Archive for Interviews
Lauren, Gav, Kaaron, and Mike
Posted by: | CommentsThe Angry Robot plans for world domination continue apace. Over at Dark Fiction Review, as part of the Angry Robot Special, there’s a special guest blog by Mike Shevdon (author of Sixty-One Nails and The Road to Bedlam) in which Mike talks about the state of the genre, Lauren Beukes’s Zoo City is reviewed, and Kaaron Warren (Slights and Walking the Tree) is interviewed.
First up, Mike Shevdon, on why fantasy makes such great TV:
Because urban fantasy is set in current reality, it becomes possible to adapt it into current time. That’s why True Blood and The Dresden Files (and Buffy) could make TV, and consequently reach a whole new audience. After the show is over that audience naturally wants more, and the sudden explosion of vampire romances and supernatural detectives is the result.
Next up, the Zoo City is as fantastical or as ordinary as you want it to be… it’s exactly the kind of book that should get her on late night US chat shows as it is carried up the New York Times Bestseller list. Yes, it’s that good. Zoo City is major league writing. It is effortless, easy and, quite frankly, astonishing.
And, although Kaaron wrote the award-winning horror Slights, nothing will prepare you for the (frankly disturbing) image that accompanies her interview.
I love that moment of original spark and will often take pages of notes before even thinking about writing the story. It can be just a title, like Cage Life, used to describe the life of Mustafa 1, who was kept imprisoned for 14 years by his brother.
We’re having a pretty good time of it in the dead-tree magazine, too. As well as last week’s superb review of Zoo City in SFX, this week, SciFi Now tells us:
Lauren Beukes stuns with a richly textured venture into a pseudo-fantastical Johannesburg of the future… this is a fine novel that will wrap itself around your imagination like a sloth on your own shoulders.
4**** – Must Read Now
and SFX also covered Gav Thorpe’s epic The Crown of the Blood:
there’s plenty to keep you turning the pages… An intriguing ending promises something different for book two
And finally (for now) at Falcata Times, Mike Shevdon is interviewed.
FT: It is often said that if you can write a short story you can write anything. How true do you think this is and what have you written that either proves or disproves this POV?
MS: My first work of fiction was over 150,000 words and I really struggle to write anything under 5,000 words. I don’t know whether an accomplished short story writes can write everything, but I suspect not – the two forms are quite different. It’s a bit like saying a good pastry chef can cook anything, which is fine until you have to eat their mushroom and banana risotto.
Today’s tidbits
Posted by: | CommentsYesterday was a bit of an epic blog-fest for us, so I’ll be cutting down today’s entries to just two, though it was extremely gratifying to see so much enthusiasm around the internet for our US/Canada launch yesterday.
Dark Fiction Review continues their epic Angry Robot special, with an interview with Colin Harvey:
I’m actually quite an optimist, most of the time I think that we’ll muddle through somehow, but it will be despite – rather than because of – our efforts. I have the feeling that there are going to be less of us in a hundred years. A lot of whether the human race survives the century depends on how we cope with the end of cheap oil. If we can find an alternative to oil, or deal with the scarcity equably, then we stand a chance.
and a review of Andy Remic’s blood-soaked, clockwork vampire epic, Kell’s Legend:
The vachine are an absolutely incredible concept: fascinating, slightly appalling and something I would never have expected. I loved the way they worked and found their society fascinating, although clearly unpleasant… It’s a fast and brutal fantasy adventure with some fun characters and some fantastic ideas. I am really excited to see the series develop.
Completely Booked also loves Andy’s novel:
it’s a fine start to a heart-pounding action tale, complete with quests and durance vile. Oh, and a bad guy you can really hate. I like it!
If you entered last week’s competition over at io9, the winners have been revealed.
Meanwhile, Gav Thorpe’s The Crown of the Blood gets the review treatment at Daniel’s Thoughts:
The Crown of the Blood is a very well-plotted and well-constructed book; the politics and military elements meld well together and the character-driven plot is exceedingly well-paced, pushing ahead without overlooking the more dull elements of military campaign (there’s a nice bit about waiting being the worst part, done in a fresh enough way to not be clichéd!) and moving slowly enough to let us get to know the characters and get attached to them… this is an absolutely fantastic novel; I recommend it.
That’s all for now – enjoy your day.
The Latest Interviews and Reviews
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Colin Harvey – author of Winter Song (out today in the US and Canada) tells about his inspirations for the novel in this fascinating interview:
I loved the idea of a man capable of acts of incredible brutality, yet who could write beautiful poetry, who was almost heroically ugly, yet his vitality attracted women. Ragnar (the antagonist in Winter Song) was a fusion of two people I knew, because the sagas don’t attribute emotions or motives, only the character’s actions.
The book review blog Dark Fiction Review is having an Angry Robot Special this week, to celebrate our US and Canada launch. The first book under the microscope is Kaaron Warren’s award-winning Slights.
Slights, is one of those books that reaches into your core and takes something from you, whilst ultimately leaving something you really aren’t sure you wanted to be left with.
Gav Thorpe’s epic fantasy The Crown of the Blood is published this week in the UK and in 4 weeks in the US and Canada. Gillian Polack had this to say:
The Crown of the Blood (Gav Thorpe) is an old-fashioned sword and sorcery romp. There’s not a great deal of sorcery, but there’s lots of fighting and plotting and planning to conquer… it’s a fun book. This book is for readers who want a blast from the past; who want their hour of adventure in a strangGe world.
Mike Shevdon’s superior urban fantasy, Sixty-One Nails has its roots in fact as well as legend. Here, Mike reminds us of some of the history behind the novel.
“Red Light District in a Convent Garden” is an article on the history of Covent Garden, one of the main locations for Sixty-One Nails, proving that truth can sometimes be more surprising than fiction. This is a genteel area in the heart of the West End now, but it has a seedy past.
SciFi Now magazine talks to Dan Abnett about his first (after 35 tie-in titles) original novel – Triumff: Her Majesty’s Hero – out today in the US and Canada.
Triumff has been around in my head as a concept for a long time, I think a lot of writers when they start out, they have projects they’d like to develop, and Triumff – bits of it anyway, are getting on for 20 years in terms of an idea. Way back when I was first getting into comics I was thinking ‘Can I make this into a comic? Is there a book lurking there?’ All sorts of things like that. So when I finally got to write a novel of my own for publication, one that somebody was actually going to buy and publish, it seemed that by dint of seniority it deserved the chance.
while over at SF Signal, Dan extols the virtues of the pun:
what it is with me and puns. Call me paranomasiac, but I love ‘em, god help me. Homophonic puns, homonymic puns, homographic puns, Homer Simpson puns, I can’t get enough. I love graphological puns and morphological puns, logical puns and illogical puns, polysemic puns and metonymic puns, old school puns and current puns and, at the risk of fracturing myself, I love compound puns. I can’t have too many multiple puns and as for double entendres, woof! get a load of the double entendres on that, if you know what I mean.
More, soon. 
Lavie Tidhar, Dan Abnett and @SFXmagazine
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Lavie
Yesterday was a long day, but thoroughly enjoyable. I travelled from York to London and back (a 450 mile round trip) to meet The Bookman author Lavie Tidhar for lunch, on one of his occasional forays to the UK, followed by an evening spend with Dan Abnett Esquire, his lovely wife Nik, and various member of the British Science Fiction Association. I interviewed Dan for the BSFA, and – as always – he was a fascinating interviewee, talking with great passion for around an hour and a half about his work for various tie-in universes (in comic, novel and screenplay formats) as well as his later work with original fiction. The BSFA always have a raffle at these events, so Dan brought a few of his graphic novels, Angry Robot supplied a few books, and The Black Library generously donated some books and audiobooks, too.
Last night was also the SFX party to celebrate the world’s biggest SF magazine reaching issue 200! That’s quite an achievement! Unfortunately, though I was invited (and accepted the invitation) I got my dates muddled up,and didn’t realise it was on the same night I was interviewing Dan, so I missed the party, though Lavie went in my stead, and thoroughly enjoyed himself, by all accounts. Congratulations to Dave Bradley and his team – and here’s to the next 200!
So, a good time had by all (despite the torrential rain – yeah, thanks, London).
We’ll be podcasting the interview with Dan soon, so keep an eye (and an ear) out for that.
Angry Robot TV launches!
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Ok, it’s not so much a TV channel as a collection of our multimedia links – videos, first chapter recordings, interviews, podcasts, etc.
So, pull up a chair, crack open a tub of your favourite ice-cream, and enjoy…
Choose your channel from the drop-down list under the new AR TV link in the main menu bar, above.
Angry Robot Podcast #2
Posted by: | CommentsThis month’s episode showcases two of our authors, Lauren Beukes (Moxyland and Zoo City) and Kaaron Warren (Slights). We talk about writing in different genres, political influence on plot, and the power of first person narrative to draw you in or lead you astray.
The figures discussed re: Beukes' Zoo City
Our contest this month is for a build-it-yourself robot from the Meccano Metal Robots collection. Listen to find out how you can win!
Theme song courtesy of John Anealio, find more of his awesome science fiction-themed music at SciFi Songs.
Subscribe to the podcast via RSS feed or via iTunes.
The podcast competition ends September 10.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Beukes rocks the BSFA
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A fine time was had by all in London last night, when an unusually packed BSFA meet played host to the one and only Lauren Beukes.
Following a day spent shopping, sightseeing and discussing top secret projects with a Certain Big Movie Producer, I’d thought I’d perhaps worn Lauren out. But faced with an attentive crowd hanging on her every word, Lauren rose to the occasion. Following a reading from Zoo City, Lauren was interviewed by blogger Jonathan McAlmont, and then took questions from the floor on Moxyland, Zoo City, future projects, 
the future of South Africa, all the usual stuff. As well as BSFA regulars, Lauren had attracted a fair number of South African ex-pats, one of whom even arrived bearing a genuine cuddly Moxy! The heavily illustrated Del Lakin-Smith had kindly brought his podcast mic to capture the whole thing, so all being well you’ll be able to hear it all as an online download in a few days.
Tonight it’s the turn of Forbidden Planet on Shaftesbury Avenue to host Ms B. It all starts at 6pm, but do get there early – the word is that those limited edition copies of Zoo City won’t hang around for long.
Meanwhile, the massive interest in Zoo City in Lauren’s native South Africa has produced another interview, this time in the form of a podcast with the (South African) Times. Well worth ten minutes of your time.
And may we just remind you all, cannibal penguin FTW!
Angry Robot Podcast #1
Posted by: | CommentsYes, we have entered the world of podcasting with a monthly show! We’ll cover Angry Robot news, interview our authors, and give away free books!
This month’s episode showcases our fearless leaders, Editor Lee (or Leeeeeëee) Harris and Publishing Director Marc (or Marco) Gascoigne as we talk about SF, the future of publishing, what kinds of books they want, and the history and future of Angry Robot Books.
Our contest this month is for a limited edition hardcover copy of Lauren Beukes’ new book, Zoo City. Listen to find out how you can win!
Theme song courtesy of John Anealio, find more of his awesome science fiction-themed music at SciFi Songs.
Subscribe to the podcast via RSS feed or via iTunes.
The podcast competition ends at the end of July.
UPDATE – podcast competition email address now working, again! Thanks for your patience!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Lauren Beukes and Angry Robot are in London later this month
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A brief reminder – Lauren Beukes (author of the fantastic, critically-acclaimed Moxyland) is making a rare visit to the UK this month from her native South Africa, and we’ve lined up three events where you can meet her, and get your books signed.
Not only that, to celebrate her visit we’ve teamed up with Forbidden Planet to bring you an Angry Robot first – a limited edition hardcover of her forthcoming novel, Zoo City. It’s already attracted a lot of attention, and for very good reason!
You can order a copy of Zoo City from Forbidden Planet, here. Better still, come along to her signing. There are just 100 copies being sold through Forbidden Planet, so you’re going to have to get one soon to avoid disappointment! This is a very limited limited edition.
Lauren will be signing Zoo City at the London Forbidden Planet Megastore from 6.00-7.00pm on Thursday July 29th. Come along and say “Hi” and pick up a copy of the book. I’ll also be there (Lee) despite my wife’s protestations (she doesn’t object to Lauren – the signing is halfway through our holiday, so I’ll be leaving our cottage in Wales to come along to the event). 
British Science Fiction Association
The night before Lauren’s signing at Forbidden Planet she will be the special guest at the July meeting of the British Science Fiction Association, where she will be reading from Zoo City, prior to an interview. There will be a Q&A session at the end, and you don’t have to be a member of the BSFA to attend. There may be one or two other Angry Robot authors there, too, as well as Marc Gascoigne – Angry Robot’s Publishing Director.
The reading / interview will be at the upstairs bar of:
The Antelope Tavern, 22 Eaton Terrace, Belgravia, London SW1W 8EZ (nearest tube station is Sloane Square on the District and Circle lines).
The reading will commence around 7.00pm, but people usually start gathering in the downstairs bar from 5.00pm onwards.
British Fantasy Society
Lauren will also be the guest at the first BFS Open Night of the year. Well, not Open Night so much as Open Afternoon. For those of you who might find it hard to get to central London on a weekday evening, Lauren’s BFS event is on Saturday 31st July from 1.00pm until 5.00pm at The George pub on The Strand, WC2R 1AP (nearest tube station: Temple). And again, you don’t have to be a member to attend, though you can join on the day if you wish.
So, those dates again:
Wednesday 28th July: BSFA meeting - 7.00pm onwards (but any time from 5.00 for general chit-chat and beerage)
Thursday 29th July: Forbidden Planet signing – 6.00pm until 7.00pm (see here for details)
Saturday 31st July: BFS meeting – 1.00pm until 5.00pm
Angel of Death – Review and Interview
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The interview is with Angel of Death’s author, J Robert King, not the actual angel of death. That would be a real coup!
Over at Temple Library Reviews they have some very nice things to say about one of our favourite supernatural serial killer books of recent years:
I suspected “Angel of Death” would be brilliant, because after all we are talking about Angry Robot Books
Aww, shucks…
I am at a loss of words. “Angel of Death” is the book you hold, no clutch, until your eyes smart, you can’t really focus on the words and you are not sure whether you are making any progress, because it’s way past your bedtime, but it’s too good to put the book down. It’s the fever that gets you slowly, the first pages spreading the infection. Then you begin to sweat as the suspense solidifies the breath in your lungs. You shiver as the good parts creep in, a bit too macabre, a bit too monstrous, a bit like watching something you morally shouldn’t be, but you are and, guess what, you love it, because it’s crass, forbidden and perverted. And because it is safe too. After all, this is fiction.
Grade: [A+] A must-read.
The site also interviews Rob about Angel of Death, and about writing in general. It’s a great interview, and well worth 5 minutes of your time.
Temple Library Reviews: I dig serial killers and the Son of Samael was a thrilling character to read. How many hours did you invest in your research to bring such realism to the image of a serial killer?
JRK: I read quite a few true-crime books—bloody and horrible—and then channeled the rest of it. It was alarming to me how easy it was to slip into the serial-killer mindset. You would think that that thought process would be totally alien to a normal human being, but it is not. Here’s a little thought experiment that will make all of your readers think like a serial killer with just the substitution of one word.
All right, here’s the normal-person passage:
“I couldn’t believe it. I spread my towel out on the beach, and there was this super-hot woman sitting on a towel near mine. She looked at me. I could tell she was into me. I smiled, and she pulled down her bikini top, showing me her tan line and a little more. I got up from my towel and sat down on hers to find out what I could give her.”
Now, here’s the psycho passage, with just word substituted.
“I couldn’t believe it. I spread my towel out on the beach, and there was this super hot woman sitting on a towel near mine. It looked at me. I could tell it was into me. I smiled, and it pulled down its bikini top, showing me its tan line and a little more. I got up from my towel and sat down on its to find out what I could give it.”
You see, changing ‘her’ to ‘it’ dehumanizes the other person. When the main character perceives another person in the story as a thing, all interactions become monstrous. Sadly, this very thing happens not just in the minds of serial killers but also in those of politicians and scientists and businesspeople and your next door neighbor. That’s what this book is about.
An a little bit of Angry Robot luurve…
Temple Library Reviews: Now let’s shift the focus to Angry Robot Books. As you might know I have an imprint crush, so to say, on these guys [plus the authors, always the authors] and I want to know how the authors see their publisher. What’s the best thing to come to mind about Angry Robot Books?
JRK: Angry Robot is a dream come true not only for editors and authors but also for readers. You strip away all that corporate crap that keeps churning out crap, and you get real writers communicating with real readers. How could you ask for more?
*sniff* It’s so nice to be appreciated…
