Author Q&A with Urban Fantasy sensation Larry Correia

Here at Otherwhere Gazette we love Larry Correia. We say that loudly because, well, he’s capable of crushing us like a bug. He is rather large. That being said, his first Grimnoir Chronicles book Hard Magic is out in paper back from Baen next month and so we thought it would be a good time to do one of our famous Author Q&As on him. LARRY PUT DOWN THAT TETSUBO FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! I DIDN’T DO IT!!!

How did you break into the business?

- I got into writing in a weird way. After getting rejected by pretty much every agent in the business, my original novel, Monster Hunter International, was self published and marketed on internet gun forums. It did shockingly well, and I was later given a publishing contract by Baen Books, where it did good enough to get me a contract for a sequel. That one was a New York Times bestseller, and it has been sort of crazy ever since. I’ve got 6 books out now across 3 different series and 18 more under contract.

What was the inspiration behind the MHI franchise?

I am a huge fan of B monster movies. I am also a gun nut. Those two things can be a very frustrating combination, because most B movie problems could be solved during the opening credits with the proper application of firepower. I always thought it would be fun to tell a B movie type story, only starring my kind of people.

One day I was on The Firing Line, which is an internet gun forum, and there was a thread called Lines I’d Like to Hear in a Horror Movie Someday. One of them was, “You know what the difference between you and me is? You look out there and see a horde of evil brain eating zombies,and I look out there and see a target rich environment.” When I read that, everything sort of clicked and Monster Hunter International was born. I made the characters contractors and ran with it.

There are a lot of similarities between you and Owen Pitt, (outside of throwing your boss out a 14th story window) how much inspiration did you draw from your real life for your characters?

We’re both big guys and we’re both gun nuts. He’s got my sense of humor. Personality wise we really aren’t much alike. He was an accountant and I was an accountant, but that was mostly because I needed the most stereotypically boring job imaginable before plunging the protagonist into a crazy monster filled world. I’ve had critics say that Owen is a Mary Sue. (i.e. the author’s wish fulfillment). Okay, sure whatever, but I’ve managed to entertain a couple hundred thousand people with him, so whatever it is must be working out okay.

The character I write in the military thriller Dead Six is a short, plain, angry little thief, who is described at one point as a “self absorbed, godless, narcissist”. Yet a lot of Lorenzo is aspects of my personality too. (particularly all of the cranky mean ones). The main characters in my Grimnoir novels differ from me greatly. For example, Sullivan, the brooding, veteran, ex-con, private eye, is nothing like me at all personality-wise, but people assume he must be because A. He’s a guy, and B. He’s a side of beef. But actually I’ve got a lot more background in common with Faye, the psychotic teenage girl. Go figure. I think there are elements of the author in any character they write.

Just a couple of years ago you were a virtual unknown and are now one of the hottest authors in urban fantasy, how has that changed your life?

I’m still getting used to it. People from all over the world contact me to talk about my imaginary worlds. I’ve now become a little famous in certain nerdy circles. I won’t lie. It is pretty cool. Plus royalty checks are totally awesome. :)

You now have multiple NYT bestsellers and a TV deal under your belt, what’s next for Larry Correia?

I just wrapped up Monster Hunter Legion. Up next is a post-apocolyptic steampunk collaboration with John Ringo. I’m pumped for that one. Then I’ve got the third Grimnoir novel, the second Dead Six novel, plus an epic fantasy, and a sci-fi novel about a reality TV show where teams of contestants compete to overthrow a small 3rd world country.

What’s one thing no one knows about you?

My lawyer has cautioned me not to comment on the allegations of illegal manatee fighting rings…

What advice do you have for new authors breaking into the business?

There are really only two things to breaking in. A. Practice until you get good enough that people will give you money for your stuff. B. Find the people who will give you money for your stuff.