Author interview with James A. MooreAuthor Bio:
James A. Moore is the author of over twenty novels, inlcuding the critically acclaimed Fireworks, Under the Overtree, Blood Red, Deeper, the Serenity Falls trilogy, and his most recent novel Blind Shadows. He has twice been nominated for the Bram Stoker award and spent three years as an officer in the Horror Writers Association, first as Secretary and later as Vice President. He cut his teeth in the industry writing for Marvel Comics and authoring over many role-playing supplements for White Wolf Games, including Berline by Night, Land of 1,000,000 Dreams and The get of Fenris tribe. He also penned the White Wolf novels Vampire: House of Secrets and Werewolf: Hellstorm. He currently lives in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia.
Hi James, welcome to The Book Plank and thanks for taking your time to answer these few questions.
BP: First off, could tell us more who James is: what are you hobbies, how did you became to be an author?
JM: Well, I live a relatively calm life these days. By way of hobbies I love movies I read avidly and I enjoy getting together with friends from time to time. As for how I became an author, I was given some wise advice from an editor at Marvel Comics. I had originally wanted to work as a comic illustrator, but I honestly lacked the skills. The editor in question suggested I try writing instead and a few months later he bought my first professional sale, a script for Clive Barker’s HELLRAISER comic.
BP: Seven Forges isn’t your first written works. You are well known for your horror stories. Why did you decide to write an Epic Fantasy themed story?
JM: Honestly, I’ve been thinking about writing a fantasy story for years. My publishers decided I was horror and while a lot of what I write certainly has horror in it, I’ve never defined myself by what genre I write. In the case of SEVEN FORGES I just finally decided it was time to start writing the novel.
BP: Where do you think Seven Forges draws its strength from?
JM: Well, that one’s a bit harder to answer. I think I had a few original ideas for a fantasy novel and I think I have a solid approach, but at the end of the day it all comes down to having fun telling stories for me. I was fascinated by the idea of cultures clashing in a more violent way, so I decided to write the book I wanted to read.
BP: Where did you get the inspiration from to write Seven Forges?
JM: I was thinking about the state of the world we live in. It seems to me that nearly every day there are more countries fighting each other or themselves and I really don’t always understand why. So I wanted to move the pieces around in my head to see if I could make that puzzle make sense. Seven Forges is what came out of that.
BP: In writing Seven Forges what was your biggest challenge and did you encounter any specific problems or difficulties?
JM: The biggest challenge, honestly, was getting it published. When I started writing it, as you pointed out earlier, I was a complete unknown in the fantasy fields. I did one short story in fantasy a long while ago, but aside from that, I really haven’t worked in the genre at all. So it was a matter of finding the right publisher and then connecting with them.
BP: Which scene or chapter took the longest to write to your liking and why?
JM: A very good question! The first scene with Merros Dulver meeting the King In Iron. I wanted to make it a much longer scene initially. I wanted to have a long discussion between them and show the first encounter in depth, but I decided after the fact that the shorter version had more impact. Still, I hate writing something and then getting rid of it.
BP: If you were given the chance to re-write any scene of Seven Forges would you do it, and if so which one?
JM: No. Not at the present time. Ask me again in six months and I’d probably give you a very different answer.
BP: The storyline of Seven Forges is unique and not quite often seen in Epic Fantasy. The ending of the book introduces a new introduction for the rest of the series. How did you come to write the first book in this way?
JM: Well, I wanted to leave people guessing about what was happening next, and I wanted to convince anyone who was on the proverbial fence about book two to know I’m not writing the same book twice. What has happened in Seven Forges is only the beginning.
BP: I really, really liked the Sa’ba Taalor people and there “metallurgy” if I may call it that. How, why, when and how did you came up with the Sa’ba Taalor and their gods and special ability.
JM: I have always liked the idea that the human body is a machine. It is. It just happens to be an organic machine and a wondrous one at that until something goes wrong. I decided I’d look at the Sa’ba Taalor as machines that are being built, forged and completed in the Seven Forges. They are hard in more ways than one, and they are brutal of necessity. And there are more abilities than have been revealed. The Sa’ba Taalor don’t have magic. The people of Fellein do. But to compensate for that, the Sa’ba Taalor have gods who grant them favors for services rendered.
BP: There are a few characters that have an emphasis on them in the book, Merros, Drask, Desh and a little bit less but just as cool Andover. Which of these four did you like to write about most? And did you base any vices or virtues of them on people that you know?
JM: Well, some characters become major players and some do not. Andover has a much larger role to play in the second book. He is now off with the Sa’ba Taalor and they have very serious plans for him. Some of those plans will not be to his liking. Of all the characters I think I had the most fun with Swech, because she’s got an odd sort of innocent charm to her. Of the four you mentioned, probably Drask. Drask is very possibly the most level-headed character in the entire group. And I think it’s fair to say that I took a little of this and a little of that from different people I know to make the characters. We all take from life as we write, I think.
BP: It feels like you have tightly planned this first book did you stick to your original plan of the book are did you take other, better ideas on the fly and incorporate them in your story?
JM: Any belief that I have a carefully sculpted plan is highly suspect. I write as I go and outline as little as I can justify, because if –I- know where the story is going, the reader might know as well. That takes the fun out for me.
BP: The next book in the series is out spring next year, have you already planned how many books this series will run?
JM: Currently I’m contracted for two books. I’d love to do more in the series.
BP: Can you tell us more of what might we might expect in the books to follow?
JM: Madness. The second book is called THE CHOSEN (that might change) and it deals heavily with the Sa’ba Taalor coming back with intentions of crushing Fellein under their heels. There will be a lot of savagery. There always is in war. More political intrigue, spies, backstabbing, some rather substantial displays of power, and a whole lot of carnage.
BP: What do you like most about writing fantasy and science fiction?
JM: Everything. I grew up on science fiction and fantasy. The problems came around for me because I kept reading the same stories of derivative remakes. I wanted to do something different and so far I think I have. That’s not to say there haven’t been a lot of innovations while I was away. There have been, but I haven’t read much in the field in almost two decades.
BP: Do you have any other side projects besides the next book in the series?
JM: Currently I have two novellas to finish, around thee short stories, two series proposals I’m working on polishing up and at least three novels I want to finish by the end of the year. Actually, it’s probably four novels. I like to stay busy.
BP: If you would have to recommend any 5 books which would they be and why would you recommend them?
JM: Wow. That’s challenging. Okay, first The Andrew Mayhem Books by Jeff Strand. They’re brilliant. Second, Westlake Soul by Rio Youers, which is very high on my list of original tales. Remember Why You Fear Me, by Robert Shearman, because the stories in that book are among the best I’ve read in a very long time and all of them stand out as originals to me. Baltimore, or the Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire by Christopher Golden and Mike Mignola, because it’s a beautifully written and powerful story that resonates. And The Stand by Stephen King, because that’s what an epic story should be.
BP: Thank you very much for your time James and I’m looking forward for the sequel!
JM: Thanks for having me, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I’m enjoying writing it.
Read my thoughts on Seven Forges here!