In honor of the launch of his third book, Goblin War, the finale to his trilogy of humorous fantasy novels starring Jig the Goblin, I wanted to share an interview with author Jim C. Hines:



1. With all these projects and books on your plate, are you still having fun? Why or why not?
It has started to feel a bit more like work. Before, I had total freedom to write (or not write) whenever and whatever I wanted. These days, there are deadlines to meet, as well as the self-imposed pressure to make sure I don't let my readers down. The business side of things also takes up a lot more time and energy than it used to. Whether it's promotional work online or trying to figure out the tax paperwork for the French edition of Goblin Quest, it adds a bit more stress.

Not that I'm complaining. In a lot of ways, it's even more fun. People are actually paying me and reading my work. What's not to love?

2. Will we see more goblin novels? Why or why not?
Right now, I have no immediate plans to come back to the goblin books. How's that for a wishy-washy answer? I'm not contracted for any goblin books right now, and I have at least three or four books planned in a new series.

One reason I wanted to stop with Goblin War is that I don't want to tell the same story over and over. Jig is a great character, but there's only so many times I can write an underdog fantasy tale. I don't want to get repetitive. How many times can I write about Jig getting picked on, or Smudge setting something (or someone) on fire?

On the other hand, the end of Goblin War leaves everything in a very different place, which would open things up for some new stories. Never say never, and all that.

3. Do you worry about getting pigeonholed as a "funny fantasy writer"? Is this a good or bad thing?
You mean like Terry Pratchett or Douglas Adams? I think I could live with that.

The goblin books have been fairly light in tone, but the next series I'm working on ... it's still quirky, but it's got a bit more depth and complexity to it. I've also written a wider range of short fiction. I write some fun shorts, but I've also got zombies and SF and even a few things you could conceivably call "literary."

I suspect I'll be "that goblin guy" for a while, but I don't mind. I've been called much, much worse in my life.

4. What's your favorite piece of fan mail or reader response?
A teacher out west bought copies of the first two goblin books for her class. I guess she had one student who had never gotten into reading. I don't know if he had trouble reading, or if he just didn't enjoy it. Eventually, the teacher convinced him to give Goblin Quest a try.

Not only did he finish it -- the first book she had ever seen him read -- he liked it so much he wrote a book report for the school paper. He also wrote me a card, which the teacher passed along. When Goblin Hero came out, he devoured that one as well.

Even if I never sell another book, that experience was enough to make the whole thing worth it.

5. Are you interested in other genres outside of fantasy?
As a writer or a reader? I don't have a lot of reading time these days, thanks in part to two young kids. I suspect you can sympathize? But I do try to read outside of my genre. Nonfiction is a must, of course. Even the goblin books require a fair amount of research. The To Be Read shelf currently includes work by Jonathan Kellerman and Torey Hayden, both of whom are non-SF/F folks.

As a writer, I've done the occasional piece of non-genre fiction, but I really enjoy fantasy, so I think I'll stick with it for a while. I might branch out one of these days, though.

6. What's on the horizon for you, both as a writer and a person?
I've sold a non-goblin book called The Stepsister Scheme, which will probably be out in early 2009. The book is written, and I should have revision notes from my editor by the time this interview goes live. It's a fun book, basically a mashup of fairy tale princesses with Charlie's Angels. These aren't your typical Disney princesses, and I'm hoping to win a Nebula for Best Use of Tableware in a Fight Scene. I've written the first draft of a sequel, and proposals for books two and three are both sitting on my editor's desk.

As a person, continuing to balance family, writing, and the day job should keep me pretty busy for a while.



7. Your trilogy is done. What's your fondest memory of the three-book project?
This sounds a bit shallow, but in a lot of ways, it's the day DAW made an offer on the first goblin books. It wasn't the money, though I never object to getting paid. That was my first major book deal, and it felt like a kind of validation of everything I had been doing for the past ten years. After a decade of practice, I had gotten good enough at this writing thing for a big publisher to take me on. I mean, I liked the goblin stories, obviously. But I'm not exactly an objective judge of these things. To have my editor love Jig and his fellow goblins enough to print tens of thousands of books ... it meant a lot.

Interactions with my fans have been wonderful, too. Whether it's e-mail notes or getting hug-ambushed at a con by someone who really liked the books, it's a great feeling.

Note: You can read a preview of Goblin War at Jim's Web site.

Jim is a great guy and an excellent writer, and I'm looking forward to snagging my copy of the book soon, possibly even today over lunch. Later!