Genre Chick Interview: Steven Saus

A featured guest in my Year of Steves, Steven Saus is a writer, non-traditional student, nuclear medicine technologist, and fairly snazzy guy. He has a story in the Timeshares anthology out from DAW this week, so I put on my Genre Chick hat and poked him to see if he wouldn’t mind answering a few questions about what he’s been up to.

Alethea Kontis: What’s the theme of this antho?

Steven Saus: Timeshares starts with a simple premise:  Where – no, when – would you go if you could go on vacation anywhen in time?

Like most people, I’ve been exposed to lots of time travel stories.  The 19 stories all imagine the time-vacation agency in slightly different ways, which keeps each story in this anthology fresh.  Some stories are action-packed, some are mysteries, and some center on character and emotion.

AK: What’s your story about?

SS: My story, “Memories of Light and Sound” is about a couple on their honeymoon to New York City in the 1920’s.  Anthony hasn’t told his wife everything about why he chose that time, and the impact it will have on his family.

AK: How did you come to be involved in Timeshares?

SS: Jean Rabe invited me to become involved after hearing me read a rough version of “Kicking the Habit” (since published in the anthology Hungry for Your Love) during a Read & Critique session at GenCon.  I left the meeting afterward, holed up with my laptop and some gin, and pounded out the rough draft in about three hours.

AK: Who are some other folks in the book?

SS: There’s many fine authors in this anthology, like Chris Pearson, Kevin J. Anderson, Donald J. Bingle, Robert Vardeman, Mike Stackpole, and Kelly Swails.

AK: What do you like best about anthologies?

SS: I’ve always liked anthologies because at their best – as in Timeshares and Hungry for Your Love–they let authors explore a single theme from a variety of ways.  It’s fascinating to see the ideas and expectations you have to be twisted in fun and interesting ways.  As a reader, I also like them because I can easily devote the time for a short story in my busy life – but a full novel takes a time commitment I can’t always give.

AK: Do you have a favorite anthology?

SS: One of my recent favorites (not counting ones that I’m in) is the anthology Gamer Fantastic.  From Chris Pearson’s powerful opening story “Escapism” to Don Bingle’s funny “Gaming Circle” and Jim C Hines’ “Mightier Than The Sword” all the way through Kristine Kathryn Rusch’s “Game Testing”, it’s a solid anthology with hardly any weak points. Definitely a must-buy for anyone involved with any type of gaming.  That said, I’m also looking forward to A Girl’s Guide to Guns and Monsters, which I haven’t had a chance to get into yet.

AK: If you could be any superhero, who would you be & why?

SS: I’m not sure he counts as a “superhero”, but I identify most with Destruction from The Sandman.  Except that in real life, I’m much more like Dante from Clerks (or the sequel), or Leonard from The Big Bang Theory.  Go figure.

If anyone knows where I can get a vest like Destruction’s in Brief Lives, I would be much indebted.

(Note: Hungry for Your Love is currently in e-book format from Ravenous Romance;  a print version will be available from St. Martin’s press this Halloween.)