I was asked to do an email interview about “Small Towns”, my novelette currently available in the January/February Fantasy and Science Fiction. Assistant Editor Stephen Mazur has posted the interview over at the F&SF blog.
I was really glad to have the opportunity — writing this one was interesting and unusual, and I hope readers are interested in the extra information.
Comments
I found it interesting even without having read the story. That before-and-after photo of Passchendaele is remarkable, and does more to convey the scale of destruction than anything I’ve encountered before. No wonder it stimulated you to write!
I’m so impressed with people who can write historical fiction set in periods and locales they’re not already familiar with. I can’t imagine feeling like I know enough to do that.
John —
There’s a certain base egotism you need to write anything at all, and I think it takes an extra dose to do historical fiction. At least using an era I’ve read about a lot helps. It gives a framework from which to begin imagining, somewhere to stand before you try to recreate the world!