Sunday 11 March 2012

AUTHOR INTERVIEW - SKY LUKE CORBELLI




1. What is your name, where were you born and where do you live now?

Sky Luke Corbelli, born in California and still living here because, honestly, why would I leave?

2. Did you always want to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?
I did not. For much of my youth, I claimed to want to rule the world, but I was young and foolish. Looking back, I believe I actually wanted to be a mad scientist of the benign megalomaniac persuasion, as I've found myself to be chaotic neutral whenever possible. Apparently such occupations are frowned upon in this day and age, so I have instead decided to inflict my mad will upon a fantasy world, as is the natural progression of things.

3. When did you first consider yourself as a "writer"?
Immediately after my book became a best seller. Wait, that hasn't happened yet. Um... in that case, the first time that I saw a sale of my book to someone I did not personally know.

4. What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarise it in less than 20 words what would you say?
My latest (only?) book is Wind-Scarred. And I would probably say something like...

What?! Twenty words?! But... but... The depth of my characters! The unique magic system! Wormholes! Honestly, there's simply no way.

5. Who is your publisher? or do you self publish?
I self publish, because I'd rather have people read my book today than publishers look at it tomorrow.

6. How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?

Hmmm... I had the first inkling of a scene in Wind-Scarred nearly six years ago. For four more years after that it stewed in my mind, latching on to errant ideas and idle thoughts, growing in the dark places, occasionally venturing out and giving me glimpse of what it had become. Finally my wife got fed up with hearing snippets of the story and demanded I write it down. For a month I slaved away over the manuscript, tirelessly working my way through the first half of the story... and then a new Jim Butcher book came out, work got busy, I played some video games, got married, bought a house... and the story sat, untouched. A year and a half passed, and the story made its triumphant return. Two months of writing, editing, and beta reading later, it was finished.

Of course, in the month and a half since then, I've written the sequel, and expect to have it and the conclusion out before the middle of the year.

7. What can we expect from you in the future?  ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre?
More books, although I'll probably be sticking with some flavor of fantasy. Currently in the works are the remainder of my sci-fi fantasy as well as an urban fantasy series, with some Lovecraftian high(ish) fantasy... and if all of that gets written, I'll be so impressed with myself, I'll pretty much have to write more.

8. Do you have plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series?
I do! Book 2 of The Will of the Elements: Water-Seer should (by the time you are reading this) be in editing. 

9. What genre would you place your books into?
Ah, good, an easy question. Distopian Science Fiction Fantasy Adventure with a touch of Humor and a dash of Romance.

10. What made you decide to write that genre of book?

A touch of madness. Also, it seemed like a good idea at the time.

11. Do you have a certain routine when writing? For example, do you listen to music, sit in a certain chair?

I listen to something by Yuki Kajiura, Bella Fleck, or Andreas Vollenweider and type until I can't feel my fingers.

12. Do you have anybody read your books and give you reviews before you officially release them? Your partner, children, friends, reviewers you know?
I have a small horde of beta readers how are so enraged at the fact that I actually wrote a book that they pick my plot and prose apart with a passion and glee I've rarely witnessed outside of hungry predators.

13. Do you gift books to readers to do reviews?
Sometimes.

14. Do you read all the reviews of your book/books?
Every single one.

15. Would you ever ask a reviewer to change their review if it was not all positive about your book/books?

Never, although I do enjoy talking to them about what they didn't like. Without honest criticism, I'll never get better.

16. How do you come up with the Title and Cover Designs for your book/books? Who designed the Cover of your books?
Using nothing but duct tape and WD-40, I manufacture a small scale atom smasher and look for patterns in the decay residue of the subatomic particles. 

That's actually a lie. I come up with an idea, my wife points out that it's stupid, then she proceeds to create something amazing which I callously slap on the front of my book.

17. What do you do to unwind and relax?Do you have a hobby?

Chess. Oh, and swimming! Often, though, video games.

18. Are there any hidden messages or morals contained in your books? (Morals as in like Aesops Fables type of "The moral of this story is..")
Yes, but if I told you what they were, I'd have kill you.

19. What is your favourite book and Why?  Have you read it more than once?
One of the hard questions... for much of my youth, it oscillated between A Horse and His Boy and The Hobbit. If you have to ask why, go read them. 

As I grew, books like Monstrous Regiment and Good Omens jumped to the top, and A Game of Thrones sat there for a time. Uglies has been a contender, as has Cursor's Fury... it almost seems I have a favorite for every mood and day of the week. 

Right now, it is probably The Name of the Wind, because it was brilliant, although Mr. Sanderson is always surprising me with new and interesting things...

Are there people who only read books they like once? How extraordinary...

20. Do you think books transfer to movies well? Which is you favourite/worst  book to movie transfer?
Sometimes... although often not. 

Eragon was probably the worst... while I'm no fan of the series, the movie was truly atrocious. The Prestige or Stardust are my favorites, as I loved both movies and disliked both books, which surprised me.

21. What are you currently reading? Are you enjoying it? What format is it?(ebook, hardback or paperback)
This question. I guess so. Oh, you meant books!

The Emperor's Edge series by Lindsay Buroker. I am, very much. Ebook.

22. Are there any New Authors you are interested in for us to watch out for? and Why should we watch out for them?
Lindsay Buroker and B. Justin Shier, because they're awesome.

23. Is there anything in your book/books you would change now if you could and what would it be?
I would change the hidden city to a ninja academy, the main characters to ferrets, the wormholes to Valkyries, and everyone else to rabbits with laser vision who are also pirates. That's right, ninja ferrets riding Valkyries versus laser rabbit pirates, copyright Sky Luke Corbelli.

Seriously though, aside from a typo or two I'm sure is lurking in there, I wouldn't change a thing.

24. What piece of advice would you give to a new writer?
Write a book. It makes writing books easier.

Thank-you for taking the time to take part in this Interview!

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