Today, the Speculative Fiction Showcase has the great pleasure to interview J.C. Kang, author of the Dragon Songs Saga. Symphony of Fates, the latest book in the series, is released on Friday, April 7.
Q: On your web-site, you describe yourself as a “Multi-cultural
Epic Fantasy Author”. What does that mean, to you?
A: I grew up reading the Chronicles of Narnia, Lord of the
Rings, Dragonlance, and other classic fantasies. One common thread was the
medieval European cultures, oftentimes with darker-skinned peoples as evil.
However, so many civilizations have their own myths and
legends. As one of those evil darker-skinned folk, I wanted to fuse several together, and include
non-humans like elves and dwarves. There
is “good” and “evil” in all races. The Dragon Song Saga focuses on the East
Asian characters, who can evoke magic from artistic expression. My current
work-in-progress takes place in the equivalent of Renaissance Italy, and
follows a Western Mediterranean Diviner, East African sorceress, East Indian mystical
warrior, Middle Eastern warrior-priest, and half-elf ninja. I know, it sounds like the beginning of a bar
joke. The half-elf is one of the main
characters of the Dragon Songs Saga, and the others make cameos in that series.
Q: You recently released Dances of Deception, the third book
in your Dragon Songs Saga. What made you decide to rebrand the series?
A: While I loved my
original covers and titles, I realized that they didn’t represent my intended
genre, Epic Fantasy. I was attracting YA
Fantasy Romance readers, who wanted the heroine to fall in love with the
dragon, not vanquish it.
Q: Speaking of dragons, they play a significant part in both
Eastern and Western legend, and also in contemporary fantasy. Why do they
remain so powerful?
A: My late uncle, Professor David Jones, taught anthropology
at the University of Central Florida. One of his academic works, Instinct for
Dragons, researched themes of dragons which crossed over dozens of cultures all
over the world. He theorized that
dragons were a fusion of predators of primates and prehistoric humans: Big cats (sharp claws and teeth), serpents
(scaly reptiles), and raptors (flying). We have a deep-rooted instinct to
believe in this super predator, which carries on to today.
Q: How do you draw upon your experience as a Chinese Medicine
doctor, martial arts instructor in your writing?
A: Besides being able
to physically intimidate readers into buying my books, martial arts helps me to
visualize fight scenes—I received a wonderful review from a reader who felt “the descriptions of physicality and movement will have you feeling
like you’re running, fighting, playing alongside the characters.” And since my first series takes place in an
East Asian equivalent, I draw on Chinese Medicine concepts as a means of
explaining the magic system.
Q: As a geek myself, I recently discovered the Chinese
historical/fantasy series Nirvana in Fire, and am hooked. Are there any similar
series that you would recommend?
A: MH Boroson’s Girl With the Ghost Eyes is a
wonderfully-researched Historical Fantasy, which follows a Daoist Priestess in
early 1900s San Francisco Chinatown. David Wingrove’s Chung Kuo series is
sci-fi with an Imperial Chinese feel.
Q: Would you rather see your stories on the big screen or the
little screen?
A: I’d be ecstatic
with either! If I had to choose, though, the little screen—there are so many
stories to tell, that the episodic nature of television would work better for
how I envision the series, and all the plot twists.
Q: What is your favourite Science Fiction (or Fantasy) film?
A: Wow, where to start with Sci-Fi? I’ve probably seen most
of the major ones, and there are too many awesome ones to list. As for fantasy, I’m sorely disappointed with
majority of them, especially the recent ones which rely more on CGI effects
than a good story. I loved the Hobbit as
a book, but couldn’t stand the movie trilogy (really, did they need to make
3?). I guess classic ones like Willow, The Dark Crystal, and Dragonslayer are
my favorites.
Q: Are you--or have you ever been--a gamer?
A: I’m afraid I’ll show my age by answering, but yes. When I
was younger, I’d walk half a mile and spend 25 cents to play Pong and
Frogger. I won competitions in Gauntlet
and Street Fighter II. Nowadays, however,
I would waste too much time—I get addicted easily. The only major fight I’ve had with my wife
was over me playing too much Civilization II (and I confess, I currently spend
way too much time playing a tablet version of Carcasonne). My theory is that there is so little we can
control in our daily lives that computer games give us a chance to “do over”
until we “win.”
Q: Do you have your own office, study or writing space, or
can you write in a cafe or the library?
A: I write best in cafes with free refills. I don’t drink coffee, so that usually means
tea. The staff at my three regular
haunts know me by name.
Q: Who do you consider are your major influences in writing?
A: Tolkien for his world building. Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman for character
chemistry. Jacquelyn Carey for really
exploring characters. Martin for all of the above, and also the long game plot
twists.
Q: Plot Twists?
A: I love them when the hints have been there the whole time,
like Martin’s L+R=J, or Rowling’s Severus Snapes.
Q: Can we assume your story has them?
A: YES! Every story has some kind of plot twist, which will
reframe how readers interpret characters’ actions from before. I hope I live long enough to reveal the Big
Twist.
About J.C. Kang:
JC Kang's unhealthy obsession with Fantasy and Sci-Fi began at an
early age when his brother introduced him to The Chronicles of Narnia,
The Hobbit, Star Trek and Star Wars. As an adult, he combines his geek
roots with his professional experiences as a Chinese Medicine doctor,
martial arts instructor and technical writer to pen multicultural epic
fantasy stories.
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