Niteblade

Chris Lewis Carter stopped by to discuss his story “The Cord” and let us know what he’s been up to these days. I hope you enjoy the interview!

When did you first recognize yourself as a writer?

In fourth grade, when I begged one of my teachers to let me stand in front of the class and read my latest masterpiece. I forget what it was called, but it was about a little girl who was in the hospital, and I’m 99% positive that I ended a chapter with, “Then everything went black.” The weird part, though, is that I’m fairly certain this didn’t take place in english class. I think it was actually math. Looking back now, it was clear that even Ten-Year-Old-Chris was more interested in telling stories than solving equations.

What draws you to speculative fiction?

I think it’s because most speculative fiction strikes the perfect balance between “Anything Goes” and “Show Your Work.” By that, I mean it gives a writer the opportunity to let their imagination run wild, while at the same time allows them to ground their crazy ideas in some form of real-world fact. I’ve always found that the best stories are the ones that don’t just entertain, but also teach you something new. It doesn’t need to change your world view or anything, just slip you a little factoid of information that makes you say, “Huh… I didn’t know that.”

It’s like watching the TV show, “Fringe.” They’ll introduce a character who can make someone’s head explode just by looking at them, and then proceed to explain the ability by extrapolating on some basic science. But by the end of the explanation you’re always fully on board, like, “Hmm…well, I guess if sharks can smell blood up to a mile away… this makes sense, too!” I love that.

Is there a piece of writing advice you’ve never followed?

“Write what you know.” I’ve always felt that to be an incomplete expression. The real piece of advice should be, “Write what you know you love.” Take my story from Niteblade, for example. I’m by no means an authority on Cordyceps Fungi (although I’m sure a title like that would make me a hit at parties), but I fell in love with the idea. Besides, my good friend Google is always there to make sure I’ve got my facts straight. I mean, that’s kind of the point of writing fiction, isn’t it? To immerse yourself in the unfamiliar. If not, we’d all be writing technical manuals.

Your story, “The Cord”, appeared in the March 2012 issue of Niteblade. Is there a story behind how it came about?

My wife and I were watching an episode of the documentary series, Planet Earth, when they started a segment about Bullet Ants in the African jungle being infected by a parasitic fungus. The footage was simultaneously the most amazing and flat-out horrifying thing I had ever watched in my life, and by the end I had to pause the DVD to frantically jot down all of my ideas on what might happen if this was able to occur in humans. It was just one of those concepts that gets inside your head and says, “Okay, you’re doing something with this, and I’m not leaving until you do.” Then again, it might just be The Cord talking… Dun dun dun!

Oh, and I’ve managed to track down the Planet Earth segment on Youtube for your viewing pleasure:    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuKjBIBBAL8 – sweet dreams! 🙂

What have you been working on lately?

I’m glad you’ve asked. Right now I’m in the final weeks of a kickstarter campaign for a new YA series called Camp Myth, which is about a summer camp for young mythological creatures. Each book will feature the main characters attempting to earn a merit badge based on such things as Phoenix Watching, Kraken Fishing, or Golem Building. It’s basically a combination of mythology and the Boy Scouts. If that sounds like something you or a family member would be interested in, you can visit: http://kck.st/JfqrpP to show your support. Thanks in advance to anyone who does! 🙂

Is there anything else you’d like to share with Niteblade’s readers?

Well, I’m also the lead writer for an upcoming video game called, “Rival Threads: Last Class Heroes,” an absolutely gorgeous RPG that will be released on iOS devices this summer. The guys and gals I’m working with at Studio Kontrabida are absolute superstars, and (speaking as a lifelong gamer) I guarantee this is going to be something special. You can find out more about the project at www.kontrabida.ca.

You can visit my website, www.chrislewiscarter.com for the latest news, interviews, and links to my available work.

Oh, and to anyone out there thinking about submitting work to Niteblade… DO IT! This is, without a doubt, one of the nicest, friendliest, most professional magazines that I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. To everyone else, if you enjoy the content you read here, remember to keep showing your support. Lit mags aren’t in it for the big bucks. They’re a labour of love for all those involved, but they won’t be around to showcase the latest up-and-coming authors without a little fan generosity.

Thanks so much for having me here, Amber. This was a blast!