BOOKS BY MY FRIENDS

Dragons of a Different Tail: 17 Unusual Dragon Tales Edited by Marx Pyle

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Welcome to Books By My Friends, Marx! You’ve got an awesome anthology to tell us about. Fantasy, dragons, and more. Let’s get to it.

JH: What’s the blurb for your book?

MP: Eighteen award-winning, veteran, and emerging authors bring you seventeen unique dragon tales that defy tradition. Winged serpents as large as continents, as well as those tiny enough to perch on the fingertip of a young girl. Dragons who inhabit the Wild West, Victorian London, Brooklyn, and a post-apocalyptic Earth. Scaly beasts who fight in the boxing ring, celebrate Christmas, and conquer the vast void of outer space. There are rockstars who meddle with dragon magic, clever and conniving shapeshifters, and powerfully exotic hybrids. Science fiction, urban fantasy, mystery, western, epic fantasy, YA fantasy...no matter the setting or the genre—here be dragons!

JH: What inspired you to put this anthology together?

MP: I come from a film background, so I’m very used to working in collaboration with other artists. However, besides working with a cover artist and editor, you don’t really get that collaborative feel from writing a novel. Some authors who lean very introverted probably love that, haha. As an introvert, I understand, but I found working with other creatives in film to be a big creative boost for me. So, an anthology seemed a perfect way to collaborate. Mish-mashing genres excite me as a writer, so I knew I wanted an anthology that would play with genres or archetypes. I had a short list of topics but kept coming back to dragons. They are such an iconic creature that doesn’t get nearly enough attention, considering how much readers love them. So I challenged authors to write dragon stories and put a twist on them, and they delivered! The short story I co-wrote with my wife, "A Wild Beast of The West", was spawned from my wife’s love of Westerns. I pitched her the Wild West with dragons instead of horses, and it turned into an action-adventure story with a touch of romance. Thinking outside-of-the-box is also my default setting, so I added a few other touches that were optional for the authors. Many of them participated in a couple rounds of critique groups. This made the stories stronger and made a few new friends. Then I asked them to write behind-the-scenes essays. Sometimes I read an amazing story in an anthology, but then move on to the next never really learning more about the author. Sometimes I’ll hunt them down, but often I remember the story and forget the author, unless I make a connection later when I come across a novel of theirs. With the BTS essays readers can learn more about the authors of their favorite stories easily and also get some extra insight into the stories.

JH: What one thing do you love most about writing?

MP: Unlike TV or film scripts, in novels and short stories I can dig into a character’s POV. It feels a little like acting, and is one of fiction’s superpowers. It’s probably why I tend to favor first-person POV; I can explore how characters are experiencing the story. When the writing is really flowing, I can feel like I’m in the scene, which is a lot of fun.

JH: What’s next for you in the way of writing/publishing?

MP: A second anthology is currently in the works. Many of the authors from Dragons of a Different Tail are returning with new stories, but we also have new voices joining us who are experienced authors. I’m finishing up editing for the first book in my urban fantasy series, Obsidian Archives. I have a few other writing projects in the works—short stories and novels, mostly fiction, but one is a non-fiction book. There are also a few scripts in the works that I hope to pitch in the future. GenreTainment, a podcast I co-host and produce, is in the middle of moving between web hosts, but will be coming back with new episodes soon. We interview all types of creators: authors, scriptwriters, directors, actors, game designers, etc. It was my informal educational path for learning storytelling. My wife Julie and I have had a great time hosting together.

JH: How can readers contact you?

MP:

https://marxpyle.com/

Marx Pyle

BIO:

Marx Pyle is an author, screenwriter, filmmaker, podcaster, adjunct professor, and martial artist whose journey has been as complex as his characters and the worlds in which they live. His first degree was to save the world (Psychology), and the next to pay the bills (Computer Information Systems). His third degree (Film Production) helped him follow his storytelling dreams, but his final (Master of Fine Arts in Writing Popular Fiction) allowed him to do so without budget constraints. In addition to urban fantasy, he dabbles in science fiction, fantasy, and horror because he can’t filter that “what if” voice in his head. Marx’s new urban fantasy/thriller, Obsidian Monsters, is currently on Kindle Vella. He enjoys relaxing at home with his supportive wife and their two cats.

JH: Thanks for chatting with BBMF today, Marx. Best wishes for much success with Dragons of a Different Tail and please come back to update us on the next anthology when it’s ready.

All good things,

Joy

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