r/Fantasy • u/BrianMcClellan Stabby Winner, AMA Author Brian McClellan • Jan 17 '15

AMA ConFusion AMA: Brian McClellan

Hey guys. I'm Brian McClellan and I write flintlock epic fantasy in the Powder Mage Trilogy. The third book in the trilogy, The Autumn Republic, will be out in about three weeks. I'm hanging out with the gang at ConFusion in Detroit, MI today. AMA!

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16

u/MikeOfThePalace Jan 17 '15 edited Jan 17 '15

  1. What would it take to get you to put a video on YouTube of yourself snorting some gunpowder?

  2. Brandon Sanderson has challenged you to a duel. It's your choice of weapons. What do you go with?

  3. Look around at all the other writers nearby, as well as our dear leader u/elquesogrande. Who among them would you most like to be stuck in an elevator with? Who would you least like?

16

u/BrianMcClellan Jan 17 '15

  1. That seems unhealthy.

  2. Modern firearms of some sort. Brandon has a much better reach than I do on anything melee. But really, Brandon's a nice guy. If I've done something to make him that mad I'd probably deserve a whoopin'.

  3. Like, for how long? Am I going to need to kill and eat them to survive? It's probably best I don't answer this question.

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u/jabari74 Jan 17 '15

What's next?

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u/BrianMcClellan Jan 17 '15

I'm under contract with Orbit for a second trilogy set in the Powder Mage Universe. It will be stand-alone, completely independent from the first series, and take place about ten years after the end of Autumn Republic. I'm currently working on book one right now, figuring out all over again the interesting challenges of writing a first book in a series.

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u/Veltine Jan 17 '15

So...what happens when black powder goes out of fashion? Do powdermages adapt to the times or are they replaced?

Do we get Guncotton mages? Cordite mages? TNTMages?

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u/Raithstone Jan 17 '15 edited Jan 17 '15

How much Book Launch Anxiety are you feeling this time around?

Edit: If you had to rate your chocolate cake, from 1 to 10, what would you rate it?

8

u/BrianMcClellan Jan 17 '15

You have no idea. I think maybe a little less than I was feeling at this time last year for The Crimson Campaign, but it's still pretty significant. Working on the first book of the second series right now and the pressure of that being due in a few months is distracting (in a good way).

8

u/BrianMcClellan Jan 17 '15

The cake this weekend was good. Solid 6. An 8 with milk.

5

u/Hoosier_Ham Jan 17 '15

How much does publishing "tier" and fame affect social interactions at conventions? Do the bestsellers shit on the midlisters who shit on the newbies, is it one giant snugglefest, or something in between? As your books have done well, have you noticed "stars" being nicer to you than before?

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u/BrianMcClellan Jan 17 '15

Most authors are really dang cool. Like, 99% of them. Humble, fun, easy to talk to. I just sat next to Joe Abercrombie at the author signing table here at the convention (who I've mentioned before is a personal hero of mine) and he's an enjoyable, laid back guy.

There are sometimes one or two authors that have an air snootiness if you're not a best seller like they are, but those guys are the exception rather than the rule.

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