Snarky *boots propped on my porch railing, whip curled in her lap*: So you finally womaned up and got Kevin Hearne to swing by? ‘Bout damn time!
Wicked *hand on doornob*: Look, I know you and the other Evil 7 think I’m all Miss Social but it’s only because I know you deviants. Approaching world famous writers like *hush tone* Kevin Hearne reduces me to a stuttering mess.
Snarky *does that “look” thing she does so well*
Wicked *mutters under breath, opens door and steps inside only to come to a complete stops as a mass of fur barrels by* Was that JoJo and Jasmine, with Hellhound? What’s the deal?
Prankster Duo 1: Hey Mom, Hellhound invited some chicks over. He told them that Irish stud was stopping by.
Snarky *perking up*: Atticus?
Wicked: Snarky! Your drool is showing!
Prankster Duo 1 *rolls his eyes across the floor*: You guys are so weird! Like no, the other one, Oberon.
Wicked: Weird? Looks who’s talking, child of mine. Okay, does Smokey and Eerie know where their girls are?
Prankster Duo 1: Dunno.
Wicked: Go tell them. First, do me a favor and make sure the fur trio doesn’t track dirt into the house. I just cleaned it. I don’t need Kevin thinking that just because we live in the Swamp, we have to decorate with mud. *Stops in shock* What the hell happened to my kitchen!
Prankster Duo 2 *head pops over the counter with towering plate of bacon*: Hey Mom! You’re home! Great! We need more bacon.
Knight in Slightly Muddy Armor *turns with devlish grin*: Check out the beer selection I got! Eerie got the Werewolf Monks to send over some Howling Moon for our get together.
Before the craziness that is my life overtakes us all–Ladies and Germs may I present today’s guest, the always humorous and witty creator of the Iron Druid Chronicles, Kevin Hearne…
Personally, I tend to be a bit on the introverted side so the thought of being in the actual presence of one of my favorite writers makes my heart race, my knees shake and tangles my tongue. Who could reduce you to such a level and how to you imagine your initial meeting?
It’s actually already happened to me. The first time I met Patrick Rothfuss I fanboyed all over him. It’s out of my system now and I can speak to him like a normal dude. I suppose now it would be Neil Gaiman. I don’t think I’d be able to handle meeting him. I’ll just be thankful I get to walk the world at the same time he does.
–You’re not the only one! One of the few times I’ve seen Red Dwarve all a flutter was when Neil Gaiman responded to one of Red’s tweets!
Many writers have that first novel which will never see the light of day. Out of curiosity, do you have one stashed somewhere? Inquiring minds want to know: what was your first attempt at writing and how old were you?
I do have one stashed away—it’s called THE ROAD TO CIBOLA. By the gods of twenty pantheons, it’s awful, but I’m so glad I wrote it. I learned a lot writing that book—mostly things I should never do again. But those are crucial lessons to learn. And the other thing I got out of it was the confidence that I can finish a novel, period. That’s also crucial. It took me a long time to finish a book—nine years of starting and never finishing several projects, and then six years after that to finish Cibola. I wrote another book that will never be published in the next three years, and then HOUNDED in a year after that. So nineteen years, all told, before I got it right.
What’s some of the sweetest/strangest things you’ve heard from your readers?
The sweetest have been from a couple of people who said they read my books to someone who was recovering from surgery in the hospital and the stories somehow made their convalescence a bit easier and relieved a whole lot of stress. The strangest have been some folks who wanted me to start a religion based on the Druidry I’ve described in my books.
What is the best advice you can share with others?
Focus on character and let your plots flow from them. And if writing is truly your dream, don’t give up! It took me nineteen years, but I got published without any contacts in NY. If you write a good story that hits the market at the right time you’ll be published too.
Blades, guns, fists or feet?
I tend to avoid stabbity, shooty, punchy, smelly things.
Favorite fairy tale?
Anything that hasn’t been touched by Disney. Give me the old Baba Yaga tales.
Three titles and their authors sitting on your nightstand waiting to be read?
LOW TOWN by Daniel Polansky, LOSS by Jackie Kessler, and a book that’s not even out yet by an author no one knows. However, they *will* know him in the summer of 2013 after his first book, THE DARWIN ELEVATOR, comes out. He’s the next big thing—his name is Jason Hough—and I’m about to dive into the second book in his series. I’m getting early peeks from my publisher, muah-ha-ha-haa.
Strangest item currently taking up space in your writing cave?
A statue of Ganesha. I’m not a Hindu but he’s a cool dude and I really like him.
Favorite supernatural creature
Definitely yeti. I don’t know why. Ari Marmell had me read THE GOBLIN CORPS, which is full of all sorts of critters, but I couldn’t stop gushing about his yeti. That just pressed my nerd button I guess.
Much love and thanks to Kevin for taking time out of his busy schedule to visit with us! If you haven’t already, you must go add the adventures of Atticus and Oberon to your reading pile. You can find him at his web site: www.KevinHearne.com
His latest release is TRAPPED, the fifth book in the series. Now run, fast before the mobs hit the bookstores and grab all the available copies!