Mike Resnick Interview - The Master of Dreams ~ JeanBookNerd

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Michael "Mike" Diamond Resnick, better known by his published name Mike Resnick, is a popular and prolific American science fiction author. He is, according to Locus, the all-time leading award winner, living or dead, for short science fiction. He is the winner of five Hugos, a Nebula, and other major awards in the United States, France, Spain, Japan, Croatia and Poland. and has been short-listed for major awards in England, Italy and Australia. He is the author of 68 novels, over 250 stories, and 2 screenplays, and is the editor of 41 anthologies. His work has been translated into 25 languages. He is the Guest of Honor at the 2012 Worldcon.

What inspired you to pen your first novel?

My mother was a writer – not a successful one – and from childhood onward I considered that the most desirable profession. Still do, all these decades later.

Tell us your latest news.

Well, I’m negotiating with Hollywood for my novel Santiago, and with both Hollywood and TV for Kirinyaga and Seven Views of Olduvai Gorge. I recently won an award in Catalonia – my 67th overall -- and I’ve recovered from a month in the hospital and the writing is just about back up to speed.

Who or what has influenced your writing, and in what way?

Science fiction writers who have influenced me over the years – always by example – include Catherine L. Moore, Robert Sheckley, Barry N. Malzberg, Alfred Bester, and Clifford D. Simak. Mainstream writers include Damon Runyon, Edward Whittemore, a few others.

What do you hope for readers to be thinking when they read your novel?

Seriously? I hope they’re thinking “I know I’ll love this. I can’t put this guy’s books down.” More practically: “I hope it lives up to the hype on the cover and in the ads.”

Did you learn anything from writing THE MASTER OF DREAMS and what was it?

75 science fiction novels (and I’ve also done my share of non-science-fiction) and 280 science fiction stories into my career, there’s not much that I learn from any single writing experience.

For those who are unfamiliar with Eddie, how would you introduce him?

Eddie Raven thinks of himself as a normal, unexceptional guy. He makes cheap copies of designer dresses for a living, he has a girlfriend, he lives in Manhattan, and he would agree that he is the last guy you’d expect to undergo the fantastic adventures that await him.

What part of your characters did you enjoy writing the most?

Their reaction – both the immediate and the protracted – to the totally exceptional venues and circumstances in which they find themselves.

If you could introduce one of your characters to any character from another book, who would it be and why?

Easy. I’d introduce Eddie to John Justin Mallory, a New York detective who suddenly finds himself that that “other” New York, the one you can just see out of the corner of your eye but isn’t quite there when you face it head on. Mallory has to function in that world, much as Eddie has to function in whatever his world has become. For those who might be interested in Mallory, his novels are Stalking the Unicorn, Stalking the Dragon, and Stalking the Vampire, and his collection of short stories is Stalking the Zombie.

How many books have you written?

76 science fiction novels, 15 science fiction collections (of my stories), 3 mystery novels, 10 books of non-fiction, and I’ve edited or co-edited close to 40 anthologies.

Where did you go on your first airplane ride?

From Chicago to Cincinnati, back in 1949, when I was 7 years old.

What are the 5 most beautiful things in the world, and why?

Carol (my wife, partner, and uncredited collaborator of 58 years), and the next 4 things don’t even come close.

What is your most memorable travel experience?

Been to Africa five times, always with a private guide. Loved just about every minute of it, especially Kenya, and came away with a ton of books and stories, including my most-awarded book ever.

Where can readers find you?

Other than under R in the bookstores? Well, I’ve got a web page (www.mikeresnick.com), but it mostly just updates my writing news maybe 10 times a year. I’m on Facebook – usually a few times a day – and I’ll respond to any messages there.

Opening a new fantasy trilogy from Hugo award winner Resnick, this novel offers an adventure through space and time as Eddie Raven tries to outrun the dark forces pursuing him.

Eddie Raven isn't quite sure what's happening to him--and he's in a race to find out before it kills him.

His adventures begin with a shooting in a very strange shop in Manhattan--but soon he finds himself the owner of a very familiar bar in Casablanca. By the time he adjusts to that reality, he's suddenly become one of several undersized people helping a young woman search for a wizard. And after confronting the wizard, he somehow finds himself in Camelot.

But as he rushes to solve the mystery of his many appearances, a larger threat looms. Because someone or something is stalking him through time and space with deadly intent....

Praise for THE MASTER OF DREAMS

"A mad jaunt through unwaveringly whimsical worlds...Brisk, toothsome, diverting, sometimes laugh-out-loud funny." ―Kirkus Reviews

"Genre veteran Mike Resnick delivers the first book in a new trilogy that doubles as a romp through all your favorite stories...As Eddie reels and struggles to adapt to his shifting reality, he must figure out why the Master of Dreams is chasing him through twisted versions of famous stories-and find Lisa before it's too late." ―Barnes&Noble.com

"Takes readers on a delightful romp through various tales with a clueless but resourceful protagonist, setting up a new, intriguing fantasy trilogy...[with] fast-paced action and numerous drops into familiar tales." ―Library Journal

"Sends a hapless everyman on a journey across altered versions of well-known fictional worlds." ―Publishers Weekly

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