Today's interview is with Jim Rudnick, author of The RIM Confederacy.
Apple or PC?
Ah…that one! Been there done that—as a computer-sci guy for over 40 years, I started on mainframes, COBOL etc. The web when it came along pre-Mosaic I mean, was text only and fun! Then browsers happened and all heck broke loose—everyone all of a sudden was an expert, sigh. But yes, I did have both—my Mac days ended with a CI I believe as every single client used Windows products all over the offices. Sometimes, some marketing types kept their Macs…but for me it’s always been the box is just a tool...use whatever you want…and I still am device-agnostic, I’d suspect...
Do you use Scrivener or Word? Or another word-processing program? Or even pen and paper?
Scrivener now…it’s ability to let me keep my research a click away is awesome. But, as my wonderful wonderful editor – Kelly over at XTerra.com – uses MS, I compile out of Scrivener to Word, send it to her, get back my edited copy, import back into Scrivener and then Compile to .mobi or paperback for CreateSpace…
Do you have any pets? Do they influence your writing?
Yes, we were lucky to have a wonderful Golden, Harley by name who passed away last fall…and we now have a brand new family member, a chocolate lab named Lucy. Course as a puppy, I think her name should be Lucifer…but we love her all the same!
Would you rather see your stories on the big screen or the little screen?
No idea on that one – but would love to see my RIM Confederacy, now at 9 books, on screen no matter how big it is! If someone from Netflix or HBO…is reading this, call me!
Are you hooked on any of the shows on the sci-fi channel? If so, which one(s)?
Stargate of course, is a big fav of mine; Twilight Zone repeats and I can’t wait to see how Takeshi Kovacs comes out for Richard Morgan…..love his books and writing, eh!
What is your view of Star Wars, and the latest episode (if seen)? (Or the latest X-Men, or The Avengers!)
Um….I was at the premiere of the #4 StarWars in my own city decades ago….but I’m quite out of touch with what the new one is all about. Took my youngest (who’s 24) to the movie and had to ask an embarrassing number of ‘who’s that guy?’ type questions…
What is your favourite Science Fiction (or Fantasy) film?
Would have to be any of the Lord of the Rings flics….wonderful storytelling—and IMHO, oh so true to the books, eh!
Are you a Luddite? Or do you prefer to be on the bleeding edge of technology?
Not a Luddite at all…but at 66 years of age no longer have the ‘need’ to be anywhere near that leading edge at all!
Are you--or have you ever been--a gamer?
For only 1 game ever – Fallout. I got Fallout4 and played it straight for a whole day and I think I’ve go like 55+ hours on it so far…just love the ‘look & feel’ of that one…
Do you cook? What is your best/favorite/most popular recipe?
I practice my Cajun cooking – my Jambalaya is to die for!
Do you have a garden? Have you ever grown your own food?
Not really….but I do grow tomatoes…both Beef-Steaks and Cherry.
Have you ever been to Starbucks?
Not ever once….just don’t like their coffee---up here in Canada we have our own coffee shops—Tim Hortons and I LOVE LOVE their Ex-Large Double/Doubles!!! So, by the way does my Hero, Captain Tanner Scott!
Would you prefer an independent bookshop, or a big chain?
To own – my own small indie bookstore…to sell, either….it matters not where a new reader finds my books…
Do you have your own office, study or writing space, or can you write in a cafe or the library?
I have written books on the couch watching America’s Got Talent, in my home office, on the deck out back, at the cottage on the dock….I can write anywhere…and I do. Sometimes, I’ll write at a local coffee shop for an hour---more for the ‘social’ part of same rather than any other reason…. As writing is so much a private individualized task, being around others is often just something I need to do….not too often, about one day a week for a couple of hours works best, I’ve found…
Who do you consider are your major influences in writing?
My past of more than sixty years of reading SciFi from the Golden Era through to now…as I watch and see those authors who’ve grown….it makes sense to me that if they grew…perhaps I can too….and the fact that my potential is not yet realized…makes me want to live to be a hundred!
What writer, living or dead, would you most like to meet?
Isaac Asimov. I’ve read just about all his SciFi books, dozens of his non-fiction ones too…wish I was a chemist so that I’d be able to appreciate his works even more. He was without a doubt IMHO, one of the best ever…and to sit and just chat with him would be a wonderful experience….I am so so sad we lost him back in the early 90’s!
If you could have any director to shoot the film of your book(s), who would you choose?
James Cameron of course…
Have you watched Game of Thrones and if so, what do you think of it so far?
That youngest son I mentioned, got me hooked on this series years back—and I do love the book and the TV shows too. That said, I can’t wait for GRR to get the heck going on the next book….would like to read it while I’m in my 60’s, eh!
How would you define Speculative Fiction?
That which when read, makes one think of things one’s never seen, experienced or dreamed of—beyond your ken, but still…OMG….let’s go!
On a scale of 1-10, how eccentric are you?
Ahhh..well, up until my fiftieth year, about a 3…now I’d be a 8 for sure! One learns to like things in a certain way, in a certain order and with the right ‘spice’ on top…
Do you consider yourself a slave to the muse?
I do now—I write daily…there is nothing else worth doing, eh! Having retired from my ‘other’ life after 40+ years in Marketing for everyone from cheese companies to beer companies…there really is not a better thing that digging into a new blank page….
About Jim Rudnick:
Being
a youngster in the 1950's meant that I was a voracious reader in what
has been called the Golden Age of Science Fiction. That meant that for
me, my heroes were not on the hockey rink or gridiron - but instead in
my local Library where at 12 I had a full Adult card (thanks Dad!) and
took out more than 5 books a week.
Everyone from Heinlein, Norton, Leiber, Pohl, Anderson, Simak, Asimov, Brackett, Van Vogt and more....I fell in love with and eventually owned Ace Doubles of my own. While I never knew who wrote the Tom Corbett - Space Cadet series, I fell in love with them and they had a place of honor on my own bookcase too!
With that kind of an introduction to Science Fiction, it's no wonder that when got my writing work done, I turned my own fictional side of my brain to writing same. It's one thing I know to write - and a totally different matter to release same to the world - something that I've just started to work on....suffice it to say my own works are rooted in that Golden Age and it's that era that I'd like to one day be known as a teensy contributor to in some small way…
Everyone from Heinlein, Norton, Leiber, Pohl, Anderson, Simak, Asimov, Brackett, Van Vogt and more....I fell in love with and eventually owned Ace Doubles of my own. While I never knew who wrote the Tom Corbett - Space Cadet series, I fell in love with them and they had a place of honor on my own bookcase too!
With that kind of an introduction to Science Fiction, it's no wonder that when got my writing work done, I turned my own fictional side of my brain to writing same. It's one thing I know to write - and a totally different matter to release same to the world - something that I've just started to work on....suffice it to say my own works are rooted in that Golden Age and it's that era that I'd like to one day be known as a teensy contributor to in some small way…
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