Q&A with Stacia Kane discussion

If you have any, put them here!

(BTW, I may use them, if there are any, for the FAQ page on my website. Just FYI.)

How many countries have you lived in? It seems you move a lot, why is that? And how often do you get over to the States? :-)

just wanted to ask how ur feeling after ur hospital stay? that was horrible and glad u came out okay.

Oh, thanks, Sharon! I'm feeling great, actually, all my strength back and everything. I had an endoscopy in January which revealed the ulcer is still there, so I've been on a different medication for it and have another endoscopy the day before SM's release; fingers crossed the ulcer is fully healed at that point.

It was a pretty unpleasant situation to be in, yeah. :-)


Laura, just the two countries: the US and England. Moving so much really isn't my choice--I hate moving, actually--but circumstances have just kind of conspired to make us globetrotters over the last few years, mainly in terms of my husband's work. We're really hoping the moving madness will stop soon, though, and we can just settle somewhere.

Haven't been back to the States since we left in June of last year, but hopefully I'll be able to get over there again soon.

your books are puuuure awesomeness,and terrible is the icing on the cake!well i really as do many die hard fans im sure would like a look into terrible s mind,how he sees chess,how he experienced her betrayal,how he came to terms with it,are there any plans to have at least a vignette from terrible s pov.also i really would like to know what terrible was about to say when chess asked him about amy in UG when he said that he wasnt tied to her she was just a dame he knew he was about to elaborate but didnt,see i really would like to know everything i just love T man

ill keep my fingers crossed for ya!

❀ Sharon ❀ wrote: "ill keep my fingers crossed for ya!"

thank you sharon,wouldnt that be brilliant!

Wow I hope it's all better. Illness takes so much out of us. Sending healing thoughts~~~~Settling down would be nice, maybe give you more time for your writing ? Ok yes maybe that is self-serving isn't it.
Q- How did you first discover Chess and her story in you? Was there and event, a person.. that started it all ?

How do you come up with your characters' names? Is there a particular meaning behind their names, and if so, can you share what that is for some of the characters in the Downside books?
Also, is there anything you can tell us about the YA projects you have in the works? Thanks!

Tiffany wrote: "How do you come up with your characters' names? Is there a particular meaning behind their names, and if so, can you share what that is for some of the characters in the Downside books?
Also, is..."

I was wondering the same thing about the names. Like Bump and Terrible. Surely those are not their real name?

The first three books felt like a fairly complete trilogy to me (not that I'm complaining about more books!). Did you always have the further adventures of Chess planned out?

I asked this on one of the other threads but it seems like this is where people are starting to post their direct questions to Stacia so I'll join in. I'm curious about how you came up with the Downside slang and if you keep a slang dictionary when you are writing? It's so wonderful...the slang makes the world for me in so many ways. "Chatter" is one of my favs...so good.

Mona wrote: "I asked this on one of the other threads but it seems like this is where people are starting to post their direct questions to Stacia so I'll join in. I'm curious about how you came up with the Do..."

I think there's a link on Stacia's page to a video where an interviewer asks a similar question. Stellar btw, Downspeak is so much of what makes this an unforgettable series!

Thanks Sarah! I had forgotten that video bit. She does say she has a "word museum". So cool.

I love downspeak! so vivid, glad you found the video Mona. I enjoyed the interview very much.

Ok friends ... round 2 of the cage match is up, lets vote and get Chessiebomb another W!!

http://sf-fantasy.suvudu.com/2012/03/...

(P.S. sorry if you see this several times, I want to make sure this gets out there!)

Thanks Laura

ugh, she's getting crushed....dang cage match is like crack!!! I can't stop checking it, but it's killing me, but I can't stop!!!

Hindley wrote: "your books are puuuure awesomeness,and terrible is the icing on the cake!well i really as do many die hard fans im sure would like a look into terrible s mind,how he sees chess,how he experienced h..."

Hi Hindley! Thank you!

I do indeed plan to write something from Terrible's POV, absolutely; it's on my list. I'm basically just trying to decide if I want to re-tell one of the novels from his viewpoint (though it will only be a novella, not a full-length novel) or if I want to tell a story about the time period in between UG and UM. There's a little scene in my head that happened during that time--Chess mentioned it briefly in CoG, actually, the night she passed out on his couch--and it's a sweet little moment. But I'm not sure if I have enough plot for the story that would go with that. So we'll see. :-)

But yeah, there will definitely be something from his POV at some point, probably this year.

Hindley wrote: "your books are puuuure awesomeness,and terrible is the icing on the cake!well i really as do many die hard fans im sure would like a look into terrible s mind,how he sees chess,how he experienced h..."

Oh! I forgot to say, in UG when Chess asks him about Amy and he looks like he was going to say something else, he was considering emphasizing the fact that he's single and doesn't have what he considers a specific girlfriend. But he decided it was pointless to say so, because it wasn't like he'd ever have a chance with Chess anyway. :-)

Yodamom wrote: "Q- How did you first discover Chess and her story in you? Was there and event, a person.. that started it all ?"

Hmm, good question!

Honestly, for a while I'd just been wanting to write a character more like me, one I understood. And I felt that women with serious weaknesses and problems were/are seriously underrepresented in genre fiction, and it bothered me, to be honest. That the men get to have all these problems and be all awesomely fucked up, but the women are expected to walk this very narrow line.

And I got tired of reading about books where the heroine had issues and then buying the book only to find that really, it was just the same "acceptable" problems over and over again. I'm not saying they weren't good books or that I didn't like and identify with the heroines, just that it was frustrating to once again feel that women like me aren't allowed to be heroines.

So I wrote Chess--I needed to write Chess--because I figured if I wish there were women like me in fiction, maybe there are other women like me who do as well.

Tiffany wrote: "How do you come up with your characters' names? Is there a particular meaning behind their names, and if so, can you share what that is for some of the characters in the Downside books?
Also, is..."

Hi Tiffany!

There is a meaning behind Lex's name, actually. In the archaic slang book I use for some of the Downspeech I found the term "Ex-Lex," which meant "outside the law/illegal." I liked the idea of "Lex." It suggested a character to me. So I used it! :-)

A few of the minor characters's names came about that way: "Jarkman" is an archaic term for a forger, for example.

"Big Shog" in UG was actually named after a piece of graffiti I saw at Kings Cross station in London. It was just before I started writing, and I was on the train into London and came up with the idea for the City of Eternity and the train that went there. And I was so excited about the idea, and then I saw all the graffiti there, which made me think of another way to add dimension to the world--names etc.--and just sort of picked one at random to use.

"Cesaria" came from an old boss of mine's son Cesare. I thought that was such a cool name, and it popped into my head when I was trying to think of a name for my MC (originally I'd thought of Josephine but that only lasted a day or so, as it clearly didn't fit). I looked up the female version of it and I just instantly knew it was right. I still think it's an awesome name.


And my YA project is a historical dark UF/alternate history, with demons and machines and Fae and street gangs. I'm really excited about it but really am short on time to work on it!

Jennifer (a.k.a The Book Nympho) wrote: "I was wondering the same thing about the names. Like Bump and Terrible. Surely those are not their real name?"

"Bump" isn't Bump's real name, no. I think his real name is Reginald.

But "Terrible" is indeed his real name, or at least as close to it as he's ever come; if somebody named him when he was a baby nobody knows what that name was, and nobody ever really called him anything else once he was old enough that people started calling him something. Terrible doesn't know when his birthday is, either; he's never seen his birth certificate and doesn't even know if he has one (he probably does, since he was born BT, but there's no way to find it without knowing his DOB or parents' names or whatever else).

Kindle-aholic wrote: "The first three books felt like a fairly complete trilogy to me (not that I'm complaining about more books!). Did you always have the further adventures of Chess planned out?"

Yep! It was always envisioned as a series, hopefully of at least nine books. But I wanted to make sure I gave readers at least some kind of conclusion at the end of the third book, since my contract was for three books and of course I had no idea if they would sell well enough for my publishers to want to buy more. :-)

Mona wrote: "I asked this on one of the other threads but it seems like this is where people are starting to post their direct questions to Stacia so I'll join in. I'm curious about how you came up with the Do..."


As others have said, yes, I have an archaic slang dictionary called THE WORD MUSEUM that I use, and I do occasionally make up words as well. One of these days I'm going to do my own little Downspeak dictionary...when I have a minute to breathe! :-)

It was just really important to me that the characters and world be as fully rounded and fleshed out as possible, and speech is one of those things. I mean, having a bunch of poor uneducated people speaking perfect English is going to sound wrong. But at the same time I didn't want something that would be hard to read or would be accented (I've seen once or twice people mention it sounds like it's a Cajun accent or Southern accent, which surprises me, because it's not, at least not in my head!). So it's basically just kind of stripped down language with some tense/pronoun issues and a certain rhythm to it, and it's so much fun to write!

Stacia wrote: "Hindley wrote: "your books are puuuure awesomeness,and terrible is the icing on the cake!well i really as do many die hard fans im sure would like a look into terrible s mind,how he sees chess,how ..."



I would not have even thought that! How awesome! I love him................

Stacia wrote: "Hindley wrote: "your books are puuuure awesomeness,and terrible is the icing on the cake!well i really as do many die hard fans im sure would like a look into terrible s mind,how he sees chess,how ..."

thank you so much stacia,im really exited about terrible pov,i just love the guy.

Stacia wrote: "Hindley wrote: "your books are puuuure awesomeness,and terrible is the icing on the cake!well i really as do many die hard fans im sure would like a look into terrible s mind,how he sees chess,how ..."

thanks stacia that really was brilliant.

Emily wrote: "Stacia wrote: "Hindley wrote: "your books are puuuure awesomeness,and terrible is the icing on the cake!well i really as do many die hard fans im sure would like a look into terrible s mind,how he ..."

yeah,me too!

Thanks Stacia...I also would LOVE anything from Terrible's POV. Taking a scene we already know and switching the POV is so freakin' fun and educational. I also love the idea of a scene or moment, that has only been mentioned in the existing books, fleshed out from Terrible's POV. You are so good to us!

i have the feeling that Terrible really fancied Chess way before they got to work together,as he probably used to see her getting her supplies from bump and hitting the piperoom,but thought she was way out of his league.i wish he had the courage to approach her,and show her what a sweet and genuine person he is.sometimes what is beautiful on the outside is absolutely rotten on the inside,and what is not so attractive on the outside hides a a real diamond on the inside.

Hindley wrote: "i have the feeling that Terrible really fancied Chess way before they got to work together,as he probably used to see her getting her supplies from bump and hitting the piperoom,but thought she was..."

That is a neat thought. Him noticing her long before they work together awwwwww but it would have made for a boring story ;)

Oh, he absolutely knew who she was. :-)

I would LOVE to be able to purchase a Downside Slang Dictionary as well as The Book of Truth. All the various books and pamphlets quoted lend so much depth to the world and culture. It's such a wonderful device that gives Stacia a way to make a little comment on what is happening as well as broadening the reality of the environment.

well you re probably right it would ve been boring,but sooo sweet,but let s face it chess was totally oblivious to him,it took her seeing him sticking his tongue down Amy s throat,for any sparks to ignite.

Stacia wrote: "Yodamom wrote: "Q- How did you first discover Chess and her story in you? Was there and event, a person.. that started it all ?"

Hmm, good question!

Honestly, for a while I'd just been wanting to..."

YES! This is a major part of what I love about the Downside books. Chess is deeply familiar to me. Her flaws, her addictions, her insecurities, her desperation to be true to that which she feels has saved her life and her complete humanness. All imperfections and shortcomings so real and not slicked up. I love the conflict between her dedication to the Church and her need to be in Downside where she can relax and just be herself, flaws, addictions and all. The double life of the addict, it doesn't ever truly end.

Hindley wrote: "well you re probably right it would ve been boring,but sooo sweet,but let s face it chess was totally oblivious to him,it took her seeing him sticking his tongue down Amy s throat,for any sparks to..."

I won't argue. It would have been sweet <3 We know how she felt about him though from the first scene with him. She insulted him and his looks lol. He was just Bumps muscle to her and to everyone. I like that he noticed her before that though. I can't believe I did not even think about that!

Stacia wrote: "Oh, he absolutely knew who she was. :-)yeah he knew her and i think he fancied her as well.She just was too absorbed in numbing her pain to notice his interest.

Emily wrote: "Hindley wrote: "well you re probably right it would ve been boring,but sooo sweet,but let s face it chess was totally oblivious to him,it took her seeing him sticking his tongue down Amy s throat,f..."

i love the books so much,that i scrutinise everything,and try to decipher the whys the whats and the wheres lol

So some authors love to answer this question and some don't. I've never seen if you've answered this before but... Do you have any celebrities picked out for how you envision your characters? Did you have someone in mind when creating their looks?

Thanks! LOVE the series! Terrible is my number 1. He's the bestest. ;)

Love the idea of a book of slang and Church facts someone mentioned. Couple it with a few novellas and I'm sold!

Stacia wrote: "Kindle-aholic wrote: "The first three books felt like a fairly complete trilogy to me (not that I'm complaining about more books!). Did you always have the further adventures of Chess planned out?"...Yep! It was always envisioned as a series, hopefully of at least nine books."

Very cool! I am very appreciative that you gave us an ending of sorts, but even more glad that we have more Chess & Terrible coming. :)

Emmy the Fiction Vixen wrote:Love the idea of a book of slang and Church facts someone mentioned. Couple it with a few novellas and I'm sold! "

That would be awesome - A Downside Ghosts Insider's Guide...

Will we ever find out what Terrible saw in Tyson's place when he touched the book in UG? And YAY for Terrible POV!

Laura wrote: "Will we ever find out what Terrible saw in Tyson's place when he touched the book in UG? And YAY for Terrible POV!"

That is an excellent question Laura! I have also wondered what happened in Terrible's mind during that scene. Curiosity!

Emily wrote: "Laura wrote: "Will we ever find out what Terrible saw in Tyson's place when he touched the book in UG? And YAY for Terrible POV!"

That is an excellent question Laura! I have also wondered what hap..."

I am re-reading, and just got to that part. Or should I say listening ... on my way home from work. :-)I am super curious! That whole scene, the drive down there and such, would be a GREAT scene to do from Terrible's POV! :-)

Laura wrote: "Emily wrote: "Laura wrote: "Will we ever find out what Terrible saw in Tyson's place when he touched the book in UG? And YAY for Terrible POV!"

That is an excellent question Laura! I have also won..."

OH YEAH...from Terrible's POV...because he has that moment where he's looking at Chess while she's looking at the ocean for the first time. I expect there was a lot going on for him that whole time...before and after the book thing.

Yep yep, throwing in my vote for that scene too. Excellent! I just started my re-reads as well, and I'm catching alot more details this time. Church questions I had, nuances that were totally present but I must have glossed over.

All you ladies are making me think it's time for a re-read to see what I pick up a second time around.

That would be a great scene to have his POV!

Emmy the Fiction Vixen wrote: "So some authors love to answer this question and some don't. I've never seen if you've answered this before but... Do you have any celebrities picked out for how you envision your characters? Did y..."


Hi Emmy!

Lol, I don't love or hate it. But no, I don't imagine any celebrities or anything like that. :-) I do occasionally realize that they may resemble someone--like Chess really does look a lot like Bettie Page--or I may see someone after the book is written and thing, "Oh yeah. s/he could be Character X." But there's never a celebrity who looks exactly like them, because in my head they just look like themselves.


And I am actually hoping to have some news about a new novella soon. :-) The dictionary would be just a page on my site, something easy to find and free. But the Book of Truth...I dunno. That's a lot to cover; I think you pretty much have to be a big name to get a publisher interested in something like that (i.e. Diana Gabaldon, J.R. Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon) and I am so far from that, and I think it would be such a huge project. But it would be fun. I keep all of the epigrams in a separate file so I can access them easily, but of course they're all out of order as far as what Article they are. :-)

Thanks so much!