In ReDeus: Divine Tales, I told how the Norse God Bragi came to mentor a desperate musician who was down and out as a result of the fall of YouTube. Axel Sage had hit it so big on the Web in 2012 that he was up for a role on The Voice, and his fame and fortune were assured. Then the gods returned, shut down the Internet for all intents and purposes, and Axel’s hopes were dashed until Bragi came into his life. Of course, Axel had to outsmart Loki before he could claim his place as Bragi’s pupil. Now he’s training as a real Norse bard.
This time, I chose to take my young rock star to Sweden, where Odin and the Aesir are assembling a new brotherhood of Vikings and a new sisterhood of Valkyries. The Aesir are probably the most techno-friendly of the gods, so they’ve embraced reality TV. Their new followers are recruited on the twin series Who Wants to Be a Viking? and Who Wants to Be a Valkyrie? Axel lands right in the thick of it, falling for a beautiful warrior maiden named Annika. Odin wants Axel, who’s enjoyed fame the world over for a decade, to get married, settle down and make his home with the Vikings. But Axel doesn’t believe in warfare, especially when it’s war waged as an amusement. He also can’t be sure his feelings for Annika are genuine, because Loki’s hovering around again. How does he know he’s not under some sort of spell? It all comes to a head when a young Viking challenges Axel to battle for the hand of the lovely Valkyrie who’s won his heart. Axel doesn’t mind being called a coward, and he’s willing to walk away, until he hears a prophecy which foretells his lady love could die if he doesn’t intervene.
This story touches on a lot of themes which are important to me: free will, peace, how our leaders (gods or mortal) play games with our lives, and how we often can’t even be sure of our own motives. ReDeus is a great stage on which to examine our relationships to each other, how much control we have over our own destinies, and what the implications of divinity are. The great thing about so many of the classical gods is that they’re not perfect. They can be petty, self-absorbed and manipulative, just like we can! They’re older and more powerful, which means they have their share of wisdom. They can be of great benefit to the humans they encounter. They can also overstep themselves and deprive us of the things that we, as humans, have come to value as the most important parts of our lives: self-determination, justice, and the opportunity to succeed on our own.
Axel is older in this story, and more grown up. In some ways, it’s a coming-of-age tale, even though he’s thirty or so, because Axel has to make a clear decision about what he’s going to do with his life. I’m especially excited because Bob, Aaron and Paul let me plant some seeds in this story which could grow a very interesting crop in future volumes. ReDeus: Beyond Borders is going to be a tour of the world of fantasy and myth with some very capable guides. I hope you’ll pick up a copy and let us show you around.
ReDeus: Beyond Borders will be available in print and digital formats when released in late May.
When I read about the ReDeus anthology, my first thought was to wonder what had happened to Australia in this new world where gods walked the earth. Parochial, perhaps, but a natural impulse! I could definitely see possibilities in exploring this idea, because Australia is a country of two parts, and I knew that both those parts would have stories of their own in the ReDeus universe.
The first part is the Australia that has existed for just over two centuries, since it was claimed by the British Empire and made a dumping ground for many of its most undesirable elements. This nation may not have the same weight of history as Europe, an old building here is anything over a hundred years not a thousand, but it is fiercely proud of its heritage of independence, from the tax rebellion of the Eureka Stockade to the bushrangers who became folk heroes, or the unorthodox soldiers who offended conventional sensibilities but fought valiantly and successfully in every war in which they were called upon.
While its roots remain in the Christianity of the Empire, modern Australia is a melting pot of cultures and religions. In Melbourne you can see houses of every god imaginable coexisting, peacefully, if not always happily, alongside one another. I regularly drive past a huge Buddhist temple, while around the corner from my house there is a thriving Sikh community centre and place of worship. Cathedrals dominate the city skyline, watching the parades of Chinese New Year go past.
As I read about the world of ReDeus, I felt that this cosmopolitan and independent character would mean that no one pantheon would find it easy to claim dominion, and that it would be more likely that there would be that same uneasy coexistence. I imagined worshippers of different pantheons rubbing shoulders with each other, rather than being strictly segregated, as is the case in the New York of this world. This would bring its own tensions, but also make Australia an attractive destination for those seeking to escape from those pantheons that had claimed their own dominions.
But, there is a second part to Australia, one that the nation still struggles to come to terms with. That is the history of the nation prior to the British settlers, the indigenous cultures that inhabited the continent for untold millennia. Where I grew up, I was fortunate enough to go to school with indigenous Australians, and call some of them my friends. But, it is only now that I am starting to see just how much their stories have been silenced.
As I mapped out my ideas for this story, I thought about how these two parts would combine. If the gods of the Old World returned, why wouldn’t some of those worshipped here before Rome was even conceived also stir? And, given the history of this nation, I saw no reason why they would be welcoming of those trespassing on their land. I wondered would happen to those they might see as invaders with no right to be there.
When writing about other cultures, one has to be careful of appropriation. Sometimes, that makes you cautious about what you write about, but I really felt to write a story about Australia and to ignore that vast swathe of history would be a far greater wrong, given that for too long indigenous culture has been minimised or glossed over. In all of this I have attempted to be respectful of indigenous culture, and I hope that it is taken in that way.
Australia is pretty well known for being a country filled with things that want to kill you. We have the most venomous snakes going around, we have spiders that can fatally poison you or make big hunks of flesh fall off. My sister lives next to a beautiful beach but can’t go swimming because if you get past the crocodiles the sharks might get you, but probably not before the poisonous jellyfish swarm all over you. If that is what the mundane creatures can do to you, imagine what the supernatural ones would be like!
My story is based on conflict. There is the conflict between a society with a distinct anti authoritarian streak and the representatives of gods used to getting their own way, and there is the conflict between the original inhabitants of this vast country and those who are much newer. Hopefully that conflict has created a story that you will enjoy, and that we will return to again.
ReDeus: Beyond Borders will be available in print and eBook formats when it is released in late May.
The year is 2022 and the gods of the once-great Gaul Empire have spent the last ten years hiding in a castle in Luxembourg, forgotten by humanity and overshadowed by the more powerful pantheons. Meanwhile, the relentless Roman army, led my Mars himself, has been slashing and burning its way through France.
Taranis, the Gaulish god of thunder, wants nothing more than to cast out the Romans and rule France with a benevolent hand along with Segomo, the surly god of war, Grannus, the gentle god of thermal springs and Abellio, the teenage god of apple trees who happens to wear jeans and loves comic books. Oh, and then there’s Vasio, the silent god of…well…no one really remembers so they leave him alone.
Yeah, ain’t much to work with there, eh? Our divine heroes have no army, no worshippers and thus, no real power. For how mighty are gods in whom no one believes?
So how do these demoralized, depressed, dispirited deities deal with their dilemma? They call superstar motivational speaker, Orlando Start! However, in a society where people are struggling to survive, who cares about a motivational speaker? Ten years since the Return, Orlando’s business has dried up and his personal life is in shambles. Everyone has abandoned him, including his wife. Hours away from living on the streets and on the verge of suicide, Orlando receives a surprising job offer that he simply can’t refuse.
In helping these ancient beings redefine themselves and muster the courage to step out onto the world stage, will Orlando find new purpose in his own life?
I came across references to the Gallic (or Gaulish) pantheon while researching the Celtic gods of Ireland and the Isle of Man for my story “There Be In Dreams No War” in ReDeus: Divine Tales.
Abellio was mentioned as “probably a god of apple trees”, so I created an eponymously named restaurant that served the best apple pie in Manhattan. However, the god that truly caught my attention was Vasio. Only his name is known to historians, but no references to his abilities. I felt this was fertile ground for storytelling.
I then reviewed the ReDeus bible and noticed no mention of the Gaulish pantheon, and that sparked the idea of bringing them back now as a hapless, motley group of gods that no one remembered. They would need as much help as possible to reassert themselves against the more powerful Romans. I instantly thought of a self-help guru/motivational speaker and knew it would be excellent comedy material. Hence, “Root for the Undergods” was born!
ReDeus: Beyond Borders will be available in all formats beginning in late May.
When Aaron Rosenberg, Paul Kupperberg, and I conceived ReDeus–our world if all of the gods from all of the pantheons suddenly returned and demanded worship once more–some years back, we initially thought it would be a fun playground for the three of us to explore, telling stories that we’d hope would find an audience. Last year, we decided to invite our friends to come play with us, resulting in ReDeus: Divine Tales, an anthology of eleven stories that debuted at Shore Leave, marking Crazy 8 Press’ first anniversary.
We had so much fun with that, and got such excellent response from readers in person and online, we decided to do more. In fact, coming this year there will be two more collections. First up is ReDeus: Beyond Borders, a collection of tales exploring how the gods settle back in around the world.. We’ll see some returning characters from the first book and some very familiar gods, but our writers have also chosen to explore some nooks and crannies about life within the first two decades after the gods of myth have all returned. Everything has not necessarily turned out for the best, especially in some lands, nor is it all bad as we will discover. And with so many gods vying for worship, there’s some interesting jockeying going on, for lands and for people. It’s a vastly different world the gods have discovered and while some embrace the new technologies, others find it abhorrent. That in itself makes life among the mortals complicated, an ever-changing struggle to live and provide for the families.
Returning to ReDeus are the recently Nebula-nominated Lawrence M. Schoen, Scott Pearson, Steve Wilson, Dave Galanter, Phil Giunta, William Leisner, and Allyn Gibson. Joining us for the first time are Kelly Meding, Janna Silverstein, David McDonald, Steve Lyons, and our fellow Latchkeys author Lorraine Anderson. Aaron, Paul, and I will all have stories in this as well.
We also just got in the cover, from the talented Lorraine Schleter, and display it here for the first time. Cool, huh?
The book will debut at Balticon in late May and several of us will be on hand to sell copies and chat it up. Of course, it will be available as an e-book for the Kindle and the NOOK as well.
Okay. So who’s ready for a trippy new space opera?
Us too!
Now available through Crazy 8 Press is Crossline, from author Russ Colchamiro. As announced a few weeks back, Russ has been welcomed as Crazy 8’s first outside author. We’ve been so excited about his first offering that we’re already reserving a spot on the 2014 schedule for the sequel, which is currently being written.
Crossline pilot Marcus Powell is just supposed to test the new warp thrusters, which, if successful, will revolutionize space travel as we know it.
But while out in the cosmos, Powell takes an unauthorized joyride among the stars … and you know that’s never good. Especially when the corporation backing the space program has about $500 billion invested in the project.
Yet before Powell can haul himself back to Earth, he is ultimately forced through a wormhole and into a parallel Universe, where he is dropped smack in the middle of a civil war, with his name written all over it. (You gotta hate when that happens)
Was it just his bad luck, or was the Universe up to something all along? The book is now available in the usual formats: Kindle, Nook, and POD.
With the debut of Crossline this week, we thought it a good chance for readers to further get to know Russ Colchamiro. Over the last week, Russ and I exchanged ideas and witticisms, the results of which follow.
C8: Why do you write?
Russ: Starting off with an easy one, I see. I write because I’m compelled to write. I’m energized, focused, and optimistic about the future when I’m writing, and if I go even a few days without clacking the keys, I get noticeably grumpier and unhappy. Some may call it an addiction — or even possibly a neurosis! — but I like to think of it as a calling. I simply have to do it. It’s not a hobby. It’s not just for funzies. It’s fundamental to who I am. Whether I’m the descendant of some Frankenstein experimentation, alien abduction, or other cosmic intervention, I seem to have the authordude chip permanently fused with my DNA.
C8: What is the appeal of science fiction?
Russ: Science fiction is fun because you can plausibly create almost any ‘universe’ you want, with any rules you want, just as long as you are consistent with them. Dogs talk? Right on. The Universe is overseen by a flamboyant talk show host from Eternity? Coolio. I also tend to write big. And by big, I don’t necessarily mean long, but expansive. I naturally trend toward multi-layered storytelling with a far reach. And science fiction gives me the opportunity to explore the big questions — science vs. gods, fate vs. randomness, multiple universes vs. self-delusion. I also like to juxtapose the big vs. the small. ‘My girlfriend might dump me. How do I win her back? But, wait. Hang on a second. The universe might explode if I don’t act now, so let me get back to you on the whole boo-hoo-hoo lovelife thing.’
C8: Which authors influence you?
Russ: For fiction, I’d start with Christopher Moore, Douglas Adams, Chuck Palahniuk, Tom Robbins, Kurt Vonnegut, Kurt Busiek, and Alan Moore. From them I’m extra motivated to find the big, the funny, and the scope. I also read a lot philosophy, mythology, and psychology, so there I’d say M Scott Peck, Carl Jung, Wayne Dyer, and Joseph Campbell, among others.
C8: Which authors are you currently reading?
Russ: I’m almost done with Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life, by James Hollis, PhD. He’s basically recapturing ideas Jung wrote about, but because of my age — I’m almost 42 — the themes are striking a chord with me. I’m also hoping to get to Aaron Rosenberg’s wacky scifi sequel Too Small for Tall (okay, shameless Crazy 8 plug!), but that DuckBob cracks me up. I’ve also got volumes 4 and 5 of the Chew trade paperbacks in my queue.
C8: How does Crossline differ from your previous work?
A: Crossline is a pulp science fiction adventure, about an American space pilot who is forced through a wormhole and into a parallel universe – a parallel Earth – where he finds himself in the middle of a civil war he may or may not have been destined for all along. So there’s some actual spaceships and such — which I typically don’t do — although there’s my usual time bending-philosophical shenanigans going on, and a lot of humor as well. Whereas Finders Keepers was a scifi backing comedy. Think American Pie meets Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
C8: What came first with Crossline, the character(s) or the concept?
Russ: Crossline is actually the melding of two completely disparate ideas I developed a dozen years apart. Back in the late ‘90s, I had an idea for a sci-fi comic book mini-series. It never made it to print, but the general idea was in place.
But to connect the dots … back in high school I wrote a trilogy of short stories — inspired by a girl, of course — and based on the ‘the troubles’ in Ireland, because who better to capture ‘the troubles’ then a 16-year-old Jewish kid from Long Island who knew absolutely nothing about Ireland?
I based one of the characters on a 10-year-old-girl who visited from Northern Island, and whose family had been severely impacted by that turmoil. As part of my story — which I wrote in 1988 — a plane flying from the UK to the U.S. exploded over the Atlantic Ocean. Within days of finishing my story, Pan Am Flight 103 from Lockerbie, Scotland actually exploded in real life. So I sorta freaked out. And to make it freakier, in my story, the 10-year-old girl character died in the bombing. The real life girl was supposed to have been on the Lockerbie flight (cue up Twilight Zone music here). Turns out she had a last minute change of plans, so she was okay, thank god. But it’s something I never forgot.
Then a few years ago I saw how my sci-fi adventure could raise the stakes to the earlier political, human drama, which I then rewrote to be far less ‘serious’ and a lot more popcorn fun.
C8: Did Crossline require a lot of research?
Russ: Yes. For instance, I wanted to capture what a pilot might experience when losing control of the instruments mid-flight, and facing a potential crash landing. I read many accounts, and consulted a friend of mine, who is an airline pilot. He read the text, offered a few comments, and then gave me his blessing. I also read multiple texts of American Indian mythology. In one Crossline sequence, we are taken through a sweat lodge meditation, and I wanted that experience to feel authentic.
C8: What was the biggest writing obstacle you had to overcome?
Russ: Life! I was about 80 percent done with the first draft of Crossline, and then my twins were born — a boy and a girl. So I went on hiatus for about a year — the only time in my life when I wasn’t writing but still felt truly fulfilled. And since then — my kids are 2 1/2 now — it’s been an ongoing challenge to squeeze it all in. I have a full-time job, the family, and my books. So … you basically know my entire existence.
C8: How do you write your books?
Russ: With words. I find the stories flow better that way.
C8: Do you have a favorite writing spot or time? Are there writing rituals you observe?
Russ: I’m early to bed, early to rise, and ideally I’ll have at least two, if not three consecutive hours of uninterrupted writing time. I try to write quickly — I’m envious of those who can I do it well — but that’s just not who I am. I’m a ‘feel’ writer, in that I need to get into the headspace of the character or scene, and embody that energy, so it often takes me a little while to find my groove. I suppose I’m a ‘method writer,’ if there is such a thing. It’s not always easy to carve out the time, but as long as I’m willing to relinquish sleep and clarity, it’s usually not a problem.
C8: What about music? Some authors prefer silence, others create playlists to set the mood.
Russ: I rarely, if ever, listen to music when I write. I like silence, so I can concentrate. But when I’m editing, I like to have earbuds in, especially when I’m editing on the subway to or from work. Mostly rock n’ roll — a lot of Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Live, Green Day, AC/DC, Neil Young, U2, Coldplay — but sometimes jazz, or singer songwriters, like Crowded House, Billy Joel, or even Natalie Merchant or Sarah McLachlan. She has a great voice. But in one Crossline sequence, the pilot is flying through a wormhole, and the experience is really trippy. For that, I listened to a LOT of Pink Floyd, particularly Dark Side of the Moon. Fifty times easy. Probably more. I also listened to Break the Spell album by Chris Daughtry, and the song Spaceship off that album always put me in right mood for the crazy adventure I was writing.
C8: What is your proudest moment in the book?
Russ: There are scenes I’m really happy with, but there’s one longer sequence in the middle of the narrative when it was important — for reasons that become obvious when you read it — to create an entire back story for one of the characters. This was truly a time when I had no plan. Nada. It was purely organic. Beyond some topline information, I had no idea who this character really was or how the past would shape the present. I just sat back and let the story come to life. It was very cool. That also happened once or twice with Finders Keepers.
C8: How long did it take you to write Crossline?
Russ: Crossline was 25 years in the making. But in terms of sitting down to clack the keys, about three years, although I had a gap in the middle of the writing process due to family obligations.
C8: For someone reading this as their first exposure to your work, what would you recommend they read of yours next?
Russ: Finders Keepers
C8: And exactly what are you working on next?
Russ: The first of two Finders Keepers sequels. I hope to have the second book in print by early 2014. I’m shooting for the Farpoint con, but we’ll see how it goes. I may write the two Finders Keepers sequels back-to-back, or in between I may write a stand-alone book I have planned; it’s unrelated to any of my active projects. I’ll check in with my creative mojo at the time and see how I’m feeling.
C8: Where can fans find out more about you?
Russ: They can visit my web site at www.russcolchamiro.com, follow me on Twitter @authorduderuss, and check out my Goodreads and Facebook author pages.
I’ll also be the guest author for the #scifichat Q&A on Twitter, scheduled for Friday, March 29, at 3 pm Eastern.
C8: Where can fans find you at a con?
A: I’ll be doing author signings and panels at Lunacon in Rye, NY the weekend of March 15-17, RocCon Hudson Valley in Poughkeepsie on Sunday, April 7, and August 2-4 I’ll be at Shore Leave in Huntsville, MD, my first con as an official part of the Crazy 8 team. I may schedule other cons throughout the year. Hopefully NY Comic-Con in October, but that really depends on Crazy 8 Press!
In ReDeus: Divine Tales, I told how the Norse God Bragi came to mentor a desperate musician who was down and out as a result of the fall of YouTube. Axel Sage had hit it so big on the Web in 2012 that he was up for a role on The Voice, and his fame and fortune were assured. Then the gods returned, shut down the Internet for all intents and purposes, and Axel’s hopes were dashed until Bragi came into his life. Of course, Axel had to outsmart Loki before he could claim his place as Bragi’s pupil. Now he’s training as a real Norse bard.
