Q&A with author Nathan P. Butler (Star Wars Tales, WARS, 10,000 Dawns)
1. What's exciting to you about this new edition?
First, it allowed a small updating of the text, such as reverting names like “King International Airport” back to “Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport,” which I think gives it a level of real-world credibility. Most importantly, though, this new edition includes Echoes, which I self-published back in 2006. This is its first professional release, and it has allowed me an opportunity to revise and update that tale for more 2019 sensibilities. Two updated tales for the price of one!
2. How is this novel/novella relevant to our present world?
Greater Good is particularly apt, as it is a time travel story in which we see not just different intentions for the future but also different interpretations of the future where the time travelers originated. It allows some consideration of what the “greater good” entails, how choices sometimes offer no better option than to ignore the options presented, and the like. It isn’t particularly preachy, but it manages to hopefully get the audience to consider the characters perspectives as they consider their own.
3. What is your favorite thing about Greater Good?
I’m probably most fond of the time travel method that I developed for the tale to get around Einstein and weave together things like déjà vu, out of body experiences, memory access during hypnosis, and even the abortion debate into a concept that created what I hope readers will find a unique and interesting method of time travel that serves the story well.
4. What is your favorite thing about Echoes?
Honestly, my favorite thing about Echoes has been readers’ reactions to a particular twist in the story, but to give away that twist would be a major spoiler. Suffice to say, not everything in Echoes is as straightforward as it seems, and the title has more specific meaning than just symbolism.
5. What was it like working with Bri Crozier on the cover art?
Bri’s cover art give me a feeling of noir meets cyberpunk, sort of a feeling of being familiar with the material yet having it be just enough “off” from the norm to leave one uncertain of what is to come. That’s a great mood to be in as one dives into Greater Good and then into Echoes.
6. What's something you think new readers (totally unfamiliar with GG/E) will find exciting about these books?
In both cases, the nature of the story puts one or two investigators on the trail of a dangerous individual, allowing for a through-line that keeps momentum going, even as we learn more about the universe and circumstances that led the characters and their world to this point. Throw in some twists to keep things fresh along the way, and both should be enjoyable rides.
Q&A with artist Bri Crozier (Peach Soda, 10,000 Dawns)
1. What was it like working with Nathan?
It was a really cool opportunity to work with both a fantastic novel and a fantastic author, there was a lot of interesting and unique visuals to work with as an artist.
2. What was your favorite part of working on the cover/illustrations?
I really enjoyed working in a more experimental style, I wanted the cover to look very cyberpunk and kind of retro so I went with something kind of pixelated and colorful. I looked a lot at pixel art and things like tron for inspiration, and I’m very happy with where it ended up.
Q&A with publisher James Wylder
1. What drew you to republish Nathan's work?
I'd worked with Nathan before a few times, as a continuity checker for his WARS books, and publishing two 10,000 Dawns stories by him, and he'd always done amazing work. I'd loved Greater Good and Echoes when I first read them, and I really felt like his first novel and novella deserved to be out there, accessible to readers and in an edition that readers would love to have on their shelf. I think we've done that.
2. What led you to bring Bri Crozier onto the project?
I met Bri years ago at a Wizard World comic con selling her art, and I was instantly blown away by her work. She's an amazing young talent, and its almost ridiculous the number of things she's done at her age. Comics, art prints, published short fiction...she's good, and has an amazing eye for her work. So when it came time for Arcbeatle Press to put out it's first novel (that wasn't just my own work) I knew exactly who to go to. Luckily, Nathan took no time in agreeing she should get the job.
3. What's your favorite thing about these new editions?
The little details. Both Nathan and Bri have done extra work to make this book something special, and I'm really proud of the work we've done on it.
1. What's exciting to you about this new edition?
First, it allowed a small updating of the text, such as reverting names like “King International Airport” back to “Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport,” which I think gives it a level of real-world credibility. Most importantly, though, this new edition includes Echoes, which I self-published back in 2006. This is its first professional release, and it has allowed me an opportunity to revise and update that tale for more 2019 sensibilities. Two updated tales for the price of one!
2. How is this novel/novella relevant to our present world?
Greater Good is particularly apt, as it is a time travel story in which we see not just different intentions for the future but also different interpretations of the future where the time travelers originated. It allows some consideration of what the “greater good” entails, how choices sometimes offer no better option than to ignore the options presented, and the like. It isn’t particularly preachy, but it manages to hopefully get the audience to consider the characters perspectives as they consider their own.
3. What is your favorite thing about Greater Good?
I’m probably most fond of the time travel method that I developed for the tale to get around Einstein and weave together things like déjà vu, out of body experiences, memory access during hypnosis, and even the abortion debate into a concept that created what I hope readers will find a unique and interesting method of time travel that serves the story well.
4. What is your favorite thing about Echoes?
Honestly, my favorite thing about Echoes has been readers’ reactions to a particular twist in the story, but to give away that twist would be a major spoiler. Suffice to say, not everything in Echoes is as straightforward as it seems, and the title has more specific meaning than just symbolism.
5. What was it like working with Bri Crozier on the cover art?
Bri’s cover art give me a feeling of noir meets cyberpunk, sort of a feeling of being familiar with the material yet having it be just enough “off” from the norm to leave one uncertain of what is to come. That’s a great mood to be in as one dives into Greater Good and then into Echoes.
6. What's something you think new readers (totally unfamiliar with GG/E) will find exciting about these books?
In both cases, the nature of the story puts one or two investigators on the trail of a dangerous individual, allowing for a through-line that keeps momentum going, even as we learn more about the universe and circumstances that led the characters and their world to this point. Throw in some twists to keep things fresh along the way, and both should be enjoyable rides.
Q&A with artist Bri Crozier (Peach Soda, 10,000 Dawns)
1. What was it like working with Nathan?
It was a really cool opportunity to work with both a fantastic novel and a fantastic author, there was a lot of interesting and unique visuals to work with as an artist.
2. What was your favorite part of working on the cover/illustrations?
I really enjoyed working in a more experimental style, I wanted the cover to look very cyberpunk and kind of retro so I went with something kind of pixelated and colorful. I looked a lot at pixel art and things like tron for inspiration, and I’m very happy with where it ended up.
Q&A with publisher James Wylder
1. What drew you to republish Nathan's work?
I'd worked with Nathan before a few times, as a continuity checker for his WARS books, and publishing two 10,000 Dawns stories by him, and he'd always done amazing work. I'd loved Greater Good and Echoes when I first read them, and I really felt like his first novel and novella deserved to be out there, accessible to readers and in an edition that readers would love to have on their shelf. I think we've done that.
2. What led you to bring Bri Crozier onto the project?
I met Bri years ago at a Wizard World comic con selling her art, and I was instantly blown away by her work. She's an amazing young talent, and its almost ridiculous the number of things she's done at her age. Comics, art prints, published short fiction...she's good, and has an amazing eye for her work. So when it came time for Arcbeatle Press to put out it's first novel (that wasn't just my own work) I knew exactly who to go to. Luckily, Nathan took no time in agreeing she should get the job.
3. What's your favorite thing about these new editions?
The little details. Both Nathan and Bri have done extra work to make this book something special, and I'm really proud of the work we've done on it.