I caught up with Josh midway across the Atlantic where we tethered out hot air balloons together and Josh hopped over for a cup of tea.
GJ: First off, any relation to A.E.Van Vogt,
and how do you pronounce surname?
JV: No relation, though I certainly won’t mind being on the
bookshelves next to him. And the name is pronounced the same as “Vote.” Yes,
I’ve been told to go into politics, since I’d have the perfect campaign slogan.
No, I never will.
GJ: You write several different kinds and
lengths of fiction, including RPG texts and tie-ins. What appeals to you about
writing in these settings?
JV: I bore easily, which is one of the reason I quit the 9-5
career track and set out to be a freelance writer. Having a wide variety of genres
and forms to write within keeps me from getting into any sort of rut and also
provides an excellent creative challenge. For RPGs and tie-ins, I love the
chance to bring my personal style, characters, and fresh ideas to an
established setting.
GJ: You’ve also written short stories, novellas
and novels. Do you have a preference, or does each have its own reward?
JV: Actually, I feel I do well with novels (usually ranging from
85-100k words) and flash fiction (1k words or less). So I jump to either end of the spectrum. Short stories
have been a struggle for me in the past, but I’m slowly working to refine my
technique there. I’ve definitely learned that particular ideas lend themselves
to certain story lengths, so if I’m struggling to flesh out a concept into a full
novel or novella, then I take a run at it as a flash fiction piece and often
find it condenses quite nicely. Or I may start a short story and find myself
inspired to worldbuild until it’s novel-worthy.
GJ: Does gaming inspire you to write, or vice
versa? Or both?
JV: Both, for sure. The games I’ve loved best are ones that have
the most storytelling or character development potential. If it lacks a
storytelling core, then I quickly lose interest in a game and move on. When I
encounter a game that gives me an incredible adventure, that makes me want to
turn around and write one of my own!
GJ: Tell us a bit about your new novel, Forge
of Ashes.
JV: Forge of Ashes is a sword and sorcery adventure following
Akina, a dwarven barbarian, who returns to her mountain home after fighting
abroad for a decade. She’s wanting to reconnect with her family and culture,
perhaps even rest from the violence for a bit, but no such luck! Not only has
her family been disgraced, but her mother has vanished into the foreboding
tunnels leading from the city down into the Darklands. Akina determines to do
everything in her power to rectify the situation, which means facing down
plenty of monstrous foes along the way.
GJ: What writing plans do you have for the rest
of the year?
JV: I’m constantly working on new projects, both short and long
form. I’ve got a couple novels I’m polishing to shop around, and then have
several others that are in various stages of worldbuilding and drafting. At
least one or two of those should be finished by the end of the year, and we’ll
see what else is in the works by then.
You'll be glad to know, Josh made it safely back to his own balloon, and as far as I know heade in the right direction to get home.
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