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Interview with author Howard Andrew Jones
Posted by: Redhead on: December 24, 2018
In: Howard Andrew Jones | interviews
I recently had the opportunity to interview author Howard Andrew Jones, whose forthcoming fantasy book, For The Killing of Kings, will be available in February from St. Martin's press. The first in an epic, adventure-filled trilogy, For The Killing of Kings involves a fragile peace, forgeries, conspiracies, and a near unstoppable invading force. Brace yourself for a fantastic and action packed February!
Howard Andrew Jones has written a series of Arabian historical fantasies, and a number of Pathfinder novels. He was the managing editor for Black Gate Magazine, has posted a ton of blog posts about the art and struggle of creating fiction and editing, and among other editing projects is currently the Executive Editor of Perilous Worlds. Howard was kind enough to chat with me about the new fantasy series, editing, his family farm, gaming, and more. To learn more about Howard and his work, head over to his website, HowardAndrewJones.com.
Little Red Reviewer: Congratulations on your forthcoming novel For the Killing of Kings! What can you tell us about this book's journey from idea to finished novel?
Howard Andrew Jones: Thanks! This one has been with me for a looong time in some form or other. The primary characters starred in an unpublished novel twenty years ago, and while I set that book aside, the characters stayed with me. I've been working on the first two books off and on for the last four years, in between other projects. My previous novels have been inter-related, but weren't as closely connected, and it took me a little time to figure out how to assemble a trilogy. It also required a couple of drafts to get to a longer length a lot of modern readers seem to prefer and keep the swift pacing I like.
LRR: Who was your favorite character to write?
HAJ: Honestly, I loved writing all of these characters. The swordswoman and enchantress Elenai, the novel's principal protagonist, is an awful lot of fun because of her drive and curiosity, and I get a particular charge out of the brilliant, precise, and slightly peculiar Varama. She adds more than her body weight to any scene where she appears. Two of my initial inspirations were Corwin and Benedict of Amber because I always wanted to see more of both on the page. After more than two decades in my head, the two characters who started out as homages to them are their own people, but I had a blast writing the charming, deadly warrior and the tactical genius.
LRR: This is the beginning of a trilogy. Do you have the entire thing planned out, or will you just write and see where the story goes?
Tags: fantasy, Interview