Hi, Moon. Thanks for doing an interview with us.
Thanks for having me, Juli. May I call you Juli? Wonderful. I love the view here at Third Flatiron. Commanding. It's like a tower overlooking eternity.
Thank you...the view just keeps getting better and better. Now then, "War Dog" appeared in our recent anthology, "Terra! Tara! Terror!" Can you tell us how your story came about?
That's a long story for parched lips.
Perhaps I can loosen your tongue with this 1966 Springbank Scotch whisky from Campbeltown?
For a wee dram of that nectar, I'll tell you my tale and sing you a sonnet! Thank you kindly.
Don't mention it. No, really, don't. Soon, everyone would expect it and then I'd have to head back to Scotland for more.
Got it! Okay, "War Dog." In the early '90s, AOL offered a fantasy role playing area called the Red Dragon Inn, and I developed a popular character known as Capricho. He was captain of a Spanish galleon in the Caribbean, and I learned how to weave live interactive stories through him, much like actors doing improv. I turned many of these tales into actual short stories and novelettes. Fast forward a couple decades. When I heard of a call for alternate history fantasies by Third Flatiron, with the name TERRA in the anthology title, I immediately thought of my Spaniard, Capricho. In the time of the conquistadors, Spain's South American territory was called the Province of Tierra Firme. Capricho's story begins as a young soldier serving under Balboa when he discovered the Pacific Ocean, originally named the South Sea. Balboa was the first to realize these lands weren't part of India--they had here an entirely new continent. Discovering a new land? Conquistador power struggles? Dogs of superhuman fame? This story held a knife to my throat and demanded I write it.
How much of your alternate history story is actual history?
Almost all of it--that's what makes alternate history so fun. It's the twist on what we believe we know that changes it. I search for bizarre details in the past. The Spanish alaunts are now extinct, but records about these fighting dogs cited almost supernatural accomplishments. Here's another oddity. Governor Pedrarias did get buried alive in a casket, and thereafter took it with him wherever he was posted. That's creepy! Who travels around with a casket in the real world? Also, few know his fleet in this story was the largest sent to the New World up to that time, and then half of the men he brought died within the first month of his arrival. Lots of weird things like that. It's fascinating. They say truth is stranger than fiction, and they're right! History can take you to some truly curious events, and from there it's an easy transfer into your mystic twist--your reader will take the bait hook, line, and sinker. Like I said, I have many stories written in this world. I intend to weave them all into a novel.
We're happy to hear that, and are pleased Third Flatiron was first to publish your stories about your Spanish captain, Capricho. Now, I have something else I'm curious about. You narrated one of your stories, the hilarious "Beast of the Month," last year for our podcast. It appeared in the anthology, "Strange Beasties." We learned about your writing background from that podcast interview and were also impressed with your voice talent. Not many authors are good at both writing and voice acting. We understand that you've dived into the podcasting biz. Can you tell us a bit about that?
This was the first time I had been hired to narrate one of my stories. Thank you for giving me that first break. I didn't know how to cut and paste then, so I did the entire recording without stopping, without mistake. It took a few tries, but I finally did it in one run. I enjoyed the final result so much, I thought, why not do narration for others? Your sound engineering for "Beast of the Month" at Third Flatiron was so professional, it was all I needed to use as my audition demo.
What's an audition demo?
It's a sample of a narrator's best clips. In this case, I only had one, so that was easy. I just sent them my "Beast of the Month" narration.
How did your auditions go?
I became an approved narrator for Apex Publications. PodCastle, and then Escape Pod followed--these are in the Escape Artists' family. I have done around ten gigs with Gallery of Curiosities, under the direction of sound engineering guru and editor Kevin Frost, and my podcasts are archived there, free for anyone to enjoy. All of this and more, from that first break you gave me one year ago. Thank you so much, Juli. I owe it all to you.
You're most welcome. Are there any new developments for you in podcasting on the horizon?
Why yes, funny you should ask. Are you prescient? I was just made Podcast Director of Future Science Fiction Digest.
The editor is Alex Shvartsman of UFO Publishing fame. This will be a new pro science fiction 'zine, which, through a partnership with the Future Affairs Administration, will be translated and promoted to millions of Chinese readers through their popular publication, Non-Exist Daily. Alex and I will select the stories for podcast, and I'll be narrating the stories for them. I am thrilled to be a part of their editorial team! Look for our first official issue mid December 2018.Third Flatiron just nominated your story "War Dog" for a Pushcart Prize. Are there any other awards you'd like to reveal at this time?
I can tell by that gleam in your eye you've caught wind of something, Juli. Alrighty, then. Ye've plied me lips with whisky, I'll give ye the scoop! I am pleased to make my first official announcement right here on the peak of the Third Flatiron that I won second place in the Writers of the Future contest, fourth quarter, volume 35. The judges for my quarter were David Farland, Jody Lynn Nye, Tim Powers, and Mike Resnick. I am gobsmacked.
Congratulations! That deserves another dram of whisky! Writers of the Future is a huge international contest with many thousands of entries from around the world each year. Their gala awards ceremony has been called the Academy Awards of the speculative fiction community. What story should we look for when the anthology is released this April? How long have you been trying to win, and what benefits will you receive?
My story to be published in the Writers of the Future Volume 35 anthology is "Super-Duper Moon Girl and the Amazing Moon Dawdler." I've been trying to win this contest, truth be told, for twenty-five years. At last, a life goal has been fulfilled, and I'm glad I never gave up--sometimes you wonder! Benefits? You recieve prize money, publication in an anthology that's a bestseller every year, a gorgeous trophy, and an all-expense-paid trip to Hollywood. There, you enjoy a week-long workshop with authors David Farland, Tim Powers, Brandon Sanderson, and many more. You'll have the art reveal, where a winner from Illustrators of the Future will uncover the art they designed specifically for your story! And of course, the gala awards night, a black tie event that is podcast live from a Hollywood theater, where you get to take the stage and tell the world how happy you are to be a writer. It's a magical night, I've watched it live for years, and your readers can too by visiting https://www.writersofthefuture.com/ and clicking on The Awards Ceremony.
Wonderful news, Moon! We'll be watching. Finally, just for my curiosity: What are you reading currently?
KINGS OF THE WYLD by Nicholas Eames--because I am still trying to fill the void Terry Pratchett left and many said this book is funny.
NIGHTFALL AND OTHER STORIES by Isaac Asimov--because I've been wondering if it will still give me chills like when I read it as a boy.
AMARYLLIS by Carrie Vaughn--because I'm friends with her publisher and saw her win the PK Dick award this year at Norwescon.
And for some non-fiction about fiction, just to keep me balanced, THE EMOTIONAL CRAFT OF FICTION by Donald Maass. I'm going to see my old friend Don soon, and since I'm asking him to read my books, I thought it only fair to read his.
Where can we find out more about your writing and narrations?
My website is www.driftweave.com. I'm doing some remodeling on it at the moment, nothing as grand as you have here, but I hope your readers will drop by for a visit when I'm done!
If you enjoyed this story, please grab the anthology it appeared in, Terra! Tara! Terror! It's available via Amazon
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