Douglas Lumsden is the author of the brilliant (in my opinion) Alexander Southerland series which consists of seven books plus the sharp and gloriously nasty novella The Demon’s Dagger which is set in the same world. That series came to an end with the seventh book A Specter Raps on My Windowpane. He is now branching out with a new Series, the first installment of which is called Claws of the Collector and will be published on 16th October. It will be available for pre-order from Amazon from the 1st August.
It’s a real honour to be part of the cover reveal for this exciting new series. Douglas has also kindly agreed to answer a few of my questions to mark the occasion, so please check out the interview below.
Without any further ado here is the fantastic cover for Claws of The Collector….
CLAWS, BLADES, GUNS, AND FIRE!
Benedict Shade, a were-cat and collector of exotic and potentially lethal magical artifacts, arrives in Yerba City with his good buddy, Dwayne, to “collect” (some would say “steal”) an unusual dagger that is much more than it seems. Little does Shade realize that the dagger was involved in an assassination attempt with dire consequences. To keep the dagger, Shade will have to navigate his way through secret hit squads, a homicidal troll, a trickster god, a fire demon, a sorcerous goat, the most powerful witch in western Tolanica, and law enforcement agencies from two different realms. Not to mention a dragon or two. But success for Shade and Dwayne could lead to a devastating interrealm war!
INTERVIEW:
- For those that have yet to read any of your work, how would you best describe it and what influences / inspiration do you draw on? I’m particularly keen to explore what drew you the merging different genres.
For my Alexander Southerland, P.I. series, think Phillip Marlowe or Sam Spade, but with trolls, gnomes, and femme fatales with gills. I love those old Raymond Chandler and Sam Spade noir mysteries with hardboiled detectives, and I’ve been a huge fan of fantasy since I read Lord of the Rings as a teenager. When I decided to write a novel, an image of a private investigator sitting in a bar and watching a troll walk in just popped into my head, and I ran with it.
My new Shade the Collector series takes place in the same world as the Southerland series, but with a different main character. I wanted to write about someone who was a little less of a knight in shining armor as Southerland, someone a little less concerned about justice and a little more self-serving. There was a little-watched TV show a long time ago called T.H.E. Cat, starring Robert Loggia, who played a reformed cat burglar. I don’t remember anything about the show except the look of it and the general vibe. My very distorted memory of the show was a definite influence on the development of my Benedict Shade character, a were-cat who “collects” (or steals) exotic and lethal magical artifacts.
- Your Books draw upon several different cultural references, which for my mind really adds depth to the stories you tell. Does that require a great deal of research and how did you settle on the influences you included?
A Troll Walks into a Bar features a lot of familiar fantasy creatures: trolls, gnomes, dwarfs, elves, dragons. When I set out to write a sequel, it occurred to me that the mythology of the Western Hemisphere was at least as interesting as the more familiar mythology of the European world, if not more. I used to teach World History, and my course included extremely superficial surveys of Mayan, Incan, and Aztec societies. I decided to delve deeper into these cultures and find interesting gods, critters, and stories. I was fascinated by what I found, and a lot of these stories and mythological creatures made their way into my books. I became fascinated with the mythology of the South Sea Islands, as well, and these stories especially influenced the characters and plot of A Nymph Returns to the Sea. I’ve spent a lot of time researching indigenous cultures of the West, and it’s been a lot of fun! Adaros, Aztec gods, nirumbees, the Huay Chivo, qaitus, and the Sihuanaba, among other characters and critters, have all enriched my own experience in writing my stories, and it pleases me that readers seem to enjoy running across them.
- For those who have yet to pick up of your series, what’s the elevator pitch to convince them to take the plunge?
Tough people surviving in a tough world, where corruption in high places exists side-by-side with nightmarish creatures from legend–if this floats your boat, check these books out!
- So, lets imagine that Hollywood / Netflix comes calling and wants to make a movie or TV series from your books, who are you casting?
That’s a tough call for me, partly because I’m kind of out of touch with the latest batch of actors. Alexander Southerland would be tough to cast, because he’s about 30, and all of the “tough guy” actors his age are too pretty for the part. In the books, I describe Southerland as a rugged, intimidating fellow with a battle-scarred face that only a mother could love. Do any modern 30-year-old actors fit that description? Probably someone used to playing bit roles as the villain’s henchman.
As for Benedict Shade, that might be easier. He’s about 40, roguish good looks, built more like a gymnast than a bruiser. A charmer. So whoever that would be.
- If you had to recommend just one book you have read this year, what would it be and why?
I’ve read so many great books so far this year: John Gwynne’s Bloodsworn Saga series, Anthony Ryan’s Covenant of Steel series, Benjamin Aeveryn’s Rainfallen series, Michael R. Fletcher’s The Storm Beneath the World, Adrian Gibson’s Mushroom Blues, and more.
But the book I really want to plug is Jack Moody’s Children of Apothetae. Jack is such a superb writer, on a par with anyone in any genre, and hardly anyone knows of him. Children of Apothetae is an outstanding example of post-apocalyptic noir, tinged with mythology, or myth in the making. It’s a beautifully written parable of damaged people fighting for their lives and their humanity on a vengeful earth, and the book questions whether fighting for either is a worthwhile endeavor to begin with. It is gripping and intelligent, and it blew my mind!
- I think it’s fair to say that you are a tireless supporter of the indie community. If you had to pick one thing which indie authors get right and one that they get wrong, what would those be?
Indie authors have room to experiment and be creative, and a lot of great writers have taken advantage of this freedom. If you are going to self-publish or go the indie publisher route, then you should try to push the envelope, and I think most indie writers get this. What do they get wrong? Hmm…. I think some indie writers are too sensitive to criticism. Not everyone is going to like your work, and they don’t have to. If your work is at all creative, if it deviates from the popular norm, then a lot of readers are going to be uncomfortable with it. That’s how it should be. Not everyone is going to support you, and they don’t have to. Not every indie writer has learned to absorb the stings and take the knocks with dignity.
- Having written seven books in the Alexander Sutherland series, was it hard to shift to a new series? And were there any tears in saying goodbye to Alex?
Well, I stayed in the same world, so it wasn’t a huge shift. As it turned out, I found it easier saying goodbye to my characters than to the world I’d developed and the backstory taking place in it. I’m not a particularly sentimental person. But, yeah, saying goodbye to Alex and Lubank and Kalama and the others was tough. But letting them go frees me to explore a different vibe in my new series, and to develop new characters. I’m extremely excited about Benedict Shade and his pal Dwayne. Southerland’s series took me through seven books. We’ll see how far Shade can take me.
- What drove you to write Claws of The Collector and how do feel it will differ from your previous series?
Every time I started a Southerland book (including the first one) I intended it to be my last. I have a deep fear of overstaying my welcome. The problem with a long series is that the books get stale. Either they all start sounding the same, or the writer jumps the shark with some radical overhaul that seems forced and artificial. I didn’t want to do that with Southerland. And one day, this new character–Shade the Collector–popped into my head. I became overwhelmed with the desire to develop him and see what kind of potential he might have.
Southerland is a first-person character, very introspective, and ultimately very moral. Shade is a tight third-person character. He’s in every scene, and the story unfolds from his perspective, but it’s an observed story, not one taking place inside his head. His morality is also more fluid, let’s say. Southerland is solitary; Shade has a good pal, Dwayne, an old hepcat and a bit of a burnout, who accompanies him on his adventures. Southerland is somewhat morose; Shade is a charmer. The vibe in Shade the Collector is a little less noir and a bit more lighthearted. Southerland solves mysteries; Shade steals magical artifacts. Southerland is hardboiled; Shade has an adventurous spirit. But Southerland and Shade both occupy the same world. It’s their reactions to it that differ.
- Are there any characters in the Claws of The Collector that were your favourite to write?
Other than Shade himself, I really got into writing Dwayne. I don’t want to say too much about him now, because I don’t want to spoil the experience for readers. I’ll just say that he’s the old mellow counter culturalist inside me, and he says things like “crazy,” “daddy-o,” “you dig?” and “boss” a lot.
- The Cover for Claws of The Collector is a departure from the distinctive style from your previous books, can you elaborate on the inspiration behind these? And please let us know the artists details.
My Southerland covers are impressionistic, a bit cartoonish, and make use of a lot of black space. All of that was deliberate, and I think it fits the mood of the Southerland series quite well. For Shade, I wanted something more realistic and detailed. I went to Miblart and shot them my ideas, and they knew instantly what I needed. They gave me a sample in two days, and it was damned near perfect. It’s a rough, urban environment, with our hero stuck on some lonely street on a rainy night,, but we’ve got cats at his feet frolicking in the rain. There’s some optimism there in spite of the circumstances. The folks at Miblart are great: attentive, responsive, and quick. And absolutely no AI, which is important to me.
- Are there any juicy tidbits can you share about Claws of The Collector? (without dreaded spoilers of course)
The first Shade the Collector book is a transition from the Southerland series and features a few characters from the old series in important roles, as well as a couple of cameos. Also, we’ll see the return of a certain dagger featured in a certain nasty little award-losing novella that I wrote. I wanted to ease the readers of the Southerland series into the new one. But it’s important to note that it is one-hundred percent NOT necessary to be familiar with the old series in order to start with the new one. Anyone who hasn’t read any of my previous works will have no problems jumping right into Claws of the Collector.
- What comes next for Douglas Lumsden?
Claws of the Collector is Shade the Collector #1. The next thing you’re likely to see from me will be Shade the Collector #2. I have a lot of ideas for how I’m going to develop Shade’s character, but at this point I have no idea what the plot of the second book of the series will include. I’m going to spend a month or two catching up on my reading, and then I’ll figure out what Shade is going to do next. My guess is that it will involve the pursuit of a magical artifact whose existence threatens the shaky stability of a world ruled by Dragon Lords from Hell.
Bonus Question:
Tell us something about yourself that not many people know?
Not many people know that I attended the very last public performance by R&B legends Sam & Dave. It was in a small venue in Boulder, Colorado, and I was about five rows from the stage. It was one of the best concerts I ever saw.
AUTHOR BIO:
Dr. Douglas Lumsden is a former history professor and private school teacher. He is the author of a series of fantastical noir mystery novels featuring hardworking private detective Alexander Southerland, who wanders the mean streets of Yerba City while navigating his way through trolls, witches, otherworldly demons, political corruption, and femme fatales from the depths of the sea.
Dr. Lumsden lives in Monterey, California, USA, with his wife, Rita, and two cats, Cinderella and Prince.
Socials and Book Links:
Twitter – @DouglasLumsden1
Website – https://www.douglaslumsdenauthor.com/
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