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A few increasingly common questions.
Jun. 18th, 2008 08:17 amSo I've actually started getting my own set of 'frequently asked questions' from people who hear that I've sold a trilogy. They don't include a lot of the classic writer's questions, as yet -- I figure I'll start getting really sick of 'where do you get your ideas?' and 'can you introduce me to your agent?' sometime after book two comes out -- but they're fascinating all the same. Here's a selection, with exposition.
Why do you write about ______?
People who know me through horror and are thus aware of my undying passion for dead stuff and diseases tend to blink at me and ask 'why do you write about faeries?' like it was some sort of unhealthy personal grooming choice. (One acquaintance picked up the opening chapter of Rosemary and Rue, read about ten pages, and then said, clearly perplexed, "This has faeries in it." Perhaps he assumed I wouldn't have noticed.) People who know me through fantasy and are thus aware of my lifelong obsession with folklore and fairy tales tend to ask the reverse question, looking puzzled as they say 'why do you write about zombies?' I sometimes want to arm both camps with boffer weapons, get popcorn, and watch them try to beat each other into submission. Because it would be funny.
Why haven't you quit your day job yet?
Well, beyond the fact that I don't actually have any books published at this particular moment in time, I like paying my mortgage. I like eating things other than canned tuna (although, I must admit, not often). I like being able to buy comic books. Do I eventually want to quit my day job? Oh, hell yes. I'm a fast, disciplined writer, but there are only so many hours in the day, and the idea of being able to get up in the morning and just start writing is heavenly. I'm just not quite there yet.
When is Rosemary and Rue coming out?
I like this question, because people who ask it tend to want to buy my book. Unfortunately, I don't have anything resembling a functional answer to this one yet, because it's still early days. I have a whole lot of editorial to look forward to before I can even take guesses at the date.
Will you be at WorldCon?
2008, no. 2009, yes. 2010, if I have to sell one of Brooke's kidneys to do it. (She's Canadian, she has good kidneys.) I want to go to THE LAND OF POISON AND FLAME. That's what I call Australia. THE LAND OF POISON AND FLAME. The idea of an entire continent devoted to destroying human life is sort of like the idea of Willy Wonka's factory: too good to be true, but oh, if only it were...
Do you sleep?
No.
I can't wait to see what gets asked next...
Why do you write about ______?
People who know me through horror and are thus aware of my undying passion for dead stuff and diseases tend to blink at me and ask 'why do you write about faeries?' like it was some sort of unhealthy personal grooming choice. (One acquaintance picked up the opening chapter of Rosemary and Rue, read about ten pages, and then said, clearly perplexed, "This has faeries in it." Perhaps he assumed I wouldn't have noticed.) People who know me through fantasy and are thus aware of my lifelong obsession with folklore and fairy tales tend to ask the reverse question, looking puzzled as they say 'why do you write about zombies?' I sometimes want to arm both camps with boffer weapons, get popcorn, and watch them try to beat each other into submission. Because it would be funny.
Why haven't you quit your day job yet?
Well, beyond the fact that I don't actually have any books published at this particular moment in time, I like paying my mortgage. I like eating things other than canned tuna (although, I must admit, not often). I like being able to buy comic books. Do I eventually want to quit my day job? Oh, hell yes. I'm a fast, disciplined writer, but there are only so many hours in the day, and the idea of being able to get up in the morning and just start writing is heavenly. I'm just not quite there yet.
When is Rosemary and Rue coming out?
I like this question, because people who ask it tend to want to buy my book. Unfortunately, I don't have anything resembling a functional answer to this one yet, because it's still early days. I have a whole lot of editorial to look forward to before I can even take guesses at the date.
Will you be at WorldCon?
2008, no. 2009, yes. 2010, if I have to sell one of Brooke's kidneys to do it. (She's Canadian, she has good kidneys.) I want to go to THE LAND OF POISON AND FLAME. That's what I call Australia. THE LAND OF POISON AND FLAME. The idea of an entire continent devoted to destroying human life is sort of like the idea of Willy Wonka's factory: too good to be true, but oh, if only it were...
Do you sleep?
No.
I can't wait to see what gets asked next...
