We would love to give a huge and warm welcome to M.K Hobson, the author of The Native Star and the upcoming The Hidden Goddess. M.K Hobson has been recently been nominated for a Nebula award and we all would love to give our congratulations because The Native Star was a top read for Has last year.
Bookpushers: How did you come up with the world for the Native Star Series?
M.K: I have always loved the dynamism and energy of 19th century America–but, like anything else, I thought it would be better with magic. So I had to figure out what kind of magic would fit into that world. And the result was THE NATIVE STAR!
Bookpushers: The Native Star was primarily set in the Wild West, but The Hidden Goddess looks like it will be set in a more civilised setting away from marauding zombies and hexes gone wrong. Can you give us any hints for this book?
M.K: THE HIDDEN GODDESS definitely takes place a long ways from the Wild West–in New York City, to be precise. But while New York has a more refined veneer, our heroine Emily Edwards will find that it can be just as rough and tumble as any place west of the Rockies. In this second book there is a lot more emphasis on backroom politics and social intrigue. And of course there’s an ancient Aztec Goddess threatening to destroy the world, you know, the usual.
Bookpushers: Will there be more books set in this series and if so is there an overall Arc planned out and how many books do you plan to write?
M.K: I’ve been refining and updating the series proposal, and the way it looks now, if I complete the series the way I envision it, there will be five duologies — 10 books total — each jumping forward in time by about 18-20 years to follow the children of the protagonists in the previous duology. So the next duology follows Dreadnought and Emily’s youngest son. It is set in 1911, during the runup to the first World War.
Bookpushers: Humour is a strong element in your books, which we really loved! Will there be any similar mishaps in The Hidden Goddess?
M.K: If anything there’s probably even more humor, because THE HIDDEN GODDESS is quite a bit darker than THE NATIVE STAR (and I expect the future books will be as well). I find that horror and humor go together really well, and the more of one I have, the more of the other I need.
Bookpushers: The magical background and theory is rich and diverse in the books. Will we see more exploration in that avenue in the series?
M.K: Indubitably! In particular, readers will learn a whole lot more about Credomancy. Dreadnought Stanton has been appointed as the head of the powerful Institute, and we get to see exactly what that role entails. Emily’s powers will expand and deepen as well.
Bookpushers: What was your initial reaction when you found out you were nominated for the Nebula award?
M.K: I was utterly thrilled and honored. I’ve never been nominated for a major award within the genre before (though I did make it on the longlist for my Realms of Fantasy story “The Hotel Astarte“) and I wasn’t really expecting to be. It’s pretty overwhelming. Everyone makes fun of Sally Field’s acceptance speech at the Oscars, but I have to say … Sally, I get it now. It’s really weird to think people are paying enough attention to you to like you (or dislike you, as the case might be.)
Bookpushers: What was your inspiration to write in the Steampunk/fantasy genre?
M.K: I have always written fantasy, and it’s always had historical aspects to it, so steampunk is the perfect fit for me. As the series goes on through time, and I begin to explore later periods in American history, I guess my work will start shading into dieselpunk and teslapunk and even atomicpunk — which should be very fun and interesting. Maybe I can be the first author with a series that goes from steampunk to atomicpunk to … what? I don’t know what the end-state would be, post-punk? Todaypunk? Just plain punk?
Bookpushers: Do you have any plans to venture outside of Steampunk and write in other genres?
M.K: I’ve got several ideas for urban fantasy / paranormal romance novels that I could and should be working on. I’m a particular fan of novels of corporate intrigue, and I’d love to do some “John Grisham with Magic” type-books. But I’m a very slow writer, alas.
Bookpushers: If you had the power to invent a steampunk invention, what would it be and what could it do?
M.K: Pursuant to the question (and answer) above, I would invent a steam-powered ass-kicking machine that would somehow encourage me to write more and faster. Or better yet, a steam-powered super mecha-man that could rob Fort Knox for me so I could live a life of literary luxury. Yeah, let’s go with that last one.
Thank you M.K for taking the time to answer our questions! M.K is also offering a copy of The Hidden Goddess, the sequel to the romantic Western Steampunk, The Native Star.
To enter just comment in this post and answer the question, that if you had the choice to set a steampunk book in what period of history would it be?
Giveaway ends next Tuesday the 17th of May 12.am GMT
GOOD LUCK!
Native Star was the first Steampunk I read that I thought “Oh, yeah. I love this!” (Since then I’ve read others, but I heart NS). I tend to like Victorian England Steampunk, I’ve discovered, but if I were writing one, I’d go wacky and try to write Steampunk set in pre-Colonial America.
My choice of the moment would be at the height of the Ottoman empire…
I love Steampunk and although I adore the Victorian age, I’d love to read some books set in the Wild West. I loved the TV shows Brisco County Jr and Wild, Wild West, so I’d like more in that vein. I also read a story set in modern times, just in an alternate universe that had developed differently than ours, and that would be fun to see in a new story as well.
Hm… what era? I think the future. You can do whatever you want in the future. No one can tell you that you are wrong… yet. 😉
Late Victorian England is still the classic steampunk setting for me because of the juxtaposition of all of those crazy inventions along with a social order that will still trying to enforce class rules, but was really straining at the seams.
I loved The Native Star and I can’t wait to read The Hidden Goddess.
While reading this interview I was pondering why the title ‘The Native Star’ rang such a loud bell? Well, glancing through my wishlist I found this very title 😀 To answer your question; How about the Roman era (which is what 45-74 BC?) I think this is a very dynamic time and would love to see what steampunk can add to it 😉
I do love the classic Victorian era but what about 1960’s that would be a challenge
Oh – when it comes to steampunk I’m still a sucker for Victorian London. Like JenM said it’s the combination of the still crazy class rules, but on the other hand you have all this new industrial stuff coming on. May have to do with “Dark Project” being on of my favourite PC games & it takes place there as well. *gg*
Thanks for the interview. The book sounds great. Western-steampunk sounds like a veeery good combination.
I would to set a Steampunk book in mid 1600s United States 🙂 It would be an interesting challenge.
Oh, I’d have to say the good ole’ Victorian era…. but as for setting, it’d go with the United States. Wild west and steam tech? Yeahhh baby!
I’d set mine in Russia, I think. It would be fascinating!
The giveaway is now closed!
I really like the suggestions for the steampunk settings – I def like the one set in Roman times, think that has some interesting possibilities.