1–What is the title of your latest release?
DEVIL’S BATTLE is my upcoming release, Book 3 (of 4 planned) in the Artillerymen Series. Artillerymen has been called a prequel series for my long-running Destroyermen saga and I guess it is in a way, since it takes place in the same alternate universe roughly a century before the events in Destroyermen. And it does hide some Easter Eggs that people who read D-Men will find satisfying. Essentially though, the series stands on its own. You won’t get lost if you read either one without the other.
2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
Ha! Let’s see. My most recent quick description to a stranger was at the dentist, not in an elevator, so I had to talk extra fast.
Dentist (looking at my chart): “So, you’re a writer, huh? Publish anything?”
Me: “Uh . . . yeah. Nearly twenty books.”
Dentist: “No kidding? With words or just pictures?”
Me: “Mostly just words.”
(Skeptical) Dentist: “So . . . you make any money at that? Crowns aren’t cheap.”
Me (shrugging): “It’s a living. Way more fun than breathing other people’s coffee breath up close all day—for me, anyway,” I quickly add.
Dentist: “What kind of stuff do you write?” Looks me over. “Westerns? Cowboy stories or something?”
Me, (taking a deep breath and eyeing the huge syringe poised to stab me in the mouth). “Uh . . . I guess ‘Historical Military Science Fiction’ might best describe it.”
Dentist blinks but pauses and I start talking fast. “My next book, ‘Devil’s Battle,’ will be out in September. Book three in the ‘Artillerymen Series’ about US soldiers on their way to fight Mexican Dictator Santa Anna in 1847. They go through a crazy storm and wind up shipwrecked on the Yucatan, only it’s a different Yucatan on an alternate Earth.” (That part always sounds weird, even to me, so without plenty of time to explain it, I jump past it fast). “I guess it’s kind of ‘Alternate History’ too, because this Earth is really different. The big rock that wiped out the dinosaurs never whacked the planet and evolution continued on from there. Anyway, these poor soldiers with little more than flintlock muskets and muzzle-loading cannons run into giant monsters.” Some dinosaurs haven’t changed that much and everybody likes cannons and dinosaurs, right? They soon run into other people, too, some who have descended from other ‘crossover events’ through time, and others that . . . well, evolved somewhat differently and might not look exactly like most folks you know. But the good guys, these ‘Artillerymen’—though there are infantrymen, dragoons, riflemen, a few Texas Rangers . . .” I shake my head. “Anyway, they make friends with some locals who are going to be wiped out by the ‘Dominion’—a really nasty cross between Inquisition-era Spanish and blood sacrifice pre-Columbian cultures who think dying in agony is the only way to earn grace and salvation . . .”
That syringe is still there and I regret the mention of agony at once.
“Uh . . . not everybody is good with that—the dying in agony part—and the ‘Artillerymen’ or Infantrymen . . . you know, that’s not really important. What’s in a name? But they all decide their new cause is to help their local friends defeat the bad guys. Lots of 19th Century-style combat across a land that should be familiar, but isn’t. The land and creatures are fun to write about too, from the limited scientific perception of the late 1840s. The word ‘dinosaur’ had only been coined about a decade earlier and nobody knew much about them at all.”
Dentist, (eyes wider than they had been): “That actually sounds pretty fun. Where can I get these books?”
Me: “Anywhere fine books are sold.”
Dentist: “You write under your own name?”
Me: “Yeah. Taylor Anderson.”
“Cool. I’ll look you up. Now open wide . . .”
True story
3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
Since the descendants of the Artillerymen do make a significant appearance in Destroyermen, the location—an alternate Central America, for the most part—was already somewhat baked in. The circumstances of the transfer event, and where exactly the principal characters begin their own adventure, a somewhat bigger Yucatan Peninsula without all the cenotes, struck me as an interesting setting.
4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?
Sure. Most of them. One or two, not so much. Nearly all are kind of analogs or composites of real people I know or have known. Some of them even know who they are. I don’t think I would willingly hang out with some of the bad guys,
5–What are three words that describe your protagonist?
There are actually several protagonists with wildly different backgrounds and influences and it’s hard to describe any of them with just three words, but the “main” protagonist, Lewis Cayce, is probably the easiest. “Professional” is the first word that jumps in my mind since he has been a soldier for his entire adult life, languishing as a lieutenant for most of that time. The standing US Army was very small in the 1820s-40s and promotions came at a glacial pace. When they came up, they were just as much based on seniority as merit and there could be considerable competition for them. This leads me to the next word, I guess, which is “honor.” Partially due to that same situation, regular officers tended to know one another very well and were often friends. This isn’t really mentioned in the story, but Lewis isn’t the sort who would’ve sought promotion at the expense of someone who deserved it more. A lot of his character is based on his sense of honor and his need to do the right thing, yet he harbors a lingering fear that his honor might be tainted by baser motivations at times. He suspects, for example, that he might actually enjoy battle a little more than he should.
He is torn by other traits as well. For personal reasons, he absolutely despises slavery, yet just as his honor demands he take a stand against it, his professionalism and that portion of his honor that’s ruled by it, won’t let him be political. That ultimately leads to the third word, which is “idealistic.” Though born a southerner, he’s a staunch supporter of the Union and the Constitution he swore an oath to defend even though he knows the Union the Constitution governs is flawed when it comes to the question of slavery. He views the Constitution as the guarantor of all men’s rights, not just some of them, and once isolated from the Union he defended, he yearns to build a new one of the various Allied city states on the Yucatan. A Union that would not only aid their common defense, but better reflects the Constitution he reveres. He can’t understand why this isn’t a priority for everyone.
6–What’s something you learned while writing this book?
Wow. This gets down in the weeds a little. I do a lot of research for my books, to get the “hard” part of the history as right as I can. Believe it or not, there’s long been controversy over how the US Army set off its cannons in the mid-19th Century. Nobody ever used fuses like in the cartoons or some really dumb old movies!!! Think about it. Not only would that be crazy dangerous, the target will likely have moved by the time the fuse burns down and the gun goes off. It’s accepted that linstocks with smoldering slow-match affixed were used to ignite quill primers full of powder or even loose powder piled on the vent to fire artillery in earlier periods and linstocks remained available for use as a “backup” for quite some time. During the Mexican-American war, far superior “friction primers” did begin to appear, but I’m increasingly confident their use was limited and during the early battles in particular, a contraption called “Hidden’s Patent Lock” was the primary ignition system. Hidden’s Lock was a somewhat bulky gizmo screwed onto a cannon’s barrel beside the vent, (flash hole), that struck a percussion primer like a giant musket cap when the lanyard was pulled. I know some historians will remain skeptical, but excavations at battle sites like Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma haven’t—to my knowledge—uncovered any of the brass friction primer tubes but spent Hidden’s lock primers have been found. Indeed, the research of a friend has documented references to much wider-spread use of these locks than previously believed. Combined with my own study of countless artillery pieces from that period, (and even later), that still exhibit tapped screw holes meant to secure Hidden’s Locks, whether they were ever installed or not, has convinced me to describe their use in the series. Deep weeds, right? I love sharing that sort of thing when I find it.
7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
Easy. Both. I used to just cruise through and clean it all up when I was done, but I tend to edit each chapter now. Not even sure that’s a good thing. It sure makes the going slower. I think everything stays cleaner and tighter, though.
8–What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
I don’t really think I’m a “foodie.” I mean, (if I understand the term right), I’m “not particular about feedin’” and don’t much contemplate food until I’m hungry enough to eat anything that doesn’t eat me first. Except slimy okra. Yeeaack. Hmm. I do have to be careful around Heath bars. I have no control over those insidious little devils and won’t even go down the candy aisle at the grocery store for fear I’ll see them. Now and then, fully aware of my weakness, the kids’ll get me a package of Heath bars for Father’s Day or something and I’ll eat the whole sack in one sitting. I can’t stop.
9–Describe your writing space/office!
I have an office filled with books and other things that inspire me, but generally, I tend to write on a laptop in the living room now. I get a lot of inspiration outdoors as well.
10–Who is an author you admire?
This is really a “too many to list” question. David Weber has to top it simply because he’s one of the most entertaining writers and finest men I know. He’s crazy smart, too, and I’d give anything for a memory like his! Others range from Patrick O’Brien to Alan Eckert to Heinlein, Theodore Roscoe, to . . . well, as I said, it’s an endless and eclectic list.
11–Is there a book that changed your life?
Sure. Whichever one was the first I laid my hands on that really took me to a different place full of adventure. I can’t remember what it was. Maybe “Treasure Island.” The first book I remember for sure was “Flying Fortress,” by Edward Jablonski. It’s a book about B-17s that my grandfather gave me. He (and my grandmother) worked for Consolidated during WWII, building B-24s, but even they liked B-17s better.
12–Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published)/Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
Answer:
13–What’s your favorite genre to read?
Um . . . I don’t really have a “favorite” genre. I like just about everything. I’d read a toothpaste tube if there wasn’t anything else. Let’s see: Sci-Fi, “Hard” History, Thrillers, Post Apocalyptic, any kind of Historical Fiction, Archaeology and Anthropology, even a little Sword and Sorcery from time to time.
14–What’s your favorite movie?
Easy. “They Were Expendable,” with John Wayne, Robert Montgomery, and Donna Reed. And not just because it was a John Wayne flick. For those who haven’t seen it, it’s about the PT boats attached to the US Asiatic Fleet in the Philippines at the outbreak of WWII. Those who have read my Destroyermen Series will know that I have a “thing” for the whole Asiatic Fleet and the Alamo-like situation it faced. That was a dark time indeed. The movie is also, believe it or not, one of the most historically accurate WWII movies ever made. Yep. Oh, there are incidental things, slightly changed names, a romance—who’s to say? Maybe there was one. But the ordeal of those sailors fighting the Japanese against impossible odds as their little boats fell apart or were destroyed one by one and everything was collapsing around them really captured the sense of the entire Asiatic Fleet and the ABDA, (American, British, Dutch, Australian), Allied experience. What’s more, everything that happened in the movie, down to John Wayne’s wounded hand, how many Japanese planes the PT Boats shot down when they bombed Cavite, to the private shipyard that kept the boats fighting as long as it could, was based on historical fact. Add in some good acting, almost correct PT Boats, John Ford’s direction and a poignant score, and the result would be a wonderful movie whether it was a true story or not.
15–What is your favorite season?
Fall. Hands down. The first “Blue Norther” charging down to smash the triple-digit heat of the Texas summer and blow all the leaves off the trees. I know I’m through mowing then, too.
16–How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
That’s a fall thing as well, though less anticipated. Frankly, I usually take a flintlock musket and a bedroll to the woods and spend it by myself.
17–What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
I don’t watch a lot of TV so “recent” is kind of relative. Movie wise, “1917” was good, but I liked “Passengers” too. “Greyhound” was great, but it could’ve so easily been a masterpiece—and wasn’t–that I came away a little disappointed. On TV, I loved “The Expanse” and I’ve enjoyed the new “Star Trek” shows. I liked “1883” and the new “Justified” limited series as well.
18–What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
Mexican food, Italian food and chicken-fried steak. I can’t choose one over another.
19–What do you do when you have free time?
I love to shoot muzzle-loading cannons. Yeah, really. I have a 6pdr like is featured in the Artillerymen Series as well as a 3” Ordnance rifle. The 6pdr in particular is a movie star but the rifle is really awesome for what it can do. If you can see something out to about 2,000 meters, you can hit it. My friends and I used to take them to live fire competitions but there aren’t many of those anymore. Mostly, both guns have become 4th of July party favors and we shoot big holes in various large appliances such as washing machines, etc., that have failed us throughout the year. On a much smaller scale, a week doesn’t go by that I don’t practice a little with flintlock rifles and muskets or the old black powder cartridge guns. All in the name of ballistic science and research, of course.
20–What can readers expect from you next?
After DEVIL’S BATTLE, the 4th and final Artillerymen novel will be forthcoming. After that, I think I can hint that long-time readers can look forward to catching up with a few old friends . . .
DEVIL’S BATTLE by Taylor Anderson
Artillerymen #3
Marooned on a deadly alternate Earth, Colonel Lewis Cayce and his soldiers find themselves outnumbered and outclassed in this riveting new adventure set in the world of the New York Times bestselling Destroyermen series.
After being stranded on a very different and more perilous Earth, Colonel Lewis Cayce led his small army of displaced Americans, natives of the Yucatán, and Jaguar Warriors to defeat the biggest host the Dominion general Agon could assemble. Most unexpectedly, General Agon came to recognize the inherent evil of the Dominion and its depraved Blood Priests and turned on his former leaders.
Awkwardly at first, Lewis Cayce and Agon join forces to press their common enemy back toward the dark heart of the Dominion in the Great Valley of Mexico. But more Dominion troops have been drawn from the west to stop the Allied march on the Holy City, and a grueling race has begun. Worse, the Gran Cruzada—a vast Dom army that was marching on the far Californias to eject yet another heretic foe—might’ve already been recalled to face Cayce’s soldiers.
Time has become more precious than ever, and before Lewis Cayce can even try to implement his plan for total victory, he and his force must brave their greatest challenge yet—a brutal fight against a larger, better-trained army whose commander has a gift for strategy to rival Cayce’s own. The struggle to keep all his soldiers alive, new friends and old comrades alike, will test Cayce like never before, and, win or lose, nothing will be the same.
Science Fiction Alternate History [Ace, On Sale: September 26, 2023, Hardcover / e-Book, ISBN: 9780593200773 / eISBN: 9780593200797]
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About Taylor Anderson
Taylor Anderson has a Master’s Degree in History and has taught that subject at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas. He is the author of a historical work entitled The Life and Tools of the Rocky Mountain Free Trapper and a number of short stories and articles. He also won several Inter-Collegiate Press Association awards while a student. He is a voracious consumer of literature of every description and a careful and meticulous historian.
Besides his academic accomplishments, he is a gun maker and forensic ballistic archaeologist, having collaborated with numerous museums as well as the National Parks Service and the United States Army. He is a technical and dialogue consultant for movies and documentaries and has even done some acting. A list of productions in which he has been involved is available, but it is safe to say that he has played at least an advisory role in many of the movies made in the last 15 years that involved 18th, 19th and early 20th century combat.
On USS TEXAS, BB-35, thanks to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Battleship Texas Foundation. He is a member of the National Historical Honor Society and the United States Field Artillery Association—from which he was awarded the Honorable Order of St. Barbara.
He owns a collection of 18th and 19th century artillery pieces and fires them for movie sound, documentaries, competition, and fun. His cannons (and sometimes himself) have appeared in many films including: The Alamo (2003), Palo Alto, American Outlaws, Two For Texas, Time Tracers, and Rough Riders. (He also consulted on The Patriot and Ride With The Devil.) He knows precisely what cannons are capable of and that is reflected in his writing.
As a sailor, he is conversant in the capricious vagaries of the weather and the sea and as a historian, he is trained to research what he is unable to experience first-hand. Careful research was essential to writing Destroyermen because one of the main characters is, after all, the USS Walker. Over 270 “four-stacker” destroyers were built during and after WW I, but none remain today. However, Anderson spent thousands of hours researching similarly classed ships before writing Destroyermen.
He loves old music, old trucks, old guns, and old dogs—but would give everything he has to go into space. He says he was either born a century too late or too early. He lives in Granbury, Texas, with his wife, Christine, his daughter, Rebecca, and his Golden Retriever, High-Top Brass Tacitus, or “Tass” for short.
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