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Interview Archives

The Allen Steel Interview - July 2001

QM: What's your advice to beginning writers?

AS: Don't imitate. I occasionally instruct writing workshops, and sometimes read the slush pile for a quarterly SF magazine, and much of what I see is the same ol' thing ... bad knock-offs of space operas. There's a certain formula that repeats itself: heroic starship captain, beautiful heroine, huge starships, bad-guy aliens, good-guy aliens, space battle, etc. It seems if most novice writers are reading the same small handful of best-selling authors -- Weber, Feintuch, Bujold, McCaffery -- and seeing the same movies and TV shows -- Trek, Star Wars, "Space: Above and Beyond", "Starship Troopers," etc. -- and diligently copying their moves because they feel that this is a way to get themselves into print.

The Elizabeth Moon Interview - August 2001

QM: Your female characters are tough and strong. We think that's cool. I guess that's not a question, but we still think it's cool. Do you ever receive negative comments from people who do not like strong female characters? Do you need a spot to dump the bodies or an alibi?

EM: Bodies? What bodies? Alibi? Moi? Why would I need an alibi? Remember, I live in Texas.

Actually I did have some negative comments, some years back, from a fellow who called me a feminist (he meant it as a dirty word) and pointed out that men need books to read, too. I pointed out that a lot of men had written books with male protagonists, and why didn't he read them, and we parted without actual violence.

The Steven Brust Interview - September 2001

QM: The rhetoric in some of our early editorials borders on that of a Marxist rally. How do you see the Internet? Do you think the cheap, broad access to markets, e-books and Print on Demand are good for writers, readers and literature, or do you feel that the threats to copyright make it a danger? Don't you appreciate
it when we give you such evenhanded, unbiased questions with no indication of where our sympathies lie?

SKZB: Heh. For me, it's a tool, an amusement, a resource. But if I had to answer, then I'd say anything that makes communication easier across cultural boundaries, and anything that makes human knowledge more accessible to more people, is a good thing.

The Michael Moorcock Interview - October 2001

QM: If you had 20 millions dollars, would you spend it on a trip to the space station, or would you just waste it?

MM: I give the Jack Trevor Story Memorial Prize out of my own pocket. The condition is that the winner spend it in two weeks and not have a penny to show for it. One winner spent it on drink before he even got home and another took a holiday. So I think my answer's in there somewhere...

The Todd Lockwood Interview - November 2001

QM: Admit it, becoming an artist is the best way to get chicks to pose naked.

TL: I think being a rock and roll star would be better.

QM: Where do you find most of your inspiration comes from?

TL: From all my naked models.

The Glen Cook Interview - April 2002

QM: Can you tell us a little about the Black Company series?

GC: I wrote the first one, and somehow it wound up on the desk of the horror editor at Tor. She told me it was a good story, but she couldn't publish it because she didn't like a single character in it.

QM: We're used to that kind of reception.

GC: Well, I wanted to write a book about real medieval mercenaries. These aren't kind and gentle people. Not exactly left-leaning democrats.

The Gary Allen Interview - March 2003

QM: When did you start writing?

GA: I started writing stories when I was at primary school. Even back then I was writing speculative stuff, though more sci-fi than fantasy. The school gave out merit certificates... I guess to encourage us, but looking back I am sure it was some crude attempt at mind control. After receiving a few certificates for my stories I was told I'd not be allowed to receive any more for creative writing unless I first earned one for handwriting or maths. Needless to say, I never received another certificate and was left with horrible emotional scars. My handwriting remains awful and I am terrible at maths. Legal action pending.

(Adopting a more serious pose)I guess I’ve only been writing with the serious intention of getting published for about five years now.

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