Pete Adler, writing as AR Silverberry interviewed many authors of Science Fiction and Fantasy Network. I was one. But now I'm turning the tables, and here are Peter's thoughtful answers to his own interview questions:
Regina
M. Joseph Interview of A. R. Silverberry
1. Tell us a little about yourself.
Take a peek inside my unconscious. The other night I dreamt
I was hanging out with Glenn Gould, the late, great classical pianist, and his
family. Gould never married, but in the dream he was, and had two children, a
boy and a girl, I think. We were sharing a meal, perhaps a picnic. Glenn was
nearby, playing Bach on the piano, swaying with the music, tossing off long
runs of notes effortlessly, deep in the trance state from which music flowed
from him. Despite the speed of the passage, every note was crystalline, sang
with exquisite beauty, yet each was perfectly woven into the fabric of the
whole in a way that was profound and moving. All I could do was marvel. I
remarked to his wife, who was relatively new to me, “Glenn and I have been
friends for years.”
Freudians, Jungians, armchair psychologists, knock
yourselves out! I can’t be any more transparent.
2.
What inspired
you to write The Stream?
The idea came from a conversation I was having where I was
using the metaphor of a stream. Afterward, I
kept thinking about that metaphor. In a few hours, the character of a small
boy, alone, defenseless, trying to understand the ways of the world, popped into
my mind. I saw images of him confronting the challenges we all face: love,
loss, pain, losing your way. The next morning, I put aside the novel I was
working on (it wasn’t working anyway), and started writing. It pretty much
tumbled out and didn’t let go until it was done.
3.
What does your
hero, Wend, yearn for?
A meaningful life.
4.
What’s the
novel about and who would enjoy it?
What if your world was six miles wide and endlessly
long?
After
a devastating storm kills his parents, five-year-old Wend awakens to the
strange world of the Stream. He discovers he can only travel downstream, and
dangers lurk at every turn: deadly rapids, ruthless pirates, a
mysterious pavilion that lures him into intoxicating fantasies, and rumor of a
giant waterfall at the edge of the world. Defenseless, alone, with only courage
and his will to survive, Wend begins his quest to become a man. Will tragic
loss trap him in a shadow world, or will he enter the Stream, with all its
passion and peril?
Part coming-of-age tale, part adventure, part spiritual
journey, The Stream is a fable about life, impermanence, and the gifts
found in each moment.
5.
What do you
think makes for great fantasy fiction?
Great fiction weaves magic, entering
through your pores and seducing with unforgettable characters that sweep you
along and leave you gasping. You know what I mean, that moment when everything
falls into place, and with a rush of emotion, you shout aloud because you
understand at a level beyond words.
That covers “great” and “fiction.”
Fantasy has all that, plus the unique quality of worlds tailored to the story
and the story’s metaphor. Lord of the
Rings could only unfold in Middle Earth. Dorothy, the Wicked Witch, and the
Scarecrow could only walk in Oz and upon that yellow brick road. Max could only
find the jungle in his room and sail away to meet the Wild Things, and Milo
could only discover the wonders around him by traveling through the phantom
tollbooth and exploring the world on the other side.
In short, fantasy enchants.
6.
Who are some of
your biggest influences as a writer?
I read pretty broadly, and heavily in
the classics. Ten years ago, it was Dickens and Austen. Among contemporary
writers, I enjoy Dean Koontz, Stephen King, and Barbara Kingsolver. I love the
magical realism of Jorge Luis Borges. Sacrilege, sacrilege, I don’t read much
contemporary fantasy! It just doesn’t grab me.
7.
How do you
approach crafting a novel?
For a humorous answer, read my first
response here. For a
thorough answer, read my post, Anatomy of a Novel. For a quick
answer, read on!
Really, my approach is moving target.
Each novel has unique problems and challenges. As soon as I think I have a
method, it slips through my fingers, and I have to vary my course. I do like
some structure, though, so whatever drew me to the story in the first place, I
try to nail down a theme that fits the idea. From there, I try to work out
characters that could drive that theme and the plot. But the process is dynamic
and always subject to revision. Just this week, I started revising the theme
for book two of the trilogy I mentioned above. Who knows, tomorrow, I may toss
that new theme and go with something else. If writing is nothing else, it’s
surprising, and that’s what makes it exciting both for the writer as well as
the reader.
8.
What’s ahead
for you?!
I’m working on a YA, sci-fi, dystopian
trilogy. Say that fives times really fast and you’re a better man or woman than
I. The first book is pretty much done, but I decided to write the other two before
releasing it so I know how the whole thing fits together. (Jungians and
Freudians from above, take note!) Since it’s a long-term project, I plan to
write some shorter works and maybe a standalone, or readers will have to wait
too long for something new.
Purchase The Stream:
Ebook:
Softback:
About
A. R. Silverberry:
A. R. Silverberry writes fiction for
adults and children. His novel, WYNDANO’S CLOAK, won multiple awards, including
the Benjamin Franklin Award gold medal for Juvenile/Young Adult Fiction. He lives in California, where the majestic coastline, trees,
and mountains inspire his writing. THE STREAM is his second novel.
Follow
A. R. Silverberry:
Book
Data:
·
Book Title: The Stream
·
Genre:
o
Fantasy > General
o
Literature > Genre Fiction > Metaphysical
o
Fiction > Visionary > Metaphysical
·
Publication Date: April 26, 2014
·
Publisher: Tree Tunnel Press
