Study Buddies discussion

Hey everyone!

Gail Carriger was nice enough to say she'd come over and answer questions since we're reading Soulless this month as our group read. If you're interested, post questions here (even before the date, especially if you can't make it here on Feb. 1, 10 am - 12 nn Pacific time [UTC-8:]).

If you can make it here during her visit, please remember to hit refresh frequently to see new posts.

Thanks to Gail for being a sweetheart and for writing this fun fantasy novel.

Don't forget to pick up [image error] on March 30th!

Hi Alethea,
Thanks for setting up this question and answer session with Gail Carriger! I recently read Soulless and loved it, and am excited to read Changeless. I'm not sure if I can make it to the session, but I will try. Here are a few questions I have for her, trying not to ask too many spoilers:

1. How many books are you expecting to write in this series? Do you have plans to write another series?

2. Will there be any other types of supernaturals introduced in this series?

3. Who are your favorite characters to write? I love all the supporting characters.

4. What are your favorite books that you have read recently?

5. Some authors are announcing that they will be attending San Diego Comic-Con this year, would you consider attending for a panel or signing?

6. What is your writing process? Do you like to listen to music to inspire you? What type of music?

Thanks!

1. How many books are you expecting to write in this series? Do you have plans to write another series?
I'm under contract with Orbit for three books: Soulless, Changeless, and Blameless. I could see a few more after that but not many (at least not with these characters). Not to be crass, but any more than three is, I suspect, entirely dependent upon sales.

2. Will there be any other types of supernaturals introduced in this series?
That depends on your definition of "type." I do imagine the world contains other evolutionary strains of vampires (pishtacos, for example, Andean vampires who suck fat instead of blood) and werecreatures (werecayotes in North America and the like) but these will not necessarily introduced in this particular series.

3. Who are your favorite characters to write? I love all the supporting characters.
Alexia is the easiest to write but minor and side characters can be pretty darn fun because they are cartoonish and don't have to be explored deeply. I have a real affection for Ivy, Lyall, and Lord Akeldama. There are a couple new side characters in the next books that I really enjoy writing as well.

4. What are your favorite books that you have read recently?
The most recent that springs to mind is Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler. She, too, has a thing for larger-than-life side characters.

5. Some authors are announcing that they will be attending San Diego Comic-Con this year, would you consider attending for a panel or signing?
I do turn up at small cons, signings, and bookstore events (I may even be in San Diego in a few months). I'm a pretty social bee for an author. But the numbers at Comic Con are daunting and I'm a tad agoraphobic. So, I would say it's a real long shot, and definitely not this year, I believe I'm in Peru right around that time.

6. What is your writing process? Do you like to listen to music to inspire you? What type of music?
If I am on a deadline (and not teaching) I'm super strict with myself and have a routine: up, tea, exercise, food, business emails, lunch, and then from 2PM - 6PM I write 2000 or more words (accompanied by more tea and breaks for stretching). I don't listen to music, but I will remove myself to a coffee shop or the library if I am having a really difficult time with a project. For some reason a relocation can kick start me like nothing else.

Hi Gail! I may have a wonky internet connection around 10 am (I'll be at community college, and their wifi is untrustworthy) so I'm posting some of my questions ahead of time:

1. When-abouts did you decide to become a writer? Was it something you dreamed about since you were a child or a more recent, adult development?

2. Do you have a favorite bookstore? Where is it, and why do you love it so?

3. Your book made me hungry! Do you eat while you write? If you do, what do you eat?

4. If you could take over another writer's character (for example, what Eric van Lustbader has been doing for Robert Ludlum's Bourne) who would it be and why? (doesn't have to be a book--it could be a tv or movie franchise)

- - -

Um, ok, having trouble formulating questions that are not of the author-annoying "just tell me what happens in the sequel" variety. I guess I just want to say thanks, Gail, for answering our questions, for writing such a fun series, and for generally being a sweetheart. My pal Kate and I are giving you some bookseller-love (i.e. making lots o' people buy it) so if you're ever near Borders Glendale (CA), pop in and say hi!

I always wonder the same thing with authors, so I'll go with that:

How much of 'you' is there in Alexia, and if you could live in the world you've created (vs. this one), would you?

Thanks!

(and you already know I love Soulless, I've been pushing it like crazy (and bought it for a few people); I'm Book Rat/DarlingMisty. I know, I know, with the handles already. ;p)

(also, can you use parantheses inside parantheses ^ ?)

Hi Gail,
Thanks so much for answering my questions.

It sounds like you have a great disciplined writing routine.

I really enjoyed Ivy, Lyall, and Lord Akeldama as well.

Coincidentally, I picked up Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler at the book store yesterday. Looking forward to reading it.

I definitely understand about avoiding large con's like Comic Con. It is overwhelming! Hope to meet you at a book store someday.

Thanks again for answering questions. I can't wait to read your next book!

Thanks for doing this Q/A session, Gail.

My questions:
1. The book probably mentions this, but being a late night reader certain details tend to escape my memory. Are the Alphas of the werewolf packs the only ones that can create new werewolves?

2. Did Oscar Wilde's, or any other witty Victorian writer's, prose effect the writing of your book?

3. If you could be a supernatural being from your book which would it be?

Hi Gail.

Thanks so much for coming on to answer questions. It's super nice of you.

I love your writing routine. What kind of routine did you have before you were able to stay home and write? Or have you always been able to write/work from home?

Will you be doing a tour for Changeless? If so, might you be dropping by Powell's bookstore in Portland, OR? If you've never been there before, it's pretty much the holy grail for new and used books, and a must for all book tours. Or at least I think so. :D

Again, thank you SO much for coming on and chatting with our group. You certainly have a lot of fans and it is nice that you take the time to connect.

Hi Gail,

I loved Soulless and have recommended it to everyone I can think of. I can't wait for Changeless to come out!

I was wondering what your process for editing is? You mentioned writing 2000 words a day--what about when you're editing; do you edit 2000 words a day (or some other amount)? And do you have a specific method for editing? (I'm an as-yet-unpublished writer in the middle of editing my current wip so I'm very interested in your answer.)

Thank you for taking time to talk with us. :)

Ladies, our lovely author seems to be fashionably late, that or she got lost on the Interwebs somewhere (checks Twitter... nope, not there) Go on asking ?s and she'll answer when she gets back--she's obviously been here already!

Alethea wrote: "Ladies, our lovely author seems to be fashionably late, that or she got lost on the Interwebs somewhere (checks Twitter... nope, not there) Go on asking ?s and she'll answer when she gets back--she..."

Sooo Sorry! But I'm here and I'll stay late and check back all day as recompense.

Hi Gail! No worries :) we're just thrilled to have you here. You're famous doncha know?

Hi Alethea
1. When-abouts did you decide to become a writer? Was it something you dreamed about since you were a child or a more recent, adult development?
I always dreamed of being an archeologist but I also always wrote. I didn't really think about getting published until I was around 15. My best friend got a short story accepted into MZB's Sword & Sorceress. And I was like, "You can do that? I thought that was only for real authors." It was the first moment I thought it was even possible.

2. Do you have a favorite bookstore? Where is it, and why do you love it so?
Well, I haven't visited them all (and I can't wait to visit Murder by the Book and Mysterious Galaxy some day) but I do love Borderlands Books on Valencia in San Francisco. They also have a cafe right next door. They are incredibly friendly and tapped into the Social Medea world. They host a lot of author and SF/F related events, turn up on the convention circuit, and are genuinely sweet people. Their cafe also does lose leaf tea in a proper pot, with a strainer and everything. It's amazing.

3. Your book made me hungry! Do you eat while you write? If you do, what do you eat?
I drink tea while I write. (To be perfectly honest I drink tea while drive, iron, watch TV, put on makeup, hike, ad infinitum. I may even have been known to drink tea in the shower.) But, no I generally don't eat while I write. I love food, and I'm big on giving it the proper respect. So I believe if you are having a meal, you should do so at a table, preferably in good company.

4. If you could take over another writer's character (for example, what Eric van Lustbader has been doing for Robert Ludlum's Bourne) who would it be and why? (doesn't have to be a book--it could be a tv or movie franchise)
PG Woodehouse's Jeeves & Wooster as portrayed by Fry & Laurie. I love them with a love that is pure and will last forever.

Hi Misty,

How much of 'you' is there in Alexia, and if you could live in the world you've created (vs. this one), would you?
Probably much more of me is in Alexia than I would care to admit. I'm starting some new projects right now and I realize how much of myself always seems to creep into the main characters. I think one can legitimately pick and chose aspects to incorporate, and it's certainly true my best friends' character traits creep in to Alexia a lot too. (It does make me very suspicious of authors who write anti-heros, POV killers, and the like.) That said, I did deliberately put parts of myself into three side characters (1 of whom doesn't appear in the first book). I shall leave you to guess which three.
As to whether I would live in the world. Nope. Since I'm sticking pretty close to Victorian era London and (while this may not come out in the book) that was a miserable, bigoted, foul smelling, cesspit of a place.

(also, can you use parantheses inside parantheses ^ ?)
Yes, but use with discretion (and it's best not to finish so that both line up one end of the sentence (like so)).

Hi Raz,
1. The book probably mentions this, but being a late night reader certain details tend to escape my memory. Are the Alphas of the werewolf packs the only ones that can create new werewolves?
Yes, you need to be able to do Anubis form and only Alphas can (although not all Alphas can).

2. Did Oscar Wilde's, or any other witty Victorian writer's, prose effect the writing of your book?
Well probably Wilde, I do love him. But more intentionally PG Wodehouse.

3. If you could be a supernatural being from your book which would it be?
Vampire. Although it would be quite a risk to take for me as a female, but I would end up a queen. Vampires just seem to have the most power and they are very cultured. Being a werewolf woudl be too messy for my taste. And ghosts always end badly.

Hi Mindy,
I love your writing routine. What kind of routine did you have before you were able to stay home and write? Or have you always been able to write/work from home?
No, but I've been in academia on and off most of my life. This allows for long stretches of time where I'm free (AKA summer vacay). However, there have been times when I've had to hold down a job as well as school, or had nine-to-five work in between universities. I actually find I am more productive the less my free time. However, I do end up making sacrifices, either social or entertainment. I see maybe one movie in the theater a year. Sometimes I stop watching TV entirely for months. I try to chose jobs that accommodate a writing career as well: part time, or freelance, or bar tending/events planning. But you want to know my real secret? No children.

Will you be doing a tour for Changeless? If so, might you be dropping by Powell's bookstore in Portland, OR?
I don't think so. However, I am considering heading up for Orycon, so I might stop by Powell's then. I am suddenly developing an author friendship group in the Portland area, and I'd love to see them.

Again, thank you SO much for coming on and chatting with our group. You certainly have a lot of fans and it is nice that you take the time to connect.
My pleasure, sorry I was late.

Gail wrote: "Hi Raz...
3. If you could be a supernatural being from your book which would it be?
Vampire. Although it would be quite a risk to take for me as a female, but I would end up a queen. Vampires just seem to have the most power and they are very cultured. Being a werewolf woudl be too messy for my taste. And ghosts always end badly."

I would prefer to be a werewolf. They are so "earthy", for lack of a better term. That was a great question, Raz. I bet it also tells quite a bit about a person (maybe a poll should be in order???).

OK, here is my question(s):

A couple of people were surprised, annoyed, or maybe put off the sexual scenes in the book (although I believe the majority of people were fine with it). How did you decide the degree of detail you would use? Also, did you have fun writing those scenes or were you uncomfortable yourself?

Hi Daphne,
I was wondering what your process for editing is? You mentioned writing 2000 words a day--what about when you're editing; do you edit 2000 words a day (or some other amount)?
I had a real problem with not finishing novels when I was first writing. So I never edit as I write. I'm allowed to reread the chapter I'm working on, or the chapter before it (if I'm starting a new section) and tinker slightly, but nothing else. Otherwise I end up rewriting the first chapters over and over again.

And do you have a specific method for editing?
Yes. Because of my word count strictures it takes me about three months to write a draft, but I ask my agent to always get me six in a contract. It takes me just as long to edit as it does to write. Often I enjoy the editing process more ~ it's like cleaning up a messy room. After the rough is finished I put it aside for a few weeks. Write something else. Then I take a month to do 1-4 passes. I look for specific things each pass. Voice/tone/flow, world consistency errors, repeats & typos, and finally chronological flaws. Then the book goes out to two Beta readers: they read for content. They come back with fixes. If I'm having problems with the book as I write, I may consult them earlier. Then I make those fixes, or we argue about them and I don't. Then it goes to a third beta reader who reads for style and detail. Then it goes in to my editor at Orbit. I don't believe in handing in anything less than my best effort, and I have very accommodating friends.

Thanks, Gail. That's really interesting!

Hi Mawgojzeta,
A couple of people were surprised, annoyed, or maybe put off the sexual scenes in the book (although I believe the majority of people were fine with it). How did you decide the degree of detail you would use?
Rather unromantically, I'm afraid to say. When I wrote the book I wasn't sure what market it would sell to, since it has so many genres. So I wrote it "bare bones" at 80k. I figured if it sold to romance I'd add more nookie, and if it sold to SF I'd add more world building. Luckily for me, since I'm far more familiar with SF/F it sold to that market. However, there was a lot of discussion over the sex scenes. Originally, they were a bit more Victorian prudish, but it was thought a modern reader might not be able to relate. So I shifted them slightly.

Also, did you have fun writing those scenes or were you uncomfortable yourself?
Oh, so very embarrassed. I find nookie the absolute hardest thing to write. Action, dialogue, snark, I'll take any or all of those over the nookie (which may explain why most of my nookie also involves action, dialogue, or snark). Most of the time, I go back over those sections and think, "I can't believe I wrote that!" I do tend to imply rather than state. For example, you may notice I usually refer in a sideways manner to certain activities and anatomies, actual body parts are never named.

My dears, I am going to dash about have some food do a little exercising. But I promise I will be back later. I look forward to more of your questions!

Gail wrote: "...For example, you may notice I usually refer in a sideways manner to certain activities and anatomies, actual body parts are never named."

I did notice the careful wording. Thank you, Gail!

Thanks, Gail! See you later!

Right I'm back checking in and out if you have any other questions for me.

Are you formally trained as a writer? (ie. English Comp, Creative Writing, etc)

Can you list some books that were early favorites, or that made you think you would like to be a writer?

I just finished the book last night and loved it! If you are still answering questions I would like to understand the roles of the drones and clavigers a little better. I am looking forward to the next book. Thanks for spending the day with us.

raz wrote: "Are you formally trained as a writer? (ie. English Comp, Creative Writing, etc)
Nope, but it was always my best subject. I'm formally trained as a researcher, which is also helpful.

Miriam wrote: "Can you list some books that were early favorites, or that made you think you would like to be a writer?"
Absolutely!
Susan Cooper's Dark is Rising series.
Diana Wynne Jones's Howl's Moving Castle
Robin McKinley's The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown
Patricia A. McKillip's The Forgotten Beasts of Eld
Tamora Pierce's Song of the Lioness series
Patricia C. Wrede's Talking to Dragons series
Elizabeth Marie Pope's The Perilous Gard
and Jane Yolen's Sister Light, Sister Dark and White Jenna

You may, or may not, notice a pattern in there.

Liz wrote: "I just finished the book last night and loved it! If you are still answering questions I would like to understand the roles of the drones and clavigers a little better. I am looking forward to the ..."

Sure. You'll get more of them in the next books. But essentially, since both werewolves and vampires are vulnerable (vampire in the daylight, werewolves also somewhat during daytime but mainly several nights around full moon) they have servants/assistants who are normal people who work for them. In exchange, these people are allowed to petition for immortality after a period of service. Since survival is dependent on the presence of excess soul, and creative people are more likely to have extra soul, most drones and clavigers are drawn from the artistic set. They've basically divided them up: werewolves pull from opera singers, dancers, actors, vaudeville performers, and the like. While vampires pull from painters, sculptures, and classical musicians. This isn't strictly enforced and there are drones/clavigers who are merely servants full time with no outside job or interests.
Before you ask, this means that roves/loners must form an alliance with a local hive/pack so that they can petition the queen/alpha to metamorphose their drones/clavigers. This leads to certain arrangements and exchanges of favors. Being an independent supernatural does have certain advantages, but I'll stop there before I give anything away.

Um... I think the pattern is that I love all those books but have read them so many times I can't reread them any more.

Gail wrote: "Before you ask, this means that roves/loners must form an alliance with a local hive/pack so that they can petition the queen/alpha to metamorphose their drones/clavigers. This leads to certain arrangements and exchanges of favors. Being an independent supernatural does have certain advantages, but I'll stop there before I give anything away."

@Liz - See pg 226, paragraph four. Actually Alexia's second meeting with Lord Akeldama is quite insightful.

@Ms. Carriger - Is "Soulless" your first published work? If not, what was?

Miriam wrote: "Um... I think the pattern is that I love all those books but have read them so many times I can't reread them any more."

Oh I have more from when I was younger, like Padington Bear and Winnie the Pooh, or Tom's Midnight Garden and Wind in the Willows. And I have some newer YA you may not have read yet, like Feed, which I highly recommend. But those books were the ones that made me want to write because (with the exception of Cooper) they featured a bright, active, tough, funny, and (most importantly) female, main character.

Is "Soulless" your first published work? If not, what was?
It's my first published novel length work. I have a couple short educational readers out down in Australia, and a few short stories kicking about. But that's it.

It's been fun, but I've got to get off the interwebs for the day. I've enabled the email option on this discussion, so if anyone has other questions they should come into my inbox and I'll hop back over and answer them this week. Take care everyone, and thanks inviting me to your lovely event.

Please feel free to follow me on twitter/blogger or friend me on facebook/LJ if you are into that kind of thing. All the best!