Next up is Caldon Mull. During the many years that I spent at gaming conventions and LARPs, I got to know this man and could never quite put my finger on why I found him so charming. Maybe it’s because he’s a fantastic cook. Maybe it’s his easy manner and captivating voice (though he’ll be quick to tell you it’s not a voice for radio…go figure). All I know is: I enjoy his company even when I don’t see quite eye to eye with him.

Here follows my interview with him…

What has been your high so far with The Flight of the Phoenix?

Being selected and identified with a group that is currently producing high quality work in my area. It has been lonely writing, and knowing that there are others who are doing the same thing as I am doing has proved to be refreshing. The genre is very, very small in South Africa, and yet overall the quality and originality of fantasy and science fiction has a long history going back to the 1950’s and almost nobody in this country recognizes that South Africa SF has a really good international reputation. Perhaps The Flight of the Phoenix will be the next ‘novel of the decade’ for the genre in this country, and I am pleased to have been selected as a contributor.

What has been your worst low?

There was a point where it didn’t look like the compilation would get off the ground and it burnt me a little. I have not had particularly good luck with collaborations (mostly because of my own personality, more than lack of opportunities, or lack of trying) over the last two decades and I was concerned that this would go the way of all of the other attempts I have undertaken. However, I am resilient and my faith in the editor paid off and I am quite proud of The Flight of the Phoenix, because I think the selection of material for the volume represents the best work of the contributors, to date.

What are your future writing plans?

I am currently on a path, and I am compulsive enough to continue with that route until the loop is closed. I envision a major release of my own material in May, and October to complete my current publishing schedule.  In 2016, I need to examine my contracts and then see if I can publish a genre novel a year for at least two genres from my backlog until my list is exhausted. As I am rated as ‘solidly mid-list’ the only way through that is to experiment with breaking into cross-genre work and see where that goes. The Flight of the Phoenix provides an ideal and uncomfortable excursion into the Young Adult genre that I would not have ordinarily thought to make, and thus I will continue to support the project for as long as I am able to. That is what is so exciting for me, the ‘treasure-horde-in-your-backyard’ sort of excitement.

Get into contact with Caldon:

Smashwords: www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Caldon

Print paperbacks: www.createspace.com

Goodreads: Caldon_Mull