Interview with Peter James Martin
You may have seen two of my previous posts with Authors about this new anthology coming out called The Decagon Key. I have had the chance to slowly interview each of the authors and just maybe, we will learn more about what this anthology is all about.
This interview is with Peter James Martin, we talk about his projects, characters, and how they tie into the Decagon Key. You may know him from Twitter as he tweets about the famous Brennan and Riz. Riz is the adventurous rat who is always up to no good but has a good dose of humor in the mix. Let's see what he had to say.
Q: What inspired your first book?
A: Talking about the first book I had that actually made it into other people’s hands (The Strange Tales of Brennan and Riz), that was inspired by two things. The first being folklore, the second being a local writing contest that spurred me back into writing after a hiatus. While this book is completely unrelated to the Decagon Key, its success however gave me the confidence to delve back into earlier stories.
Q: Tell us a little about your story in The Decagon Key.
A: I apologize, but there’s not a lot I can say about my story in the Decagon Key, but it does contain a character beloved by all who follow the #vssmurder prompt word game on Twitter, Gabriel. The basic premise is there’s a party going on, one he’s not being invited to. I wonder what he does about that...
Q: Where does your story in The Decagon Key take place in your story's universe?
A: Gabriel’s little adventure isn’t part of the Brennan and Riz stories. Instead, he belongs to a completely different set of stories called Daemon Soul. Maybe one day those stories will be published and everyone can see the story behind Gabriel and watch his plans unfold...
Q: What gave you the idea or inspiration for this short story?
A: The inspiration for the story came from the problem of what to do with the Decagon Key and the task that I’d been given in terms of story position (I.e. right next to the end, in fact, it leads right into the epilogue. The plot came from a question, how much of a mistake would it be to not invite Gabriel, the Demon Merchant, to a party.
Q: If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
A: I’d tell myself to not give up, and stick at it. This is on top of all the other advice I’d offload on myself, so causality may be getting torn into a new one if I ever got the means to tell my past self anything...
Q: Who is your favorite character that you have created and why?
A: I’m torn between Gabriel, and Riz, for similar reasons. They’re both a joy to write, their machinations, their sarcastic remarks, the way they interact with the characters around them. Riz has also forged himself a unique way of talking and audience’s love him (for unknown reasons!).
Q: What is the hardest scene you have ever written?
A: The hardest scene I’ve ever written wax in book that hasn’t been published yet, and one that needs a major overhaul. The scene though broke my heart.
Q: Where can readers get more of you?
A: Well, I’m active on Twitter, especially with the VSS365 and VSSMurder tags. The vss murder tags in particular are often always the adventures of Gabriel and his gang of shadows. The only other published story I have is the Strange Tales of Brennan and Riz, which is 10 short stories featuring the eponymous duo.
Thanks to Peter for taking the time to answer these questions. Be sure to keep an eye out for The Decagon Key, coming soon!