Urban Fantasy generally is chock full of Vamps, Demons and Fae. However there really isn't anything really from the Eastern Philosophies out there and what a rich and varied culture it is. That said, you probably already know where this is going. Kylie Chan's epic first series (Dark Heaven's) has undergone a cover revamp, changed from Harper Collins to Angry Robot and brought to a new reading audience as of tomorrow.
So with a Dark Master, a fiesty heroine and a demi-god child alongside a whole host of Chinese God's, demon's and martial arts its a wonder that she managed to stuff this trilogy with so much from this rich pantheon. Here we chat to Kylie about life, chocolate and how she copes with the day to day stresses of writing...Falcata Times: Writing is said to be something that people are afflicted with rather than gifted and that it's something you have to do rather than want. What is your opinion of this statement and how true is it to you?Kylie Chan: I just finished the second book of the ‘Journey to Wudang’ trilogy, which carries the story on from the first ‘Dark Heavens’ trilogy. I gave it in to the publisher, and instead of taking a well-earned break, I filled up three pages of my notebook with notes for the next novel. Affliction is a good word for this; when asked about my writing I often say that I’m insane. I feel insane when I jump up from the dinner table or in the middle of a conversation, run into my office, and scribble notes for the latest idea that’s come to me. FT: When did you realise that you wanted to be a writer?KC: I honestly thought for many years that I didn’t have it in me. I wondered where that mystical clique of professional writers gained their ideas – and then when I started writing, realized that the ideas were there all the time, I just needed a good way of capturing them. If any one moment could be identified, it’s when I was about half way through my first novel – and discovered that I was actually quite good at it, and had people clamouring for the next instalment of my work!FT: It is often said that if you can write a short story you can write anything. How true do you think this is and what have you written that either proves or disproves this POV?KC: I can’t write short stories! Well, okay, maybe one. I wrote one and had it published in an anthology (‘Child Support’ in ‘The Devil in Brisbane’ if anybody is interested) – but when I actually tried to write a short story for publication it grew into a novella. I had no control, the story was just bigger than the format. Some people can write short stories, and not novels. For people like me, it’s the other way around. Short stories are a great way of breaking into fiction, however, and a wonderful learning tool. Shame I can’t really get my head around them.FT: If someone were to enter a bookshop, how would you persuade them to try your novel over someone else's and how would you define it?KC: I had this conversation today! The lady I was talking to was intrigued by Darren’s spectacular cover art, and in a fit of loquaciousness I told her the book was ‘really good’. I won’t try to give my books the hard sell – what I did suggest to her is that she take the book up to the counter and ask the bookshop staff what they thought about it. I’m well aware that I have some fans behind the counters of many bookstores. Don’t believe me when I say it’s good, ask someone who’s read it! FT: How would you "sell" your book in 20 words or less?KC: I don’t suppose ‘it’s really good’ will be enough there. I tend to throw words around – ‘demons, present-day Hong Kong, a kick-ass woman who learns kung fu, romance, action, lots of violence – all that good stuff.’ 
FT: Who is a must have on your bookshelf and whose latest release will find you on the bookshops doorstep waiting for it to open?KC: I’m terribly lucky because as an author, all I have to do is ask my publisher for their latest offerings and I’ll receive what I refer to as my ‘big box o books’. I’ll read anything you put in front of me, and provided it’s fast-paced, fun, and full of mayhem, I’ll be engrossed for hours.FT: When you sit down and write do you know how the story will end or do you just let the pen take you? ie Do you develop character profiles and outlines for your novels before writing them or do you let your idea's develop as you write?KC: I absolutely know where the story is heading, I’m very clear on the end. Apart from that, I don’t do any structuring, profiling, or outlining. No, I tell a lie, I wrote a six-line outline for ‘Hell to Heaven’ but I didn’t stick to it. Usually the end of the novel is written way before I’m ready to get there – usually when I’m about a third of the way through. The rest is a roller-coaster ride with the characters in control and me clinging on for dear life and complaining that the story ‘wasn’t supposed to go in that direction’. We get there in the end.FT: What do you do to relax and what have you read recently?KC: Work for me is being sedentary and writing on the computer, so relaxing usually involves something heavily physical! I get out on my horse, do some laps of the pool, or practise my martial arts or do a tai chi set. Anything to get myself moving and give my brain a rest. I’ve just finished Glenda Larke’s novel ‘The Last Stormlord’ and enjoyed that immensely.FT: What is your guiltiest pleasure that few know about?KC: White chocolate. I try not to let that out because people give it to me, and I eat it! Bad me!FT: Lots of writers tend to have pets. What do you have and what are their key traits (and do they appear in your novel in certain character attributes?)KC: I have a wonderful cat that came from the rescue shelter and has latched onto me. She lies on my desk and helps me write, and even sits next to the pool when I’m swimming in it. My horse came over from Hong Kong with me, and I think he sees me as his Mum – he always whinnies when I walk into his yard – but maybe that’s just the carrots he knows I’m carrying.
FT: Which character within your latest book was the most fun to write and why?KC: It was terrific to have Leo back in ‘Hell to Heaven’, and have him pinging off Emma and learning his way around his new life. He’s always been great fun to write and he has a new set of challenges in front of him.FT: How similar to your principle protagonist are you?KC: Not at all. People seem to be surprised when they find I share very few characteristics with Emma. She’s a combination of my sister and my best friend back in Hong Kong and has very little of me about her. FT: What hobbies do you have and how do they influence your work?KC: Does periodically pulling the computers around the house apart and messing with their insides count as a hobby? It doesn’t really influence my work as such, but it can make things move slightly slower when I’ve disembowelled my PC and suddenly need to write something – and can’t find the hard disk.FT: Where do you get your idea's from?KC: I think this is the most loathed question that any writer can be asked. The obvious answer is ‘out of my brain’ but that generally comes off as being supercilious, and it’s such a common question – everybody wants to know where I get my ‘wonderful ideas’. Everybody daydreams, and that’s all writing is – constructing elaborate and fanciful daydreams, and then writing them down.FT: Do you ever encounter writers block and if so how do you overcome it?KC: I don’t see it as writer’s block, although I’m sure it’s what it’s called. It’s more like a drying up of my creative energy, usually caused by too much ‘real life’ seeping into the world around me and cancelling out my wonderful daydreams. I let myself chill for a while, leave it at the back of my head, and the little gnomes who build my fantasy world get to work and present me with something later. They never give me anything when I ask for it – which makes deadlines things of terror for me.
FT: Certain authors are renowned for writing at what many would call uncivilised times. When do you write and how do the others in your household feel about it?KC: I work at the most civilized of times – I do a great deal of my writing between midnight and four am – the most civilized part of the day. Being tired and confident that I won’t be interrupted are great catalysts for creativity. The tiredness releases the creative part of my mind, and I’ve written some of my best stuff half asleep. I’ve even woken up the next morning completely unable to remember writing any of it. It’s only me and my daughter in my household, and she puts up with me with a sort of weary mature tolerance that fifteen-year-olds seem to be experts at. FT: Sometimes pieces of music seem to influence certain scenes within novels, do you have a soundtrack for your tale or is it a case of writing in silence with perhaps the odd musical break in-between scenes?KC: I put metal or techno on very loud when I’m writing action scenes. Otherwise I’ve found that if I’m writing, I’m so deeply in the zone that I’m not aware of any outside noises so a soundtrack is a waste of time.FT: What misconceptions, if any, did you have about the writing and publishing field when you were first getting started?KC: All of them, I think. Let me see if I can list them: I thought that if I wrote a successful novel, it would make me a lot of money. (I’m making enough to get by but at the moment, that’s all.)I thought that if I wrote something of quality, publishers would be seriously interested. (Publishers have a wider set of requirements than ‘it’s good’ when they’re considering a first-time author.)I thought that people would be lined up for hours at my book signings (well, okay, that one’s happened, but it was the exception.) I thought that I didn’t need an agent. (Props to my agent, I can’t live without her.)I thought that I would be jetted around the world, being famous and stuff. (Nope.)FT: If music be the food of love, what do you think writing is and please explain your answer?KC: Literature is brain food. The words are a doorway for the reader to build the world in their own head, making them envisage what we’re trying to say. Quite a lot of what you see when you read a book is your own visualization of what the scene looks like – we only provide the rough setting, you as the reader have to fill in the blanks. And that’s excellent brain exercise!FT: What can you tell us about the next novel?KC: I’m currently working on ‘book six’. The books are numbered one to nine in my head, but in reality they’ve been divided into three trilogies – three sets of three. So the one I’m working on now – ‘Heaven to Wudang’ – is the last of the second trilogy. It has the big final showdown and ties up all the threads from the second trilogy. I’m seriously having fun with this one.FT: What are the last five internet sites that you've visited?KC: My own website to update my blog; wikipedia to do some background research on a particular (real life) site I want to use; facebook (yeah I know); tvtropes (the randomizer is fun!); and the lolcats site. That list is slightly less nerdy than it usually is; you picked a more productive time of the day. FT: Did you ever take any writing classes or specific instructions to learn the craft? If so please let us know which ones.KC: I went to the Queensland Writer’s Centre and did some workshops there. I was also pointed in the direction of some wonderful resources for authors by a dear friend of mine – ‘The First Five Pages’ by Noah Lukeman, and ‘Self Editing for Fiction Writers’ by Renni Browne and Dave King. I cannot recommend these two resources enough.FT: How did you get past the initial barriers of criticism and rejection?KC: I didn’t! I still go into my office and cry my little eyes out, then vow never to write anything ever again, the minute someone criticises my work.FT: In your opinion, what are the best and worst aspects of writing for a living?KC: Absolutely the best part is to be able to sit at home and do what I want when I want. The writing comes by itself and it’s not really work unless there’s a deadline looming. Also, I don’t have to deal with office politics any more, which is a huge relief. I absolutely flat-out suck at office politics and I’ve left a trail of hatred and bile wherever I’ve gone because I’m usually way too honest and outspoken. The worst aspect is the unpredictability of the income – it’s impossible to budget when you have no idea how much is going to be in the next royalty cheque.
BOOK BLURB:
Dark Heavens, Book One. Emma Donahue went to Hong Kong to become a nanny to John Chen's daughter. But John's world is different, and he is no ordinary businessman - all the gods, demons and dragons in hell want him dead. And though she doesn't know it, Emma holds the power to save them all...Kylie Chan's Dark Heavens trilogy is the most exciting Urban Fantasy debut of 2010. Already a smash-hit in the author's native Australia it brings a world of Oriental Gods, martial arts action and romance to the genre.
REVIEW:
With the republication of Kylie’s Dark Heaven series by Angry Robot, I was introduced to a series that I’d missed originally and one that I was pleased that I had the chance to enjoy. It brings the best of the Urban Fantasy Genre, mixes the mythos of the East and adds a good dollop of Martial Arts into the cooking pot. Top that off with an impossible love story that crosses the generations and you’ve a story that really will please many a reader.
Here in the first book we get to know the principle protagonista and discover that her viewpoint on the world was askew with things hidden in the dark seek ways to achieve their own objectives. Here, as Emma’s understanding unfurls to meet the changes of her situation the reader is slowly and expertly introduced to this new and exciting world with not so much as an info dump but carefully placed nuggets of information to keep them glued to each page. Whilst a little slow in this first offering it lays the groundwork for the breakneck pace of the other two offerings as they seamlessly continue to blend the Eastern mythos for the Western mind. A cracking offering and one that was a sheer pleasure to read.
BOOK BLURB:
Dark Heavens, Book Two. The demon threat closes around mortals and gods alike...When Emma became nanny to John Chen's daughter, she never expected to be caring for the child of a Chinese god, or that all the demons in hell would want him dead. Now she's in love with John, and they are hunted from China to Europe by a race of demons. But who are the real pawns in this deadly celestial game? Kylie Chan's Dark Heavens trilogy is the most exciting Urban Fantasy debut of 2010. Already a smash-hit in the author's native Australia it brings a world of Oriental Gods, martial arts action and romance to the genre.
REVIEW:
The second novel by Kylie Chan in her Dark Heavens trilogy and one that continues to allow the characters to not only grow emotionally but physically as each comes to learn of their weaknesses and finds ways to combat it as the love story between Emma and Mr Chen continues to grow. Add to the mix a cracking cast of background characters and its truly a delight to read. A great shame that it hasn’t had as much recognition as this series deserves and its one that I’ll be passing on to friends who enjoy this genre.
BOOK BLURB:
The demons grow stronger as Zuan Wu becomes weaker. It is a battle to keep him alive to protect Simone until she is able to defend herself. When Simone is kidnapped, Zuan Wu and Emma must make the ultimate sacrifice, although even that might not be enough.
REVIEW:
The third and final part of the Dark Heavens Trilogy and one that upon turning the last page made me a bit sad that this was the end of my journey with Emma, Simone, Leo and Mr Chen for a while. With characters that not only leap from myth and legend onto the page alongside a cast that you care about you’ve got a story arc that will take the reader through a full range of emotions. Add to the mix enough combat to keep any martial artist happy alongside the complex love story within and this series really has been a real joy to read. Definitely a series that I’ll reread again especially when I get the chance to enjoy Kylie’s new series (Journey to Wudang) which has just had the first novel released in Australia (Journey to Hell.)
One common trait that you tend to find with writers is an absolute need to create. Whether it be in journals, in notepads or even on walls theres always a place for them to put thier creativity.
So it probably comes as no surprise to discover that Col Buchanan is exactly the same. Here we chatted to him about his debut novel, the freedom of expression and trumping in bed...Falcata Times: Writing is said to be something that people are afflicted with rather than gifted and that it's something you have to do rather than want. What is your opinion of this statement and how true is it to you?Col Buchannan: Absolutely true, yes. Many times in the past it’s felt like an affliction or an obsession more than anything else. I’ve thrown my hands in the air and thought ‘enough is enough’. Yet still, you find yourself jotting down ideas, and being drawn back into the need to tell a story, to express yourself in some way. FT: When did you realise that you wanted to be a writer?CB: Probably when I was ten and wrote my first novel. It was all of eleven pages long, and bound with a cardboard cover. It was about a children’s mutiny at school. (They ended up flooding the building and pirating through the waters on upturned desks).FT: It is often said that if you can write a short story you can write anything. How true do you think this is and what have you written that either proves or disproves this POV?CB: I’d have to disagree with that one. Some writers are truly gifted at short stories yet seem to run out of steam when they approach longer form fiction. I think it’s more true when it’s said that some people are better at short stories than novels, and some are better at novels than short stories, and few are gifted at both. FT: If someone were to enter a bookshop, how would you persuade them to try your novel over someone else's and how would you define it?CB: I’d probably ask them to read the first page to see if it bit them. Just the first page. And then if they flicked to page 2, I’d leave them to it.FT: How would you "sell" your book in 20 words or less? CB: I’m terrible at selling myself. There’s 6 words gone already… A thrilling, fast-paced adventure story with spirit and style.FT: Who is a must have on your bookshelf and whose latest release will find you on the bookshops doorstep waiting for it to open?CB: Cormac McCarthy, Iain Banks, Kim Stanley Robinson, Neil Stephenson. I’d have to say though that these days I’m more excited by non-fiction arrivals than fiction (unless it’s by one of the above). People like Charlie Brooker or Jon Ronson. I don’t get as excited with novels as much as I used to. That’s one of the reasons I wrote Farlander. We need more intelligent adventure stories, stories that grip you fast and don’t let go. FT: When you sit down and write do you know how the story will end or do you just let the pen take you? ie Do you develop character profiles and outlines for your novels before writing them or do you let your idea's develop as you write?CB: I always know how it will end, yes. And I usually have a rough idea of the overall structure. Beyond this I just brainstorm a lot, and keep lots of loose notes, and go with the flow of it.FT: What is your guiltiest pleasure that few know about?CB: Probably farting in bed when my wife’s not in it.FT: Lots of writers tend to have pets. What do you have and what are their key traits (and do they appear in your novel in certain character attributes?)CB: We have a massively fluffy cat called Jazz. When she lies on the floor with her tail curled out, she looks like a musical note. She has an immensely cool character. I often imagine her wearing shades.FT: Which character within your latest book was the most fun to write and why?CB: Ash, most definitely. His spirit is free and playful yet he carries his burdens, so I felt I could really play with him while maintaining depth. FT: How similar to your principle protagonist are you?CB: I’m as similar to Ash as I am to Nico. I’m still only in my mid-thirties, but I’m very much a sensitive boy and a grouchy old man rolled into one. FT: Do you ever encounter writers block and if so how do you overcome it?CB: No, I can’t say I ever have. Fingers crossed though, not tempting fate and all that.I would say that if you can’t write for whatever reason then don’t write. Relax. Go and invest your energies elsewhere for a while. Recharge the batteries. Let it happen naturally.FT: Certain authors are renowned for writing at what many would call uncivilised times. When do you write and how do the others in your household feel about it?CB: I’m a natural recluse, and most recluses are night owls too. I guess we feel most relaxed when the rest of the immediate world around us has gone to bed.I try to stay disciplined though. I’ll do the hard graft during the days. Nights I leave for brainstorming and any sections I’m having real fun with.
FT: Sometimes pieces of music seem to influence certain scenes within novels, do you have a soundtrack for your tale or is it a case of writing in silence with perhaps the odd musical break in-between scenes?CB: Silence, classical, or instrumental music like Sigur Ros. FT: What misconceptions, if any, did you have about the writing and publishing field when you were first getting started?CB: I like to think not many. I came into the publishing field pretty well versed on the pitfalls and the hardships and the business realities of the life.FT: If music be the food of love, what do you think writing is and please explain your answer?CB: I think writing is like laughter, like that instant communication you have with a person when you laugh with them. Laughter shortens the distance between people. When a reader connects with an author’s work, the same thing happens. FT: What can you tell us about the next novel?CB: I can say that it’s a story of revenge. And that it has another twist in its tail. FT: Did you ever take any writing classes or specific instructions to learn the craft? If so please let us know which ones.CB: I studied for a Creative Writing degree while writing Farlander. To be truthful about this though, I didn’t study Creative Writing to learn about writing. I did a degree so I could have three years rest from the ‘real world’ in which to write a decent book.I don’t believe writing can be taught. Perhaps it can be guided to some small extent in terms of craft. But really, you need to learn it the hard way, by graft and error, so that it’s in your bones, and you’re not thinking of writing as you write, you’re just doing it. FT: How did you get past the initial barriers of criticism and rejection?CB: I didn’t. I carried them with me as extra fuel until I could prove them all wrong. The bastards. :-)FT: In your opinion, what are the best and worst aspects of writing for a living?CB: PR is the worst aspect if you’re not comfortable with it. I don’t particularly enjoy the idea of live appearances that much. But other than that, for myself, there are no real bad sides to this life. It’s my dream, my life ambition. I’m doing what feels most right for me, and so any pressures or difficulties are just stones on the path.
BOOK BLURB:
The Heart of the World is a land in strife. For fifty years the Holy Empire of Mann, an empire and religion born from a nihilistic urban cult, has been conquering nation after nation. Their leader, Holy Matriarch Sasheen, ruthlessly maintains control through her Diplomats, priests trained as subtle predators.
The Mercian Free Ports are the only confederacy yet to fall. Their only land link to the southern continent, a long and narrow isthmus, is protected by the city of Bar-Khos. For ten years now, the great southern walls of Bar-Khos have been besieged by the Imperial Fourth Army.
Ash is a member of an elite group of assassins, the Rōshun - who offer protection through the threat of vendetta. Forced by his ailing health to take on an apprentice, he chooses Nico, a young man living in the besieged city of Bar-Khos. At the time, Nico is hungry, desperate, and alone in a city that finds itself teetering on the brink.
When the Holy Matriarch’s son deliberately murders a woman under the protection of the Rōshun; he forces the sect to seek his life in retribution. As Ash and his young apprentice set out to fulfil the Rōshun orders – their journey takes them into the heart of the conflict between the Empire and the Free Ports . . . into bloodshed and death.
REVIEW:
Murder, vengeance and honour are the hallmarks for this offering from debut author Col Buchanan as his adventure carefully entwines the reader into his web in an almost Gemmellesque opening sequence.
Cunningly constructed, this title takes the reader from the frozen lands into a world where honour is everything regardless of the cost in either collateral damage or politically. Enchanting as well as spellbinding the author allows the reader to draw a lot of the landscape themselves with spartan descriptive pieces keeping to the meat of the tale with a protagonist that you just have to get behind in a world of greys. Top that up with some cracking dialogue and it’s a tale for all. I really can’t wait to see what happens in Col’s next offering.
BOOK BLURB:
Tension between the clans of the Black Road and the True Bloods is mounting, as each side in the conflict becomes ever more riven by internal dissent and disunity. And Aeglyss the na'kyrim continues to spread chaos in the world, exerting a dangerous, insidious influence over events both near and far. As events mount to a climax, the world will change and no side can anticipate the twisted pattern of what lies ahead.
REVIEW:
There are a lot of things I love about Brian’s writing and the fact that he’s come up with a compelling trilogy is something that has to be applauded. Yet one thing that I won’t be thanking him for was finishing this trilogy. It was good fun and definitely been one that kept me entertained through the long winter nights as its almost evocative of the ancient saga’s of the heroes of old that deserves the untold attention of the reader as if they were being told about it around the campfire.
Whilst most books can’t be tackled by the newbie this is one series that can and Brian has taken the additional step of a summary of what has gone before in the tale which also helps the reader remember the previous outings if they’re not like me and have a reread prior to starting the new one. Not that I’m saying to do this as I think you get more by reading the work that’s gone before but you could if you wanted to.
With each new offering Brian has seemed to have gone from strength to strength, improved, adapted and created a truly unforgettable world in which the strength of character stands for more than anything else and whilst many think that its settled on the battlefield the female cast have proven to as formidable as the men. A cracking series and one that I have to congratulate Brian’s success with not only keeping me entertained but emotionally hooked.
BOOK BLURB:
This is Jant Shira's life before the drugs took over, as a hunter in the mountains. Awian exiles are building a stronghold in the Darkling mountains, where the Rhydanne hunt. Their clash of interests soon leads to bloodshed and Shira Dellin, a Rhydanne huntress, appeals to the immortal Circle for justice. The Emperor sends Jant, half-Rhydanne, half-Awian, and all-confidence, to mediate. As Jant is drawn into the spiralling violence he is shaken into coming to terms with his own heritage and his feelings for the alien, intoxicating Dellin. ABOVE THE SNOWLINE tells the story of Jant's early years in the Circle and shows the Fourlands as you've never seen them before.
REVIEW:
Since Steph first came to my attention with her Troy series I’ve kept a close eye on all her releases as I really do like her pace, her descriptive prose and above all her characterisation. Within this offering is a tale, which is totally self-contained. It is always good when an author does this as it allows new readers a chance to try them without having to get behind a huge catalogue. Steph’s writing really is some of the best out there and whilst I still think her Troy books are superior, this is a cracking fantasy novel with characters that are not only flawed but also heroic as they struggle against their fates.
BOOK BLURB:
The vampiric sorcerer Uctebri has at last got his hands on the Shadow Box and can finally begin his dark ritual - a ritual that the Wasp-kinden Emperor believes will grant him immortality - but Uctebri has his own plans both for the Emperor and the Empire.
The massed Wasp armies are on the march, and the spymaster Stenwold must see which of his allies will stand now that the war has finally arrived. This time the Empire will not stop until a black and gold flag waves over Stenwold's own home city of Collegium.
Tisamon the Weaponsmaster is faced with a terrible choice: a path that could lead him to abandon his friends and his daughter, to face degradation and loss, but that might possibly bring him before the Wasp Emperor with a blade in his hand - but is he being driven by Mantis-kinden honour, or manipulated by something more sinister?
REVIEW:
Of his books, to date, this is his best work for the series. The characters get just the right amount of attention and growth allowance with a story arc that moves with great pace of lulls and peaks to keep the reader not only entertained but fascinated as they can’t wait to see what happens. Add to this a realism where no matter the legendary status of fighters, they can still go down by sheer weight of numbers and a realism where you’re left hoping that favourites survive and it creates a tale that really does add to the epic nature of this authors fast growing reputation. Which make this a cracking read and one that will keep Adrian in many readers imagination.
Hail Mighty Readers,Well this is a new feature to the site that we do each month. In shortly, if we've previously reviewed a title that has a release date for this month, we'll link to our original review so that it keeps it easier for you, the reader, to find what you're looking for. (Covers in review may differ from this incarnation.)This month you'll find:The Silver Blade - Sally GardnerRelics of the Dead - Ariana FranklinARCHWIZARD - Ed GreenwoodNECROSCOPE: The Lost Years, Harry and the Pirates - Brian Lumley This is Not a Game - Walter Jon WilliamsTurncoat - Jim ButcherThe Dragon Keeper - Robin HobbPercy Jackson and the Last Olympian - Rick RiordanHopefully you'll find this feature of use,Gareth
BOOK BLURB:
Already an underground sensation, a high-tech thriller for the wireless age that explores the unthinkable consequences of a computer program running without human control - a daemon - designed to dismantle society and bring about a new world order
Technology controls almost everything in our modern-day world, from remote entry on our cars to access to our homes, from the flight controls of our airplanes to the movements of the entire world economy. Thousands of autonomous computer programs, or daemons, make our networked world possible, running constantly in the background of our lives, trafficking e-mail, transferring money, and monitoring power grids. For the most part, daemons are benign, but the same can't always be said for the people who design them.
Matthew Sobol was a legendary computer game designer - the architect behind half-a-dozen popular online games. His premature death depressed both gamers and his company's stock price. But Sobol's fans aren't the only ones to note his passing. When his obituary is posted online, a previously dormant daemon activates, initiating a chain of events intended to unravel the fabric of our hyper-efficient, interconnected world. With Sobol's secrets buried along with him, and as new layers of his daemon are unleashed at every turn, it's up to an unlikely alliance to decipher his intricate plans and wrest the world from the grasp of a nameless, faceless enemy - or learn to live in a society in which we are no longer in control. . . .
REVIEW:
If you want a novel that has nothing else like it out there, then you have to get hold of this title. Its part Cyberpunk part thriller, all tied up with a plotline that really doesn’t let up. It’s huge and if you think that nothing can equal Gibson’s Neuromancer then this title may well do something to that chain of thought. Its not only gripping it’s a ride by the seat of your pants tale. It doesn’t let up and with more cunning twists and turns so you don’t know which way is up it’s a title that really will make you glad you read it. Were I a betting person I’d lay odds on a film deal for this book in a very short time. Definitely an author who not only has emerged onto the scene, but one who has exploded like a nuclear bomb with this offering.
BOOK BLURB:
The Daemon is now firmly in control and moving towards its endgame, using an expanding network of real-world, dispossessed darknet operatives to tear civilization apart and build it anew. As the global economy begins to fail, the world's most powerful organizations - monolithic corporations, complete with armies of their own - prepare to fight their unseen enemy. When a brutal civil war breaks out in the United States, former detective Pete Sebeck, now the Daemon's most powerful though reluctant operative, must lead a small band of enlightened humans to protect the new world order. Amid conflicting loyalties, rapidly diminishing human power and the possibility that anyone can be a daemon operative or a corporate spy, Sebeck knows that he embodies the last hope that freedom can survive the information revolution.
REVIEW:
Picking up where the previous novel left off, Daniel’s pace doesn’t let up from the first page. Whilst a number of people may accidentally pick this title up without having read the original, I would say that it’s huge mistake as you can tell from our first review that you really do get a lot of bang for your buck. The other reason is that if you thought things got complex in the first title then you have absolutely no luck on it letting up here. Add to this the continual pleasure of the plausible alongside a world not too far away from our own and it is a real bit of pure escapism with a kick ass outline. Great writing indeed and on that shows that Daniel is not a one hit wonder.
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It's a difficult time for fifteen-year-old Savannah Grey - she's settled into her latest foster placement, but her body is acting strangely. Then other strange things begin to happen: nature, it seems, is exerting an overpowering force on the world. Birds behave erratically; gusts of wind blow leaves so fiercely they seem to lure people away. And Savannah discovers she has supernatural powers. Meanwhile, she feels drawn to the new boy Reece whose life is even stranger than hers. Quickly Savannah and Reece realise that nature has a purpose for them both. For they are on course to meet the vile and evil Ocrassa, who wants to destroy the world by corrupting nature. And it wants Savannah Grey to help realise its savage intent.
REVIEW:
To be honest with you I had a number of problems trying to figure this book out. On one hand it’s a horror tale, on another it has elements of Science Fiction but perhaps the strongest thread throughout is the love story within between Savannah and Reece. It’s beautifully written, almost poetic at times. Add to this a cracking story arc, a wonderful understanding of prose and a tale that’s fascinating from the multiple viewpoints and it’s a tale that I think is perhaps McNish’s best to date.
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Driven from their ancestral homeland, outlaw Rhi Bran and his band have made their home in the forest of the March, and are feared by all for their unrivalled skill with the longbow. But they cannot hide forever. Bold action is required, and they are willing to die in order to win peace for the people of Elfael. Bran's companions include the mighty champion Iwan, skilled forester Will Scarlet, rough-and-ready priest Friar Tuck and, new to the band, vagabond minstrel Alan a'Dale. Together they have constructed a desperate plan to rid themselves of the barbarous Ffreinc, led by the malevolent Abbot Hugo and Guy of Gysburne. Severely outnumbered, the band must rely on their wits, their intimate knowledge of the forest, and all their fighting prowess if they are to prevail.
REVIEW:
The final part in Lawhead’s version of Robin Hood and one that I’ve long waited for since the previous titles release. What you can guarantee about a Lawhead title is that its well written with breath taking action sequences tied up with a realistic research record that really will make you wonder if he has perhaps uncovered a more realistic Robin Hood than has previously been noted. Perhaps the best way to sum him up is Lawhead is the Young Adult Cornwell. If that isn’t high enough praise I don’t know what is.
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What happens when your past catches up with you and you don’t like what you see?
A powerful novel that questions how we take responsibility for our actions
Will Hodges’ life is a mess! His mother is dead, he has no friends and he thinks he is being followed by a strange group of people who tell him they know him. But Will can’t remember them . . . at first. And when he does, he doesn’t like what he can remember.
While Will is struggling with unsettling memories, he learns that his past is a lot deeper than many people’s, and he has to find out if he is strong enough to break links with the powerful hold that history has on him.
This compelling novel, set in an alternate future, challenges readers to consider the role we all have to play in making our society, and asks how much we are prepared to stand up for what’s right.
REVIEW:
Do you want a book to make you think? One that plays with the premise of mankind is doomed to repeat its mistakes? Then this is ideal for you as Gemma Malley presents a thought provoking tale to the reader as her protagonist Will Hodges struggles to come to terms with the fact that he’s been here before. The main question that this raises is will the hero learn from his past errors and seek to change the outcome so that its different from his last time round? Its evocative, its wonderfully written and above all it’s a tale with a character you can really sympathise with. A cracking offering.
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Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar is one of the bestselling picture books of all time, with over 33 million copies sold worldwide to date. This gorgeous new interactive format lets babies and toddlers join in the fun as the plush caterpillar finger puppet literally wriggles his way through the holes in each page, munching and crunching through foods before transforming into a beautiful butterfly! Count along and identify colours in this perfect first introduction to a picture-book classic.
REVIEW:
OK, Lady Eleanor has loved the Hungry Caterpillar for years so it’s over to her to explain about this new incarnation of the much loved tale:
Having enjoyed this title for years when Gareth gave me the latest version, I was a bit surprised. The pages were quite chunky (well it was printed on thick card) but that added to the fun that you could have with the finger-puppet of the Caterpillar as you could make him wriggle through each page. A good way to help young readers learn to count is a book that I have more than a few fond memories of from my childhood. A definite classic.
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Harry's football team are trying their best, but they just keep getting in each other's way. But, luckily, Harry soon learns the best trick of all ...teamwork! So together Harry, his friends and their mascot auruses win the best prize ever...
REVIEW:
Fan’s of Harry and the dinosaurs will love this brightly coloured offering as they form their own football team. Its got a reasonable story accompanied by cracking art but perhaps most of all the underlying theme of working together allows them to accomplish their goal of beating an older and better team who play individually. A great book and one that will definitely keep the younger reader inspired for quite some time.
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The first book in an epic fantasy series from debut author Cinda Williams Chima. Adventure, magic, war and ambition conspire to throw together an unlikely group of companions in a struggle to save their world. When 16-year-old Han Alister and his Clan friend Dancer encounter three underage wizards setting fire to the sacred mountain of Hanalea, he has no idea that this event will precipitate a cascade of disasters that will threaten everything he cares about. Han takes an amulet from one of the wizards, Micah Bayar, to prevent him from using it against them. Only later does he learn that it has an evil history-it once belonged to the Demon King, the wizard who nearly destroyed the world a millennium ago. And the Bayars will stop at nothing to get it back. Meanwhile, Princess Raisa ana'Marianna, the heir to the Gray Wolf throne of the Fells, has just spent three years of relative freedom with her father's family at Demonai Camp-riding, hunting, and working the famous Clan markets. Now court life in Fellsmarch pinches like a pair of too-small shoes. Wars are raging to the south, and threaten to spread into the high country. After a long period of quiet, the power of the Wizard Council is once again growing. The people of the Fells are starving and close to rebellion. Now more than ever, there's a need for a strong queen. But Raisa's mother Queen Marianna is weak and distracted by the handsome Gavan Bayar, High Wizard of the Fells. Raisa wants to be more than an ornament in a glittering cage. She aspires to be like Hanalea-the legendary warrior queen who killed the Demon King and saved the world. With the help of her friend, the cadet Amon Byrne, she navigates the treacherous Gray Wolf Court, hoping she can unravel the conspiracy coalescing around her before it's too late.
REVIEW:
I started this offering not really expecting much and was not only blown away by the authors writing style but found it to be a great bridge between the Young Adult world of fiction and the Adult Fantasy in general. It’s got touches of Eddings, backed up with a touch of GRR Martin and its an offering that carries not only a great pace but solid characterisation with emotional hooks and ties. Readers off all ages will love this offering and if you’re looking for a title to encourage a reluctant young reader then this is going to be it. A real gem and I really can’t wait for the subsequent releases.
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Five hundred years into the third age of flight and mighty phraxships steam across the immensity of the Deepwoods, plying their lucrative trade between the three great cities. Nate Quarter, a young Lamplighter from the mines of the eastern woods is propelled on an epic journey of self-discovery that encompasses tournaments, battles, revolutions and a final encounter with the Immortals themselves. This is the final tale in the "Edge Chronicles" sequence and it's a fabulous climax to the most original and dramatic fantasy series being written today. Set years in the future, this book is ideal for new readers to discover the series before going back to read the 'history' of Twig, Rook and Quint. Packed with incredible illustrations from Chris Riddell, this is a wonderfully funny, moving and utterly inventive book.
REVIEW:
When this title landed I thought great as to be honest it gave me the chance to reread the previous novels by Stewart and Riddell to refamiliarize myself with the characters and places within the world. Its something I’ve been looking for an excuse to do for a little while and was something I was pleased I did as if you’re new to the world you really won’t get the full tale or references within.
The first thing I noted with this was how the authors had grown with their talents as they brought this the last tale in the series to date to the reader. Well written and a good solid adventure within this title really did live up to everything that I’d come to expect from these two after their previous novels. It was good fun, a much needed breath of fresh air and something of a guilty pleasure that allowed me to pig out on some serious young adult fantasy.
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Rosie's walk around the farmyard, pursued by the hungry but clumsy fox, has become a beacon in the world of children's picture books, an ever-popular classic which generations have enjoyed. Children love the humour of this near-wordless story. One disaster after another befalls the poor fox while Rosie goes on her way, supremely unaware of the danger behind her. Now at a wonderful larger size, this re-issue will bring the joy of Rosie's tale and Pat's bold artwork to a new generation of fans.
REVIEW:
A book that’s been printed for a large number of years which gets a remake with a CD that the young reader will just love to help with their experience. Presented as a special present to my nephew this made a real impression as he got to see how an almost Looney Toon fox was outsmarted by a hen on her walk. Great fun, full of wonderful pictures with vivid colours that just stand out. A real gem and one that will continue to inspire for many more years.
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The third book in an exciting, brand-new Arthurian trilogy For many years, the people of Briton have enjoyed peace and prosperity under the reign of King Artor and the Union of Kings. Having spurned the despotism of his predecessor, Uther Pendragon, Arthur has ruled with a strong sense of duty, goodness and honour. Artor is now weakening with age, however, and the seeds of discontent are being sown. Seeking to cleanse the land of Christian belief, dissenters need a symbol with which to legitimise their pagan claim and gather malcontents together into a cohesive weapon. These shadowy, subversive elements seize upon the ancient cup of Bishop Lucius of Glastonbury as a way of fragmenting Artor's hard-fought-for kingdom. But first, they must lay their hands on the relic and, in doing so, unleash a force for evil from which murder and violent mayhem ensue. But it emerges that the ultimate threat to Artor's rule lies far closer to home; Artor is betrayed by kin. Celt will slay Celt and the river will run with blood.
REVIEW:
As a huge fan of MK’s writing it was a with bated breath that I had to wait to see if the third part in the series would live up to my expectations. Whilst I severely hoped that it would, there’s always a nagging doubt in the back of the readers mind that it really will flop and do it badly especially when you feel that you’ve already been spoilt with the first two.
What occurs within is not only a fitting tribute to perhaps the reality of Arthur (as MK Hume sets the tale in Roman times) but perhaps a great example of an author who loves her work so much that she’ll go the extra mile to make sure that it will please the reader. The prose are ideal, the writing crisp and above all the characters feel real enough for the reader to greet in person. Not only are they likeable but they also have issues that need dealing with emotionally as well as physically. It’s a great offering and whilst some will think that this sees the end of the road, remember that MK has the first novel in her Merlin series out in October for readers to travel a more unfamiliar road. A truly great series in the historical fiction world and one that I really can’t recommend enough.
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The third volume of the crusades trilogy from bestselling Swedish author Jan Guillou. Arn de Gotha has become one of the most feared warriors of the Knights Templar fighting to liberate Palestine with the Crusaders. At the great battle for Jerusalem, a mammoth and bloody struggle where the Christians were finally defeated, Arn is saved from certain death by Saladin, his longtime enemy and trusted friend. Ravaged by wounds and sickness, Arn is at last granted his wish: to return at last to his homeland, it plagued by endless wars. Arn is determined to find her - the woman for whom he was exiled. He must discover if their love could endure so long a separation, and if it can sustain his new quest: the create a new people, a new society, both Christian and Muslim, both craftsmen and warriors, with Arn at its helm, fighting for peace in a savage land. A fitting conclusion to a great trilogy, a bestseller all over Europe, and now the basis for a major film.
REVIEW:
Whilst Jan is becoming well known around the world for this series I’ve had a had time coming to terms with it. Not that its not got a great outline or plot but personally I’ve felt that he spends way too much time in the characters minds rather than concentrating upon the action and story arc within the novel.
This was the major problem with the first book for me, its been a bugbear into the second and its almost now unbearable in the third. However, if you can ignore this, the title is readable enough with well researched historical references alongside strong aristocratic background for the principle characters. Add to the mix reasonable combat sequences alongside some interesting character interaction and it’s an acceptable conclusion to the series. If you still have problems with it you may well be better waiting for the film.
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If you betray a Fellowship, you are a dead man, and Ealdorman Ealdred of Wessex had betrayed us. With revenge on their minds, Raven and the Wolfpack plough the sea road in pursuit of the traitor Ealdred. Having left the Fellowship for dead, the ealdorman has sailed in search of the Frankish Emperor Charlemagne and the promise of riches beyond his imagining. In following Ealdred, Raven and his sword-brothers find themselves in the heart of a Christian empire that would wipe their kind from the face of the earth. And danger waits round every bend of the great river up which they travel - Sigurd will fight for his life while Raven will be betrayed, imprisoned and left to rot...A mysterious young man with no memory and a blood-tainted eye, Raven has found friendship and purpose amongst this fierce brotherhood. He has proven himself in battle and is certain now that Viking blood flows in his veins, but to survive, his cunning must now be as sharp as his blade. This thrilling new chapter in the Raven saga confirms that, in Giles Kristian, action-packed historical fiction has a new master.
REVIEW:
I loved the original tale by Giles so when I heard of this second outing for Sigurd, the Wolfpack and Raven I just had to commandeer a swift trip to the nearest bookshop, pillage my way through the stacks and stop for a flagon of Mead at the tills. That done, it was a swift trip on the Whale road home and with a roaring fire, a huge mug of tea and of course some biscuits to keep my strength up I knew that I had an adventure on my hands.
What Giles brings to the fore is well written and with characters that really do jump off the pages into the readers imagination and whilst his descriptive prose are a tad spartan in style, it only adds to the mystery and wonderment of the journey. A cracking tale of daring as the crew venture in the lands of the Franks to sell a manuscript at the court of Charlemagne which can only be akin to sticking your head in the dragons maw for this band of heathen worshippers.
Definitely a tale to keep the spirits of the reader up and one where you’ll pray for the crews survival as things go not only pear shaped but spectacularly so. Finally add to the mix that Giles’ plays for keeps and you know that you’ve got a tale to please even the most blood thirsty reader. I’ll await the next instalment with bated breath.
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A score of years after he first walked into the histories of Men, Anasurimbor Kellhus rules all the Three Seas, the first true Aspect-Emperor in a thousand years. The masses worship him as a living god, though a few dare claim he's a walking demon. With Proyas and Saubon as his Exalt-Generals, he leads a holy war deep into the wastes of the Ancient North, intent on destroying Golgotterath and preventing the Second Apocalypse. His wife and consort, Esmenet, meanwhile, remains in Momemn, where she struggles to rule not only his vast empire, but their murderous children as well. And Achamian, who lives as a Wizard in embittered exile, undertakes a mad quest to uncover the origins of the Dunyain. But Achamian, of all people, should know that one must be very careful what one seeks ...
REVIEW:
There are a lot of things I love about Brian’s writing and the fact that he’s come up with a compelling trilogy is something that has to be applauded. Yet one thing that I won’t be thanking him for was finishing this trilogy. It was good fun and definitely been one that kept me entertained through the long winter nights as its almost evocative of the ancient saga’s of the heroes of old that deserves the untold attention of the reader as if they were being told about it around the campfire.
Whilst most books can’t be tackled by the newbie this is one series that can and Brian has taken the additional step of a summary of what has gone before in the tale which also helps the reader remember the previous outings if they’re not like me and have a reread prior to starting the new one. Not that I’m saying to do this as I think you get more by reading the work that’s gone before but you could if you wanted to.
With each new offering Brian has seemed to have gone from strength to strength, improved, adapted and created a truly unforgettable world in which the strength of character stands for more than anything else and whilst many think that its settled on the battlefield the female cast have proven to as formidable as the men. A cracking series and one that I have to congratulate Brian’s success with not only keeping me entertained but emotionally hooked.
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Year One-Knife, Tenochtitlan the capital of the Aztecs. The end of the world is kept at bay only by the magic of human sacrifice. A Priestess disappears from an empty room drenched in blood. Acatl, High Priest, must find her, or break the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead. Aliette De Bodard is the hottest rising star in world SF and Fantasy, blending ancient crimes with wild imagination. This is her debut novel.
REVIEW:
When you tend to pick up a fantasy book you feel that pretty much everything has probably been tackled in one form or another before now. So when a new concept appears its much cause for celebration and whilst I’d only heard of this author via Angry Robot’s blog saying that a chance encounter gave them this title we thought it was worth a look. So what did we get for our time?
In short a tale of murder, mystery tied up with an interesting historical perspective of the mesoamerican civilisations as a High Priest has his Blood Rite is interrupted. Add to the tale a good handful of magic and the human reactions to dealing with their deities backed up in a similar style to Ariana Franklin and you’ve got a pretty good tale to play with. What seriously lets this tale down is the dislikeable principle protagonist who I really couldn’t get my hooks into or support which made that part of it a struggle. Don’t get me wrong, the overall arc was cracking but without a character I can get on with it makes any book a struggle. I’m hoping that future offerings fix this minor oversight as the sheer believability and research within seems sadly let down by poor character development. Still a good book to read but for that one niggle it could be one of the best.
Renowned as a short story writer, author Daniel Abraham has really grabbed the world of fantasy by the short and curlies with his Long Road series.
Here we chatted to the author about writing, the tortured author effect and how he deals with being "left 4 dead"...Falcata Times: Writing is said to be something that people are afflicted with rather than gifted and that it's something you have to do rather than want. What is your opinion of this statement and how true is it to you?Daniel Abraham: I'm leery of the tortured artist effect. Certainly writing is important to me, and if I go too long without, I get cranky. But in this, I think it's much like any passion. It's as likely true to say that a love of dog agility trials or gourmet cooking is something with which you are afflicted, and that those for whom it is a passion have to do it.FT: When did you realise that you wanted to be a writer?DA: I was twelve, I think. I had an assignment to write a story for a class and did a sort of "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" for the preteen mindset. I remember that I had a couple of friends at the time who mocked the assignment and implicitly invited me to be loyal to them instead of -- essentially -- my homework. I chose my homework. I wasn't a particularly brave boy, and the decision to betray my friends wasn't lightly taken. It seems a small thing now, but it was momentous enough that I still remember it now. FT: It is often said that if you can write a short story you can write anything. How true do you think this is and what have you written that either proves or disproves this POV?DA: I disagree. If you can write a short story, you can write a short story. I wrote short stories for years and published several of them before I wrote a novel worth reading. And having written several novels doesn't teach me how to write a play or a script for film of comic books. There are some basic skills that short stories are good for teaching, but structure doesn't scale. As for what I've written that supports me in this, I have several novels in my files that will attest to my inability to write them even after I'd managed some decent short work.FT: If someone were to enter a bookshop, how would you persuade them to try your novel over someone else's and how would you define it?DA: If I were trying to sell someone on the Long Price books, I'd say that they were a genuinely new take on epic fantasy. An unusual structure, an unusual setting, well-written, and with four essentially stand-alone stories that added up to a much larger story. And then I'd probably die of embarrassment from having puffed myself up over any number of other very good books.FT: How would you "sell" your book in 20 words or less?DA: "Abraham is fiercely talented, disturbingly human, breathtakingly original and even on his bad days kicks all sorts of literary ass." -- Junot Diaz, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. FT: Who is a must have on your bookshelf and whose latest release will find you on the bookshops doorstep waiting for it to open?DA: Graham Joyce. I keep his books as rewards for doing chores I hate and projects that I don't enjoy. The prospect of curling up for a night with his newest book will get me through almost any amount of overdue housework. I've also developed a thing for Jo Walton. FT: When you sit down and write do you know how the story will end or do you just let the pen take you? ie Do you develop character profiles and outlines for your novels before writing them or do you let your idea's develop as you write?DA: If I just "let the ideas develop," it's with the understanding that I'm just noodling around, and that I will destroy that draft and write another one after I've figured out what I'm doing. I almost always know where I'm starting and where I'm heading toward. If the middle bits are a little fuzzy until I get there, that's fine. If the details shift around on me . . . well that's what second drafts are for.
FT: What do you do to relax and what have you read recently?DA: To relax, I walk or avoid housework. Most recently, I've read Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes, Connie Willis' Bellwether, and Tana French's The Likeness. FT: What is your guiltiest pleasure that few know about?DA: Left 4 Dead. I have come to console gaming late in life, and almost exclusively for the pleasure of shooting zombies. FT: Lots of writers tend to have pets. What do you have and what are their key traits (and do they appear in your novel in certain character attributes?)DA: I have a standard poodle cross who is only happy when she's curled up on the couch with someone and the neighbor's cat. I can't say that either of them has particularly been immortalized in fiction as yet.FT: Which character within your latest book was the most fun to write and why?DA: In the last book of the Long Price Quartet, there's a character named Idaan who has become one of my favorites. She was the villain of an earlier book, and shows back up having spent thirty years growing up, having experiences and trials of her own, and when she appears again, she's both a different person and who she always was. One of the things that writing these books taught me about myself was that I don't want my bad guys defeated so much as understood and -- where possible -- forgiven.FT: How similar to your principle protagonist are you?DA: I can't tell. He and I certainly have some character traits in common, but that's true of me and my villain too. FT: What hobbies do you have and how do they influence your work?DA: I have a preschool-age daughter. My opportunity for hobbies is pretty slim these days. When I had free time, I was learning to play piano and draw. I'm terrible at both, which is part of the point. I suppose, being bloody-minded about it, biology is something of a hobby of mine.I have a degree in it, I still read magazines and books on the subjects I've studied, and I've never applied any of that knowledge in a professional setting. And that certainly has influenced how I see the world.FT: Where do you get your idea's from?DA: I've thought about that a lot. On the one hand, I don't know.Sometimes I can trace an idea back to some particular incident or accident or response to something that pissed me off. Other times, they just show up. I suspect that for the most part I get my ideas from other books and stories I've read, only they bounce off my perspective and experience and take on a spin of their own.FT: Do you ever encounter writers block and if so how do you overcome it?DA: I've had something like it in which I decide that whatever I'm doing at the moment is the worst piece of junk ever put to paper and will prove beyond a doubt that I'm a talentless fraud who would be better served answering phones on a tech support desk (which I actually did for several years). It turns out that just about every writer I know suffers the same. As hard as it is, I try to get around it by giving myself permission to do bad work. When I go back later, it's usually not half as bad as I thought, and when it is, there's I often know how to fix it.FT: Certain authors are renowned for writing at what many would call uncivilised times. When do you write and how do the others in your household feel about it?DA: My household is very supportive of me. Which is to say, my wife is. A four-year-old daughter is never supportive of anything but the decision to get more ice cream. When I was younger, I would write late at night, starting around 10pm and going until I was done. Now, I begin writing about half an hour after daycare starts and stop about as long before it ends.FT: Sometimes pieces of music seem to influence certain scenes within novels, do you have a soundtrack for your tale or is it a case of writing in silence with perhaps the odd musical break in-between scenes?DA: I tend to write in silence, but there are exceptions. I wrote a novel once with Cliff Martinez score to sex, lies, and videotape looped in the background. But I can't write to music with words. I start paying attention to them, and then I'm not at work any more.
FT: What misconceptions, if any, did you have about the writing and publishing field when you were first getting started?DA: The biggest misconception I had was exactly how much of being a writer means writing. I am capable of filling any number of days preparing my taxes, participating in online discussions, promoting my books, copy editing, reading galley proofs, corresponding with my agent and editor, and on and on and on without ever getting around to writing fiction. A friend of mine once spoke to a group of business professionals who were astounded to discover that writers don't have personal secretaries to take care of all those things. They don't.FT: If music be the food of love, what do you think writing is and please explain your answer?DA: If music be the food of love, than writing be the food of insight. An old teacher of mine once said that music sounds the way feelings feel, and I think that's true. Music -- like photographs -- gets a free pass around our conscious, evalutative mind. Words on paper have to push through much more brain. The way that music invites you to feel, words invite you to think, to agree, to disagree, to recognize whether a thing is true in your experience. It's what makes writing fiction tricky.Fiction's the art of saying things happened that didn't happen, any yet are in some sense true. FT: What can you tell us about the next novel?DA: It's an intentional riff on everything I think is cool. Tevis' Queen's Gambit, Reck-Malleczewen's Diary of a Man in Despair, Macbeth, Babylon 5, Firefly, anything by Alan Furst, Dunnet's House of Niccolo books, A Song of Ice and Fire, all whipped together into what I think makes them nifty. Plus, there's dragons. FT: What are the last five internet sites that you've visited?DA: yuki-onna.livejournal.com (She really didn't like Yellow Blue Tibia) facebook.com (Yes, everyone's lives are progressing apace) krugman.blogs.nytimes.com (Sometimes, I despair) xkcd.com (Always) yetistomper.blogspot.com (A friend of mine just made the "names to watch" list)FT: Did you ever take any writing classes or specific instructions to learn the craft? If so please let us know which ones.DA: I have taken several undergraduate creative writing courses from which I learned nothing. I have attended the Clarion West workshop in 1998, from which I learned quite a bit. I am a habitual attendee of Walter Jon Williams' Rio Hondo workshop in Taos, New Mexico, where I consistently get deeper and more nuanced insight into the craft of writing, and I was part of a critique group with Walter Jon Williams, S.M. Stirling, Melinda Snodgrass, Ian Tregillis, and (occasionally) George RR Martin (among others) which taught me how to write novels.FT: How did you get past the initial barriers of criticism and rejection?DA: I turned it into a game of postal ping-pong. I sent the story out, they sent it back, I sent it out, they sent it back. The point of the game wasn't to sell the story so much as to always have it in the mail.Redefining success as having something in the mail helped a lot. And then there was also the weeks-to-months long bouts of despair and depression after a particularly cruel rejection letter. (I'm looking at you, Weird Tales, circa 1992 . . .)FT: In your opinion, what are the best and worst aspects of writing for a living?DA: The best aspect is that I get to make money from doing something I would be doing anyway. I can work on my own time and my own schedule, and I'm doing things I genuinely love to do.The worst aspects are that I am also a professional gambler. The success or failure of a project is driven by a huge variety of variables over which I have no control, and too many failures in a row can have very serious economic consequences. I live in the US, and we have no public health care, so the stakes are often quite high.
Urban Fantasy generally is chock full of Vamps, Demons and Fae. However there really isn't anything really from the Eastern Philosophies out there and what a rich and varied culture it is. That said, you probably already know where this is going. Kylie Chan's epic first series (Dark Heaven's) has undergone a cover revamp, changed from Harper Collins to Angry Robot and brought to a new reading audience as of tomorrow.
FT: Who is a must have on your bookshelf and whose latest release will find you on the bookshops doorstep waiting for it to open?
FT: Which character within your latest book was the most fun to write and why?
FT: Certain authors are renowned for writing at what many would call uncivilised times. When do you write and how do the others in your household feel about it?
