|
06-22-2010: MilSciFi.com interviews author Danielle Ackley-McPhail, contributor to the mixed anthology "The Stories In Between."
MilSciFi: "Welcome. Please tell us a little
something about the anthology, and your story."
Ackley-McPhail: "The Stories in Between is a
thirtieth anniversary collection being jointly produced by The Fantasist
Enterprises and Greg Schauer, the owner of the independent bookstore Between
Books, located in Claymont, Delaware. This is a beloved venue with a very loyal
clientele among both readers and authors. Those authors featured in the
collection have all been guests at the bookstore for readings and signings and
a variety of other events over the store’s thirty years of operation.
The Devil You Don’t is an Alliance Archives adventure
featuring Private Katrion Alexander and the 142nd Infantry, or Daire’s Devils.
It is the sequel to Carbon Copy, which was featured in the anthology Space
Pirates (Flying Pen Press) in 2008. This is a special forces unit deployed to
deal with pirate activity in their assigned sector. Both stories are a
progression of that story line."
MilSciFi: "Is this story part of a large
series or universe?"
Ackley-McPhail: "Well these and other stories are
set against the background of the Alliance Archives universe sharing technology
and terminology, though not always the same characters or organizations. In
this instance I am examining the military structure of the reality, though
other stories have dealt with the corporate structure, or even a combination of
the two. All in all there are seven stories set in this universe: In the Dying Light
(Breach the Hull, Dark Quest Books), Building Blocks (Barbarians at the
Jumpgate, Padwolf Publishing), By Any Means (New Blood, Padwolf Publishing),
Carbon Copy (Space Pirates, Flying Pen Press), The Devil You Don’t (Stories in
Between, Fantasist Enterprises), Zinn Mensch (Trails of Indiscretion Magazine) and
First Line (So It Begins, Dark Quest Books). There is one unfinished piece
currently in the works that is a continuation of Carbon Copy and The Devil You
Don’t. That doesn’t yet have a home, but that is okay as I have more than
enough on my plate at the moment. There is also an as-yet only planned story
that will be a continuation of By Any Means. The proposal has been approved for
consideration in the upcoming Space Horrors by Flying Pen Press."
MilSciFi: "What inspired you to write this
story?"
Ackley-McPhail: "I had enjoyed writing Carbon Copy
and think of it as one of my best sci fi stories. The characters were engaging
and amusing and I wanted to find out what more there was to their story, so
when I was invited to write something for The Stories in Between it was the
perfect opportunity to do so. Also, many of the people in the volume are known
for their fantasy and horror so I wanted to distinguish myself by focusing on
the science fiction, which is a particular strength of mine."
MilSciFi: "Do you have plans to expand upon,
or write other works based on this story?"
Ackley-McPhail: "LOL…I guess I’ve gotten ahead of
myself as I’ve mentioned all of this above, but something I didn’t mention is
that eventually I will be expanding Carbon Copy, The Devil You Don’t and my
current work into a novel-length work. The novel will likely be called Daire’s
Devils and will more fully explore the storylines woven into the stories."
MilSciFi: "Do you write in any other genre?"
Ackley-McPhail: "I don’t like to be pigeon-holed so
I tend to skip around a bit so I don’t get known for any one particular thing.
I write science fiction, military science fiction, fantasy (in most of its
variations), horror, and even poetry. They all require a different approach and
mindset, but I like the challenge."
MilSciFi: "Do you have any other projects in
the works?"
Ackley-McPhail: "Currently I am working on an urban
fantasy novella in my biker faerie universe. It is called The Halfling’s Court:
A Bad-Ass Faerie Tale and it is an expansion of two existing stories, At the
Crossroads and Within the Guardian Bell, both of which appear in the Bad-Ass
Faeries anthologies now to be published by Mundania Press. I am also writing
Today’s Promise the third book in my Eternal Cycle novel series and a new take
on a vampire novel as yet untitled, but with the series title Blood Will Tell.
And, of course, the above-mentioned sci fi novel. There are other projects, but
these are the most immediate."
MilSciFi: "Do you have any upcoming author
events?"
Ackley-McPhail: "A listing of my events can be
found on www.BookTour.com. I do have quite a number coming up, including
Faeriecon (Nov 6-8, Hunt Valley, MD) and Philcon (Nov 20-22, Cherry Hill, NJ)."
MilSciFi: "Thank you, for your time."
Publishers Weekly Article
|
