Interview with Naomi Novik

The advance praise and the critics have created a very positive buzz surrounding the release of TEMERAIRE. How happy are you about that? Are you afraid that this might raise readers' expectations too high?

Oh, no, it's a tremendous and unalloyed pleasure to hear so many people have enjoyed the book. Of course I hope not to send any reader away disappointed, but I don't worry about backlash in a practical sense, because my feeling is, if a book is successful enough to have a backlash, you really can't complain.

As a general rule, I do try to stay open to critical as well as positive feedback, whether it comes privately from my excellent editors and first readers, or in reviews and comments from readers; I think that's the only way to keep learning and growing as a writer, which I hope to continue doing.

TEMERAIRE is the living proof that the internet can provide a lot of exposure for a book. Do you feel that most publishers don't yet understand the full potential of this tool, in terms of exploiting the wealth of fantasy-related websites, message boards, and blogs?

NN: I'm not sure that it's necessarily that the publishers don't understand as that it's not as effective a tool for every author -- I think you need to already have an online presence and to enjoy communicating online for its own sake, not just because you have something to promote.

How long did it take to write the entire trilogy? Were there any difficulties to get it published?

NN: I began His Majesty's Dragon in January of 2004, and the galley pages of Black Powder War, the third volume, have arrived in my hands this very day, so almost two years exactly from start to finish.

I have a wonderful agent, Cynthia Manson, who is also a personal friend, and she sent the start of the book to Del Rey while I was still polishing my final draft, and I got the news they wanted it and two sequels before I had entirely finished. (Admittedly, this is partly because I am never really done with a book until it is pried out of my hands and sent off to production, and sometimes not then.)

What current fantasy authors do you read and enjoy?
Are there any lesser known or new writers you'd like to tell us more about?

NN: I've recently been reading so much non-fiction for research that I've had an embarrassingly little amount of time for reading anything else -- for the first time in my life, I have a shelf full of books waiting to be read.

Among the small handful of fantasy books I've had time to read recently and enjoyed very much were Justine Larbalestier's Magic or Madness, a really fun YA fantasy set between NYC and Sydney, and Martha Wells's The Wizard Hunters, the sequel to which is taunting me from the shelf. Elizabeth Wein's A Coalition of Lions is on there waiting also, as well as Jo Walton's Tooth and Claw, and a Diana Wynne Jones short-story collection, Minor Arcana. Just the other day, I was killing some time between appointments in a Borders and picked up an older novel by Sharon Shinn to do it with, but I would rather recommend her more recent Samaria novels -- I enjoy those tremendously.

Will there be a promo tour this spring? If so, what cities are currently on the itinerary?

NN: Rather than doing a traditional book tour, I'll be attending a series of SFF conventions: Boskone (Boston, MA), New York Comic-Con (New York, NY) in February, Lunacon (Hasbrouck Heights, NJ) in March, Balticon (Baltimore, MD) in May, San Diego Comic-Con (San Diego, CA) in July, and Worldcon (Los Angeles, CA) in August.

Thank you very much for taking the time to answer our questions. We wish you the best of luck with the North American release of HIS MAJESTY'S DRAGON and continued success with the rest of the series.

NN: Thanks so much!