Interview with Paul Tassi

I’ve been enjoying the blog posts of Paul Tassi – video games, technology, and Internet contributor at Forbes – for quite some time now. Simply put, his tastes are pretty similar to my own (and probably yours too!): Playstation/XBOX Games, Superhero & SFF Movies/TV Shows, the latest innovations in technology.

So, despite Science-Fiction being one of my lesser-visited genres, when his book landed through my mailbox with a cover quote describing it as something like ‘Independence Day, The Walking Dead, and Guardians of the Galaxy thrown into a blender’ how could I not check it out?

Well, if you’ve read my review over here you will know I thought very highly of it. Wanting to know a bit more about the book, Paul’s interesting journey from not only blogger to author, but self-published author to traditionally published author, I’ve invited him on to Fantasy-Faction today to chat with me about his book, his writing and… well… pretty much everything else I could think of too!

You are in an elevator and someone asks you ‘what is The Last Exodus all about?’ What do you tell them before they reach their stop?

If I had to boil it down to a sentence, I’d say “The world was destroyed by aliens, but one man gets the chance to leave.” Depending on how long the elevator ride was, I’d talk about how one man finds an alien ship, and has to team up with the alien who knows how to fly it, and a raider who tries to kill him in order for all three of them to survive. If they stay, they’ll either tear each other apart, or get cooked alive since the earth is dying. Nothing encourages teamwork like pending doom.

One reviewer likened it to Guardians of the Galaxy crossed with The Walking Dead crossed with Independence Day. Do you feel that’s pretty accurate or would you add a footnote to that?

I can see where he pulled those references from. There’s an “unorthodox team” aspect, a “weathering the apocalypse” aspect and an “oh crap aliens are blowing up the world” aspect. But it’s less outright funny than Guardians, more hopeful than The Walking Dead, but more bleak than Independence Day. And I’m guessing there are a few other shows or movies that could be referenced as well, but those aren’t a bad trio, which is why I’m thrilled with that review.

I think what the reviewer is getting at (rightly, too) is that The Last Exodus feels very modern and it is full of the kind of characters, grittiness and wit that is highly in demand amongst SFF fiction readers of today. Was this intentional – i.e. you wrote it for today’s SFF fans?

I can’t say I wrote it for “today’s sci-fi fans,” as when I started, I wasn’t familiar enough with the scene to know exactly what that meant. I wrote a book that I thought I would want to read, and that meant one that reads sort of like a movie, not really getting bogged down the nitty gritty of the tech and focusing more on the characters and the story. My favorite quote I heard about The Expanse series (great space opera) was that stories didn’t need to explain how an internal combustion engine worked every time someone got in a car. They could just get in and drive. They applied that theory to spaceships and other tech, and so do I. Not that I don’t appreciate hard sci-fi, but I don’t think that’s in my skill set to write effectively, and I really like character-driven stuff with good stories rather more hardcore technical offerings. If it turns out that fans are into that sort of thing to right now, then that’s fantastic. Obviously I want people to like the book, but I can’t say I specifically polled the tastes of modern sci-fi readers to try and concoct something they’d like. I am influenced by movies, TV shows, games and books that a lot of sci-fi fans are into, so some of that may translate, but overall, I didn’t really plan to attract a specific type of audience.

One of your main characters, Alpha, is an alien from an invading planet. Something I think is very difficult when writing Sci-Fi is not allowing your aliens to just feel like dressed up humans, whilst at the same time giving them enough personality that readers can connect to them – did you find this a challenge?

Originally, Alpha wasn’t going to speak at all. I quickly realized that would make for a pretty boring book, so I introduced the translator, which solved that problem. I wanted him to be more of an intellectual than anything, though he has a dark side that comes through from time to time. A major component of the book is making an invading alien, presumably a “villain,” one of the heroes. That was kind of tough, as I had to come up with a backstory that explained Alpha’s motivations that made sense, and an interesting way to tell it. Physically, Alpha is very different than maybe a “Star Trek” type alien with a few extra nostrils or forehead folds, which helps make him pretty far removed from a “dressed up human” in that sense. For those who understand the references, my inspiration in building him and the other Xalans were mixing together Turians from Mass Effect, the Covenant from Halo and the Protoss from Starcraft. Xalans are big and scary, but have the capacity to feel a full range of emotion, which helps make them relatable.

In addition to Alpha you’ve got Asha, Lucas and Noah. Each of the characters are very different from one another and I think this is a big part of why the series is so intriguing and readable. How was managing that as an author though? Did it help? Make things difficult? Did you have a favourite to write about?

I think you have to give all the characters distinct personalities or you risk them being flat and blurring together. Fortunately, I really only had three major characters in the first book, Alpha, Asha and Lucas (not much I need to do with Noah in his infancy), so that helped to managed things. That said, it can be difficult keeping things lively with only three characters. That can make relationships overly simplistic, perhaps, and sometimes a bit predictable. In later books, the cast expands pretty dramatically, but I’m glad I only started with three. I think in the end, Asha ended up being my favorite. She wasn’t even in the book originally, it was just going to be Lucas and Alpha, but I decided I needed a “wildcard,” and she fit the bill. By the end, I just loved her character, and I can’t imagine the series without her. Lucas was perhaps easier to write, as since he’s the star of the show, he’s kind of my own voice in a lot of ways, but I had some challenges in making him as interesting as Asha or Alpha. I didn’t want him to be a total blank slate or “generic grizzled white dude,” so I tried to give him a distinct personality, though that proved challenging at times. But I think he grows as time goes on, They all do, really.

What I really appreciated about the The Last Exodus is that there are amass of ideas that are all explained and justified without the kind of in-depth scientific explanation that takes away from the narrative. In terms of how the world was coming to an end, Alphas inventions and space travel, did you do much research or did you just decide that if you wanted it in there to enhance the story you’d give it a cool, tech-y name and make it work?

The Last Exodus, and really the whole Earthborn trilogy, is what I would call relatively “low-tech.” Not that there isn’t advanced technology, but I don’t spend very much time explaining it. It may bother hard sci-fi and science types who really want me to explain my concepts, but I think a more general readerbase can just accept things like “guns shoot plasma” and “alien ships use water as fuel” without needing me to launch into some giant explanation as to how all of it works. Some authors are really great at doing that, but I always knew that wasn’t me. In certain circumstances I do research when I don’t want to be totally inaccurate (“If a ship leaves Earth going X miles an hour, how long until it could pass by Saturn?”), but for the tech I invent, I’m mostly content just letting it exist without pretending like I can back it up with exact science. For me, not being bogged down in technical explanations makes storytelling easier.

Do you have a favourite piece of created tech or one that you are particularly proud of?

I like both of the weapon “gifts” that Alpha eventually crafts for Lucas and Asha. Asha’s sword in particular is a favorite because the incredibly sharp blade combined with the magnetic wrist tether allows for some pretty wickedly awesome combat scenarios where she can throw the sword and have it whip back into her hand whenever she needs it. I love pretty much anything Alpha invents throughout all three books.

I thought the Shadow – the genetically superior alien in charge of hunting our protagonists down – was pretty awesome. Did it take you very long to come up with a character bad enough to play the role he did? I guess when you’ve got such a dark world, like the one you created, you need to make sure the ‘big enemy’ really stands out and he certainly did.

That’s an interesting question, because at one point, I realized a major flaw with the book: It didn’t have a villain! I had “enemies,” sure, as at that point I’d written the battle sequence in Norway, but they were only temporary foes. I realized I needed an over-arching villain to pursue them throughout the book (possibly the series), and so the Shadow was born. I wanted him to have a personal connection to Alpha, as well as being physically terrifying, so I came up with the entire concept of the Shadow project and genetically superior, kill-crazy Xalans. In later books, Shadows become very central to the story, as I was able to evolve the idea from its humble origins.

As you know, I’ve finished the first book and am just about to jump into the second. I’ve heard there is a natural change in genres/feeling to the sequels, so – without too many spoilers for the first book – can you tell us about what we’ve got to look forward to?

The first book is mainly about survivalism, first on Earth, eventually in space. As such, you get a pretty “post-apocalyptic” tone most of the time, and you always have a very limited cast. But the whole concept of the book is to go from Earth to…somewhere else. Once you discover what else, and who else, is out there, the book shifts into more of a space opera. There are still plenty of battles and points in time where Lucas has to survive in hostile environments once more, but it’s not quite as isolated or bleak as perhaps the first book. I don’t think the shift is so abrupt that it fractures the story, but I think it’s necessary based on where the series needed to go. Other planets. Other civilizations. A possibility that humankind might not go extinct after all.

This being a published fiction writer is actually something rather new to you, isn’t it? Most people into geeky stuff would know your name because you are a high-profile video game reviewer, guide writer and blogger. How did you manage your time moving between the two? 

People always ask how I manage to write full-time for a job, then write books alongside that. You really can’t do that if you don’t love writing in general. I probably never write less than 5,000 words a day between all my projects, and if I’m not writing, it feels like an itch I can’t scratch. I am very, very fortunate that I have a job that does not operate like a typical 9-5, which allows me a lot of free time to pursue my extra-curricular book writing (though I probably use too much of it playing video games and binging on TV shows). I get in dry spells where I won’t write my book for a week or so, but I always come back to it because I feel like I have to. I also have a few friends who read my books as they go who ask me for new chapters, so I have some level of accountability to them as well. I have a few novel ideas that sit abandoned, but I’m always trying to move forward on one main project, and hope to return to some of my discarded work in the future.

To what extent do you think that being an avid gamer has contributed to your creativity and skill as a writer?

Being a gamer has definitely increased my love of sci-fi. All sci-fi fans have their favorite books and movies and TV shows, but now it’s easy to include games on that list with so many amazing titles out there. Many games still need work in the story department, but the worlds they create are incredibly creative and inspirational, and have definitely influenced me as a writer. A few games are the total package, a great story, a rich universe and memorable characters, and we’re only seeing more of those made as time goes on. Certain gaming concepts will make their way into my books (“boss battles” being a frequent one), though I try not to go too overboard with direct references. I’m often told my books read like a movie or video game, which I take as a compliment (though other authors may not).

I’m wondering whether you found transitioning from non-fiction writing to fiction writing (in terms of voice and style, etc) tough? Alternatively, did the experience writing non-fiction help?

The way it worked out, I actually started with fiction, self-publishing the first two Earthborn books, before switching to a non-fiction video game ebook project for Forbes. Then went back to fiction again. I found them to be pretty dissimilar experiences, as non-fiction requires much, much more research, and offers less avenues for creativity. You can use facts creatively, but you can’t simply invent things the way you do with fiction, and I found it hard to insert my own voice into the work as much as I wanted to. I certainly love many non-fiction books, but in terms of what I enjoy writing, I definitely prefer fiction. I felt more exhausted writing a non-fiction ebook than I did one of my fiction novels, when the latter was about five times as long, and I’ve turned down future non-fiction projects since to keep my focus on fiction. I’ve read some truly great non-fiction novels, but I think my own skill set and interests are more tailored toward creative fiction.

You went down the interesting path of Self Publishing your work first and then being picked up by a publisher (similar to that of authors like Michael J. Sullivan and Anthony Ryan). Could you tell us a little bit about why you originally Self Published, the process moving to more traditional publishing and any benefits it brought you? Are you glad how it all turned out with hindsight?

I originally pursued self-publishing because it was the only thing that motivated me to finally write one of these book ideas that had been bouncing around in my head for so long. My cousin had self-published a book through Amazon, and told me how easy the process was. After that, I knew that if I could simply finish the book, people could instantly read it. No waiting around for years to see if a publisher would bite, I could release it to friends, family and the existing base of readers I’d built up through my blog and video game work. That was really motivating to me. I think the dream is that everyone wants to get picked up by a huge publisher and become the next JK Rowling or Steven King, but self-publishing is helpful as a motivational and distribution tool for the more everyday writer. It may not make you a bestseller, but it gets your work out there, and can inspire you to complete a project, knowing that you have a solid distribution mechanism at the end of the tunnel.

With that said, the traditional publishing process has been pretty great in many ways. It’s obviously amazing to hold your book in hand, printed by a real publisher, and sent out to outlets you admire for review. One of my life’s dreams was to see my book on a shelf at Barnes and Noble, and through my publisher, I was able to finally see that happen. It was also incredibly nice to have my books professionally edited (I literally read through them about 20 times each when I was self-publishing to try and catch my own errors), and have editors point out potential plot holes I hadn’t considered or noticed. Having a publisher offers you access to distribution avenues and industry contacts you wouldn’t have otherwise, and as much as I enjoyed self-publishing, going forward I would always try to work with a publisher as a first choice. But in terms of the path I took, I have no regrets. One of my goals for the new year, however, is to get a literary agent, which is something I have yet to pursue, but I’m told they can be most helpful in navigating the publishing world.

Do you have a favourite piece of feedback from a review? What has it been like having your book looked over and commented upon by readers and critics?

It’s scary to have your books read and reviewed by critics and the public, because it’s just completely out of your hands at that point. Either they’ll like it, or they won’t. I’ve been fortunate to have a number of good reviews from readers and critics alike, though it’s nice to hear feedback about where you can improve. I grew up reading Publisher’s Weekly at my grandma’s house, so it was kind of surreal to see them give me three positive reviews for each of my books. That was a big moment for me. But I also like people telling me which characters or moments they thought did or didn’t work, as that can help shape my writing in the future, as I balance my own desires with fan feedback about what I’ve done so far. I think that kind of stuff is definitely important to listen to and consider.

In terms of your own tastes, what kind of thing do you like to read? Now that you are a published author of Science-Fiction, has this / will this change at all?

I read mostly sci-fi, fantasy and horror these days, with some spy thrillers mixed in here and there. I have a tougher time with hard sci-fi or ultra-epic fantasy, and I prefer more accessible stuff. I’ve recently devoured all of James S. A. Corey’s Expanse series, which I thought was incredible. This past year, I discovered my favorite fantasy series in Brandon Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive. Now that I’m an official “author” I feel even more of a responsibility to be reading all the time. My tastes haven’t really changed, but I always want to read as many different books as I can to find new inspiration and influences. It’s tough to be writing without actively reading something simultaneously. It’s like two halves to a whole for me. It helps if whatever I’m reading and writing is in the same genre, but it isn’t 100% necessary.

Finally, now this trilogy is out there, what’s next for you as an author?

While I could revisit the Earthborn universe someday, I have no current plans to. Instead, I have about three books “on deck” that could all be their own potential series. One is a near-future thriller I’ve been working on for a year and a half that is almost completely finished. One is a YA fantasy book set in a different sort of apocalypse, and I have about ten chapters done for that. The last one is sci-fi horror, and that’s nothing more than a concept sketch at this point, but I’m excited to get started on it…someday. Now that I’ve started writing books, I really don’t want to stop. The hardest part is choosing which projects you want to do when, and how you want to go about trying to publish or sell them. I’m hoping people who liked the Earthborn books will keep reading my new stories as well.

Paul Tassi’s entire trilogy is now out and available in both the UK and USA from Talos Press (owned by Skyhorse Publishing, the same guys behind Night Shade Books).

For more information visit: www.earthborntrilogy.com.

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