eSpec Books interviews Gail Z. Martin and Larry N. Martin, contributors to After Punk: Steampowered Tales of the Afterlife, edited by Danielle Ackley-McPhail and Greg Schauer, funding now on Kickstarter.

eSB: What can you tell us about the story you have written (or plan to write) for After Punk?

GZ&LN: It will feature an archeological dig, an Edison cylinder to record the voices of the dead, Isaac Pease’s Spirit Telegraph Dial, and some other surprises!

eSB: Why did you chose that particular aspect of the afterlife to ‘punk up? How did it lend itself to the theme?

GZ&LN: Whenever there’s an archaeological dig, particularly for a culture we’re unfamiliar with, we make so many assumptions about what things were used for, how people lived. Imagine if part of the dig was also calling up their spirits and recording their narrative, although of course, you’d have to be sure they weren’t lying…..

eSB: Does you story introduce new characters, or are they old friends you revisit often…to torment mercilessly?

GZ&LN: There will be some new characters, but it will be a Storm and Fury Adventure, so set in the world of our Iron & Blood books.

eSB: Do you see this story being a one-off, or has it inspired you to further storylines? Do tell 😉

GZ&LN: When we come up with secondary characters in the short stories/novellas, they usually hang around and become part of the ongoing gang.

eSB: What traditions or beliefs were you raised on regarding death or the afterlife? Did that influence your story at all?

GZ&LN: We had the very traditional mainline Protestant upbringing, so we’ve got that in common with the characters in the story, although what they find will rock their boat and make them consider that what they’ve been told might not be the whole story.

eSB: Describe your ideal vision of the afterlife.

GZ&LN: All the people and pets we’ve ever loved, endless books, and food that tastes great with no calories!

eSB: The coffin or the pyre, which one for you and why?

GZ&LN: Pyre. Go out in style—with fireworks!

eSB: What are some of your own works readers can look for?

GZ&LN: We have Iron & Blood: A Jake Desmet Adventure, the first novel in our steampunk series (with a second novel in the works), plus all of our related short stories/novellas (which are available individually as ebooks) have now been collected for ebook and print in Storm and Fury.

eSB: What projects of your own do you have coming up?

GZ&LN: Lots! Vengeance is the second book in the Darkhurst epic fantasy series, and it will be out in April. Larry’s new Salvage Rat military SF series will be out later this year, as well as the first book in Gail’s new buddy flick epic fantasy series, Assassin’s Honor. We have new Deadly Curiosities collections in print/ebook (Trifles and Folly plus Trifles and Folly 2) and a third Deadly Curiosities novel, Tangled Web, will be out this spring.

eSB: How can readers find out more about you? 

GZ&LN: http://www.JakeDesmet.com

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Gail Z. Martin writes epic fantasy, urban fantasy and steampunk for Solaris Books, Orbit Books, and Falstaff Books. Series include Darkhurst, the Chronicles Of The Necromancer, the Fallen Kings Cycle, the Ascendant Kingdoms Saga, the Assassins of Landria and Deadly Curiosities. Newest titles include Scourge, Trifles & Folly2, and Assassin’s Honor.

Larry N. Martin is the author of the new sci-fi adventure novel Salvage Rat. He is the co-author (with Gail Z. Martin) of the Spells, Salt, and Steel/New Templars series; the Steampunk series Iron & Blood; and a collection of short stories and novellas: The Storm & Fury Adventures set in the Iron & Blood universe. He is also the co-author of the upcoming Wasteland Marshals series and the Cauldron/Secret Council series.

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