Sunday, September 21, 2014

Author Interview - Jamie Maltman



Apple or PC?
If you had asked me last week, I would have said PC. But Windows 8 finally turned me off, and my wife just bought me a MacBook for my 10th anniversary gift. So I have an awesome wife, and am making the switch. Still use my PC for a lot of things though.

Do you use Scrivener or Word?
Related to the Mac question, Scrivener for over a year and I’m excited to have the better version now.

Do you have any pets? Do they influence your writing?
We had a cat named Aslan when I was a teenager, but my wife is allergic to cats. We tried, and Suki and Keiko were beautiful little cats, but it would have been very bad for my wife’s health.

Would you rather see your stories on the big screen or the little screen?
With more fantasy coming to both formats, either could work, but you’re able to get more good character work into the little screen these days so I’d probably tend that way.


Are you hooked on any of the shows on the sci-fi channel? If so, which one(s)?
We call it Space here in Canada, and along with it being the current home of Doctor Who (which I’ve watched since I was little), I’m a big fan of Orphan Black.

Do you own copies of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings DVDs? The extended version? Do you ever watch them?
Yes and yes. I'm in the process of the first watch through with my older son. We’re part-way through Return of the King. I was there with my sister at a theatre the day Return of the King was released, watching the marathon of Fellowship & Two Towers extended, then premiere of Return of the King. Which was the most awesome movie day of my life. I'm a big fan of Peter Jackson’s interpretation and execution, Howard Shore’s phenomenal soundtrack (which is always in my writing music playlist), and the incredible casting, locations and effects. 

Have you seen the first two parts of the The Hobbit? Are you planning to see the final installment?
In theatre. I’ll be taking my son soon after it comes out. I like them a lot, including the changes.

Are you a Luddite? Or do you prefer to be on the bleeding edge of technology?
I don’t enjoy keeping up with the bleeding edge, so I'm just a step behind the early adopters, where I can get value and stability, but still take advantage of what’s new.

Are you--or have you ever been--a gamer?
Absolutely. My console life went from playing other friends’ Intellivision/Colecovision/Atari to my own Nintendo, Sega Genesis, Sega Dreamcast, PS2, Wii (for the kids now). But my all time favorite game franchise is Sid Meier’s Civilization on computer.

What kind of foods do you eat? Are you a health-food-nut or is it strictly junk?
Moderately but not fanatically healthy. Lots of fruit and vegetables, but not averse to dessert or fast food. Moderation.

Do you cook? What is your best/favorite/most popular recipe?
I do a good job with just about any of The 4-hr Cookbook’s recipes, including the spicy crab cakes, his version of Osso Buko (his spelling).

Have you ever heard of or had a green smoothie? If you’ve ever had one, what did you think about it?
My mother’s favorite hobby is nutrition, so I’ve heard of a lot of things. I’ve had wheatgrass/fruit juice mixes, which I’m fine with. I’m not against them but I generally wouldn’t make them myself.

Do you have a garden? Have you ever grown your own food?
Not right now, but I’ve helped my mother in the past and she still has a garden.

Have you ever been to Starbucks?
Yes, though I generally feel abused by the prices and get a tea or hot apple cider.




Coffee or Tea or Water? Espresso, Drip, Instant, or French Press? Bag or Looseleaf? Bottled, Filtered, Tap or Rainwater?
Lots of green or black tea, generally Chinese or Japanese. We have both loose leaf and bagged. Japanese if I’m not tired, Chinese if I am.
Or filtered tap water.

Do you wear socks?
Sometimes. I have a pair of barefoot shoes and right now I’m wearing sandals, and when the weather is warm I generally go without socks in the house. But in winter, socks except to sleep.

What are you wearing right now?
Shorts and a red Toronto Raptors t-shirt.

How often do you wash your hair? 
At least every second day.

Do you do your own laundry?
Probably half or more of the time. I tend to be the one who carries it downstairs to put it in, and my wife tends to fold and put away, but not 100% of the time.

Does life fascinate you?
Absolutely. So much to learn, see, do and read.

What would your animal totem be?
Eagle.

Do you recycle?
Everything I can in our blue bin and green bin. Moderately fanatically.  

Do you do Yoga? Meditation? or Deep Breathing? Does it help you cope?
Daily yoga and I’ve recently picked up meditation too. The yoga was for my back as much as anything, but I do feel calmer and more balanced. 

On a scale of 1-10, how eccentric are you?
7

What’s your astrological sign?
Gemini

Do you consider yourself a slave to the muse?
I’m not a slave to anything. The muse and I have a great working relationship, and it’s a lot of fun.




Bio:
Jamie Maltman writes historically-inspired fantasy, and as an avid reader is a new co-host on the To Be Read Podcast.
He recently released book II of his Arts Reborn seriesBlood of the Water, which follows the return of opposing forces of artistic creation and elemental destruction to a world where echoes of ancient Greece and Rome mix with the fantastical, with book III expected late 2014. 
His work will also be featured in the upcoming anthology Beyond The Gate: Stories in the World of The Dream Engine, by Sean Platt and Johnny B. Truant.
When Jamie isn't reading or writing, he's probably enjoying time at his home in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada with his wife and two young sons, playing some kind of board or computer game, or watching basketball or Doctor Who. 

Connect with Jamie:

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