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By Patrick (2006-06-29)Q: THE LIES OF LOCKE LAMORA is the living proof that the internet can provide a lot of exposure for a book. Do you feel that most publishers don't yet understand the full potential of this tool, in terms of exploiting the wealth of fantasy-related websites, message boards, and blogs?
SL: I honestly don't know what to say about "most publishers..." Baen Books has been going great guns for several years now with a variety of forward-thinking technological promotions. Quite a few major publishers have hungry, adventurous editors willing to buy good work right off the web, including mine. Their publicity departments supply advance reader copies and press information to dozens, if not hundreds, of web-based reviewers, along with books for contests and so forth. My honest impression is that most of them are doing the very best they can to use any tools available to get out the word about their books.
Q: Was a Venice-like locale always meant to be the environment in which the story would take place, or did a pseudo Venetian mercantile empire backdrop just turned out to be what you needed to carry the story along?
SL: Originally, briefly, my conception of Locke's world was so much more boring... just another pseudo-medieval sort of place. But once I moved his society forward a few centuries, and decided that I wanted a more Italian/Mediterranean sort of fantasy setting, Venice seemed an obvious inspiration. There's so much lovely, goofy stuff in its history that people would cry, "Oh, bullshit!" on if I tried to put it into a fantasy novel, heh. It was the atmosphere I needed, and the environment I needed for all the elements (economic, social,costuming, etc.) that I envisioned.
Q: Your debut's tale takes place in the city of Camorr. Will you be exploring the other corners of your universe in the upcoming instalments of THE GENTLEMEN BASTARDS?
SL: Yes. Each of the first four books in the sequence is sort of devoted to the exploration of a new major city in Locke's world. Camorr inBook I, Tal Verrar in Book II, Karthain in Book III, and Emberlain in Book IV. After that, pretty much everywhere on the continent is caughtup in what's going on and some old haunts will be revisited.
Q: Although I relish the thought of seeing one of your novels hit the shelves every 8 months, is it possible to maintain such a pace and retain the same quality with each additional volume without going insane? I know there is a lot of pressure on you, but I'm wondering if it's humanly possible for you to maintain such a schedule.
SL: You and me both, Pat. But in all honesty... this is my job. It's what I have to do, not just to keep a roof over my head, but to keep from going mad, you know? I have a fairly demanding, directorial sort of stance toward my work. I don't stare into space for five years per book, twiddling my thumbs and waiting for some kindly muse to deliver a finished manuscript. And, for the next book at least, the gap will be a full year, as the powers that be have decided to give TLOLL some breathing room in which to be the "only child" of the family, and hopefully build up some momentum. ;) 
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