Q: Who are you?
A: My full name is Roscoe Jean-Castle Mathieu. I’m a genre writer, I’ve written science fiction, fantasy, horror, romance, mysteries, and erotica. You can usually tell it’s me because I get caught up playing with language and Chinese philosophy always seems to show up somewhere in my stories. I live in China presently, but I get antsy and end up changing continents every few years.
Q: What are you working on right now?
A: I have about a dozen stories going at any given time. The ones I’m working on at the moment all seem to be dark cyberpunk commentaries on modern China.
Q: What authors are your strongest influences?
A: Ray Bradbury and Frank Herbert collectively top the list. Fahrenheit 451 was the first adult SF I ever read, and it …dented me, a little bit. Dune is my favorite book. Ray taught me how to structure a story, and Herbert taught me to build a world. But my word choice and language tends to more strongly reflect some of my other favorite authors: Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, and Carl Sandburg. I also tend to pick up phrases and uses from all kinds of media I saw or read or did when I was growing up: John Lennon’s In His Own Write, Bob Cringely’s Triumph of the Nerds, and the Marx Brothers have all shown up in my writing when I look hard enough.
Q: Where do you get your ideas?
A: By throwing them against other ideas.
Q: How many languages do you speak?
A: English is my mother tongue, and in college I learned French. I’ve picked up a bit of Mandarin in China, but my Chinese friends tell me I speak better Cantonese. I’ve also taught myself to read and write Latin, ancient Greek, Sanskrit, and Pali, although how much of each I remember at any given time is up for grabs. I’d like to die also able to speak Spanish, Portugese, Russian, Hindi, Arabic, and Navajo. I also speak Klingon, and it’s actually come in useful once or twice.
Q: Do you have a ritual?
A: For the longest time, it had to be 1AM, and I had to have a Pepsi, a kosher pickle spear, and a cheese sandwich with sourdough and Dijon mustard. That’s how I got through the first thousand bad stories throughout my teenage years. I don’t use them so much any more, but they do help. I do need music, though, and I can get fussy since I like the music to match the mood.
Q: Okay, what kind of music do you listen to while writing?
A: Some music suggest stories (I’m working on one that’s come about between Metal Man’s “Marvin I Love You,” the Presidents’ cover of “Video Killed the Radio Star,” and Aqua’s “Doctor Jones,” of all things!) but mostly I stick to instrumental. The Blade Runner soundtrack has been consistent inspiration for about 14 years now, second only to the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack and the collective works of Yuki Kajiura. I also listen to a lot of Quebecois neo-trad like Mes Aieux, Les Cowboys Frigrants, La Bottine Souriante, and Beau Dommage. Basically, as long as I don’t understand the words, it’s good for writing to.
Q: Would you review my story?
A: Sure! I hear I’m pretty good at it, too. But I’m basically going to tear it to shreds. Consider this fair warning. And if you’d like professional review, I suggest Susan Tuttle. Her rates are reasonable and I run my work past her.
Q: Any suggestions for other writers?
A: “Write, finish what you write, put it in the mail, keep it in the mail until it sells.” Heinlein spoke truth there. So does Bradbury, “You have to write 1000 bad stories before you write your first good one.” Cultivate someone close to you to review your stuff…as a reader, not an editor. Ask them to tell you their impressions and feelings, what you just did instead of what you should do next (your other writer friends will fill you in on that). Use Duotrope
Q: How can I contact you?
A: See my contact page.
Q: How can I give you money?
A: You can buy a Highjack story, contribute to my Kickstarter campaign, or donate. The Donate button is at the bottom of every page.
Q: Hey, you didn’t answer my question!
A: Then shoot me an email! It’s over on the contact page.
