Greetings all.

I’m continuing #Four Horsetober with an author who will be making his debut in the Four Horsemen universe in Luck Is Not a Factor. I may have mentioned it’s coming out on 2 November. I may have also mentioned I’ll be in that anthology, too.

But never mind all that, this is Joseph Capdepon II’s interview. More than most, he took my instruction to be as whimsical as he wanted to be in the Lightning Round seriously. So to speak.

Interview: Joseph Capdepon II

What is your quest?

To write fun and engaging stories that people want to read. To create universes and worlds that draw people in, be it novels, short stories, graphic novels, screenplays, or whatever other mediums of entertainment I can do it in. To bring just a tiny bit of light and fun to a serious world. Also telling the stories of the voices in my head. They can be a bit demanding at times.

What is your favorite color?

I tend to concentrate more on dialogue in my writing. I am a bit light on scene description, though when I describe a scene, it is the big description. I don’t often get down to the small things in the scene. I also rarely give hard descriptions of characters. You get an idea of what they look like, but I’m more interested in trying to bring them to life through their actions and words. I think my love of dialogue comes from being a very avid movie watcher, and wannabe screenwriter. For me, while the background of a scene helps, it is the dialogue that I love. The back and forth between characters. How their words help the reader to be drawn into the world through the characters words. Movies have had a huge influence on how I write dialogue. (Rob’s Note: This is much like my philosophy, too)

What is the average flying speed of an unladen paint brush?

Showing and not telling. Describing a scene so that it is not clunky and gives the reader an accurate impression of the world. Writing dialogue that is not clunky or sounds like two robots talking. Trying to get the dialogue to sound natural. Battling that sometimes crippling self-doubt that The Enemy throws at you. (The War of Art by Steven Pressfield is a must read for any aspiring author)

What are the powers of your personal Holy Hand Grenade?

While I sometimes struggle, I do believe I write some damn good dialogue and some convincing characters.

Lightning Round

• Favorite Muppet? Animal, because he will beat you to death and eat your face.
• Crunchy or Creamy? Creamy. Crunchy peanut butter is for commies. (Rob’s Note: We may disagree on this.)
• Favorite Sports Team? Houston Astros. Life long fan.
• Cake or Pie? Bro.  Pie is the best. Pecan Pie. Pumpkin Pie. Coconut Cream Pie. Key Lime Pie. Banana Cream Pie. Even fruit pies are superior to cake, unless it is Tres Leches Cake. Tres Leches Cake is the bomb, especially if it is Chocolate Tres Leches Cake from the Chocolate Bar here in Houston. (Rob’s Note: You’re missing the best pie of all, butter pie.)
• Lime or Lemon? Are we talking as garnish, in a mixed drink, or in a savory dish? The only dessert that is allowed to use lime is Key Lime Pie. No dessert should ever have lemon in it, for that is heresy, and Odin weeps when people make lemon dessert.
• Favorite Chip Dip?  Salsa, the hotter the better.
• Wet or Dry? Dry rub for brisket, smoked all night. After it is cooked, I will eat it wet or dry.
• Favorite Musical Performer We’ve Never Heard Of? Explosions in the Sky. Sigur Ros.
• Whisky or Whiskey? Scotch, because the gods love us all.
• Favorite Superhero? Punisher/Wolverine. Everyone else are pikers.
• Steak Temperature? Medium rare. Less and you are not breaking down the fat in the meat, which means there is no flavor there. More and you are destroying the flavor of the meat.
• Favorite 1970s TV show? Was Simon and Simon on in the 1970s? (Rob’s Note: Close enough. I love that show)
• Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall? Winter. I live in Houston. Winter is the only bloody time of the year that it is comfortable outside.
• Favorite Pet?  Oberon, King of the Standard Poodles.
• Best Game Ever? Final Fantasy VII.
• Coffee or Tea? Both. All the caffeine!
• Sci-Fi or Fantasy? Again, both! Though combining the two is always fun.

What question(s) would you like to ask me?

Why are the British so weird when it comes to food?

Rob’s Answer: I’m guessing it’s because their humor is so dry they can’t get the appropriate amount of juiciness in their food. That and coconut migration is not what it used to be. Swallows these days just don’t put forth the effort they did back in our day.

Tell me again where we can find your stuff? I don’t have much stuff yet.

• https://www.amazon.com/Joseph-Capdepon-II/e/B07D6ZNJ1C/

And where can we find you?

• Hopefully if things work, I will be at LibertyCon 2019.

Do you have a creator biography?

Not really, but I should probably come up with a good one soon. (Rob’s Note: This might be a subtle hint 🙂 )

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Thanks to Joseph for taking the time to answer my questions.

If you have any suggestions or comments about this interview format, let me know so I can keep tweaking it.

Also, thanks to you for reading. If you’re interested in any of the other interviews I’ve done, you can find them all here: https://robhowell.org/blog/?cat=326. If you are a creator, especially an independent creator, and you want to be spotlighted in a future interview, email me at rob@robhowell.org.

Finally, if you want to join my mailing list, where I’ll announce every interview, as well as what’s going on in my life, go to www.robhowell.org and fill out the form (Name and Email Address) or drop me an email and I’ll add you.

Have a great day.

Rob Howell