Meet Al Onia
Join us in welcoming Al Onia to our fantasy crew. Al brings gray characters to his second world fantasy Barnaby’s Luck to challenge our view on who is good and who is evil while making us laugh through the absurdity of such a concept.
Author Bio
Al Onia is a retired geophysicist now writer living on Vancouver Island with his wife, Sandra. He discovered science and science fiction at age ten and continues to enjoy the sense of wonder both bring. His stories celebrate the transformation of the individual, against a speculative background, into one who risks their existence in an attempt to make a difference in the world.
Al’s ninth published novel, Take Your Best Shot, launched in February, 2024.
Al’s short fiction has appeared in numerous print and line magazines and anthologies. Al is a two-time Aurora Award finalist in the short story category and a full member of the SFWA.
Asked and Answered
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
Attending a short story contest judging panel at Conversion (Calgary SF con) back in the 1980’s – hey, there’s people doing this. It was amplified a few years later with a writer’s workshop led by Ed Bryant, who suggested we carry on the round-table critique model on our own. IFWA (Imaginative Fiction Writers Association) was born with half a dozen of us tyros. Last time I checked, we had 80 or so members actively writing and publishing. Thanks, Ed!
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
Don’t know if this a quirk, but occasionally short stories appear full-blown and almost write themselves.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Jog, read, travel, motorcycle along Vancouver Island’s twisty roads.
What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
The fact that my subconscious writerly mind has been hard at work before I sit down for the day’s stint and has scenes, ideas, and dialog ready which are totally unexpected.
What do you think makes a good story?
The merge of strong characters, compelling setting, and realistic goals/problems. Most of all, unusual, original ideas.
Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?
I have, but never acted upon it. I write in different genres and am content to be identified as one person.
What do you hope readers get from your books?
A little food for thought without ‘preaching’ and most of all, entertainment.
If you could tell your younger writer self anything, what would it be?
There are no shortcuts; progress comes sporadically, interrupted by plateaus of mediocrity.
As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
I don the mantle of a pulp wordsmith beating at their typewriter, because they need to get this story on paper before proceeding to the next.
What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters of the opposite sex?
Getting the ‘voice’ right and avoiding sexism.
What was your hardest scene to write?
Re-writing the scene in the Three Eels where we first meet Elbeth and Daryan. It had to be revised into Barnaby’s POV. He was only a bystander in the original version.
Does your family support your career as a writer?
Absolutely. I have my space and respect.
A Glimpse at Barnaby’s Luck
Why Heroic Fantasy? Hasn’t everything been done?
I have my own ‘voice’ and I wanted to combine that with a fantasy ‘anti-hero’. That is, not everyone living in these times was big and brawny, or perilously beautiful. What about the people who had to rely on their wits to escape the brutality of their world? There’s a bit of Fritz Leiber but only by coincidence. Barnaby is no Gray Mouser and Shugg is no Fafhrd.
Where does the humor come from?
From the same origins as our society when it’s working best. Situational, poking fun at human foibles (especially self-delusion), misunderstandings, and plans which continually go awry with no lesson learned.
Welcome to the Crew, Al!
Barnaby’s Luck is set for release in January of 2025. If you want a taste of Al’s writing now, check out his other series here.