Author Interview: The Doors of Midnight by R.R. Virdi

Thank you so much for joining us for this Q&A! We’ll start off with one of our standard podcast opening questions–tell us something great that’s happened recently.

Not exactly the coolest book related answer, but someone very dear to me recently got one of their dream cars. It’s a 1977 Porsche 911 Slantnose, and I’ve gotten to work on it a bit, go driving/joy ride in it just a small amount, but it’s been a dream for me too, and an utter blast. Beyond that, I recently learned that because of people like you–all the lovely readers/booktubers/podcasters–The First Binding has out-earned half my whole first three book series deal on its lonesome. That’s massive, and the word of mouth and kindness from readers and the reviewer community made that happen. So, thank you!

What are you currently reading or what’s up next on your TBR? What made you pick up this book?

I’m currently reading a few things and they are: Death Masks (by Jim Butcher), an old favorite (all of Dresden is) and a comfort read as I’ve had a personally wild year. I’m also reading The Wager (by David Grann), on Stranger Tides (by Tim Powers - the novel that inspired the Disney movie by the same name), and Treasure Island ( by Robert Louis Stevenson). 

I chose them because I’ve always had a love for sailing, the ocean/waters, and pirate/sailing novels. What’s not to love? High seas shenanigans and adventures, treachery on the open waters, lost treasures and swashbuckling? They’re just great adventure fiction.

Are there any challenges specific to continuing a series vs starting it?

With a series underway, you’ve committed to fulfilling prior promises while also setting up new ones to later wrap up for a satisfying catharsis for the reader. When you’re starting out, it’s all “newness”, wonder, and promises. There’s an ease in that. Anyone can promise anything. Fulfilling promises is another matter. Then there’s the “newness” factor for authors. The new shiny project is always exciting if you’re starting over. Continuing a series at times can be rough because there is a history that shows when authors (and we’re all people) get burned out, life gets hard or in the way, so on, it’s hard to continue holding that same love to continue something ongoing vs starting something new without expectations (from us, or the readers). A new beginning is just that - a blank canvas to do whatever on. An ongoing series has a lot of the canvas painted in, and I think some people want the freshness of being able to always paint the beginning of a new idea, but never finish a started piece. Because once you do, it’s done–it’s gone. And the wonder of what “could be” is gone with it. And that’s a powerful thing – what could be. It’s what a lot of artists chase, and in that curiosity, hopefully find out and fulfill. 

When you started the series, did you have a clear idea in mind for how you wanted to continue it in subsequent books? How, if at all, has that changed while writing The Doors of Midnight?

I did have a very clear idea of how the series would go, especially the first three books. I have the very last page of the full series already written. While the line-by-line might change, but the resolution and ending itself will not. But in editing the Doors of Midnight we lost about 70,000 words from the original draft of 450k. I lost a few story arcs that I wanted to set up to capitalize on book three with. So, it’s definitely moved things around and I have to decide whether or not to try to set up and pay it off in a single novel, or if it’s worth spacing out the “cool” to pay off later. But the only guarantee I have right now from publishing is, book three. I don’t know if I’ll get a later. So, it’s something to definitely think on now for me as I hash out book three. 

What I have mostly for the series is similar to what Robert Jordan did for Wheel of Time. He was a pantser (or Discovery writer as noted on Brandon Sanderson’s blog, where RJ’s process was detailed). But he knew key beats he wanted to hit and or capitalize off of from earlier moments/books. And he was brilliant at it. I like having key markers in my mind of where I want to go, or climax/catharsis points and then fill in how to get there based off past commitments/promises I’ve made that I know I have to follow through/up on. 

How do you manage character growth vs consistency over a multi-book arc?

I think it depends on what the point of the character is. Like life, sadly, not everyone grows. If they did, well, the world would be a vastly different place. That’s been in fact the appeal, and often doom, of many characters in fiction – the inability to grow. They’re all tools at the end of the day in your narrative for the purpose to entertain the reader. So, it comes back to: what value are they adding with how you plan to use them - then you use them as such. 

Let’s take Prince Zuko for example (MY HONOR!): For a while in the show, he didn’t grow. He served as an antagonist early on (and villain - they are not always the same) to the avatar, Aang, and the overall gAang. That’s what made him great though. We saw him continue to falter and make follies while Iroh advised him and he refused to listen in contrast to the gAang that DID grow. That made mistakes, that realized them, reconciled their differences (like Katara getting jealous of Aang’s aptitude with water bending, then learning to work together to train and improve together). But, slowly, we see Zuko begin to develop his own growth such as in his agni kai battle, learning from his uncle’s lessons, an early indicator of his path. 

Now let’s contrast Azula and her father, the Fire Lord. THey were given moments to grow as characters - they were confronted by friends and family, had their weaknesses (of character mostly) pointed out and had those moments to make different choices. They didn’t. That’s what brought about their downfall. But we, the audience, and the story in fact, needed that. 

It comes down to what do you need a character for/to do. Not everyone has to grow. But if they don’t, you need to ask yourself why, and what are you planning to do with them?

Has your favorite character to write changed from book to book?

To a degree. It’s still Ari and Eloine for Tales of Tremaine overall, but there are moments Shola (Ari’s cat) steals all the love (obviously), and believe it or not, Krisham. I have a lot planned for him. :) I genuinely enjoy the brief moments he shows up in the novels. 

Would you say that The Doors of Midnight went through more or less extensive editing than The First Binding? If yes, why do you think that is?

Definitely more extensive, and because of the word count. It was literally because of the word count. Both my publishers grew very uncomfortable at the print size cost of the original draft. The First Binding was published at its original draft submission word count. I think the final tally was only 1k over the draft. I had submitted a 350k draft, and the final is like 351k?

If you could sit down to dinner with one of your characters, which one would it be?

Ari for the entertainment and performance value I’d get out of it. Or perhaps Master Lorist for the sheer wealth of mythology and legends she possesses just in her memory alone. I do love a good story.

Which location that appears on the page in the book would you like to visit?

I would very much love to visit the island kingdom of Myrath, which we have not yet visited in the series. 

In your opinion, what kind of reader would like this book?

People who love lyricism, music, poetry, deep worldbuilding especially done through nesting stories tied to myths - so of course mythology and folktale/lore lovers. People who want a heroic fantasy - chasing the idea and myths of a singular character, larger than life (at least as far as the stories go), and those who love unreliable narrators. And lastly, those who LOVE deep dives of conspiracy theories, easter eggs, and clues hidden within novels that’ll make you reread to find all the things you missed, and might quite just change how you view the stories after you reread them.

What would you like readers to take away from this book?

That every story matters, including yours. And that be really careful in what you go into a story with. Your biases might just ensure you never get/read the true story, and sadly only ever see what you want. Which, is also sadly what happens a lot in our world.

Is there anything you can tell us about any current projects you’re working on?

Absolutely. So, apart from Tales of Tremaine 3, I have about ten chapters of a South Asian standalone fantasy novel done. It’s inspired by the history of Portuguese colonization, and specifically the inquisition, of Goa/Kerala, and gets into civil unrest, rebellions, and a fantasy take off the Aghori death monks/priests of India (Shiva specifically) and what if they were in fact a group of like Zen Buddhist analog assassins. It’s going to follow a corrupt government with even more corrupt parliamentary body of wealthy citizens. Get into the politics used by colonizer empires to strip natives of rights, land, education, and more, and then what happens when that powder keg unites. I’m really excited to sell that project and keep writing it. I also have a few chapters of a revenge thriller/crime novel I’ve started that deals with getting justice for a murder committed a long time ago during the post 911 backlash towards Muslim and South Asian folks and incorporates my love of classic American cars since I grew up around them and working/restoring them.

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer a few questions for us! Do you have any parting thoughts or comments you’d like to leave for our readers?

Read outside of your norm – take a risk and try new genres, and with us living in the information age, if you don’t know something about an aspect of a novel, research it before assuming the worst. Because you know what happens when you assume. 

And finally, where can you be found on the internet if our readers want to hear more from you?

The best places at this time to find me are on: 

Facebook - rrvirdi

Twitter: rrvirdiI

nstagram: rrvirdi

I respond as frequently as I can there.

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About the book:

Myths begin, and a storyteller's tale deepens, in the essential sequel to R.R. Virdi's breakout Silk Road-inspired epic fantasy debut, The First Binding.

Ari the Binder's legend spans continents and eras. Moving in and out of myth as easy as the wind, as tales and their echoes spread across a sun-drenched land.

Now, the storyteller himself awaits judgment for the murder of a prince. The stories say he has killed more than one. But what is truth and what is a man if not a liar?

As the telling of the storyteller's past grows, so too does the list of his enemies―and of mysteries yet to be solved.