Yeah, Ken is crazy.

Today's guest is James Nettles.

When I first met Ken 6-7 years ago at a convention in New Orleans, he told me about an idea for a series. Four of them, with an interlocking story. From a first-time writer. He’d spent ten years outlining and crafting the storyline. He insists at the time I called him crazy. That’s a term I reserve for close friends, and I might use it now, but let’s also admit that if you’re going to be a writer, you have to be a bit mental anyway. It’s just part of the life. I insist the term I used was “ambitious.” I might have suggested trying to get some short stories published, or do a novel or two that could be a good test bed for working on craft and storytelling. Your first novel is usually a disaster anyway. Ken, however, as I’ve gotten to know him over the years, is a bit… stubborn. Focused? Obsessive? Again, we’re writers, so it goes with the creative gig. If you aren’t a bit hardheaded, the work doesn’t get out the door. It’s all cat memes and writerly posts on social media. Since then, he’s gotten a few books out the door – and finally has all four series going after five years. What the hell took so long? I mean, all he’s doing is creating four interlaced story lines with a few sideline tie-ins, based on a number of old mythologies turned on their heads, crossing tropes and genres between urban fantasy, horror, science fiction, and a touch of noir. It’s not like the MCU doesn’t do it every week. Even so, I don’t think there’s a chance in hell Disney+ is about to pick up the Nine Realms Saga. Regardless, it’s a fun antihero series with a complex universe, characters that aren’t another batch of young and idealistic heroes, and a cheap happy ending. We see people that are experienced and world-weary, but driven to their own objectives and still trying to do the “right” thing. Mostly. Sometimes. But they don’t mind breaking things that need to be broken, and live with the repercussions. Having seen some behind the scenes and under the hood, you have to appreciate that not only do the characters have to live with it, but Ken does too. Sometimes that really great idea throws a wrench not only in one series, but can blow up storylines across multiple. And it can be a bitch to figure out how to get the whole train back on the tracks. Or just blow it all, and rebuild from the ashes. Yeah, Ken is crazy. But ambitious usually is. Want to know more about me? I write fiction, non-fiction, technology, privacy, and a lot of other stuff. Most of it a bit smart assed. If you want to check me out: Non-fiction, speaking and consulting at https://JamesPNettles.com Short stories, new releases, and more can be found at: http://www.jim-mcdonald.net/ Author Essentials: Author Essentials (https://www.authoressentials.net and https://www.authoressentialsworkshops.com), with resources and workshops dedicated to the business of being an author. ConTinual: ConTinualConvention.com https://www.facebook.com/groups/ConTinual Email: jim@jim-mcdonald.net jimn@authoressentials.net Twitter: @ JPNettlesAuthor Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jimmacauthor https://www.facebook.com/james.nettles https://www.facebook.com/AuthorEssentials/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/BooksandBeerCLT/ https://www.facebook.com/booksnbeer/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jpnettlesauthor/