Fantastic Metropolis

Claude Lalumière: As a writer and editor of fiction, do you find that writing and editing are activities that feed or hinder each other?

Jeff VanderMeer: As long as I can compartmentalize them, they don’t do each other harm. In terms of what I learn about writing while editing, it’s helpful to the writing. The danger is in letting one enterprise take up all of your time. This is one reason why I will be the series editor, while each of the next AZs have a guest editor. I’ll direct the general direction of the series, but someone else will edit each individual number. The added advantage to that approach is getting some fresh perspectives involved in the creation of the series.

Claude Lalumière: What about writing criticism, which you also do? How does that interact with your writing and your editing?

Jeff VanderMeer: Writing criticism is the easiest type of writing I do. It doesn’t really influence the editing or fiction writing.

Claude Lalumière: Album Zutique #1 is a beautiful object. Is the esthetics of bookcrafting an essential part of this project?

Jeff VanderMeer: The aesthetics of book crafting are always a part of every project I’m involved with. I want the books to look gorgeous. With AZ, this was doubly important since we’re branding an entire series. Unlike Leviathan, where it doesn’t need to look the same every time.

I have to say that Jonathan Edwards did a spectacular job with the cover design, and Garry Nurrish did a wonderful job with the interior layout.

Claude Lalumière: What’s coming up in later volumes of Album Zutique?

Jeff VanderMeer: The next volume will be Rhys Hughes’ A New Universal History of Infamy, completing the Borges project, A Universal History of Infamy. After that, there are several possibilities, including an anthology of translations of contemporary Argentinean fantasists, and much else. It’s just a matter of deciding what to do first.

Album Zutique #1 is available from Night Shade Books.