Bob the Alien Interviews… F D Lee

Bob: Sorry for startling you. You know since I’ve started studying writer types I’ve kind of become obsessed. Where *are* we?

Faith : Hi Bob! So we are in my writing room – watch out for the cats! They will ask you for food and I don’t think they can eat that purple stuff you’re snacking on. Oh, don’t worry about that strange rumbling noise, that’s purring. It means they like you!

So, my little writing room is in Edinburgh in Scotland. I moved here from London in 2021. I lived in London for about fifteen years and made some amazing friends, but it was time for a new adventure so here I am!

Bob: Ok, that explains the fried food establishment on the corner there. Are there many writers like you here?

Faith: Scotland has some wonderful writers – I’ve been meeting some of them recently, thanks to the Edinburgh Genre Writers group. They’re all super friendly and very talented. And of course, there are wonderful bookshops and a long history of art and culture here. Did you know that the Edinburgh International Book Festival is held here every year? You could come and visit when you have time. I think everyone would love to meet you!

Bob:  So after eating all of your books I noticed something. All of your lead characters seem to be the little person against the universe. Which is charming, based on the position you lot are in, but I digress, why do the little guys appeal to you? 

Faith: Oooooooooh, I hope the books were tasty? 

Yes, I do like to write about underdogs or ‘odd ones out’. I guess because I’ve always been an odd one out? Writing has allowed me to play around in the genres I love – I’ve got emo elves and rah-rah dwarfs, chain-smoking witches and sexy genies, plus-size cabbage fairies and an ex-three-headed dog (he’s now in person shape and struggling). But as madcap as that may be, ultimately they’re all people trying their best – with mixed success.

Everyone has a reason for being the person they are, good or bad, and that really interests me. My characters might happen to be time-travelling disaster gay detectives, but they’re facing real challenges in their worlds. Even the ‘evil’ characters, like Julia in my Pathways Tree series, have a reason for being the way they are and, as a writer and a reader, the most interesting thing is finding out why that is. Underdogs are always great ways of exploring that because they have to fight for what they want and so you uncover more about them than you might for someone who doesn’t have to struggle.

Bob: You humans get really excited over art. What was the last thing you saw that moved you? 

Faith: Yeah, humans are weird, right? Show us marks on a page/canvas or images moving super quickly or let us listen to atmospheric vibrations and certain pitches and frequencies and we go to pieces! Recently, I watched ‘The Nokdu Flower’, set in the Joseon period of Korean history and the Japanese invasion of Korea, and was deeply moved by it. Two of the main characters are half-brothers and, as the war progresses, their values and moralities change. It’s fascinating to watch. I’m also currently reading Titus Groan. It’s not technically fantasy, I think?, but it has a fantasy feel to it. A lot of the characters are grotesque but you end up rooting for them. I’m nearly finished and will move on to Gormenghast next to find out what happens.

Bob: You’re writing in a world you keep going back to. Tell me about your series and why you can’t leave fantasy alone when everyone knows all the best stories are science fiction.

Faith: [laughing] I love science fiction, too! In fact, my science fiction novel ‘In The Slip’ won Best SF Novel 2020, from Writer’s Digest, and was long-listed for the BSFA award. But I know what you mean; I definitely write more fantasy than Science Fiction. I don’t have a favourite between the two genres, but my Pathways Tree series has grown over the years. I always knew what the over-arching story was, but in the telling of it, I realised I needed more time to develop the characters and the world to make it work. And I love my characters! They drive me crazy at times, but I admire them. 

I think the wonder of writing SFF is that you can explore thoughts and emotions, good and evil, right and wrong and all that good stuff in ways that ‘straight’ fiction doesn’t always allow you too. The Expanse series (books and TV) are a really good example of that, and, of course, the amazing Terry Pratchett. 

Bob: And what do you get up to on the occasions you get dragged out into the real world?

Faith: I try not to get dragged into the real world! But when I do, I think I’m pretty boring. I like film and theatre, and I’m enjoying exploring my new area.

Bob: I’m off to check out the Plesiosaur in the Loch that no-one seems to believe in. What’s next for you though?

Faith: I too want to visit Nessie! Other than that, I’m working on the latest Pathways Tree novel. After that, I’d like to return to Kong, the sort-of hero from ‘In The Slip’, and I have ideas for wholly new stories and characters. But firstly, I want to make sure Bea and the gang from The Pathways Tree are OK.

Right now, though, I’d really like some chips! Salty carbs are literally the best.

Bob: I’m definitely having that chippy. I’ve got just the place for it in my ship. What alien shop should I swap for it? What would humans in Scot-land like Bob’s Space Shop to sell them? 

Faith : Oooooh! That’s a good question! I’m not sure I speak for all the humans in Scotland (or indeed the world), but right now I’d certainly like it if you could sell me some more time. There seems to be less and less of it at the moment. Is that something you have on your ship? And if so, how much do you want for it? I have some more books you could eat?

Bob: Tell you what. You get me a bag of chips and I’ll swap you five minutes for it?

Well it’s been a blast F. D. Lee. I mean not an actual blast, though I’ve not totally ruled that out. Any last words for the readers.

Faith:  If you want to do some blasting, there are some world ‘leaders’ I could recommend…! Other than that, if anyone would like to learn more about my work, I have short stories and free chapters available on my website, www.fdlee.co.uk. I also have some interviews I did for the BSFA in the Before Times which are a lot of fun, as well as a reading I did for the Super Relaxed Fantasy Club.

Bob: That’s all from me for this for now. Let me know on the primitive comments section if you like this. If any more human writers who are members of BSFA would like to participate in a probing interview from Bob, please let me know at info@paularvidson.co.uk.

Note from The Human Known as Paul L Arvidson: If you’ve already pinged me for a slot, I am on it, I’ve just not gotten in touch with anyone yet as the list got quite full quite quick 🙂 I’ll try and fit everyone in and be in touch with everyone in the coming weeks!

Bob’s other interviews can be found here!