WHO ARE THE KINDLE ALL-STARS?
A series of 20+ short interviews with the team behind the Kindle All-Stars short story anthology ‘Resistance Front’ posted daily in the run up to its publication.
Please be sure to check any relevant images and links for each individual at the end of their interview.
To kick the interviews off, I travelled to Arrugado Fondo. Several hours rattling along in a sweaty bus filled with peasant farmers and numerous livestock later, I arrived at the Hacienda Del Maestro; the personal residence of El Presidente himself. After being searched from top to bottom and checked for any concealed weaponry I was ushered inside and seated in front of the man himself. An interpreter joined us, and an assistant brought in some iced teas which I was thankful for, given the humidity.
El Presidente! As of this interview, we’re mere weeks away from the release of Resistance Front. Are you excited?
>(Whispering into the ear of his interpreter) “El Presidente say he no ever get excited. El Presidente only expect what is best. Next question!”
Your own submission is ‘Old Time Lawmen’ – tell us about it.
>”El Presidente has written the new national short story that all school children will carry back and forth from school to their homes. One millions of copies of ‘Old Time Lawmen’ has been printed and will be learned by all citizens in this free country or else.”
When you first announced your intention to do something like the Kindle All-Stars, did you ever see it coming together the way that it has?
>”El Presidente say Kindle All Star project is great example of this country diverse talent in the art and study of social science. Only capitalist pig dog would suggest otherwise.”
You’ve spoken before about Harlan Ellison and the Dangerous Visions anthologies being a big influence on your vision of the Kindle All-Stars. What does it mean to you to have Ellison involved?
>(El Presidente backs away from his interpreter and shakes his head. The interpreter holds up his hands and speaks rapidly in a foreign tongue, making the dictator obviously uncomfortable. Finally, the great man speaks, and the interpreter nods.) ”….El Presidente have nothing to say on this man you call Ellison. Even El Presidente is no crazy.”
As much as you’ve spearheaded the project, you’ve also been editor to 30 writers who couldn’t be more different… what’s that been like?
>”El Presidente nearly institute national arrest of all so-called authors and confinement to mental facility for anyone who no agree with his excellency’s perfect editorial suggestions. Luckily, his eminence have big, big heart and he give abstinence to all stupid writer persons.”
Was it your intention to draw together such an eclectic mix of talent?
>”El Presidente prefer only story about great nation, to show rest of the world our superior writerly abilities. He say deadline forced him to give what is called compromise.”
This project is your brainchild. What is your ultimate vision for it?
>(Confused looks between El Presidente and interpreter.) “El Presidente no understand this question. Ultimate vision is always for perfect government for the people, by the people, we the people. With El Presidente in charge, obviously.”
What’s your message to anyone who owns a Kindle? Why should they buy Resistance Front?
>”All people who enjoy life and not sitting in cell eating stale bread and unsupervised visits from lonely guards will do best to buy copy of Resistance Front. Viva la Revolution!”
And to anyone hoping to submit something for the next Kindle All-Stars collection, what are you looking for? What is the continuation of your ‘dangerous vision’?
>”El Presidente suggest you check the News and Updates page of National website http://www.KindleAllStars.com for amazingly intelligent clue to next project. All will submit.”
You mentioned on twitter about me naming a planet after you in ‘Redd.’ Well, it’s just a little tip of the hat. You didn’t start this project expecting everyone’s respect. You earned it naturally over the months it’s gone on, and in a way you earned the moniker of ‘El Presidente’ too. I’m very proud to say that I’ve been involved with this project with you and everyone else, and I just wanted to take the opportunity to say that. And naming a planet after you is just my way of saying thank you for what you’re doing for every writer involved in this. As I said to Laurie, she’s just lucky I didn’t name an entire star system after you…
>(El Presidente instructs his armed guards to lower their weapons.) “El Presidente say your decision is good one and keep you and your family healthy for many centuries. Keep up good work. He also say solar system name for him had better be in your next story if you no want to wind up story for Amnesty International website.”
Well that’s our little chat over with. Let’s all cross our fingers and hope for the best. I hope we hit #1 in the Kindle Store, and that we raise some serious dosh for those kids. I hope that people realise ‘Resistance Front’ isn’t just the title of an Indie book and that it is a call-to-arms against an outdated and antiquated publishing system due for retirement.
Tony Healey 
La Campesina is cognizant of El Presidente’s big big heart and is certain the translation of “stupid writer persons” was incorrect. Should have been “stupid writer peons”–si?
And I will second Tony’s comment, which needs no translation 😉
“I hope we hit #1 in the Kindle Store, and that we raise some serious dosh for those kids.”