Tim Marquitz presents the Fading Light anthology (part 2)

Hello, library members. 

Today we're continuing the interview with authors of Fading Light, a horror - science fiction - fantasy anthology.  Tim Marquitz, one of my favorite authors, interviewed them all for us. I had so much fun reading this, I hope you will too. 

Fading Light collects 30 monstrous stories by authors new and experienced, in the genres of horror, science fiction, and fantasy, each bringing their own interpretation of what lurks in the dark.

Contributors: Mark Lawrence, Gene O’Neill, William Meikle, David Dalglish, Gord Rollo, Nick Cato, Adam Millard, Stephen McQuiggan, Gary W Olson, Tom Olbert, Malon Edwards, Carl Barker, Jake Elliot, Lee Mather, Georgina Kamsika, Dorian Dawes, Timothy Baker, DL Seymour, Wayne Ligon, TSP Sweeney, Stacey Turner, Gef Fox, Edward M Erdelac, Henry P Gravelle, & Ryan Lawler, with bonus stories from CM Saunders, Regan Campbell, Jonathan Pine, Peter Welmerink, & Alex Marshall.

1. Given the opportunity, is there any one author you’d like to write a story with? What would you write about?

Ryan Lawler: I would love to write a story with Sir Terry Pratchett. I have no idea what it would be about, but it would probably start out as some sort of screwball comedy fantasy and evolve from there.

TSP Sweeney: Honestly, as great as it would be to team up with one of my (deservedly famous) idols, I think I would most like to work with my buddy Tristan Foster, who is a fantastic author whose literary work is always incredibly interesting and challenging.

I’d love to team up with him to work on something outside of both of our comfort zones, like a cyberpunk thriller or an erotic musical or something crazy like that.

2. Do you work in any other creative mediums besides writing? What are they?

TSP Sweeney: I used to do some work as a journalist and critic, but otherwise writing fiction has always been my creative medium of choice.  I enjoy building models or miniatures and painting them, I find it is a good way to clear my mind when I’m struggling a bit with writing.

Carl Barker: No. I love the similarities between music and writing though: there’s a melody and a beat, which you can either write with, or against.

3. Any tidbits of advice you can give aspiring authors?

Jake Elliot: Don’t self-publish. There is a reason your book isn’t finding an agent or a publisher. Figure out that reason and fix it, then try again. My first book––what a nightmare and complete failure. It was a first person narrative from the perspective of an elf.

Creative, eh? No one would touch it because it was bloated with backstory and the narrator whined too much. From its failure came ‘The Wrong Way Down’ which also failed to capture an agent, but it did find a publisher.

With ongoing experience I now know why I couldn’t find an agent. Book three is turning out better than anything I’ve yet written, and maybe it is now time to find an agent. Writing is a game of perseverance and patience. Get a guitar if you want instant gratification – you’ll get laid more too.

4. How has the current publishing atmosphere affected you and how you approach your work?

William Meikle: There's been a fair bit of doom and gloom in genre forums these past months about the death of print.

We live in a technological society these days. Things change fast and there's no denying that the industry as a whole is changing. Those that don't adapt, won't survive, it's that simple. Those that embrace digital wholeheartedly will prosper I believe.

To me, it's just another way to get a story in front of a reader. I've got work in print, audio, e-book and film and I'm sure when the time comes that stories can get beamed straight into reader's minds I'll have work ready to go there too.

I'd hate to see the small press becoming purely a limited edition niche market though. I have fond memories of saddle-stapled pamphlets and photocopied covers. To me that's what the small press is for... amateurs and enthusiasts finding a way to express

Ed Erdelac: I’m seriously considering going the self-publishing route for one book. You’ll have to get back to me later on that. I’m sort of new to the publishing world, so I don’t really know how it was before.

5. What books have you read recently? Any new authors you’re impressed by?

Gef Fox: The most recent book I read was Carol Weekes' short story collection, The Color of Bone. A talented-as-heck writer who co-wrote my favorite novel of 2009, Ouroboros.

New authors that have my attention, to name but a few, are Adam Cesare (Tribesmen, Bone Meal Broth), Lee Thompson (Before Leonora Wakes, Nursery Rhymes 4 Dead Children), Kelli Owen (The Neighborhood, Waiting Out Winter), Cate Gardner (Strange Men in Pinstripe Suits, Theatre of Curious Acts) and Ian Rogers (Felix Renn, Every House Is Haunted). A not-so-new author I've only recently discovered and enjoyed immensely is Weston Ochse (Blood Ocean, Multiplex Fandango).

Ryan Lawler: I’ve just finished The Hollow City by Dan Wells which is one of my favourite reads this year. The Merkabah Rider by Edward Erdelac (also in this anthology) and Redshirts by John Scalzi are also right up there as very impressive reads.

Angry Robot Books and Strange Chemistry have put together a roster of very impressive new authors who have plenty of cool ideas and are full of enthusiasm. Adam Christopher and Gwenda Bond are two authors you should be watching out for in the future.

TSP Sweeney: I finished marathoning the Song of Ice and Fire books by George R. R. Martin recently, which I enjoyed quite a bit overall despite some pacing issues.  I’m now moving on to the Zombie Survival Guide, which I’m hoping might get me in the mood to finish a story I had begun working on quite a while back that I never finished due to overwhelming zombie fatigue.

6. You’re drunk at a karaoke bar: what one song will get you up and wailing?

CM Saunders: Journey – Don't Stop Believing!!!

Ryan Lawler: Anything 70’s and 80’s rock. If I had to pick one song, it would be More Than a Feeling by Boston.

Carl Barker: ONE song?! If I’m drunk enough to get up, you’re not getting me down again without a fight.

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A big thank you to Tim Marquitz and all these authors for their willingness to be interrogated here at The Nocturnal Library. I hope you enjoyed the interview and that you'll consider getting a copy of Fading Light. I'll be reading as soon as I can.

Have a great Wednesday, people!