Ask Me Anything!
Every now and then, when I’m leading Bible study at my congregation, I like to play a game I call “Stump the Pastor.” I throw open the floor to questions from the participants about anything or everything. And those are always interesting sessions, because I have to stay on my toes and think fast.
Well, I thought we’d play a version of that today. A little under a year ago, my debut novel, Failstate
So if you want to ask a still relatively recently published author something or whatever, go ahead and leave your question in the comments below and I’ll do my best to answer them.
Keep me on my toes, folks.
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How many drafts did you work through with each book?
Hey, Kessie!
Hoo, boy. You think I’d know this. More than one? 😉
Okay, that’s not helpful. For Failstate, I know that I went through at least three or four rewrites. Included in that was hiring an editor to really help me fine tune everything. I think that really paid off.
For Failstate: Legends, I didn’t hire an editor for that one but I still did at least three rewrites on it. Especially the first major confrontation. That went through at least three or four different versions before I finally settled on what’s there now.
I gave Failstate to my cousin for his tenth birthday. I read the first chapter while I had it.
What is the common explanation for superpowers in the Failstate world? Mutations? Obviously, I assume Failstate sees his powers as a gift from God, but what about physically?
Did you specifically intend to write a YA novel? I wonder if the superhero genre is sort of inherently YA-ish.
What would you say if a game designer asked about making a videogame adaptation? Would you like to participate in scripting/designing the videogame yourself, or would rather let the game people do all the work and cash in on your share of the royalties?
Hi, Bainespal!
You know, I never thought about that. Bad writer, bad! No one in either book ever really ruminates on the origins of anyone’s powers. It’s almost like everyone just accepts that some people have powers and some don’t.
It’s funny. When I wrote the first draft, I included an “origin story” of sorts for Failstate to kind of explain where all most of the powers come from (it was an idea suggested by my brother-in-law). I used the origin story as a sort of red herring for the rest of the plot. When I was doing the first rewrite, I came to the conclusion that the origin story wasn’t really adding anything (if anything, it was just repeating themes and plot points that I had already included) and it was bogging down the story. Then I read an article somewhere where a film critic questioned the need for every superhero movie (or, at least, the first in a series) to include an origin story. So I cut Failstate’s out and the story seemed to flow a lot better.
I still have the cut material in a file on a flash drive. I’m debating releasing it someday as a “deleted scenes” sort of thing. It’s still the official explanation for the powers of Failstate’s world; I’m just keeping it under my hat for now. 😉
I did intend to write a YA novel. Failstate’s problems struck me as something that the typical YA reader would naturally feel themselves. I’m not saying that adults don’t experience the same questions and doubts, but it felt more natural for teenagers to be wrestling with it.
I don’t know if superheroes are inherently YA. There’s certainly that association in the larger culture that capes and tights are kids’ stuff (either age-wise or mental age-wise), but I think there are some great “adult” superhero stories out there. Take Watchmen, which most people consider the greatest superhero story told. No way I’d let a kid read that one!
Why, do you know someone? 😉 I think that would be awesome. I love video games and I think it’d be cool to see what someone would make of the Failstate universe. And while I’d love to go the lazy route and do none of the work but get a lot of money, I’d probably want to at least consult on the story of the whole game. I’m kind of protective about these characters.
Thanks for the great questions!
No, I suppose superhoeroes aren’t necessarily YA. Sorry, I didn’t mean to belittle the genre. It’s a great genre, an exciting one, but one that has never appealed to me as much as I think it should, for some reason. I have a hard time taking it completely seriously, even though I’ve seen dark and serious superhero movies. My problem, not the superheroes’.
I very much wish that I did. At any rate, with the prestigious Publisher’s Weekly review, I suppose Failstate probably has about as good of a chance as there has ever been for a Christian speculative fiction novel to attract adaptations or media tie-ins.
Sorry if I made it sound like I was offended. I wasn’t, really. I get what you’re saying.
As for the media tie-in, from your mouth (er . . . fingers?) to God’s ears. One of the funny things that’s come about because of the Publishers Weekly review is a misunderstanding about what was said. The reviewer said something like, “This has a TV show’s worth of sequel possibilities,” and somehow, that got turned into, “John has a movie contract!” I wish! 😀
What do you think about Scottish villains in the next Failstate? 😀
Actually, I wondering what the biggest difference you found in writing the second book after establishing the characters and world? What was the biggest challenge and what was something that surprised you with it being easier the second go around?
Well, hello, Jason! Or, should I say, Frank Bazinga?
Sorry to disappoint, but no. I am including a Scandinavian death metal singer in the third book. I’m thinking he sounds like Taranchula from that Strong Bad email.
Oh, the biggest challenge was easy: how much do I include from the first book in the second? After all, while I hope that everyone who read the first book will pick up the second one (meaning that they’ll know what’s going on and who most of these folks are). But at the same time, there might be people who pick up the second book first. So it was hard trying to strike a balance between telling those new readers everything (such as that [!–spoiler redacted–!] is the one responsible for [!–spoiler redacted–!]) or telling them nothing (which would leave them completely lost). I think I may have struck the right balance, but time will tell.
As for the easier part, I think it was that I didn’t have to wonder about how these characters would react in certain situations. I knew them already. So there wasn’t all that much flailing around about “Who is s/he? What would s/he think if this happened?” I could just plow ahead with the plot.
Scandinavian death metal? I’m going to lose my voice if I read that to my kids.
And what are you doing, blowing my cover like that? Mona might find me…
How long was the wait between submitting your full manuscript and receiving an answer?
I have a book submitted right now (at MLP, actually!) and it’s been several months of silence since I emailed it in, so I’m antsy. 😀 I worry my email got lost or something! – but this is probably pretty par for the course…
It was several months. The acquisitions gears turn slowly, and not just at MLP, but just about everywhere. Hang in there!
Way past two years, in my case. 🙂 Clearly many, many authors are rushing in the open gates and getting wedges between pillars.
Do you think you’ll offer your first book for cheap/free as a promo for book 2? *innocent look*
I believe the ebook price should come down a little before book 2 releases. But don’t quote me on that for sure.