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Interview with Bradley Beaulieu, and give away!
Posted August 22, 2015on:
Bradley Beaulieu, author of the Lays of Anuskaya (The Winds of Khalakovo, The Straits of Galahesh, and The Flames of Shadem Khoreh) is about to release a brand new epic fantasy novel called Twelve Kings in Sharakhai. The first in a new trilogy, Twelve Kings in Sharakhai follows the story of Çeda, a young woman who flaunts the laws of immortal kings and finds herself drawn towards the secrets of her own origins. A sprawling, complex story in a vibrant and richly drawn world, the new novel hits bookstore shelves on Sept 1st. Click here for a preview.
Brad was kind enough to answer a few of my questions about the new series. Also, I've got not one, but two copies of this book to give away to two lucky readers! See the fine print at the bottom of this blog post for details.
Let's get to the interview!
Little Red Reviewer: This is the second time you've written of ships that don't sail on the water. In your Lays of Anuskaya trilogy, the multi-masted ships sail the winds. And in Twelve Kings, the ships sail the dunes of this desert land. It's even possible to surf over the dunes. For this non-ocean environment, what made you decide that ships with sails should be the primary method of long distance travel?
Bradley Beaulieu: What made me decide on ships? Well, when it comes down to it, I just love 'em. I've taken several sailing tours on tall ships on Lake Michigan, a few out of Milwaukee harbor and once out of Navy Pier in Chicago. I think it's such a cool time in our history, the age of sail, being trapped in such a tight community for weeks or months at a time, then stopping in a new, unexplored land, then hopping back to go back to the place you know. I've got a very romantic view of it, I'll admit.
And, well, I also just wanted to weird the world up a bit. I wanted some unique aspects to the great desert in which Sharakhai sits. I wanted there to be a unique flavor to the commerce of the world, how people communicated over long distances, and so on. It's essentially the same reason I did it in The Lays of Anuskaya, though the specific incarnations of ship travel, as you mentioned, are different. It's been a lot of fun exploring this aspect of the world. (And I've yet to have a really rousing ship-to-ship battle, but believe me, that's coming!)
LRR: I love the world of Twelve Kings in Sharakhai. This is a desert culture, so staying protected from the sands and winds is a big deal, as is ensuring water and food supplies, and the clothing and activities of the characters reflect this. The terminology has an Arabic feel, with characters wearing turbans, thawbs, and hijabs, and visiting the bazaar. Can you tell us about the research you did the ensure the terminology and contextual activities matched the world and culture you built within the novel?
BB: I had done a fair bit of research into ancient Persian for The Lays of Anuskaya. Things like their clothing, artwork, cuisine, weaponry and armor, their approach to war. I carried a lot of that over to Twelve Kings in Sharakhai, but I hadn't really looked deeply into nomadic culture. The desert tribes of the Shangazi Desert are nomadic, sailing or occasionally riding from place to place around the desert, visiting traditional locations for hunting, for gathering needed supplies like water, food, and wood, and for gathering with the other tribes for holy days and to trade stories, to marry off daughters and sons, and so on. I looked more carefully into Bedouin culture for this, trying to steep myself in their clothing, artwork, tattoos, dances, and more.
One of the things I've really enjoyed doing is keeping a Pinterest board for inspiration. This can be found here:
It's great to have one place to save the images that sparked something in me when I first saw them. It's been an endless source of inspiration for me as I wrote the first book and as I write Book 2 in the series, With Blood Upon the Sand.
I also have a playlist on iTunes that I've been using since the first pages of Twelve Kings were being written. There's a lot of doudouk music, which I really enjoy. Artists like Lévon Minassian, Yeghish Manoukian, and Armand Amar are on the list. I also have a great soundtrack from Bab' Aziz – The Prince That Contemplated His Soul. And one more favorite is called Marrakesh Chillout Lounge from various artists. It's very modern, but with a Middle Eastern flare to the songs.
LRR: The plot offers us a number of flashbacks to both Çeda's and Emre's past. Which did you develop and/or outline first? their present day time line, or the flashback timeline? Did you run into any challenges with the presentation of both timelines?
BB: I started with a prologue. That prologue ended up being rather large. (It has now become the first two flashback chapters, showing Çeda with her mother just before…well, before something terrible happens to her.) Initially I had planned to include only that prologue and tell the rest of the story moving forward from Çeda's pit fight in Chapter 1 and onward. That is, in fact, how the first draft ended up.
But when I showed it to a few beta readers, it became clear that I needed to tell more about Çeda's life before we see her in that opening scene in the pit. I didn't want to front-load the story with it. I wanted those scenes to accent the story, not become it. So that's when I started to fill in more about her and her past, writing flashback scenes from various parts of her life, telling how she came to live with Dardzada the apothecary, how she grew up with Emre, how she became a pit fighter. All that is essential to who she is, and I thought it important to those things to the reader first hand.
I didn't have any challenges, per se. No more than I normally have in choosing which scenes to write in a novel. But it's tricky with flashbacks. They not only need to pull their own weight; they also need to have some sort of bearing on current events. So that was a bit tough to find the right parts of her story to tell, but I muddled through as best I could.
LRR: As I write the questions for this interview, I'm about halfway through my ARC of Twelve Kings in Sharakhai. I won't know what happens at the end for a few more days at least, I have no idea if this story ends on a cliffhanger, or what. So I'll ask you! Does Çeda's adventure end at the end of this novel? Or are there more adventures for her in store? [I finished the book the other night. And that ending? WOW!]
BB: There's more in store for young Çeda. There's a pretty major change in her life in this book, and the next book is a lot about exploring that change. My current plan is for this to be a six-book series, but we'll see how things go. The actual number of books may vary from that goal, depending on how the story progresses through the next few books.
LRR: I love the cover art! Not only is it painterly gorgeous, but It impresses upon the reader the depth and scale of the metropolis of Sharakhai, and offers context of the culture. As an author, how much control do you have over cover art? How do you feel about the cover art chosen for this novel?
BB: Yes, I love it too. I think Adam Paquette (who also did the cover stunning windship art for The Winds of Khalakovo) did a wonderful job. I love that he captured the kings' palaces, the walls around them, the bazaar and the amber cityscape. And Çeda, crouching and looking over Sharakhai, hits just the right notes for me.
Just how much control an author has really depends on the publishing house. I'm really pleased that DAW and Betsy Wollheim, the publisher and editor-in-chief (not to mention my editor), have a view that the author has the most intimate view of the story and so is an invaluable resource. That's not to say that the author has the reins. Betsy was still the art director, but I was happy to have a part to play in it, helping to come up with the initial vision for the cover and providing feedback on sketches and the near-final artwork. A lot of authors don't get that, so I feel fortunate to be with a publisher that solicits my input.
LRR: I've been lucky enough to hang out with you at the ConFusion science fiction convention in Dearborn Michigan. What Conventions or other bookish/fandom events have you got on your 2015/2016 calendar?
BB: I have my book launch next month at Boswell Books in Milwaukee [Sept 8th, 7pm, click here for more info]. I'll have a few more local signings as well. I'm hitting New York ComicCon in October, and later in October, I'm really excited to be heading to the UK for Gollancz Fest, FantasyCon, and in between those two events, a few signings in London and nearby cities. My last event this year will be World Fantasy, my favorite convention (for hanging out with authors and for networking). I'm sure I'll hit ConFusion again next January too. See you there?
LRR: You bet! Any chance I can rope you into a short LARPing game on Friday night? You'll need a jacket with six shiny buttons. 😉
LRR: Along with Gregory Wilson, you run the Speculate! podcast, where you've hosted such luminaries as Bill Willingham, Ed Greenwood, Martha Wells, Brenda Cooper, Patrick Rothfuss and more. What's this podcast all about? And of all the methods to communicate with fans and other writers, why podcasting?
BB: When it comes down to it, Greg and I started Speculate! to scratch our itch of reading and talking about books we love. It's turned out to be many more things than just that, but that's the core of it: two fellow writers talking the nuts and bolts of writing and the business of writing with other professionals (and more than a few luminaries) in the field of speculative fiction.
We chose podcasting largely because Greg had some experience with it. He'd done a few before and was interested in starting up another. I hadn't yet done a podcast, but after hashing it back and forth for a while with Greg, I thought it would be a great way to keep up on reading and to network with other writers, editors, artists, and more.
LRR: hopefully this last question will be an easy one!
Fill in the blanks: If you enjoyed _________, ________ and ______, then you'll love Twelve Kings in Sharakhai!
BB: If you enjoyed Peter V. Brett's The Desert Spear, Trudi Canavan's The Magician's Guild, and Saladin Ahmed's Throne of the Crescent Moon, then you'll love Twelve Kings in Sharakhai!
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Give away fine print:
- Due to the increasing costs of international shipping, this give away is US only.
- To enter, leave a comment below. Make sure you leave me some way to reach you – your twitter handle, your e-mail address, something.
- I have an Advanced Reading Copy and a Hardback to give away. If you have a preference, mention it in your entry.
>Give away closes on Saturday Sept 5th at Midnight Eastern time. I will contact the winners shortly afterwards.
19 Responses to "Interview with Bradley Beaulieu, and give away!"
I am SO looking forward to reading this book! Those photos are really a great way to pull us into the built world. To be fair, I've already ordered a copy, but if one of the giveaway copies is signed, I'd love to have it. It never hurts to have a to-be-lent copy of an awesome book. ~ @mangoheroics
Really enjoyed The Flames of Shadam Khoreh and would definitely be up for another book by Bradley P. Beaulieu. My preference is hardcover to semi-match the set I bought during a Kickstarter campaign by the author. (email@example.com)
[…] Bradley P. Beaulieu? And that I'm hosting a give away of Twelve Kings of Sharakhai? Click here for more […]


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Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge – Gentlemen
I had a "manly" card to make for a man and so this challenge segues nicely with this theme!
Still trying to play with my Tim Holtz Distress Inks. I cut six pieces of cardstock to fit the card base. Next I chose a simple Studio G pattern stamp and used embossing with clear on each square. I chose Crushed Olive, Tumbled Glass and Ripe Persimmon inks and after this I edged each rectangle with Pumice Stone. I fixed each square onto bright white cardstock and glued them to the card base.
I stamped the Get Well Soon by Hero ArtsHero Arts with black Versamark ink and then added clear emboss over this and again the Studio G patterned around the edges. After heat embossing I brushed the edges with the Tumbled Glass Distress Ink. I backed the sentiment with black cardstock, under which I used glue dots to fix the olive colored twine in place. I added some gems at the end!
Hope you enjoyed your visit here!

subset: commoncrawl


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Learn how to use Codeship to improve your development workflow.
Question: Do I need to use Docker? Or, can I use Docker?
Codeship Basic does not use Docker, Codeship Pro does! You can mix Codeship Basic and Codeship Pro projects on your account to best fit each team and each project you have.
Question: How do I debug builds?
On Codeship Basic, you can use SSH debug builds. On Codeship Pro, you can use the local CLI to debug.
Question: Can I get a demo or consulting call?
Just get in touch if you'd like to set up a call to discuss your needs or get a product demo.
We provide a full API for managing your projects, managing your team and triggering builds.
Several companies have published case studies on using Codeship to improve their operations.
Read about Placester and then read the others to learn more about what Codeship can do for you!
We provide highly-technical support and can help you at any point - from setup to deploy!


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The Return of Jezebel James
To start, the premise of The Return of Jezebel James -- infertility -- isn't exactly a knee-slapper.
Can two single sisters share a womb without driving each other crazy?
As I was watched two episodes of Amy Sherman-Palladino's new sitcom, The Return of Jezebel James, just one line made me laugh aloud. Not a grand beginning for a comedy, especially since the line was not intended to be funny. Children's book editor Sarah (Parker Posey) has just taken her lover, Marcus (Scott Cohen), to her apartment for the first time. Impressed by the loft's endless square footage, expansive terrace, and sparking skyline views, he asks, "How can you afford all this? Are you pole-dancing on the side?" Sarah cheerfully responds, "It's Brooklyn, baby!"
Ha, riiight. Clearly the writers haven't checked the real estate market in Brooklyn in the last five years, where the going rate for palatial lofts (even fixer-uppers) is about a bijillion dollars. But if sitcoms aren't required to be realistic, they should be funny. Most of the jokes in this one fizzle and evaporate, as much as the tired laugh track tries to convince us otherwise.
To start, the show's premise -- infertility -- isn't exactly a knee-slapper. After 30something career gal Sarah learns she can't conceive, she asks her estranged sister, Coco (Lauren Ambrose), to carry a child for her. In contrast to Sarah, the younger Coco is broke, without direction, and crashing at a friend's cramped and grungy apartment. Sarah insists Coco will "enjoy" the surrogacy experience, as well as the lavish compensation she can provide: cash, a guest bedroom with a private bathroom and a walk-in closet, maid service... "[You think I'll] enjoy being knocked up with your baby, like I'm an incubator?!" Coco explodes. "An incubator with TiVo," Sarah corrects.
Groan-worthy one-liners like these make Sarah -- allegedly desperate to have children -- seem glib at best, unsympathetic at worst. By centering their show on a surrogacy arrangement, Sherman-Palladino and co. may be attempting to put a "fresh" or "relevant" spin on what's essentially an Odd Couple-type pairing. But this is dicey subject matter (especially for those viewers who have struggled to become pregnant or know someone who has), and at times the tone seems blasé, even offensive.
Consider the money. The pilot episode makes clear that Coco agrees to the arrangement not only out of sympathy and love for her sister, but also to escape her own dire financial straits. When Sarah and Coco hammer out the legal details of their arrangement in a later episode, the exact fee is not specified. Since Sarah insists on dropping $5,000 alone on Coco's maternity clothes, we can assume the sisters are discussing a serious chunk of change. The compensation comes at a price, however. According to the contract, Coco would be legally obligated to follow the medical guidelines set for expecting mothers: no heavy lifting, no nitrate-laced foods, no unprotected sex "with losers."
The arrangement points out the disparity between the sisters' means and the options that wealth affords. Sarah believes surrogacy is "like a job," but under terms of this employment, she is angling to be the boss of Coco's body. If their roles were reversed (i.e., if the cash-strapped Coco were the one having trouble conceiving), she would have far fewer avenues to pursue than her sister does.
After she learns about the contractual restrictions, Coco bristles and soon the negotiation devolves into bickering and petty name-calling. The show frames their fight as a matter of mere sibling dysfunction, but this scene introduces some sticky questions about class dynamics and reproductive freedom before summarily dismissing them with jokes. An hour-long dramatic format may have served this fraught material better. Or maybe a feature-length movie: in April, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler will tackle a similar theme in their upcoming movie, Baby Mama. Perhaps they've figured out a way to make it funny.


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Do Denmark's very hyped, babyfaced postpunks Iceage represent The Shape of Punk to Come?
That slogan was coined by Refused -- another set of Scandinavian agitators, this time from hardcore-obsessed Sweden -- as the title for a 1998 opus-collage of the various rock music microhistories.
Of course, Iceage sounds nothing like the recently reunited '90s innovators. (Refused matched the sass and sexy political allusions of post-emo D.C. with the metallic, hyper-composed technicality of extreme music blenders like the Dillinger Escape Plan.)
We're just actually asking if this tidy quartet of Danish heartthrobs represent the New Wave.
See also:
-The Deftones and 25 Years of Alt Metal, Coming to Fillmore Miami Beach
-Peter Murphy Celebrates 35 Years of Bauhaus at Grand Central on April 30
-Six Reasons Infest Might Be the Most Hardcore Band in Punk History
It can be hard to tell.
On one hand, Iceage employs its fair share of contemporary hardcore's ambiguous "mysterious guy" aesthetics and thematics. The band's members have even been accused of either fetishizing or actually being Nazis. And this was before they signed to Matador Records.
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Where this troupe of very-Instagrammable Muppet Baby punksies really makes its biggest impact is with the tunes. We don't know anyone else playing Polaroid-picture-fuzzy punk that draws equally from Fugazi's neo-classicism, the chaos and linearity epitomized by Gravity Records, and a buried knack for pop that smears shoegaze all over Gang of Four-style bounce.
But we suspect that once the Iceage kids wrap their upcoming tour, scheduled around an appearance at Chaos in Tejas, there are going to be a whole lot of new American punk bands that sound just like them.
Iceage and Lower. With New Coke, Suede Dudes, and Last. Friday, June 7, at Churchill's Pub, 5501 NE Second Ave., Miami. Show starts at 10 p.m., and cover costs $10. Call 305-757-1807, or visit churchillspub.com.
Follow Crossfade on Facebook and Twitter @Crossfade_SFL.


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FOOD: Ninja grills up robust flavors
I'll admit I went into Ninja Steakhouse with low expectations. Thankfully the sushi/teppanyaki restaurant easily surpassed them.
I'm still not quite sure why my expectations were low. I had only eaten at the Cedar City location once — a few years ago — and it wasn't bad, just not that memorable.
By comparison, my meal at the restaurant's new St. George location in the former Samurai 21 location at the Promenade at Red Cliffs, is going to be quite memorable. I enjoyed every bite, as did my friends Gloria and Amber, who joined me there Monday night.
We sat at the teppanyaki grill because Amber planned to order from the hibachi menu. Gloria and I, meanwhile, were undecided.
Hibachi or sushi? Such a difficult decision.
We decided to try both.
It took a while to order because it was our first time and we were unfamiliar with the sushi options. Eventually Gloria decided to go with the French Kiss — tempura shrimp and spicy crab topped with salmon and mango, tomato and jalapeno salsa. It was a fascinating concoction, where the sweetness of the mango greets you, the savory tempura pulls you inside and then the jalapeno offers up a little bite of love.
Meanwhile, I considered something a little milder for myself, though I did have a few pieces of the tasty French Kiss. I went with the Cedar Roll, which features shrimp tempura, cucumber and avocado topped with mayo, salmon, thin lemon slices, crunchies, fish eggs and green onion. Despite all those ingredients it was quite mild, and even a little refreshing thanks to the cucumber and lemon.
Typically the sushi would be the highlight of the meal for me. I did enjoy it but my hibachi order was so good that it overshadowed the sushi. When I saw red snapper among the meat options on the hibachi menu I knew I had to try it.
Our chef came armed with the typical bag of tricks — spatula spinning, lively humor, abrupt ignitions that threaten to singe our eyebrow — but he threw his own twist in. Rather than creating an onion volcano like most teppanyaki chefs, he instead formed the onion rings into an hourglass shape for the fire show.
At times he did become a bit pushy, which didn't really bother us. Having a chef with personality is part of the experience. However, some diners might bristle a bit at his overbearing style.
For me the most important part is whether he can cook or not and he certainly proved he can. The chef suggested I try the fish before he doused it in teriyaki sauce and I'm so glad he said so. The fish was perfect, seasoned just enough to bring out its naturally robust flavor. Teriyaki sauce would have only covered up that wonderful taste.
My vegetables too were seasoned just right. Amber and Gloria said the same of their veggies and hibachi entrées. Gloria had the shrimp while Amber combined chicken and steak. Our chef is apparently quite gifted in the seasoning department and knowing when to say when. Too often at teppanyaki grills they cover up all the taste with the teriyaki.
After soup, salad, a bit of rice, two small filets of fish, a pile of vegetables and entire sushi roll I was quite full. Two hours later as I write this I'm still really full, yet already craving the red snapper again.
I have a feeling my expectations will no longer remain low when I visit Ninja again — at least when it comes to the teppanyaki.
Contact Brian Passey at email@example.com and follow him at Facebook.com/PasseyBrian or on Twitter and Instagram, @BrianPassey.
If you go
Ninja Steakhouse
Location: 245 N. Red Cliffs Drive, St. George.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4 to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday; noon to 10 p.m. Saturday; 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday.
Price range: Sushi is $10-$20; grill is $9-$37.
Telephone: 656-8628.


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Blue Moon
You knew just why I was there for
You heard me say a prayer for
Someone I really could care for
And then there suddenly appear before me
The only one my arms could ever hold"
~ The Platters (Blue Moon)
Technically, I asked Bee out for our second date.
Coming from a small town that still has the mindset of 18th century and a family that doesn't believe in kissing before marriage (okay, I'm exaggerating, but you get the drift), I've been taught since childhood about The Rules.
Girls should never ask boys out. Girls should never call boys first. Girls should never make the first move. Girls should be put on pedestal and worshiped by boys. Girls should turn down boys for three times to make sure they are serious. The list goes on. Any form of behaviour outside The Rules is considered highly inappropriate and disgraceful.
Therefore, I have always been the girl who waits painfully by the phone, the girl who doesn't reply love letters, and the girl who will never tell a guy she likes him first. We have been programmed to believe that no guy would take you seriously if you didn't follow The Rules and remain an unattainable fairy-like creature.
At the age of 23, I broke The Rules and had since lost the magical glitters on my wings.
After our first night out, Bee sent Bridget and I back to her place.
Bridget got out of the car first to rescue one of her puppies that had fallen into the drain. Me, still an aloof and divine enchantress back then, was left to have a moment alone with the guy whose smile made my heart beat double time.
Under normal circumstances, this would be the perfect timing for a guy to make the next move. I clutched my purse tightly, waiting for Bee to ask me out again.
It didn't happen.
I then realised that I had a choice. I could ask him out and risk having him thinks I'm easy, or I could play hard to get and wait for him to call me again.
The Rules were flashing red warning lights in my head. But that night, Bee couldn't have looked any cuter in that maroon shirt of his. Oh what I wouldn't do to see him again.
To hell with it! I was leaving KL in 3 days and I didn't have time to play games.
So I smiled and said, "Would you like to see me again before I leave?"
Of all the clever things he could have said, a very-nervous-yet-seemingly-calm Bee replied, "Sure, if you want to."
(Oh don't worry, to this day, he still gets shit from me for saying that.)
The most wonderful thing happened that night. For the first time in my life, my inner monster didn't come out and play.
Every girl has a monster called insecurity. Some small, some big. Well, mine was gigantic. I always knew that the monster was a big disaster to my relationships, I just didn't know that it was waiting to be tamed by the right person.
Does he like me? What if he doesn't like me? If he does, does he like me for the right reasons? Is it going to work out? Will he end up breaking my heart? What if he is just playing? How would I know whether he is serious?
A thousand and one questions a girl could ask, none of which bothered me that night.
All the unnecessary voices were blocked out. I heard nothing. Not even the slightest sound of it.
Only the beats of my own heart.
No over-analysing, no questioning, no worrying, no trying to define what was going on, it was all taken away when I looked into his eyes and saw the answers to my questions.
I learned that a girl doesn't have to sit on a throne or be locked away in high tower guarded by fire-breathing dragons in order to live happily ever after with Prince Charming.
It works the other way around.
When the right boy comes along, he will put his crown on your head, calls you his princess and loves you like there is none other.
On 14 May 2004, every girl in Australia stayed up to watch the fairytale wedding when Mary Donaldson married Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark. So did I.
And then I messaged Bee.
"Mary looked breathtakingly beautiful in her white duchess satin gown and Irish lace veil. Her groom wept as she walked down the aisle. It was the dream of every girl. But baby, mine came true when I met you. Some need to marry a prince to become a princess. But I only need to look at the reflections in your eyes to feel like one."
Blue moon may not come by easily. But it does happen, every so often.