You've had stories published in Flashing Swords. Tell us what they're about.

My Dalacroy stories tell the life of a mercenary who wanders from one adventure to another against the backdrop of diverse cultures and countries in upheaval. The setting is fantasy, loosely fitting the category of sword and sorcery, though they are definitely heavier on the sword than the sorcery. The original tale in the series, The Marsh God, was intended as a one-off, my homage to the days of the pulp magazines. But Howard Andrew Jones convinced me to write more, so I gladly accepted. As for Dalacroy's world, it just so happened I had a detailed, ready-made world that I had created during my younger days, so it was a simple matter of inserting him into it. Part of the fun now is having the chance to explore this creation with my stories.

Tell us a about the main character.

Dalacroy Kildonan is second youngest in a family of seven. At an early age he grew bored with working the vineyards of his family business and joined the Coranthan military, where he excelled at swordsmanship and displayed an aptitude for command. Eventually he tired of inaction and latched on with a mercenary company. Though the experience proved invaluable, he became somewhat jaded by their loose ethics, and set out on his own. Dalacroy is not a larger than life character. He has flaws and makes mistakes. But he lives by a code which tends toward the gray, as opposed to black and white, and certainly doesn't see himself as a hero or villain, though others may.

Why did you first decide to submit stories to Flashing Swords?

It was the one market that published the type of stories I not only wanted to read, but to tell. I was rather naive at first when I began to shop The Marsh God. I didn't realize the fantasy markets were so focused on urban tales and magical cats, contrary to submission guidelines. I got close to placing it with Weird Tales, but that was it, until I saw the Flashing Swords banner at Ralan. The rest was Providence.

Do you plan to write any more stories for Flashing Swords?

Definitely. I have a bunch of ideas kicking around my head, as well as several written synopsis.

Have you written anything else?

I've had two stories appear in Chris Cevasco's wonderful magazine, Paradox. Anezka was a contest winner in issue #8, while Marathon appeared in issue #10. Some other stories include Missing in Action, which appeared in the late, lamented Amazing Journeys Magazine, and Upstream in Beyond Centauri. In addition, I've had some success with several anthologies, including Armand Rosamilia's Freehold series.

Almost every writer is inspired by someone else. Does anyone inspire you?

No surprise to anyone who knows me: Robert E. Howard. I recently finished The Conquering Sword of Conan and was once again amazed at how vivid his descriptions are and how easy it was to get caught up in the action and go along for the ride. It's too bad today's prose frowns upon that descriptive pulp-style of storytelling. A few well-placed adjectives go a long way to spark the imagination. The man certainly had a way with words that leaves me envious.

What made you want to write?

The bug hit the day I picked up the original Lancer edition of Conan the Adventurer. However, I'll admit it was the now classic Frank Frazetta cover that first grabbed me. But once I cracked it open, I was quickly swept up by the sheer savagery of the Hyborian world. It was amazing stuff for a kid of twelve, and by my late teens I had written a collection of short stories and a novel, all fantasy and SF... and garnered a bunch of rejection slips. Then I discovered girls and hockey and set my non-starting literary career aside. It wasn't until a few years ago, after spinal surgery forced me to settle down, that I decided to try again.

Who drives the story, you or your characters?

I would have to say the characters. Even after plotting the story, I've found the characters react in a way I hadn't intended, or step up to take a leading role. Homecoming was a good example. It didn't start off as Moirya's story, but it sure ended that way.

Who proofreads and critiques your work?

Originally I was part of a critique group comprised of a great bunch of people, including Fraser Ronald of Sword's Edge. Unfortunately it folded as the members moved on. I've spent time with S.C.Bryce's excellent critique group on the SFReader forums, and I have some good writer friends who keep me grounded.

Where do you get your ideas?

Just about anywhere. The news and newspapers are a good source. History is an excellent breeding ground for storylines. Documentaries are very helpful. In fact I saw one that dealt with a partially submerged ruin which I used in a story that's currently sitting with an editor. I read a lot of non-fiction and like to listen to people like my mother-in-law talk about their life events. She lived through the London bombings of WWII and, while stationed in Portsmouth, witnessed the Canadians return from the disaster at Dieppe. Her insight has been invaluable for some of the projects I'm working on.

Where do you write?

Usually in the privacy of my office surrounded by books, my art, autographed posters, some hockey and baseball trophies and other assorted boring things. I manage to hide there until one of my dogs decide it's play time, or I'm cajoled into making dinner.

When do you write - set times or as the mood moves you?

At this point it's as the mood moves me, or to be more precise, when I'm able. Before my retina problems I was more regimented, trying to pound out some verbiage at least once a day.

If you could invite any other writer to dinner who would ask and why?

Issac Asimov, just so I could apologize for being a jerk at a convention he was attending. It's not a particularly interesting story, suffice to say that I p.o.'d him with an Arthur C. Clarke request. But the main reason is because of the incredible volume of work he produced that touched on so many diverse subjects. I believe he wrote over 500 books. Anyway, I think it would make for a fascinating evening. And I'd even bring the wine.

What's the last book you read and really enjoyed?

Well, it's a toss up. While not enjoyable because of the content, Shake Hands with the Devil is a gripping, scathing account of the genocide in Rwanda, written by Lt. General Romeo Dallaire, the Canadian who commanded a tiny UN Peacekeeping force that faced impossible odds, including a UN that was so wrapped up in politics it completely abrogated its responsibility. For fiction, it was The Virtues of War by Steven Pressfield. It's the story of Alexander the Great as told by the Macedonian himself. I couldn't put it down. Pressfield is simply the best writer of historical fiction today, bar none. There was talk of making his best known book, Gates of Fire, into a movie, but that appears to be in greenlight hell. It would certainly present a vastly more accurate version of Thermopylae than last years' 300.

What drives you to write?

The need to tell stories, to hopefully entertain and perhaps provoke discussion. As you may have noticed, I have a deep fascination for history, which undoubtedly played a part in convincing me to grab that previously mentioned Conan book. It was hard to ignore a barbarian standing on a mound of bodies casually holding a sword, with a young lass clutching his leg. The book was my gateway to fantasy. I enjoy using ancient, medieval and even Renaissance themes in my writing. And it doesn't matter if the stories are grounded in the real world or part of my imagination. If the reader enjoys what I write, all the better.

Do you use the Internet to check facts, or the library?

Both. Beyond a few, really detailed sites, I find the internet best for gathering general information, maps, location pictures and alternate, written sources for whatever project I'm researching. The library is handy, though the one closest to me has the same old books on their shelves they had when I was a teen. In addition, I have a vast library of historical and other reference books which I've collected over the years. I find the Military Book Club to be a useful resource, too.

When you're not writing, what do you like to do?

These days I'm limited. I'm involved with the community forums for Conan.com and Paradox Interactive, a historical gaming site. I like to read and, sadly, I now watch more TV than I'm used to. Fortunately my wife has turned me on to some great imported TV series from Britain. Which is a good thing, because whenever I latch on to a new North American series, it inevitably gets canceled, while pablum like the reality shows live on.

Do you ever have a problem with writer's block?

Oh yeah. Sometimes re-reading passages from some of my favorite books will get me past it, but usually I'll try to write through it, figuring I can always go back and make sense of it later. I found the latter cure works best for me.

Who's your favorite author (other than yourself)? Why?

Well, in the fantasy genre I have several, but if forced to choose one, I'd have to say the late David Gemmell. His writing and his characters always struck a chord with me. His minor characters were as keenly developed as the major ones, and he touched on issues like age and mortality that I found uniquely moving. I always wished he had produced more Druss stories.

What's your favorite book (other than one of your own)? Why?

The Iliad. It's an eternal story with all the elements that make for a grand, heroic tale. It has unforgettable characters, action, conflict, politics, death, revenge, you name it. Reading it never grows stale, even though the Trojans always lose.

Some writers say that they have to write a certain amount of words every day. Do you do this? Why or why not?

I used to try for at least 500 - 1000 words a day. But these days it's harder due to the aforementioned eye problems afflicting me this past year. Now I write what I can, when I can. It's really a pain, trust me.

If you could be any character (other than one of your own) from a book or movie who would it be? Why?

I think it would have to be Keyser Sose from Bryan Singer's classic The Usual Suspects. The idea of living in obscurity, yet commanding absolute awe with the simple power of your name appeals to me. Having that kind of impact would be nothing short of cool.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

I know the fantasy I write is not in lockstep with the majority of publications these days, but I also know there are people out there as equally frustrated as me with the lack of choice. It's to these fans I direct my stories and thank for reading. And I'd be remiss for not thanking Flashing Swords for providing a platform for writers like myself.

Bruce