Author interview
with Mark Lawrence
Author bio:
Hi Mark, Welcome over to The Book Plank and for
taking your time to answer these few questions!
BP:
First off, could you give us a short introduction as to who you are? What are
your likes and dislikes? What are your hobbies.
ML: I could list the hobbies from my dust jackets but the truth is I don’t
find any time for them anymore. I write, I go to my day job (research
scientist), I care for my very disabled youngest daughter … and that’s about
it. When I find a moment, I read. I like good prose. I dislike exposition in
dialogue. Since writing started paying its way I find it hard not to spend my
very limited spare time writing and also spending too much time tending my
facebook/twitter/blog site.
BP: If
you would have to sell your series, The Broken Empire, with a single sentence,
what would it be?
ML: If a person’s attention span doesn’t extend past a sentence my books
aren’t for them! I’ve never been a seller, networker etc … just don’t have the
knack.
BP:
The first book you written in the Broken Empire series, Prince
of Thorns, was your debut. What gave you
the idea behind the whole series? And how did you went about and tackle writing
the first book?
ML: I don’t plan so I didn’t need an idea for the whole series or even the
book. I just had an idea for a character. I wanted to try to write a character
like Alex from Anthony Burgess’ book A Clockwork Orange. A charming,
intelligent, and very violent young man. So I started typing. I find if I keep
typing long enough then I’m at the end of a book. One thing leads to another,
as they say.
BP:
The Broken Empire has a lot of influences ranging from Epic – High fantasy all
the way over to Science Fiction (?) and Dark fantasy. It can be tricky to
create a bit of a mash-up across genres, but in all three books is works full
color. The world that is envisioned by it is just brilliant! How did you plan
your story with these different themes?
ML: Like I say, I don’t plan. Writing, for me, is just a continuous game of
‘what next?’, ‘and then what?’ ‘but if he did that then this would happen’ and
events just roll out. I keep a clear idea of who my character is, but what
happens at the end of the page is generally a surprise to me.
BP:
The whole Broken Empire series has been published now. If you would look back
on your books and would be given the chance to revise and particular scene
would you do so? And if yes, which one and why?
ML: No. I don’t revise my books before they’re published and have even less
inclination to do it afterward. Prince of Thorns is 99% the first and only
draft that I wrote. My editor has a wonderfully light touch – the changes she
suggests are very small but effective.
BP:
What was your biggest challenge in writing any of the three books?
ML: I didn’t really find any of it a challenge. I enjoyed the whole thing.
I wrote King and Emperor of Thorns in the same year while working a day job and
caring for my daughter. If it had been a challenge I’m not sure it would have
got done.
BP:
Did you encounter any specific problems while you were writing any of the
books?
ML: Nope … sorry. I’m tempted to make one up to sound more interesting!
BP:
Jorg is a complicated character, he has a dark past and is shaped by all that
he encounters. His earlier self is reckless and eager; while the older version
is much more mature. Are you happy by how Jorg has developed over the whole
series?
ML: Yes. It wasn’t really a conscious effort. He grew in response to the
changing circumstances he found himself in. It wasn’t hard to imagine a less
impulsive, less carefree Jorg when responsibilities started to crowd him and
his gains had to be protected. Life on the road suits a young character, consequence
left behind each day as they move on.
BP:
Jorg doesn’t play by the rules, do you?
ML: Jorg isn’t a re-imagined me, no. There’s no wish-fulfillment going on.
I got a fine 10 years ago for cycling through a red light. That’s about the
extent of my law-breaking.
BP: I
must say that I was utterly surprised by the ending of Emperor
of Thorns, it might come to a bit of a
shock to a lot of readers, but it does make the series that much better.
Beautiful and haunting at the same time. When and how and why did you decide to
let the book end this way?
ML: When … is difficult, at some point during the last half of the last
book I got a general idea of the position Jorg would end up in. It seemed …
self-evidently the only satisfactory conclusion at that point. I can’t give you
the why of the decision, but after the fact I can justify it … but that would
be a big spoiler. But certainly it wasn’t until I was actually writing it that
_how_ he arrived at his destination became clear.
BP:
The story of Jorg has been concluded in Emperor of Thorns. Your new series, Red Queen’s War which is also set in the Broken Empire
universe will have the first book, Prince of Fools, published this June, can you give us a sneak peak of what we can
expect?
ML: Jalan Kendeth leads us through Prince
of Fools. He’s a cowardly, blustering, cheat. A womanizer who tries to ride
his title to success. The Broken Empire is a dangerous place though and he soon
gets into a lot of trouble. Also there’s Vikings!
BP:
The world that you have created in the Broken Empire is more than rich can we
expect something in the lines of a possible short story collection from
different points-of-view?
ML: Short stories really aren’t very popular with most of the reading
public. I do have a couple of Jorg-based short stories listed on Goodreads and
free for anyone who wants to read them. There’s a Brother Sim short story
coming out in an anthology too (possibly at the end of the year).
BP: Do
you have any other projects besides the Broken Empire universe that you would
like to explore?
ML: I have the desire to explore widely and through all manner of varied
stories, but not being a planner I have nothing concrete. One day I may sit
down and find myself writing science fiction, literary fiction, or a book for
children … all of those would be fine by me.
BP:
Everyone enjoys fantasy in its own way. What do you like most about writing
science fiction and fantasy
ML: I guess it’s the fact both could lead you absolutely anywhere and
nobody can complain that you’ve got it wrong because you control the very
fabric of the universe!
BP:
and just lastly, if you would have to give your top 5 favourite books which
would they be?
ML: Struggling I could give you my top 5 _today_ … tomorrow it would
probably be different. A person’s favorite books are generally a commentary on
when in their life they read them. If you presented me with my favorite books
brand new to me today … perhaps I wouldn’t even like some of them…
Free Fall – William
Golding, Lord of the Rings – JRR Tolkien, A Game of Thrones – GRR Martin,
Gormenghast – Mervyn Peake, The Tombs of Atuan – Ursula LeGuin.
BP:
Thank you very much for your time Mark and I already have Prince of Fools pretty high on my TBR list!
Find out more about Mark Lawrence and his writing at his website
Or follow him on twitter @Mark__Lawrence
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