Interview with Sam Robb
Author of
Sigils, and much more
Please tell
me a little about your current newest release.
Sigils is an urban fantasy set in Pittsburgh. It’s
kind of boy-meets-girl-meets-eldritch horror, so, you know – classic
literature. J
More seriously, James O’Neil is James a high
school senior; he’s done some graffiti in his life, but wants to turn that into
a stint at art school. Unfortunately, he’s about to learn the hard way that
names have power, and his graffiti tags can open doors in the forgotten byways
of Pittsburgh. After he accidentally summons a powerful and malevolent Fae, he
only manages to escape by the intervention of other taggers. On the run, James
needs allies, and answers, but everything seems to be conspiring against him
and his world is falling apart around him.
Where did
you get the idea for this book or series?
I work in downtown Pittsburgh (“dahntahn” for my
fellow Yinzers). I’ve spent a lot of time over the past few years exploring all
parts of the city. Some of the graffiti is evocative and inspiring. If you’re a
nerd like me, the presence of tags makes you start thinking about why it’s so
important for some people to make sure their name is all over the city. From
there, it’s a really short step to thinking about other beings who are
very concerned with names… and, little hint here: it’s not only the Fae.
Do you
write in more than one genre? And which is your favorite?
I’ve done some science
fiction, fantasy, and sprinkled a little horror over it all. Fantasy is my
favorite. I’m probably influenced by Sir Terry Pratchett in that regard. It’s
just an incredibly fun, very expansive genre to write in. Real human issues?
You can do that in Fantasy. Dip into horror? Fantasy. Detective stories,
romance, humor? All possible with fantasy.
Within fantasy, I do
like leaning into either humor or horror. There’s just something about those
genres that appeal to me. The idea that you can look at the strange and either
laugh at it, or be terrified by it.
Tell me
about something that you believe makes your writing unique or worthy of
attention.
It’s not always obvious,
but I try to come at my stories from a real-world Christian perspective. You’ve
got people who believe in God, who try to do their best, and often fail. They
have jobs that they love (or that suck), people they care about and people they
think are jerks, that sort of thing. People who make sense; people who are
real.
Is there
anything about your personal history or personality that manifests strongly in
your writing?
I’m a Christian. I don’t shove that into every
story, but it’s something that’s important to me. That makes me think about
what my characters believe about life, the universe, and everything.
Sometimes it’s right there up front, like in “Down Among the Dead Men”, where a
ghost named Abe has to deal with the agents of Above and Below; or in “Blue As
Sky”, where demons are real and the Accuser is waging a literal war with
Heaven. Other times, it’s more subtle. It’s interesting, though, how an
imaginary person’s character changes when you ask yourself, “What do they think
happens when you die?”
What else
would be helpful for readers to know about you?
I ran for President once. No,
really. I ended up acting as the state
coordinator for the 2020 Libertarian campaign of Jo Jorgensen and Spike Cohen.
Excluding
your own work, what underrated author or book would you recommend that more
people read? Why?
Clifford D. Simak. He’s
one of the SF greats, but—IMHO—got short shrift because while he wrote stories
that were “big idea” pieces, they were more about the people than the ideas. On
the SF side, he’s one of my biggest influences. I can return to and read his
books over and over.
P. C. Hodgell on the
fantasy side. I recommend “God Stalk” to everyone I can. It’s a brilliant
story. Like Simak, she has some amazing, huge ideas in there, but the story
itself is about the people. “God Stalk” kicks off her Kencyr series, which is
definitely worth reading.
What sets
Sigils apart from your other works, and other works in the genre?
Well, it’s set in Pittsburgh, for one. J You can count the number
of fantasy series that meet that qualification on one hand (The Elfhome books
from Wen Spencer. Go read them, by the way.)
I also wrote it specifically with younger me in mind. I wanted a book that
Teenage Sam would have thought was cool and fun to read. One where the main
character was like him. Trying to find his way in a world that suddenly
seems very strange. He’s figuring out how to talk to girls, learning how to
relate to people he has to work with, and what all that changes his
relationship with his mother, who he really loves and cares for. The weird
stuff draw it out and makes all that fun and interesting to read, but really—it’s
about growing up.
Which
break, event, decision, or fortuitous circumstance has helped you or your
writing career the most?
Larry Coreia, on his
blog, when he said: “Butt in chair, hands on keyboard.” You can’t be a writer
if you don’t write; and writing requires discipline. Discipline that I sadly
lack at times, unfortunately. I must admit, though, that when I do follow his
prescription to sit down and write—wonder of wonders!—I do actually write
stuff. Strange how that works.
What
question do you wish you would get asked more often?
“Would you like an
advance with that publishing contract?”
Do you have
a catch-phrase or quote that you like? What is it? And why do you choose it?
“You don’t get if you
don’t ask.”
I learned this while I was doing the political thing a few years ago. You would
be absolutely amazed at how often someone will tell you “yes” to a simple, polite
request. That might be asking a question, asking for a moment of their time, or
asking for help. The truth of the matter is that most people don’t ask because
it’s scary, and they will probably say no, and nobody likes rejection. If you
are willing to put yourself out there and risk being turned down, though,
you’ll be shocked at how often even “famous” people are willing to say yes to
something small.
Short
stories or novels—which do you prefer to write?
Short stories. Flash
fiction, even. Those are soooo much easier. You have a handful of characters at
most; a nice, clear arc; and when it’s done, everyone’s happy (except the bad
guy who got kicked in the teeth at the end).
Novels are harder. They’re made up of lots of moving parts! They’re essentially
a series of scenes. Each scene has to tell its own story, and also move
the overall story ahead. Or maybe a sub-plot or a development arc or—you
get the idea.
On the other hand… short stories are very much like popcorn. An enjoyable
snack, but they’re not going to nourish you in the long run. Novels, though?
That’s like a workout and a steak dinner after. You feel good about a
job well done.
So I prefer to write
short stories… but I feel better about myself when I finish a novel. J
Have you
got a quote or short scene from Sigils to share to end the interview?
This is from one of my
favorite scenes, where James and Meg are looking over the city from the 31st
Street bridge:
“There’s pretty, and there’s beautiful.” He waved
at the skyline. “Pretty is that. It looks nice, but that’s from a
distance. Beautiful is, well. Something different. When you get up close to
something, you see all the imperfections and the dirt and broken bits. All the
stuff that isn’t pretty. You’d think that would make it ugly, but it doesn’t.
It makes it interesting, and interesting is beautiful.”
___________________________________
Thanks to Sam for participating. Check out Sigils and Sam's other books.
Accidental Pirates debuted in preorder in New Releases at number 1 in 3 categories: Children's Time Travel, Pirate action adventure, and Teen &Young Adult Alternative History. I shot pictures of two of those.
Set sail for adventure on the Dragon Sea with wily pirates and danger, danger, danger, but no Will Robinson. "
A rip-roaring, edge of your seats adventure for every boy who ever dreamed of swords, ships, and a chance to be the hero."Writing on the sequel progresses at a fabulous pace - and I'm loving it.
I continue to get AI generated spam about my Tomahawks and Dragon Fire Series, inviting me to contact them to get my book into their reading group or book club. Here's a recent one:
Your writing carries the unmistakable voice of someone shaped by the
American West, history, and a lifelong love of adventure. The influences
of Dumas, Burroughs, Poe, Sanderson, and Tolkien appear not as
imitation, but as inspiration woven into a style that is
uniquely your own. I especially admire how you combine frontier
atmosphere, high fantasy, and historical tension into something that
feels both vast and intimate.
In Truth in Flames, the stakes are incredibly high, and you handle the multiple threads with remarkable clarity and energy. Lucette’s struggle,
trying to keep General Washington’s army from collapsing, felt powerful
and urgent a reminder of how fragile hope can be in times of war.
Meanwhile, Alex and Mirimoni’s journey battling
storms, stone cats, dragonlings, and the terrifying new weapon of
Captain Roberts gave the story an epic sweep. You’ve created a rich and
dangerous world where powers grow, loyalties shift, and every decision
carries weight.
And I loved the layers added by Rip and Antonio’s mission,
especially with Antonio’s complicated ties to Catalina that blend of
adventure, duty, and personal conflict made the story feel human and
alive.
Your ability to maintain tension across different characters,
locations, and magical forces all while keeping the Revolutionary
era’s spirit intact is truly impressive. The looming presence of the
commander, and his intent to engulf Liberty in flames, creates the
perfect overarching threat.
It’s clear that your love for history, fantasy, and adventure
continues to sharpen your craft. You write with the voice of someone who
enjoys life’s stories, landscapes, mysteries, and well-turn phrases
even the ones that slip away before being written down. That genuine
passion shows in every page.
It would be nice to think this praise was genuine, but I can tell that it has been scraped from other reviews, my author page, my website, and other promotional posts. Here's a news flash: Book clubs don't need anything from the author to discuss and promote a book. If they're reaching out to see if the author would like them to discuss and promote, it means they want something. It's not difficult to guess what that something is.
