What Tomorrow May Bring
The YA Dystopian Box Set
Deborah Rix, awesome author of External Forces (and fellow contributor to WTMB), was kind enough to bombard me with this really fun Q&A. Here's the result (her questions are in blue, my answers are in black). Enjoy!
DID YOU CHOOSE TO SELF-PUBLISH OR GO THE TRADITIONAL ROUTE? WHY?
Indy-publishing all the way! Going Indy is the best (and I believe the smartest) route for any new writer in today’s market.
I’ve been very lucky in that I’ve worked in and around the entertainment industry nearly all my life. I’ve worked for publishers, and I’ve had publishers working for me. Both experiences made me want to go the independent route. It’s wonderful time to be an independently published writer.
HOW DO YOU OVERCOME WRITER'S BLOCK?
WHAT BOOKS HAVE INFLUENCED YOUR WRITING?
ANY MOVIE, ANY BOOK...WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE ANTAGONIST?
DO YOU BUY A BOOK BY THE COVER?
HAVE YOU EVER WRITTEN ABOUT YOUR OWN BAD HABITS?
Always! I wouldn’t trust a writer who wasn’t willing to put the worst of themselves on the page. Someone asked me once (about writing): aren’t you worried that people will think it’s you? My answer was: if you’re not worried about that—if you’re trying to hide, or disguise yourself—you’re not doing your job.
WHICH WORDS OR PHRASES DO YOU TEND TO OVERUSE?
DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER JOB BESIDES AUTHOR?
WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
WHAT TALENT WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO HAVE?
WHAT’S THE BIGGEST LIE YOU’VE EVER TOLD?
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN TROUBLE WITH THE AUTHORITIES?
DO YOU THINK THE UNITED STATES IS SECRETLY A MIRROR UNIVERSE OF CANADA, LIKE THE STAR TREK EPISODE, WHERE THE UNITED STATES IS THE EVIL DIMENSION?
HAVE YOU SEEN MY SHOES?
WHY DIDN'T HURLEY LOSE ANY WEIGHT WHILE ON THE ISLAND?
BONUS QUESTION: WHY DO VILLIANS PREFER LONG HAIR CATS INSTEAD OF
HAIRLESS CATS? HAIRLESS CATS ARE MUCH MORE EVIL LOOKING. SEEMS LIKE A
MISSED OPPORTUNITY.
HAIRLESS CATS? HAIRLESS CATS ARE MUCH MORE EVIL LOOKING. SEEMS LIKE A
MISSED OPPORTUNITY.
IF YOU GAVE ONE OF YOUR CHARACTERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES, WHAT WOULD THEY SAY?
WHERE DID YOUR TOMORROW SPRING FROM? IN OTHER WORDS, HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE CRAZY WORLD?
HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE IDEA FOR THIS STORY?
DID YOU DO ANY SPECIFIC OR UNUSUAL RESEARCH FOR THIS BOOK?
DID YOU HAVE TO CONDUCT ANY EXPERIMENTS FOR THIS BOOK?
IS THERE ANY SUPER-COOL FUTURISTIC TECHNOLOGY/WEAPONRY IN YOUR TOMORROW?
What’s scifi without cool tech! TGfA features some seriously overpowered ballistic weapons. Who doesn’t want a hulking 18 mm recoilless sidearm strapped to their thigh! I mean, that is hot.
Who should not read your book?
Bigoted, intolerant, ideological, hateful people. These people would best be served by avoiding my book at all costs. Judging from some of the angrier responses I’ve received since publication, there are still certain people in this world who do not like to think about 'non-traditional' relationships. Apparently, even 350 years into the future, such things are still 'ew, icky gross!’
ARE ANY OF THE MAIN CHARACTERS FROM THE LGBT (LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER) COMMUNITY.
I think that falls under the category of ‘yes,’ though one of my favorite things about the book is that, at no time ever, does the subject of sexuality or gender come up. No one is ever labeled gay or lesbian, and you’ll never find any of the characters questioning or struggling with their sexuality. No one’s ever worried about what *gasp* their friends or family might think. Gender, sexuality, it’s a non-issue. And I’m just so tired of books or movies that play coy with a character’s sexuality, making readers guess “are they? aren’t they? Will they? Won’t they?” It’s just silly. Let them be out and about. And for goodness sake, let them be happy!
GIVE YOUR BOOK THE BECHDEL TEST
- IT HAS TO HAVE AT LEAST TWO (NAMED) WOMEN IN IT: Check.
- WHO TALK TO EACH OTHER: Definitely!
- ABOUT SOMETHING BESIDES A MAN: Who are these ‘men’ of which you speak? This is The Girls from Alcyone.
PICK ONE OF YOUR CHARACTERS AND APPLY THE SIX DEGREES OF KEVIN BACON. GO!
I don’t know how to connect those dots, but I know that I have a six degree connection with Mr. Bacon (but doesn’t everyone). My connection is thanks to a song I wrote and a TV show featuring Rick(y) Schroder. It’s a crazy six-degree world.
WHO WOULD PLAY YOUR MAIN CHARACTER IN A MOVIE?
YOUR MAIN CHARACTER VS BATMAN, WHO WOULD WIN?
No contest. Sigrid Novak would kick Batman’s butt. It’s not Batman’s fault. After all, Sigrid Novak has all the genetic and bionic advantages, as well as the kind of years of training that would leave Bruce Wayne envious. I believe Batman would literally never see her coming.
On a scale of 1-5 what would your book get for these actual MPAA rating descriptions
Violence: Five!
Language: I’d give it a two, but apparently TGfA is full of cussing. Let’s go with three.
Drug Use: While TGfA gets a one for recreational use, it definitely scores an eleven when it comes to pharmaceuticals. Hey, we’re talking full-on genetic recombinants here!
Sexual Content: Yes, please — I mean, five!
Non-stop Ninja action: Ooh! Definitely a five. Yes. Five.
MILD PERIL
Salty language and innuendos: Check
Jungle adventure terror: Does a forest count? How about concrete jungle?
Brutal and bloody Viking combat: Sadly, no vikings. *sighs*
Comic horror, violence and grossness: What’s an adventure without a stomach churning moment or two?
Swashbuckling action: Check!
Sexy dancing: I’m happy to say, yes!
Intense sequences of bat attacks: Ooh… No. No bats.
Demented mayhem: Um, hell ya.
Scenes of dental torture: Thank goodness, no!
If your book were rated like a romance novel, the heat level would be
1) None
2) Sweet
3) Mild
4) Hot
5) Wild Ride
2) Sweet
3) Mild
4) Hot
5) Wild Ride
6) Blood Thirsty
I would very much like to think (hope) that it is both sweet & hot.
For more on the What Tomorrow May Bring box set, please visit us on Facebook, and (of course!) check us out on Amazon where you can download your free sample to get reading.
And please visit the talented Deborah Rix (a fellow Canadian to boot).
And please visit the talented Deborah Rix (a fellow Canadian to boot).
Brilliant interview!! Love it!!
ReplyDeleteThe questions were fun. Deb came up with some good ones.
ReplyDelete