Ask the Author: Matt Tomerlin

“Ask me a question.” Matt Tomerlin

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I'm always excited to encounter another author who is writing in the Golden Age of Piracy, since that is the time period of the novel I'm working on, too, though it's still in the editing stages! I came across your name and new book, via Giveaways. Since, I have yet to read your novels, my question will be fairly generic: How much research did you perform: did you do research at the beginning or as you wrote?
Matt Tomerlin Hi Cynthia, I hope the book is going well. Everybody is different, but I prefer to research as I write. I tend to immerse myself in whatever subject I'm dealing with while I'm writing. It keeps me invested!
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I was so very intrigued by Viera Silver! John Silver's wife, I presume? Will we be hearing from her in a future installment? Sorry to bombard you with Q's! Loved Scarlet Devil, bravo!
Matt Tomerlin You've made my day, Julia! And yes, I introduced Viera Silver for a reason. I've had this character in mind for a while now. Check out http://thedevilsfire.com for a glimpse. And yep, she's John Silver's wife. Treasure Island reveals very little about her other than the color of her skin, so I always wondered who she was and what her story would be. More on that later.
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Kate is such a badass. She's smart and fierce and we need more characters like her in fiction! What inspired you to tell this story with a female protagonist?
Matt Tomerlin I was frustrated that pirates + female lead seemed to always equal a romance novel. I wanted to explore what would really happen if a woman was kidnapped by pirates, what she would do and who she would become. I think a female protagonist in this setting offers more obstacles, and thus results in a more interesting character. The nice thing about Kate is she can handle anything I throw at her.
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This installment takes on a more supernatural turn than your previous pirate works. What made you decide to go this new direction?
Matt Tomerlin
This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)
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Your descriptions of place are always so breathtaking and tangible. Did you travel to research for this book?
Matt Tomerlin Unfortunately I did not get to travel for this book. I did extensive research and watched several documentaries... 90% of which didn't make it in, but hopefully added a validity and weight to it.
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Congratulations on the long-anticipated release of "Scarlet Devil"! I can't wait to read it! This is a question mark because the box demands it. . . ?
Matt Tomerlin Thank you, Janet! It was quite a process. I hope you enjoy it!
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Hi, I'm a big fan of the Devil's Fire series. Any clues as to when Scarlet Devil will be available? I'm dying to read it!
Matt Tomerlin Still underway, but on course :) It's been an evolving project, but is in the final stretches. Keep an eye on my Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads pages for a release date and pre-order announcement. Thanks for reading!
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I am a big fan of piracy and its history. I wanted to read something fun, interesting, exciting, and at times frustrating. Your "Devil's Fire" series hit all those emotions and so much more. I just wanted to thank you for great writing and entertainment! I can't wait for for Scarlet Devil! Any hints on when we might get our hands on "Scarlet Devil?"
Matt Tomerlin Patrick, that's what I like to hear! Thank you for taking a chance on it. I've made a lot of changes to Scarlet Devil, and I scrapped the first draft, which is why it's taking so long. I won't release something I'm not happy with, but I'm finally getting there now. It's still a little ways off. A release date will be announced as soon as I hand a final draft to my editors. It's a very different book from the first three, but I think it will be worth the wait.
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I LOVED your "Devil's Fire" trilogy and can't wait to read "Scarlet Devil"! Your books stand out to me in possessing a cast of strong but believable female characters along side the larger than life pirates of history. You left the fate of Jacqueline Calloway rather open ended. Any chance we'll be hearing from Blackbeard's daughter again in her own series?
Matt Tomerlin Julia, that's wonderful and encouraging to hear, thank you! So glad you enjoyed the series. I don't want to reveal too much just yet, but I CAN say you have not seen the last of Jacqueline, and neither has Kate...
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Just want you to know I picked up The Devil's Fire on a whim, and I couldn't put it down..Now I'm reading The Devil's Horizon. Each book just got better and better. I think the Devil's Tide had some pretty funny bits in there. I loved it ! I hate knowing that the fourth book will be the conclusion of this series, I just love Kate. I'm gonna miss her. : ((
Matt Tomerlin Thank you, Susan! Devil's Horizon is actually the conclusion of the Devil's Fire trilogy, while Scarlet Devil is a standalone story with a few characters from that series. It might not be the end, but we'll see.
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What are you currently working on?
Matt Tomerlin I'm working on the fourth book in the Devil's Fire series. I wanted to do something more straightforward. This is a very linear Kate-centric story. The narrative does not jump from one character to the next. A reader could enjoy this book without having read the first three. That said, it propels the overall Devil's Fire story toward its eventual conclusion. This standalone story is a key piece of the puzzle, and crucial in Kate Lindsay's evolution.
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