Ask the Author: Robin C.M. Duncan
Answered Questions (7)
Robin C.M. Duncan
Book 2 of the Quirk & Moth stories. I've just sent it back to my publisher, and expect I'll get edits back in a week or two. This novel is called 'The Carborundum Conundrum': I've seen the cover and I love it, really excited to share it with the world in the coming months. I think the book will be out about June time.
Robin C.M. Duncan
Ah-ha, what motivates the mercurial muse? I suppose everyone is slightly different, but loving the idea, the places that my mind goes when I contemplate that kernel and start scribbling in my (current) notebook, that's the initial spark, but that is not really the question here, is it?
What makes me pick that first pencil scribble up again, and commit to spending days and weeks (for a short), months and years (for a novel) exploring the concept? It must be more than one idea, it must be the way the story takes shape in my mind, the way it makes me feel, be that excited, intrigued, mystified, even sad or angry: there is always the feeling of an arc for the character, an outline of the emotional journey events will take them on. That's the heart of it, for me, what the character will be faced with and how it might challenge them, change them, but also reward them, and therefore the reader, I hope.
What makes me pick that first pencil scribble up again, and commit to spending days and weeks (for a short), months and years (for a novel) exploring the concept? It must be more than one idea, it must be the way the story takes shape in my mind, the way it makes me feel, be that excited, intrigued, mystified, even sad or angry: there is always the feeling of an arc for the character, an outline of the emotional journey events will take them on. That's the heart of it, for me, what the character will be faced with and how it might challenge them, change them, but also reward them, and therefore the reader, I hope.
Robin C.M. Duncan
I'm presently outlining Book 3 of my Quirk & Moth series, and about to go into editing and revising Book 1 (for publication, all going to plan). The idea for the three main characters came from a writing prompt on the excellent Writing Excuses (WE) podcast (some time ago, maybe Season 7 or 8?). The prompt was to write a dead-drop scene three times, employing a different character each time. I'm indebted to WE for that prompt, as I now have two novels written, a third somewhat outlined, and a Quirk & Moth novella recently published by Space Wizard Science Fantasy in the Distant Gardens anthology :O)
Robin C.M. Duncan
A large majority of Humanity continues to ignore its own profligate, destructive and distinctly inhuman behaviour. The Earth is ruined as a viable ecosystem, leading to Humanity's own destruction.
(This is more of a tragedy than a horror actually, considering what we had, and the chances we had to act more responsibly.)
(This is more of a tragedy than a horror actually, considering what we had, and the chances we had to act more responsibly.)
Robin C.M. Duncan
Just write. Don't talk about it. Don't blog, or tweet, or squawk about it, just right. I don't like the word 'aspiring' in this context, because it implies to me that this person isn't writing, or hasn't written, anything, but they aspire to write something. If you've written something, you are a writer. Now, keep going :O)
Robin C.M. Duncan
I just keep writing. Anything, something: just keep going. The greatest fallacy of writing is that what you put down on the page needs to be good. It doesn't, it just needs to be on the page. You can come back later and make it good.
Robin C.M. Duncan
Having just read 'The Bone Ships', by R.J. Barker, I am eager to acquire Books 2 and 3 of that series. It is completely excellent. Also, I'm well into the Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch. Also brilliant. I will be moving on to 'Lies Sleeping' (RoL, #7) soon. My next SF read is part of my ongoing quest to catch up with recently passed award winners, so, I will be jumping into Paolo Bacigalupi's 'The Windup' girl next, after finishing Conn Iggulden's 'The Gates of Athens'.
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