Interview Questions I Never Want to Be Asked Again
Jeff VanderMeer • June 9th, 2011 @ 9:38 am • Writing Tips
What is Steampunk?
Why do you write about squid?
Why do you write about mushrooms?
Why aren’t there airplanes in Ambergris?
Why are you so anti-fungi?
Why is your writing so weird?
Why are you so mean to your characters?
What are you wearing?
June 9, 2011 at 10:26 am
No “Where do you get your ideas”?
June 9, 2011 at 12:51 pm
“What are you wearing”?? Who was interviewing you, Antony Weiner?
June 9, 2011 at 1:29 pm
Uh oh, I know I’m guilty of at least one of those!
June 9, 2011 at 4:49 pm
Jokes aside, why *aren’t* there any airplanes in Ambergris? I mean, contextually speaking, it would’ve made a lot more sense for the gray caps to travel by plane than by “door,” right? Also, you could’ve given the reader that all too critical *aerial view* most of your work is criticized for lacking. I don’t know. I guess it’s something to think about. Have you considerd restructuring “Borne” so that it all takes place in an airplane? That’ll show ‘em!
June 9, 2011 at 5:31 pm
Gabriel–I was being interviewed over the phone by Australian national radio about steampunk. I’d just stupidly answered “steam-powered mechanical corsets” when asked about the fashion side, and the interviewer asked, “What are you wearing?”
Dustin–yeah, there’s a definite lack of birdy and floaty things in Ambergris mech-tech. Lots of them in the mushy-tech.
June 9, 2011 at 8:49 pm
i would have thought you were pro-fungi.
June 9, 2011 at 9:12 pm
I know, right? I am indeed pro-fungi but a few people think just because the gray caps aren’t always nice I am anti-fungi. Do not confuse the writer with the work! Not to mention I don’t know whether I favor humans over gray caps…
June 9, 2011 at 9:16 pm
Australian national radio? What station?
June 9, 2011 at 11:38 pm
Can I ask you in-depth questions about Mord’s religion, or would that be too spoilerific at this time?
June 9, 2011 at 11:50 pm
I suppose i should be embarrassed that when I first read City of Saints I thought the grey caps were just dudes wearing floppy hats, but I blame this on my horrible retention rate.
FUN FACT: I get some of those questions as well, and I’m just like, my mind craps this stuff out.
June 14, 2011 at 1:25 am
Why DO you write about mushrooms?
I kid. :-p