Keep reading for several interview extracts from the latest Star Trek Magazine from Titan Publishing…
Interview extract with Paramount’s production executive Marc Evans, featuring in issue #17 of Star Trek Magazine:
Star Trek Magazine: Leonard Nimoy said he was gratified that there was a story that understood the character of Spock so well. What was it about the story that sold it to you?
Marc Evans: There is this phenomenal thing in all of J.J.’s work, in Bob and Alex’s work, in Damon’s work, that shows the massively personal inside the most exciting framework that it can be done in. J.J. is a guy who has done Felicity on the one hand, and Mission: Impossible on the other hand. Alex and Bob wrote the story for Transformers which is really just about a boy getting his first car. The Star Trek pitch and the Star Trek script had exactly those same things.
Fablehaven: Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary, by Brandon Mull, is the fourth book in the Fablehaven series. Kendra and Seth are back at home, looking forward to winter break. While secretly reading Patton’s journal, Kendra discovers clues to another hidden artifact. But the only key to the artifact is guarded within a deadly dragon sanctuary. … Read more
Author Brandon Mull writes the wonderful children’s series Fablehaven. The fourth book in the series, Fablehaven: Secrets if the Dragon Sanctuary, releases tomorrow in bookstores! SciFiChick.com recently had the chance to interview the author to discuss his latest release and upcoming endeavors.
In Fablehaven: Secrets if the Dragon Sanctuary, readers get a look at an entirely different sanctuary for magical creatures. Where do you get your ideas for your unique characters in Fablehaven?
Most of the creatures at Fablehaven and the other magical wildlife parks in the books come from different myths and legends. I borrow from Greek mythology, German and Scandinavian folklore, even Native American legends. My job as the author is to take these somewhat familiar creatures like dragons, trolls, fairies, centaurs, etc., and decide how they will behave in my books. Bringing the magical creatures to life, giving them personalities and establishing rules to help explain their natures and behavior is a blast.
Of course, not all of the characters are magical creatures. A good writer is usually a good observer, so I often create my characters using observations I’ve made of people around me. I’m not trying to transplant people I know onto the page, but rather take personality traits or quirks and combine them into new characters. And yes, part of it I simply invent. The goal is interesting, relatable characters.
There are some big secrets and twists in the book. Have you had those planned out from the beginning?
Most of the big twists are planned from the start. That way I can offer early clues. I love when a twist in book 4 can shed new light back on events in book 2 and 3. To me, those complicated set-ups and pay-offs help make stories feel deeply imagined.
According to Fablehaven: Secrets if the Dragon Sanctuary, the series will conclude with the next book. Can you tell us anything about it?
Book 5 will be called Keys of the Demon Prison. That’s all I’m revealing so far. I can say I have the story planned, and I’ve started writing it. Expect a fun, exciting conclusion.
