Kerry Orchard is a Canadian writer whose speciality is a new genre called “Science Fantasy”: novels which blends a competent mix of magic, science and lots of action. With growing recognition – mostly because of the samples of her texts in her official site kerryorchard.com – she is one of a new breed of authors that are gaining a place in the editorial industry thanks to the Internet.
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Octavio Aragão – Hi, Kerry, good to have you here! Would you like to introduce yourself to our Intempol readers? How many books have you written till now?
Kerry Orchard – I am a fantasy author (well, more “Science Fantasy"). I live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. My works are
The Thoughtmaster's Conduit and
The Augur's Voice. I am currently working on
The Timekeeper's Breath.
OA – So you like to call yourself a "Science Fantasy" writer. Why is it so? Why not just a "Fantasy" or "Science Fiction" writer? And which are your favorite authors inside the genre?KO – I say “science fantasy” because I like to use a bit of science in my books, about aliens or timetravel. I also like my magic to be planned and explained. The book I am currently working on is a paranormal science fantasy where the world has gone from magic to mostly science.
My favorite fantasy works are Tolkien’s
Lord of The Rings, Stephen R. Donaldson's
Unbeliever series, Weis and Hickman’s
Death Gate Cycle series,
The Time Machine, by Wells. Some of these are personal favorites for sentimental reasons but none the less are my favorites... I like a broad spectrum of works. I try not read much fantasy now because I am writing and you can get ideas from others.
OA – You're from Canada and, before you, the only woman I know who lived in Canada (but wasn't actually born there) and wrote something like Science Fiction, gaining international recognition, was Ayn Rand, back in the 30's. How is to write Science Fantasy in a field dominated by men and living outside the USA? Any institutional prizes or recognition from the "powers that be"?KO – Hmmm... being with a smallish publisher, I don't expect to gain international recognition. The only award I have entered for was the Eppie, and Thoughtmaster was a finalist for best fantasy. I've thought a lot about this as I have been invited and encouraged by major publishers with all the works I have submitted, but they are rarely taking on new authors and mainly push those they feel would sell for them. IT is difficult to get ahead and get acceptance in the literary world, and crossing and mixing genres makes it even more difficult.
I write what I write what I write and I am proud and pleased of my accomplishments. I don't expect to be rich. I don't expect to be the next J. K. Rowlings and am not sure I want to be. I hope that my books will be more readily available in physical bookstores in the future but am not sure of the future of such places, with the advance of the Internet. For now, I am content. I feel pleased and blessed to have made it this far and to have overcome some of the difficulties in my life to continue.
OA – How is the Internet working for your books? Are you gaining any profit from the sales made by the sites or it is just a "window" to show your books?KO – Any book from any new author with any publisher from Penguin down, does not make much money... or very rarely. There is a site that actually lists what the average payout to authors is and you would be surprised at how small it is and how small the advances are becoming from major publishers. I am doing ok. I think the Internet is a great resource for people. A great way to buy books and shop and to really see what's out there. Most bookstores only carry a small percentage of the books for sale worldwide. They are bound by distributors and distributors choices as are Internet sellers, but it's a little easier for them to get and show new works from new authors.
Places such as
Fictionwise e-books are doing very, very well. E-books are nice in the sense that they are cheap and can be sent right to your computer. If you like the book a lot and it comes out in print, such as mine, you can always order the hard copy later. If you hate the book you are not out a lot. It's not a career you can choose if making a lot of money is your goal. Most writer's remain mid list at best...you do it for the love.
OA – And what about the future? Any other books or related projects in the horizon?KO – Yes, a few novellas for my publisher and
The Timekeeper's Breath. It is still in early stages but is a time travel paranormal type story. I don't like to talk too much about a plot early on in my writing but will try:
The Timekeeper is a guardian. The guardians are mostly killed by the ruler of the humans who turns out to be joined in body and soul with the
Lord of the Elements, who wants many things from his new human form, including the Timekeeper's lover. The Timekeeper can see and communicate with ghosts who are trapped and used as slaves by LOE.
LOE is one of the few left possessing magic now that the guardians are gone and all must turn to science or a mix of science and magic. In order to end the destruction the timekeeper must go back in time and retrieve the Timekeeper eternal (he is the physical)... ah it's a little hard to explain. Time is an ongoing study at the center for magic and science, and they have created a new device that combines the two, though no one has tried it.
I won't go into the breath part and why it is so important... have to have some secrets.
OA – Thank you, Kerry. If you want to add something more, please feel free to do it!KO – I hope that people will continue to try new authors and new ways of reading. You'd be amazed at the talent out there.
Kerry Orchard
Fantasy Author of
The Augur's Voice & The
Thoughtmaster's ConduitNew Concepts Publishing.. ebook&print
