Mark Everglade

INTERVIEW

Q: WHAT IS SOCIAL CONFLICT?

Hi. Social conflict is the basis of my books, and can be defined most simply when two or more groups have competing interests that must be reconciled. For instance, in the U.S. the rich exist in a predatory relationship with the poor, whereby their goal is to maximize profits at any cost to society, while the goal of the poor is to garner enough income just to survive. This conflict between the haves and the have nots is crucial to many popular books such as Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn.

Conflict can surround any illusion that separates people into disparate groups, however, including things such as race and gender. We see concepts like those depicted in books ranging from R.A. Salvatore’s Homeland series to Octavia Butler’s Xenogenesis. Even characters’ inner conflict, if believable, is situated within a larger social context of norms and values.

Q: TELL US, READERS, ABOUT YOUR WEBSITE WHERE YOU REVIEW CYBERPUNK MEDIA AND INTERVIEW LEGENDS.

My website, www.markeverglade.com, is the top cyberpunk book website online, and features reviews, interviews, and articles with the main influencers in the subgenre. Cyberpunk books can be hard to find, especially given that 75% of what is labeled cyberpunk is done for marketing purposes, not because it truly represents our common themes. One of our core concerns, for instance, is supporting the proletariat’s advancement of human rights against corporations and dystopian regimes that would seek to suppress them. The site also features both indie and mainstream literature, and overall the indie authors are the ones who are hitting the hardest and most truthfully with their social analysis.

Q: How would you define cyberpunk media? How long has it been a thing?

Cyberpunk media is defined by scholars differently than by some of its fans. That’s not to say the average fan is by any means uneducated, as they’re willing to think outside the box far more than the average person, but the focus may be different. Casual fans will recognize cyberpunk for its unique aesthetic. This includes the hallmark mirror shades, 80’s retrofuture stylings, slick outfits, punk/goth adaptations, computerized weaponry, cybernetic enhancements, and neon pinks and blues.

Beyond that, however, cyberpunk exists as a postmodern statement against the rise of totalitarian nation-states and the horrors of advanced capitalism playing out across fictional, dystopian settings. Neither liberal nor conservative, it is constantly evolving and resists definition. Cyberpunk is what it needs to be for each country, person, and generation, an outlet for rage against the unjust, a statement of unadulterated individuality, with an underlying value of fairness and equality. Unfortunately, unconscious sexism among many of its authors holds it back from being all it promises to be.

As for the genre’s origin, we can trace it formally back to the early 70’s, with strong roots as far back as at least the 20’s.

Q: Who are the legends you interview on your website?

I’ve had the honor of obtaining exclusive interviews with many classic and new cyberpunk authors, and have learned much

INTERVIEW CONT’D

from each of them. From Kevin Jeter (author of Dr. Adder, Noir, the Bladerunner sequels, and much of The Mandalorian season II), to Dr. Tom Maddox (Halo, Mirror Shades, and some of the X-files), to Lewis Shiner, Michael Swanwick, and Bruce Bethke, who created the word cyberpunk, a record few journalists seem to get straight. You can really see how their personalities shaped their literature, while reading their commentary on current events.

Q: How did begin running Cyberpunk Day? For those who do not know, when is it featured?

Cyberpunk Day is held each autumn and will be observed November 12th this year. Matthew Goodwin, a phenomenal author in his own right, founded the day and began gathering people together over three years ago to support his efforts to spread awareness of the genre, the media, its creators, and the underground punk community. Our group quickly formed and we launched the first two days with tremendous grassroots supports from indie artists, offering video game demos, role-playing game sessions, book readings, and custom, live electronic music sessions inspired by our themes. Our website will be releasing the schedule of interviews, discussions, and artistic events soon this year, and we’ll be sending information out on social media and through our mailing list.

Q: How many dystopian short stories have you written so far and where can readers find your work online?

I’ve written a couple dozen over my life that are in various publication stages. The easiest way is to follow me at twitter. com/markeverglade where I announce new stories, and to sign up for my mailing list on my website. I’ll send you your first free story, and then a book of short cyberpunk stories for free as soon as the cover design has been completed.

Kindle Unlimited users can also check out my new novel Song of Kitaba for free (with subscription to Amazon’s service) to explore a world where everything you think is recorded on giant screens, displayed to the public, and monitored by the government for any thought of rebellion.

Thanks! A clone searching for her identity, an android out of control, a young man fleeing from killercyborgs, a synthwave DJ whose music slays, a deadly videogame – and a very hungry cybercroc. Welcome to the world of Neo Cyberpunk! Fifteen of the hottest contemporary cyberpunk authors have joined forces to create a unique anthology. In this book readers will find the full spectrum of modern-day cyberpunk, full of action, mystery, technology and humanity. Cyberpunk is Now!