4.15.2011

Behind The Pen: with Kevin Hearne (+Giveaway)

I love interviews, But I find the artists behind the stories equally intriguing, and I think they deserve as much limelight as their characters.  So here, instead of a list of questions about the story, the plot, and the characters, I ask authors the same 11 questions and hopefully get a glimpse behind the pen...

Kevin Hearne's new Iron Druid Chronicles is one of Del Rey Spectra's most anticipated releases this Spring, and after reading the first book, Hounded, I can understand why.  His writing is fresh, his characters are three dimensional, and his world of Druids, goddesses, and funny Irish wolfhounds is original and extremely entertaining.  I couldn't have been happier when Mr. Hearne agreed to answer my list of questions.  


Q1: What is the last book you read?
Truthseeker by C.E. Murphy. It had a Monty Python allusion in the first ten pages so I was hooked.

Q2: If you were stuck on a desert island, what book would you like to have with you?
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. The struggle (and the necessity) to affirm one’s unique identity in the face of a society that favors uniformity—that’s catnip to me.

Q3: What is your favorite swear word?
I rotate among a series of ass- prefixes. Right now I think “asskitten” is pretty funny…which probably indicates my dire need for therapy.

Q4: What is your biggest pet-peeve?
Spammers. They’re fucking asskittens.

Q5: What quality do you most like in a man?
OK, I’m just going to point to the Old Spice Guy.

Q6: What quality do you most like in a woman?
I like braaaains. Most of my friends are women and most of them are smarter than me. I never get bored when I talk to them because they have a wider conversational range than the majority of men I know. Sports and cars and stuff are great, don’t get me wrong, but once you’ve exhausted sports and cars and stuff, you have to say good-bye to your guy friends and find a woman to talk to.

Q7: What profession, other than your own, would you like to attempt?
Type design. I am SUCH a font snob. I once spent a whole week drawing nothing but lowercase double-story g’s. The week after that I became obsessed with ffi ligatures.

Q8: If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Gah. I’m not well-traveled—a condition I hope to ameliorate—so what I say now might change in a year or two. Right now I’d say southwestern Colorado—a place in the San Juan Mountains. The kind of place Sam Elliott talks about in those commercials, using that virile voice of his. Actually, scratch that. You know what I want? Wherever I live and wherever I go, I just want Sam Elliott to narrate it. “When Kevin first came to this land,” he’ll rumble in a smoky basso profundo, “he stole from the rich and gave to the poor. Corrupt politicians exploded under his benevolent gaze. Spammers went sterile and the people loved him. They named their children after characters in his books and they gave him gourmet tamales. Microbrew draughts fountained from the earth in the wake of his passing, and everyone agreed that life was generally better when Kevin was around. I guess you could say Kevin has serious issues to imagine a scenario like this, but because it’s me, Sam Elliott, saying it, it’s warm and manly and all-American, and you can’t think of anything more charming or desirable than whatever it is I’m talking about right now.” Yeah, that’s what I want.

Q9: What inspires you?
Trees. My wife. Letters to a Young Poet. A finely crafted beer. Sam Elliott’s voice, clearly. And music! Yngwie Malmsteen and Six Parts Seven when I’m writing everyday scenes, DragonForce for battles. When I turn on the DragonForce, muthafuckas gonna die.

Q10: If you could be one person (dead or alive) for a day who would you be?
William Bloody Shakespeare. To have that facility, that skill with language—well, I’d have to change my shorts first, and then I’d go to’t. I’d write a play called No, It’s Too Perilous.

Q11: Mac or PC?
Mac


After reading Mr. Hearne's answers here, you can probably see why I consider Hounded one of the funniest books I've read recently. A great big thank you to Kevin!  So happy to have you stop by.

Jessica, thank you so much for inviting me to chat!


Del Rey was generous enough to offer up 3 copies of Hounded to 3 lucky commenters.  Here's how that'll work:
  • Your comment is your entry
  • Followers of this site get 2 entries
  • US/CAN only
  • Contest ends next Thursday, April 21st at midnight (pst)
  • Winner will be announced Friday, April 22nd



32 comments:

  1. What quality do you most like in a man?
    OK, I’m just going to point to the Old Spice Guy.

    LOL!!! That right there makes me want to read your book . I love a good Urban Fantasy and there aren't many out there written by men (I did just read Skeleton Crew) and men tend to write a different kind of story than the women (the romantic aspects). It is a nice change of pace once in a while. Do you see a difference between men vs women UF?

    thanks for the chance to win. I have this book on my TBR list, and I *love the cover!

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  2. Kevin you're hysterical. If I don't win your book here I will definitely be moving it the top of my BUY ASAP list. Thanks for stopping by Jess' blog.

    Jess, thanks for inviting Kevin over. My Friday just got that much better.

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  3. Hey girlie, no need to enter me, just wanted to show the love for you and Kevin! Great interview!!

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  4. Hounded sounds like a great book. I would love to read it.

    sarace (at) gmail (dot) com

    PS, I'm a follower of your blog

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  5. I want book...booooookkkkkkk....see what I did there? lol...

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  6. Awesome interview! Loved the part about the old spice guy and the bit about Sam Elliot!! Too funny! Lol

    I'm a follower..

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  7. Please Release dates do not change on me again. I cannot wait for this book. If the snark and humor from the authors site and the first 50 pages from last friday were not enough I cannot wait to read this book. It sounds like a great heaping pile of awesomesauce and I am so happy for the giveaway. thank you Kevin you made my morning with this post and commentary.

    GFC

    terilhack at gmail dot com

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  8. I loved this post I even choked on the morning cuppa. I cannot wait for this book to be in my hand. All of the stuff online about the book has been great so I am sure I will lock myself in my room and order take out the day I read it. ;)
    Thank you for coming on the answers to the questions were fantastic.
    Those first 50 pages released were such a tease ;)
    GFC
    kasuranna at yahoo dot com

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  9. ass-kittens! That's hilarious! Thanks for the giveaway. I'm really excited about the book.
    My email is molly(at)mcsmith(dot)org. I am following your blog, too.

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  10. funny interview! Hounded sounds gooood, looking forward to reading!

    Thanks for the giveaway :)

    Blog follower
    Van
    Littopandaxpress(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  11. Hey, thanks y'all! I will swoop in here and answer questions if you have 'em. Glad you were entertained! To Sharon—yes, I see quite a big difference between male & female UF, and because of that I thought I might have something a bit different to offer the market. As a reader, I like both, but I agree that they're different flavors, if that makes sense. :)

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  12. I've been wanting to read Hounded ever since I got my copy of the new RT Book Reviews magazine. Great Behind the Pen.

    elainareads AT aol DOT com

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  13. That was the funniest interview I've read in a while! And I'm definitely going to start using ass-kitten. It has a great ring to it. I have been using ass-monkey lately, but I'm getting a little sick of it.

    On a more serious note, I CANNOT wait for Hounded to come out! I've had it on my radar since late last year, and it's one of my top anticipated books of 2011. So I obviously hope I win. :)

    +1 follower

    Sara M
    sara_UFblog [at] yahoo [dot] com

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  14. So entertaining and supa funny. Hounded is on my to-read shelf... We'll see, either way it'll get read. :)

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  15. Ha! Asskittens, the Old Spice Guy, and Sam Elliot voice-overs? This interview is made of WIN! :)

    ~rissatoo
    (aka, a stal...ummm... I mean...a follower!)

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  16. Asskitten! LMAO! I am totally going to steal that one! I've been called a bad influence by some people...well you Jess are mine. You make me want to buy more books and you have made me want to read Hounded badly. Thanks. Really...thanks. ;)

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  17. I really enjoyed the interview and judging by Kevin's voice in the interview, I'm going to enjoy his writing. Everything I've heard about Hounded already, has made me eager to read it.

    Barbed1951 at aol dot com
    GFC follower

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  18. I just read the first fifty pages of Hounded, and I was *delighted* to see that Mr. Hearne's narrative voice is just as funny and clever as his blogs. I can't wait to read the whole novel! Plus, anyone who likes both the Old Spice Guy and Letters to a Young Poet is alright in my book.

    larrieu (dot) aj (at) gmail (dot) com

    (Also: I'm a follower.)

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  19. I would love a copy of this book. It sounds really amazing. Urban Fantasy is quickly becoming my favorite genre. I am a follower too.
    cmichellejefferies (at) Gmail (dot) com

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  20. I have to say, I'm a sucker for anything that has to do with "iron" or "druid" or a combination of the two. SO, naturally, I'm hooked and can't wait to read it!

    (I'm a follower, too!)

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  21. Follow'd.

    I came across a post in Fangs, Fur, Fey a while back which got me interested in this book, then I went to check recently the date it's due out, then I found the 50 page sample, and now I really, really, really want to read it, as soon as I can get my mitts on a copy. Like someone else said, it's rare to find good urban fantasy written by a dude.

    Plus, the guy on the coverart is adorable. I want to tweak his wee little beard.

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  22. Ah, the above is dmgauger@gmail.com

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  23. Asskitten - OMG - I've got to start using that one. I was interested in this book anyway from the blurb - I mean, c'mon, a druid hiding out in Arizona? - but after reading Kevin's answers to this interview, the book has just leapfrogged up the list. If that's any indication of his writing style, I MUST have this book.

    +2 follower
    jen at delux dot com

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  24. You had me at "asskitten". Everything you've ever written shall be mine. Oh yes, it shall be mine.

    I'm a new follower to this blog, thanks to the link on Jennifer Estep's blog, and I can't wait to start exploring.

    Alana

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  25. I've been looking forward to Hounded ever since I first heard about it, and everything I hear and read makes me want it just that little bit more. I love a good UF hero, and Atticus certainly seems like he's going to be one. Thanks for the opportunity!

    Also, I think asskitten is probably going to work its way into my vocabulary for better or for worse.


    (new) follower
    aisling_moon(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  26. Absolutely loved the interview. It's nice 2 know that being a "font snob" doesn't make me a total asskitten! Would be thrilled 2 win a copy of Hounded! I am also a follower of your blog!

    2 entries

    Katie Shields
    Meowmix915(at)suddenlink(dot)net

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  27. I read a smattering of all things speculative and seem to be taking a jag into
    UF again.... I like the sound of Iron Druid and am usually up to try new authors....

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  28. The most original-sounding (uh, is that right? :P) book I've heard of in a while! Great interview and great giveaway!

    coolccs.anki@gmail.com

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  29. Oh, good, I'm intending to read Hounded, even if I don't win. And, I've always said I want Sam Elliot's voice on my GPS :)

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  30. Okay Kevin I'm entering you pestered me enough on twitter to enter. lol Indy will have my copy soon enough.
    follower.

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  31. Fun interview, Kevin! My pre-order is already in, but if I win a copy I'll pass it along as a prize to one of our Salon blog followers. Because I spread the love around :-)

    I'm a follower too. Cheers!

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