on rare occasions that things would get low-brow, or that a character would slip out of character.  That was, until season ten.  That’s when the quality of the show really plummeted.  A lot of the humor became dull innuendo or wacky.  In some ways, it seemed like they were trying to morph the show into something else, and it didn’t work.  There were still some good episodes in season ten, and season eleven brought us back to the brilliant comedic writing we saw in the earlier years, but S10 was definitely a cliff dive.

The Drew Carey Show—Another comedy that I really enjoyed in my youth, though today I’m not sure I’d appreciate it as much.  The first five years or so were consistent and funny, but then things started to fall apart, and by the end of the series I wasn’t even watching anymore.

The Gilmore Girls—I hate this show, but my wife likes it, and when we first got married I would watch it with her.  It has been a long time since I had to see it, but I recall us watching the last season when it first aired, and we both had a bit of a “what the...?” reaction to some of the story developments toward the end.  In general, the characters just did some things that seemed inconsistent.  I’d be more specific, but to be honest I’ve done my best to forget it.

Lost—Okay, to be fair, this whole series was a train wreck in some ways, but I enjoyed it.  Though, the last season went from weird fun to “let’s try to sort of explain all the crap we made up over the last five years with more weird crap.”  That was working, and they might have pulled it off if they hadn’t gone with a sappy cop-out of an ending.  Look, you already have a great show with fantastic elements in it.  You could have gone out with an “alternate reality” ending to explain the dual existence thing, but no.  They wimped out at the end, and screwed up what was shaping up to be a great resolution.  Instead of changing the timeline, we got the “we’re all dead” crutch finale.  I’m sorry, but the ending, as sweet and sucky as it was, definitely threw the series off a cliff.

All right, there we have half a dozen shows off the top of my head.  Some people may disagree with a few of my choices, but I’m sure you can think of others to fill out your own list.  So, what shows do you think were written off the cliff?


Thursday, March 13, 2014

Author Interview: Dusty Wallace

As Martinus Publishing has some new contributing authors, I'll be conducting interviews to help promote their anthologies/works.  Today, I'm interviewing Dusty Wallace, an exceptional author who contributed the short story End of the Rainbow to "Altered America."  Thank you for taking the time to be interviewed, Dusty.

MTI:  Starting off, could you tell our readers a little bit about yourself?

DUSTY WALLACE:  I’m a 30 year-old father of two boys, ages 9 and 2, who lives in the Appalachians of southwest Virginia. I was a stellar high-school student which led to some nice financial help going into college. I subsequently squandered that opportunity by being irresponsible and not doing any work. I’d planned on being a writer, but after dropping out I feared it would never happen. I’m working on proving myself wrong.

MTI:  Now, getting down to business; what first compelled you to weave fiction, and what's your favorite type of story to write?

DW:  Non-fiction was my first love, but without a degree it’s hard to find work in journalism. I blogged for a while but was ultimately inspired to write fiction after reading Margaret Atwood’s “Oryx and Crake.” For some reason I read it and thought, “I could do this.” I was wrong, though. Atwood’s a master. However, being featured in anthologies like Altered America is a step in the right direction.

My favorite type of story is something that combines weirdness with a character-driven narrative. Something that might look like mainstream drama at first glance, then the monsters appear. I also enjoy writing the occasional crime/mystery or western.

MTI:  Tell me, if you had to pick just one author who has influenced or inspired you, who would it be?

DW:  I mentioned Atwood before, but I’m inspired more by her greatness than her style. If I had to pick one, I’d say Joe Hill. For those who don’t know, he’s Stephen King’s son and may be on his way to becoming a household name. He tells great stories regardless of genre, but he also uses interesting story-telling mechanisms. His second novel, “Horns,” is a great example. It’s a basic murder mystery, but the powers bestowed to his protagonist make it play out in a way that’s extremely compelling.

MTI:  Your story, End of the Rainbow, appears in Altered America, an anthology of alternate histories.  The fictional accounts in this collection let us imagine what it would be like if something had happened differently at different points in history.  Tell us a little about how your story changes history.

DW:  The most obvious way is that my history has Elves and Leprechauns. Moreover, they aren’t the eternally-happy sprites of lore, nor do they make fudge cookies in the hollow of a tree. These fair folk have been at war over the last Philosopher’s Stone, stolen from the Elves decades ago. Also, Merlin makes an appearance as a scientist. However, he discovers the magical stone and thus the legend of his magic is born.  The story starts in the woods of Scotland and Ireland but ends up in modern day St. Louis.

MTI:  If you could go back in time and try to change any one historical event (aside from killing Hitler/stopping WWII—almost everybody tries that), which would you choose?

DW:  I think I would try to change early American history. I’d love to see an America built upon cooperation between settlers and Native America and one that had never began using slaves in the first place.

MTI:  Conversely, name a historical event that you would never want to see changed/would go back in time to stop somebody from changing it.

DW:  That’s a tough one. The butterfly effect makes me think nothing should ever be changed. For instance, if I could convince early Americans to forgo slavery and then somehow prevent the Trail of Tears, maybe America ends up getting nuked by Sweden. Why Sweden? Who knows? Everything’s changed. 

So, I guess I’d try to keep anyone from time-traveling in the first place... except in fiction.

MTI:  Shifting back to your writing, can you tell us a little about what you're working on right now?

DW:  I’m always working on new shorts and poems. There’s a piece shortlisted by a new magazine called Ares that I’m attempting to continue into novel length. It features a girl who can see movement of air thanks to genes from an ancient Greek named Aeolus who you may remember from Homer’s “The Odyssey.” She finds out that she’s not alone with her powers, and that while she can only see the movement of air, others can cause it to move. Meanwhile, there’s an evil organization looking to collect, study, and exploit these Aeolian descendents.

MTI:  Other than End of the Rainbow appearing in Altered America, do you have any other stories being published in the near future?

DW:  I have a flash-fiction story coming up in “Vignettes at the End of the World,” published by Apokrupha. The Anassa anthology “Local Magic” will feature a story by me called “The Miracle Hunter” that takes place in the Appalachians. Mad Scientist Journals will be publishing a piece of experimental fiction I wrote called “The Milkyway Zoo” next month. My new sci-fi poem, “DNR,” will be appearing on MysticNebula.com in the near future.

MTI:  On a lighter note, have you watched any good television lately?

DW:  Helix has turned out to be a terrificly creepy show. The latest season of BBC’s Sherlock was a mind-blowing adventure as well.

MTI:  What sort of music do you enjoy?

DW:  Heavy-Metal, Rap, Traditional Appalachian, Classical... anything but modern country.

MTI:  What are three of your favorite movies?

DW:  Casablanca, The Hustler, The Maltese Falcon (Bogart!)

MTI:  You have the attention of potential readers?  In conclusion, do you happen to have any words of wisdom to share with them?

DW:  Listen to criticism. Listen to criticism. Attentively listen to criticism.

Seriously, get some critiques from someone who doesn’t know you well. Find a writer online who you can connect with. And when they tell you that something needs to be addressed in your story, address it. Actually, if it’s someone who hates you but is still willing to swap stories, even better. You’ll never get an honest opinion from friends or family.

MTI:  Certainly some salient advice for fellow writers.  Thank you for the interview!  Those who’d like to read Dusty’s story and other alternate history tales can pick up Altered America.