Interview with Dave Dobson

 Interview with Dave Dobson

Author of:

The Inquisitor's Guild Series

 

 Please tell me a little about your current work in progress.

I’m just finishing up The Woeling Lass, the fourth book in my Inquisitors’ Guild series. These stories follow different members of the Inquisitors’ Guild, a set of investigators in a medieval city. In this story, Gueran Declais, an inspector of noble birth, suffers a brutal attack at a festival. Left for dead, he is spirited away and hidden by his allies, and he has to work under an assumed name far from home. Meanwhile, back in the city, it is clear that the attack on Gueran was part of a systematic campaign of assassination directed at four noble houses. All of them have been completely exterminated save one, House Declais. An apprentice inspector Urret Milton, becomes involved in the investigation of these crimes and embroiled in uncovering the secret plot behind them. As the two characters, Urret and Gueran, separately piece together what’s going on, the situation becomes far more dangerous for both of them.

 

Where did you get the idea for this book or series?

The series always revolves around the Inquisitors’ Guild and the city of Frosthelm, a medieval city-state, but each book follows different main characters in a separate mystery. In the series, I wanted to try to bring together a bunch of elements I love, some from epic fantasy, like magic and swordfights and scheming nobles, and some from detective fiction, like investigations, clues, criminals, and conspirators. I also try to add a lot of humor to the books - a bit like Princess Bride meets CSI.

 

Do you write in more than one genre?

I’ve published a space opera style science fiction novel, Daros, which is making its way through the SPSFC (a competition for indie sci fi). I’ve also just completed a thriller set in modern-day North Carolina which has some light sci fi elements. I like changing around my genres, because it gives me a lot of opportunities to explore different topics, technologies, and settings. I also published a children’s book on endangered species back in 1996 via Charlesbridge Publishing.

 

Tell me about something that you believe makes your writing unique or worthy of attention.

Well, I think that’s a call best made by readers, but what I’m trying for in each book is a fun, exciting story with plenty of action, but also with smart and brave characters who are trying their best to do the right thing in challenging situations, even when things get really hard and the world seems set against them. That’s the kind of book I love to read, so that’s what I try to write.

Is there anything about your personal history or personality that manifests strongly in your writing?

I’m a geologist by training (I was a professor for 24 years before stepping away to write more), so I often think about natural settings and scientific realism when I write. I also do improv comedy at my local club, The Idiot Box, which I think helps with the humor and also with coming up with characters and plot ideas. Improv is all about developing a realistic and relatable scene with interesting characters very quickly, so it’s great practice for writing.

What else would be helpful for readers to know about you?

I’m not sure what’s helpful, but here’s some interesting trivia: I also wrote the computer game Snood, which was pretty popular in the late 1990’s and 2000’s, and some other games, and I’ve published a couple of boardgames and card games as well. I love Taco Bell, barbarian movies, and pinball to a fault, and I’ve played the largest tuba in the world in concert.

 

Excluding your own work, what underrated author or book would you recommend that more people read? Why?

Barry Hughart is one of my favorite authors. His Bridge Of Birds is just the kind of book I want to write - funny, exciting, epic, and with wonderful characters.

Which of your books do you most highly recommend? Why?

That’s hard - I love them all, particularly as I’m writing them and am really into building the story. Flames Over Frosthelm is a great introduction to what I do, and it’s probably the best starting point for the Inquisitors’ Guild series.

 

Which break, event, decision, or fortuitous circumstance has helped you or your writing career the most?

Well, the one that has gotten me most focused on writing was the end of my teaching career, which happened as my college ran into financial trouble a couple years ago. I wouldn’t have chosen to leave that job that way, but that major shift has given me a great opportunity to focus on writing and other creative pursuits, and it’s turning out maybe to be a blessing in disguise. I’m really loving what I’m doing now, and although I miss my colleagues and my students and my teaching, I’m having a ball writing more stories.

What question do you wish you would get asked more often?

“What time is the improv show tonight?” The more audience we have, the more fun it is.

Do you have a catch-phrase or quote that you like? What is it? And why do you choose it? 

I’ve always had a silly love for “Two snakes, coming together,” which is an obscure quote from the original Conan the Barbarian movie, which gave Arnold Schwarzenegger an excuse to flex his enormous arms in the shape of Thulsa Doom’s snake cult symbol. A fellow Conan-fan professor and I got our students to do that all the time when we taught a month-long field course out in the American West, and it just tickled me to see the students two-snaking all over Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico. Some of them still greet me that way. Pretty much any quote from that movie gives me a happy feeling, especially when said in a coarse Austrian accent.

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Thanks to Dave for participating.

In the limited time I had this week, I managed to get out my newsletter (which you can check out here and it includes links to free books), forge some exciting stuff in Book 6 of the Tomahawks and Dragon Fire Series (including a short philosophical discussion--but no gryphons were involved), and hammer out part of a chapter in my Warrior-King book. If you're not familiar with my books, check t my Amazon page here.

Additionally, you can get the free prequel to the Tomahawks and Dragon Fire Series here.