For those who don’t know: I’ve been a full-time professional writer for 30 years now. Authored computer games, tabletop games, novels, comics, and have been working hard at breaking out into feature film and TV. I’ve been a part of furry fandom since 1986, and wrote the first furry novels written from within the fandom: “MUS OF KERBRIDGE”, “FANGS OF K’AATH”, and “A WHISPER OF WINGS”.
– And I’m still writing!
1. Tell us about your most recent project (written or published). What inspired it?
Well – I’ve just finished writing the first book in a new series called “Spirit Hunters”
– “SPIRIT HUNTERS Book 1: The way of the Fox”.
This is a novellisation taken from a huge ‘furry’ television series I have written. The stories are wonderful ‘Samurai Ghostbusters’ tales set in a sort of magical medieval Japanese otherwhen. The starring character is a wonderfully lackadaisical, devious, charismatic fox priestess. We follow her story as she battles monsters and unravels intrigues – somehow flitting along the path to wisdom. These are delightful tales that all link together into a great, sweeping story arc full of adventure, love and action.
I’m releasing this book in the next few weeks. I wanted create something the furries would love. Hopefully it will be a big hit amongst the furry community.
Previous to that, I have just finished a titanic 4 book series called ‘Effectuators’ – deliciously ormolu tales set in London in 1869. Ancient mysteries and weird creatures – and a deliciously bewitching main character.
I’m also now just finishing up a new furry roleplaying game. So far, it looks gorgeous!
2. What’s your writing process like? Are you a “pantser,” an outliner, or something in between?
For me, writing is a calling – not a job. I do it because I have to. It’s what I do.
I tend to spend a while fretting and taxing myself to come up with ideas – covering the room with notes, scribbles and drawings. I push hard – often too hard – adding to ideas bit by bit, until one starts to gel. I then sit down and start to flesh that idea out into a full project.
A lot of what I write comes from very extensive research. This can be physical experience, or deep research. So – research is all a part of the development. I make a story plan, but it is very generalised: the story will write itself in its own way. Once I have the feel properly set in my head, I start writing and just let it flow.
I find the writing stage to be full of fun. I research as I write, and let the piece try to find its voice. But it is a very hard grind: 12 hours a day for months and months.
I am extremely disciplined and driven. I forge forward diligently to the end of a project, and utterly exhaust myself. The trouble is, when I’m not writing and creating, I become horribly restless and depressed. So I have to fling myself straight into another idea.
I’ve been doing it for 30 years, working all that time as a full-time professional writer. I’ve never earned a dime doing any other work.
3. What’s your favorite kind of story to write?
I’m a romantic. I love stories filled with cunning and cleverness, heroic deeds and adventure. Love and friendship. Stories with heart. Stories with humour. Stories that entertain.
I do love to write good action scenes – fights grounded in the real.
And I love to make a visual world – something full of colour and vista. Something the readers can close their eyes and see.
One thing I take pride and delight in doing is in creating strong female characters. Many of my books star a female lead character. I’ve always felt that genre fiction does a terrible disservice to female characters. I take a great joy in trying to redress the balance.
Furry Writers’ Guild 