Andrew Bates : Writing

Words. Words words words words words.

Yup, I don't just draw pictures. Here you'll find excerpts from fiction I've had published to date.

This stuff is in the supernatural horror vein -- not surprising, since my published work to date is through White Wolf. Odd, given that my comic work is of the goofy and absurd sort; seems that when I add pictures, the ideas don't stay serious. That said, elements of humor run through my work regardless of the medium.

Anyway, I am developing an original concept that, while still treading supernatural ground, moves away from horror-specific elements. (I like writing about strangeness in the world, but don't always need buckets o' gore.) More on that as it develops.

Till then, here are selections of past works. Click on Cuddles to see each excerpt.

The Year of the Scarab Trilogy

Best categorized as pulp action/horror, this trilogy follows modern-day vampire hunters caught in a supernatural struggle for an ancient ritual that promises untold power. Despite the epic scope, I tried to retain a down-to-earth angle -- and a lot of monster-hunting adventure.

It's my first attempt at long-form fiction (and dashed out under tight deadline). I may cringe at the overwritten passages (seriously? the exact layout of Thea's apartment?) and clunky exposition; still, I think it offers a good ride with fun twists, and the characters are relatable (even Carpenter...) and engaging. If nothing else, I learned a lot about writing. Nothing like diving into the deep end of the pool.

If you enjoy the excerpts, you should be able to find the books. Brick-and-mortar stores may not stock it any longer -- came out back in 2001 -- but online retailers should have it.

Heralds of the Storm

Drawn into a struggle against the forces of darkness, Thea Ghandour meets an enigmatic figure who claims to share her goal: the ultimate destruction of evil. Maxwell Carpenter has tracked an entity of incredible power to an obscure temple in the heart of Chicago, and asks for Thea's help in defeating it. Thea soon learns Carpenter has not revealed everything -- but can she discover Carpenter's real agenda before it's too late?

Lay Down With Lions

Questioning the origins of his ancestors, the estranged vampire called Beckett comes to Chicago and unwittingly stumbles across the conflict between Thea Ghandour and Maxwell Carpenter. Beckett discovers he is not the only supernatural being drawn into the struggle -- for, at its center, is a powerful immortal, the mummy Nicholas Sforza-Ankhotep.

Land of the Dead

In flight to Egypt with a stolen mummy artifact of incalculable power, Maxwell Carpenter is pursued with equal intensity by the mortal Thea Ghandour, the vampire Beckett, and the mummy Nicholas Sforza-Ankhotep. Each pursues Carpenter for his or her own reasons, but only by joining forces can they hope to stop him from succeeding in his shocking quest.

Dark Ages: Cappadocian

Writing the the YotS trilogy was a great learning experience, and I learned even more with this book. I'm most proud of certain characters and dialogue. The series is all about vampires; not really my thing, so I felt it was important to show that the undead still interacted with -- and relied upon -- the mortal world. In working out those details, I thought that it'd be fun to include perhaps the two most hapless sidekicks in literature: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. So the mortal servants, Falsinar and Beltramose, became my attempt to channel William Shakespeare and Tom Stoppard. (Check out the ego on Bates...)

On the down side, I worried too much about cramming plot points into White Wolf's canon. I worked past that hang-up by the last quarter of the book, but there was no time to rework the previous material -- my fault, since I was about four months past deadline. (Inspiration finally overcame writer's block; about Chapter 20 onward was written in one 30-hour sitting -- a single draft that went straight to the editor.) Gotta love the work-for-hire grind. Luckily, I had a very understanding editor in Philip Boulle.

Published in 2002, Dark Ages: Cappadocian is part of a 13-book series, with various authors handling different books. You can read them individually, but they tell a larger story when read all together. A quote from the back cover:

The chaotic winds of fate have swept away the mighty Byzantine Empire. Now they threaten to eradicate the Cappadocians, one of the ancient clans of vampires. Constancia, high priestess of the clan, leaves her mountain monastery to seek out Markus Giovanni, the one vampire who holds the key to the dark future she has foreseen. Markus, however, has plans of his own. Fleeing the destruction of Constantinople, he sets out for the deserts of Egypt in a quest for glory.

When the two come together, the dead rise to fight their battles for them. But will it be enough to save either of them from the force that has lured them there?