Name – Mark Lawrence
Age –
40-something
Where are you from –
Champagne-Urbana, Illinois … though I haven’t been back there for 40-something years. Raised in London, England.
A little about yourself (i.e your education Family life etc) –
I’m a research scientist (though possibly not for much longer thanks to massive UK spending cuts) working on problems that fall beneath the broad umbrella of ‘artificial intelligence’. My first degree was in physics, my Ph.D in a branch of mathematics. I live in Bristol, UK, have four children, the youngest of which is severely disabled and consumes most of my time.
Fiona: Tell us your latest news?-
Prince of Thorns got on the Goodreads shortlist for Best Fantasy of 2011. Always nice when a site with 6 million members gives you the thumbs up! Also the cover for King of Thorns is out and looking excellent.
Fiona: When and why did you begin writing?-
I played D&D as a kid – writing campaigns is a creative enterprise. In my 20s I ran a Play-By-Mail game and that was also an exercise in creative writing. In my late thirties I started writing short stories and they got longer… Why? I enjoy doing it. I’ll have to have a look on-site at previous answers to that one – right now I can’t imagine another answer!
Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer?-
There’s never been a step-change in how I feel about that. I could say from the moment I started, or that I’ve never felt like a writer, I’ve just felt like a person who writes.
Fiona: What inspired you to write your first book?-
I’m not sure. I suspect I just started a short story and that it took a long time to reach the end. The book that got published started the same way – the inspiration for the main character (as opposed to the inspiration to start writing) came from Anthony Burgess’ A Clockwork Orange.
Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style?-
Probably. Like your own accent when you talk, it’s very difficult for the owner to detect. Certainly the translator who created the German edition said I had a very distinct voice that he worked hard to preserve into the new language.
Fiona: How did you come up with the title?-
It was one of about ten I threw down for my agent. We both knew the working title “The Hundred War” was potentially misleading. At the time it wasn’t an obvious choice but it’s tough now to imagine choosing any of the other options. The foreign language versions have changed the title to ‘Prince of Vengeance’ and ‘Prince of Darkness’ neither of which works half as well for me.
Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?-
Nothing so direct as a message, no. I hope there’s some depth there though and that people will pause on occasion to think. It seems the biggest revelation for many fantasy fans is that a book can be about someone without that person needing a label such as ‘hero’ or ‘antihero’.
Fiona: How much of the book is realistic?-
From the right perspective all of it is.
Fiona: Are the events/characters based on someone you know, or events in your own life?-
No. The tone of the book is perhaps an echo of a personal tragedy, but there’s no direct mapping.
Fiona: What books have most influenced your life most?-
Lord of the Rings, because I read it very early and it shaped my interests. I have other favorite books but I can’t say that they’ve influenced me – though they may well have.
Fiona: If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?-
I wouldn’t consider any particular writer to be a mentor. I’ve learned a lot from reading books that are badly written. Those lessons tend to be easier to spot and to employ than trying to mine out the magic that makes an excellent book excellent. I suppose I started to notice the mechanics of writing when I began to try to write in earnest. In those days when I read fantasy it was often David Gemmell and I would try to see how it was he made me care.
Fiona: What book are you reading now?-
Miserere by Teresa Frohock.
Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?-
I try not to comment on other new authors. If I pick out one for praise I don’t want to imply criticism of others that know I’ve read their work. Established authors are fair game.
Fiona: What are your current projects?-
The one I’m free to talk about is a fantasy/gunslinger cross-over called Gunlaw. It’s coming together out of short stories due for publication in Black Gate magazine and I’m having fun with it as it starts to gather momentum.
Fiona: Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.-
My online writing group critical_writing (a yahoo group).
Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?-
I try not to. I still cycle my ten-mile round-trip to work, whatever the weather, and I enjoy my science.
I don’t have a writing career, all I have are book contracts – in a few years they can run their course and there are absolutely no guarantees of more. It seems to me to be as cruel a business as the music industry and that if one expects and prepares for being tossed aside without ceremony by both public and publishers, then one will probably come out the far side of it all a lot better off.
Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?-
Well I had the time and opportunity to do it all over again … and I didn’t. So no.
Fiona: Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?-
As a reader.
Fiona: Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?-
Not especially. I guess when I try to write about real things that are outside my experience it becomes a challenge to make it convincing. Generally I avoid that. I expect that I am, for example, not so good at writing small talk between young women, or mining the pathos in domestic situations.
Fiona: Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?-
My favorite fantasy author would be George Martin, primarily for his powerful and compelling characterizations and ability to bring so much to so many point-of-view characters.
My favorite author, period, would be William Golding for his ability to see through us and set down what’s hidden.
Fiona: Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?-
Not at all. Which is a good thing since I spend my time out of work caring for my disabled daughter and have no opportunity to travel.
Fiona: Who designed the covers?-
Jason Chan. Nice aren’t they!
Fiona: What was the hardest part of writing your book?-
No part of it was hard. Since I had no expectation of getting paid I was only writing for enjoyment.
Fiona: Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?-
I guess I learned that a writer puts more on the page than they intended but that most people mistake what it is.
Fiona: Do you have any advice for other writers?-
Only write if you enjoy writing. Only write if the act itself is sufficient reward. Be honest. And never for a moment consider that your mother might get to read it.
Fiona: Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?-
Yes: If you bought the book, thanks for buying it. If you liked the book, please tell someone.
Fiona: If you were not a writer what else would you like to have done ?-
I don’t feel that my writing has got in the way of anything, so whatever I may not have achieved/experienced isn’t at the expense of having written. In another life I might have liked to be a homicide investigator.
Fiona: Do you have a blog/website? if so what is it?-
http://www.princeofthorns.com/
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