Ed Ireland, the author that creates people, not just characters. Spend some time with people you care about. You'll be a better person for it.

1 - What story has recently inspired/moved you?

 

Hmmm...well, I'm currently reading the Lord of the Rings Trilogy for maybe the thousandth time. It never fails to inspire and move me, and every time I read it, I swear I find something new in it. Other than that, I'm working on Gregory Maguire’s Oz series. His work has taught me to always keep in mind that there are two sides to every story. Now when I write, I always try to place different viewpoints as often as I can.

In Last Ranger, there are several places where I try to parallel the thoughts of the protagonist and the antagonist to show that while one is evil and the other good, their thinking is amazingly similar. At times, the line between good and evil should become a little blurred. My faith tells me that darkness is not evil, it simply is. Light is not necessarily good either. Without dark, the light would not be as spectacular, and without light the shadows could not be as mysterious.

 

2 - Characters begin with their strengths and weaknesses. Many authors reflect their own strengths and weaknesses in their characters. What are some strengths and weaknesses that you relate to, and how have these traits influenced your characters?

 

Again, in Last Ranger, Vespias starts her life as any well-loved rambunctious child would. Circumstances alter her perception of herself and lead to a series of events that she must free herself from. My own life was what most would consider idyllic and all that changed as I rapidly approached draft-age and Viet Nam was still a real possibility.

I think everybody faces those moments when they see someone they never knew in the mirror. They start to use the convenient crutches along the way and all of a sudden, they don't know themselves anymore. It takes a great deal to pull yourself back together, to free yourself from the inner demons. In Book One, we see Vespias facing her demons and defeating them...well, some of them. She has a long road to travel yet so we'll see what strength she finds and where she finds it.

 

3 - What did story mean to you as a child?

 

Oh, story was magical. It didn't matter if it came from a book, from a movie, a comic...as long as it was there, it was heaven. Story allowed all of us to be the pirates that sailed with Captain Blood, the gladiators that rode along with Spartacus (Kirk Douglas, not the upstarts of today), or the heroes that stood defiant in every single army or western movie. I remember being awe-struck at King Kong when I first saw it as a kid. Even today, when I see an X-Wing Fighter zoom past, or I see that zombie creeping up behind Rick, story can bring about more emotions than anything else.

I think movies started me off. After seeing so many great movies, I began seeing the books that they came from. I remember seeing the Great Escape and thinking what a great movie it was. Then I read the book. Everything I saw took on a million new dimensions. It was like OK, I saw this scene, but I never knew they were thinking that! It was as enlightening as if I was there with them. Books took on a whole new meaning to me then. They were the mystic doorways that allowed you to see inside the mind of the characters

When I was young, I lived on comic books. They used to have ones called Classics Illustrated that were exactly what the title implies. The Count of Monte Cristo, Gulliver's Travels, The Hunchback of Notre Dame...all the great classics done in comic book fashion. Even as a dirty little street-rat, I was well read.

 

4 - Do you read your reviews? How do you feel about bad reviews?

 

I read every word of every review. Sometimes a writer can be so submerged in their world that they forget other people will be reading it. Reviews are a good way to see if you’ve made sure to include your readers. After all, of course I know why this character is nicknamed “Horsie Brown”, but unless you’ve seen it too, you wouldn’t know. A review might point this out and I know to get in there and share the whys, when, and what-nots.

As for bad reviews, there are no such things. Even if someone hated every word of every line, they’ll tell you why. Sometimes, you can see the point and make adjustments. Other times, you have to realize that not everyone is going to think you’re the next Tolkien. The only time I disregard reviews is when they read “Your book sucked. You suck.” I figure those reviews are left by hairless apes that are simply learning to use their extended vocabulary in more creative ways. Unless of course, it’s one of those times when I think I suck too.