Interview: Sci Fi Weekly

On the heels of a great review, Sci Fi Weekly has an interview with me up today.  John Joseph Adams asked me a variety of fun, interesting questions--among the many topics, we talk about The Matrix, Star Trek novels, the addictive quality of entertainment, my trip to Portugal, my voice on Voyager, my creative influences, how I got started writing, and how Black Ep might actually kill us all.  Here's an excerpt:

I'm still stunned by the trip to Portugal. There's a strange feeling of coming full circle. In 2003 I was an unpublished novelist, and one of my favorite authors, Neil Gaiman, was reading Idlewild, in Portugal. That alone was amazing. But in 2005 for my books to be translated into Portuguese and me flown out there to take interviews with the Lisbon media and speak with Portuguese fans? If you'd told me that back when I was writing Idlewild, I wouldn't have believed it.

You can read the complete interview here.

(Spoiler warning: If you've yet to read Idlewild, and you're the type of reader who likes to go into a story without having any surprises spoiled, you might want to give this interview a pass.  If that's you, I'd say read my books first... and then the interview.)

Comments

[Elizabeth]

Aw, you sound like you were a cute little kid :D
If they ever got around to making the Ender's Game movie, would they still use your script? That would be really cool. I still have yet to get around to reading Ender's Game, but it's sitting in plain view so hopefully I'll read it soon.
Oh, and do you have any plans on making the trilogy into movies?

[Ângelo Fernandes]

I don't want to be "suspicious" but Portugal's a great country and Lisbon a awesome city, but than again, I'm portuguese.
Did you went to Sintra or Setúbal?

[Safaa]

Hello Nick! I just read the interview yesterday and it was a wonderful surprise. Thank you so much for mentioning our event and how you had a great time! I'm sure now every writer will come running to Portugal to attend Fórum Fantástico.

The preparation for the 2006 edition has already been set in motion and the Forum will take place from November 30 to December 3, at the same place. Care for another visit? hehe ;)

[Nick Sagan]

Elizabeth: Aw, shucks. :) I don't know whether or not my script would make it into an Ender's Game movie. Many writers have taken passes at adapting the book since my draft, so the odds may well be against me. And I'd love to turn my trilogy into movies--that's one of the things I'm working on.

Ângelo: I fell in love with Lisbon. I don't think I ever got to Setúbal, but I remember having lunch in a restaurant high up with a great view of castles, and I believe that was in Sintra. Absolutely beautiful.

Safaa: It's my pleasure to help spread the word about Fórum Fantástico! And that's great about 2006--it goes without saying that I'd love to come back.

[Ângelo Fernandes]

I'm from Setúbal [wich is about 30mins from Lisbon] and I work in both cities, so I manage to take what's the best of them.

Setúbal is considered to be one of the most 30 beautifull bays of ALL world. With a huge range of mountains, paradisiacal beaches and, our ex-libris, a dolphin colony. So you can be swimming on the beach and be visited by a kind dolphin.

Sintra is also amazing, quite diferent but still great, there are places where you can imagine yourself to be on a Tolkien novel.

want to see some Setúbal photos, click here

http://www.portugaltravelguide.com/images/local/setubal-convent_of_arrabida.jpg

http://www.portugaltravelguide.com/images/local/setubal-forte_de_sao_filipe.jpg

http://www.embportugal.ro/images/turism/BaySetubal_Lisboa.jpg

http://www.bobigny.fr:8080/bobigny/images/local/data/library/Anse_da_Arrabida.jpg

Yes I love my city :)
ângelo