Ask the Author: Carter Roy
Answered Questions (15)
Carter Roy
First, I'm so glad you've enjoyed the books. That means the world to me.
Second, as to inspirations: the core idea about the thirty-six pure came from something I read years ago that stuck with me. I liked the idea of 36 random people on whom the fate of the world rests. So I plucked that notion out of kabala and ran with it.
As for the rest ... they're just fun things that occurred to me during the writing of the book. I wrote the book I'd have loved when I was eleven, packing in as much action and humor as I could.
Thanks for reading, and thanks for asking this terrific question!
Second, as to inspirations: the core idea about the thirty-six pure came from something I read years ago that stuck with me. I liked the idea of 36 random people on whom the fate of the world rests. So I plucked that notion out of kabala and ran with it.
As for the rest ... they're just fun things that occurred to me during the writing of the book. I wrote the book I'd have loved when I was eleven, packing in as much action and humor as I could.
Thanks for reading, and thanks for asking this terrific question!
Carter Roy
Dear Jinghay,
Thank you so much for your note! I'm so glad that you loved the Blood Guard—and so glad that you forced your brother to read it, too. (It's what a good brother should do.) Not only is the second book out, but the third came out earlier this year. So there's nothing stopping you from zooming right to the end of the series! Thanks for reading, and keep fighting the good fight! —C.
Thank you so much for your note! I'm so glad that you loved the Blood Guard—and so glad that you forced your brother to read it, too. (It's what a good brother should do.) Not only is the second book out, but the third came out earlier this year. So there's nothing stopping you from zooming right to the end of the series! Thanks for reading, and keep fighting the good fight! —C.
Carter Roy
Oh, how I wish I could answer "Yes!" to this question. But unless there is a great demand—and great sales for the series through the publishers—then the series will likely be capped at three books.
At least for the moment. I am, however, working on some stand-alone stories about Jack Dawkins that I'll post before the end of the year to my soon-to-be-revamped website, and perhaps those will give you the Blood Guard fix you need!
At least for the moment. I am, however, working on some stand-alone stories about Jack Dawkins that I'll post before the end of the year to my soon-to-be-revamped website, and perhaps those will give you the Blood Guard fix you need!
Carter Roy
I'm glad you enjoyed the books, and thank you so much for the note! As to when book three will be coming out, the publisher has moved it from November (when it was originally scheduled) to February 2017.
I am bummed about this, but I have no one to blame but myself: Took longer than I expected to wrap up the story. (Also, my wife and I had a child, and that took up some time.)
But in the meanwhile, I plan to post some short stories about Jack Dawkins on the soon-to-be-revamped Carter Roy website this summer, and I hope those will tide over readers miffed about the long wait for book three.
I am bummed about this, but I have no one to blame but myself: Took longer than I expected to wrap up the story. (Also, my wife and I had a child, and that took up some time.)
But in the meanwhile, I plan to post some short stories about Jack Dawkins on the soon-to-be-revamped Carter Roy website this summer, and I hope those will tide over readers miffed about the long wait for book three.
Carter Roy
Hello, and sorry to hear about this problem. I have alerted the publisher, and they're going to do a spot check of their stock. Meanwhile, I've checked all my copies and they're fine, so I have a few follow up questions, both here and in a direct message I sent you. Is this a hardcover or a paperback edition? Could you send me the ISBN off the back cover? Thank you! (And thanks to your son, who is some kind of hero for zooming past this printing error.) All best, Carter
Carter Roy
Hi Vitor, thanks for the questions and for liking the books, and sorry that I've taken so long to respond. Have been busy with book three!
What can I tell you about the third entry? Well ... it's difficult to discuss without dropping spoilers—means I'll have to talk about things in the abstract. Hmm.
The action returns to New York City, and picks up only a few hours after the end of The Glass Gauntlet. The story resolves a number of issues that were left hanging from the first and second books—issues that I don't think most people even remarked upon—and reveals that the Bend Sinister action we saw in the first book was only part of a larger, different plan. That is, the Blood Guard have misunderstood what is actually going on.
As usual, there is a fair bit of fighting in unusual places. And, um, there is what appears to be a talking cat. Which sounds like something from an entirely different book, but trust me: It fits into this world.
Thanks again for all the support! And now I have to get back to it!
What can I tell you about the third entry? Well ... it's difficult to discuss without dropping spoilers—means I'll have to talk about things in the abstract. Hmm.
The action returns to New York City, and picks up only a few hours after the end of The Glass Gauntlet. The story resolves a number of issues that were left hanging from the first and second books—issues that I don't think most people even remarked upon—and reveals that the Bend Sinister action we saw in the first book was only part of a larger, different plan. That is, the Blood Guard have misunderstood what is actually going on.
As usual, there is a fair bit of fighting in unusual places. And, um, there is what appears to be a talking cat. Which sounds like something from an entirely different book, but trust me: It fits into this world.
Thanks again for all the support! And now I have to get back to it!
Carter Roy
This is a superb question, and the answer is: I don't know. Brilliance and Audible produce the US audiobook, but I do not know whether those rights extend to the UK. But I'll tell you what: I'll ask and try and post back here after I find out. Fair enough? (By the way, the reader for the US audio book is dynamite.)
Carter Roy
I'm so glad you enjoyed the first two installments! Means a lot to me. (It can be lonely work, writing for an as-yet-unknown audience.) And thank you for the question—it helps spur on the work!
The plan as I understand it is to have book three out summer next year, though if I manage to hand it in earlier, the publisher may release it sooner. (There are all sorts of issues that affect their scheduling that have nothing to do with me.)
At any rate, I am in the midst of finishing book three now. The provisional title is THE [redacted] BRIDGE. (Why redacted? Because the particular adjective is telling and strange, and we want to save some mystery for later, no?) Suffice to say, a key moment in the story happens atop this here thing: http://www.irei.com/blog/wp-content/u...
(No idea whether Goodreads will allow a URL in an author answer, but why not try?)
The plan as I understand it is to have book three out summer next year, though if I manage to hand it in earlier, the publisher may release it sooner. (There are all sorts of issues that affect their scheduling that have nothing to do with me.)
At any rate, I am in the midst of finishing book three now. The provisional title is THE [redacted] BRIDGE. (Why redacted? Because the particular adjective is telling and strange, and we want to save some mystery for later, no?) Suffice to say, a key moment in the story happens atop this here thing: http://www.irei.com/blog/wp-content/u...
(No idea whether Goodreads will allow a URL in an author answer, but why not try?)
Carter Roy
Thank you for the interesting (and flattering!) question—especially useful when tackling your own writing.
Some writers follow very detailed outlines, so that they know every beat of every chapter of the story before they ever set pen to paper. Others fly by the seat of their pants, making it up as they go along.
I use a mix of both methods. I outline in great detail before I start writing, so that I have good ideas about twists and surprises to come. But then, as I write, I also feel free to throw away what I've outlined if something better suggests itself, or if I start feeling that the pace of the storytelling is off-kilter somehow.
As an example, in the first book, Jack Dawkins finds a ... shocking way to short out the power in the sub-station at the end of the book. In the original outline, I had him create a simpler short, by grounding the electricity via some other means. Which, on reflection, was lazy on my part. And worse, lacked urgency. To save Sammy, he needed to do something radical. And voila, he almost seemed to suggest what that would be. I liked the new solution, and also, it provided for lots of humor—always a plus in my book.
For that matter, in the original outline, Sammy was not going to be a test subject, either. But somewhere along the way he ended up getting caught by the Bend Sinister, and one thing led to another.
It's great fun to come up with surprises along the way, but doing so is much easier if you've planned most of them out to begin with.
Some writers follow very detailed outlines, so that they know every beat of every chapter of the story before they ever set pen to paper. Others fly by the seat of their pants, making it up as they go along.
I use a mix of both methods. I outline in great detail before I start writing, so that I have good ideas about twists and surprises to come. But then, as I write, I also feel free to throw away what I've outlined if something better suggests itself, or if I start feeling that the pace of the storytelling is off-kilter somehow.
As an example, in the first book, Jack Dawkins finds a ... shocking way to short out the power in the sub-station at the end of the book. In the original outline, I had him create a simpler short, by grounding the electricity via some other means. Which, on reflection, was lazy on my part. And worse, lacked urgency. To save Sammy, he needed to do something radical. And voila, he almost seemed to suggest what that would be. I liked the new solution, and also, it provided for lots of humor—always a plus in my book.
For that matter, in the original outline, Sammy was not going to be a test subject, either. But somewhere along the way he ended up getting caught by the Bend Sinister, and one thing led to another.
It's great fun to come up with surprises along the way, but doing so is much easier if you've planned most of them out to begin with.
Carter Roy
Never mind my advice; listen instead to Robert A. Heinlein. His advice was simple:
1. You must write.
2. You must finish what you write.
(2.5 You must revise what you write.)
3. You must market your writing.
4. You must keep it on the market until sold.
He didn't include much about revision, but to me, that's the key: all the best writing is rewriting. That's when you cut out the fat, sharpen the descriptions and jokes and everything else, and make the manuscript really sing.
But you can't do that unless you first write, first finish what you write, and then see what you've got. After that, you just have to try and try and try again. There really are no "overnight successes" in the world of writing. Most every writer will tell stories about learning her craft by writing story after story and just doggedly sending it round until finally someone said, Yes! This is terrific!
It will happen for you, too.
1. You must write.
2. You must finish what you write.
(2.5 You must revise what you write.)
3. You must market your writing.
4. You must keep it on the market until sold.
He didn't include much about revision, but to me, that's the key: all the best writing is rewriting. That's when you cut out the fat, sharpen the descriptions and jokes and everything else, and make the manuscript really sing.
But you can't do that unless you first write, first finish what you write, and then see what you've got. After that, you just have to try and try and try again. There really are no "overnight successes" in the world of writing. Most every writer will tell stories about learning her craft by writing story after story and just doggedly sending it round until finally someone said, Yes! This is terrific!
It will happen for you, too.
Carter Roy
A good question, as I have wrestled with this problem in the past. The answer is pretty simple:
You keep your butt in the chair, and you write anyway. The prose you put down may be lifeless and terrible, but that's okay. It will carry you past that moment and into a place where the writing will flow again. And later, when you're revising, you can tackle that difficult spot and make it as good as the rest of your story.
But you'll never have anything to revise if you don't first write something down, anything. You'll be grateful for that foundation, no matter how flimsy it may be.
So my advice? Write past it. You'll get past it; trust me.
You keep your butt in the chair, and you write anyway. The prose you put down may be lifeless and terrible, but that's okay. It will carry you past that moment and into a place where the writing will flow again. And later, when you're revising, you can tackle that difficult spot and make it as good as the rest of your story.
But you'll never have anything to revise if you don't first write something down, anything. You'll be grateful for that foundation, no matter how flimsy it may be.
So my advice? Write past it. You'll get past it; trust me.
Carter Roy
This will sound sappy, but it is sincere: Getting emails from readers who have enjoyed the book is the best thing about being a writer.
It's just knowing that you've put something down on paper that has gone out into the world and entertained someone. That's amazingly powerful stuff.
What is it Mark Twain said? You can live two weeks on a compliment? He's right. An entire email from some stranger saying he or she liked the book? That's good for a whole month or two.
It's just knowing that you've put something down on paper that has gone out into the world and entertained someone. That's amazingly powerful stuff.
What is it Mark Twain said? You can live two weeks on a compliment? He's right. An entire email from some stranger saying he or she liked the book? That's good for a whole month or two.
Carter Roy
The idea for The Blood Guard came from a reference I read in some other book long ago to the tzadikim in the kabbalah, a very old religious text. According to it, there are thirty-six pure souls upon whom the world's future depends.
Nifty, I thought. What would happen if someone went after these pure souls? How would you protect them? More importantly, who would protect them?
... which led directly to the Blood Guard.
Nifty, I thought. What would happen if someone went after these pure souls? How would you protect them? More importantly, who would protect them?
... which led directly to the Blood Guard.
Carter Roy
Mostly it has to do with sitting down at my desk at a regular time and writing a regular amount of words—oftentimes about 1,000 words a day. No more, no less. (I find that if you stop when you know what comes next, it is easier to pick up the thread the next morning.)
But inspiration comes from all sorts of places. Lately it has been Taylor Swift's new song "Out of the Woods" (haters keep it to yourself). Other times it is a silly notion I want to work into the story, or a line, or some other thing that has stuck in my brain. You get it out by throwing it down onto the page.
Where do you find your inspiration?
But inspiration comes from all sorts of places. Lately it has been Taylor Swift's new song "Out of the Woods" (haters keep it to yourself). Other times it is a silly notion I want to work into the story, or a line, or some other thing that has stuck in my brain. You get it out by throwing it down onto the page.
Where do you find your inspiration?
Carter Roy
Lately I have been working on revisions to the second entry in the trilogy, which is called The Glass Gauntlet. Revisions are tough, but they're my opportunity to make the book work in a deeper way.
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