Well folks, it’s release day. As I write this, The Narrow Road Between Desires is already (hopefully) on the shelves of your local bookstore.
(If you’re wondering where you can get a copy, there’s a bunch of options here.)
To celebrate that, I’m going to share an interview with Nate Taylor where we talk about the illustrations we worked on for this book. As I’ve mentioned, there’s about 45 or so…
(Illustrations like this)
This interview was one of the many things I wrote I was trying and failing to finish my author’s note for Narrow Road. As was the case with a lot of my attempts, it was a good bit of writing… just not a good author’s note.
If you enjoy the interview, and would want more of the same I’m doing a book-launch livestream tonight with Nate Taylor tonight at 6:00 on my Twitch Channel.
Here’s a graphic for those of you who are more visually oriented, or if you want to spread the word on social media…
And now, with no further ado, the interview:
Whyfore Art Thou? An Interview with Nate Taylor.
Pat: So what’s the best part of working with international bestselling author, philanthropist, and bon vivant Patrick Rothfuss?
Nate: Second-hand fame. I get recognized so long as I’m with you, but no one hassles me at renn faires.
Pat: What’s the worst part of working with the world-class hot mess, megalomaniac, sentient dumpster-fire known as Patrick Rothfuss?
Nate: It is pretty annoying when the other super-villains make a power play against you. I get caught in the crossfire, and ninja attacks get old real fast.
Pat: Tell me about it. They keep getting sucked into the engines of my private jet.
Okay, question time. Can you describe what your process is, as an artist?
Nate: Absolutely! It’s like going fishing. You craft a perfect lure, cast the line, and wait for the nibble. You struggle with the catch and reel it in only to find out you caught the wrong fish. Throw it back and try again. Sometimes it’s almost the right fish, and sometimes it’s an old boot. Sometimes the boot kicks you in the armpit and jumps back in the water. Eventually you reel in a glowing Omega Fish that makes you invulnerable for an hour and it was all worth it.
Pat: Is… Is the Omega Fish a finished illustration?
Nate: It is the final form of the Illustration Supreme, a glorious reckoning of science and artistry. So, yeah I guess it could be called finished.
Pat: Can you tell us a story about what it’s like to work with Rothfuss?
Nate: I did a full illustration a couple of years back to prepare for this book. It was of Bast “sneaking” up on the shepherdess. I got friends to pose for reference photos and rendered the illustration in this polished black and white style. It was pretty sleek. But when we started to really work on things together, you said, “This is first-date Nate. This is very careful and reserved. I think we want third-date Nate. Get comfortable and show off what you really want to do.” It was ultimately inspiring, but for two full days I laid on my back and wondered what the hell I really wanted to do.
Pat: Oh god. Did I really say that?
Nate: Pretty much. You even told me to go overboard a little, though not in so many words.
Pat: It was an amazing illo though. Mind if I show it off so folks can see?
Nate: Sure.
Pat: As y’all can see, this one’s from *way* back, before the Billion Revisions… (brief spoiler hidden)
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one of which is that I changed the shepherdess into a guy.
Nate: I know the two of us have talked about that, you wanna explain why here?
Pat: I mostly wanted to make it clear that Bast is pretty equal opportunity in terms of hot make-outs.
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I wrote the first version of the story in just under a month, which is lightning fast for me. It turned out well, all things considered, but I didn’t get nearly as much time to fine-tune as I normally do. Plus that was nearly ten years ago, which is why there was so much for me to improve in this version.
Nate: Now extensive was the revision?
Pat: In terms of the text, I probably re-wrote about half of the original 20,000 word story. Then I reorganized a bunch of things. Added scenes, split some action up. Expanded on the main plot and the main relationship. Added the Embrils. By the end, the whole thing was about 15,000 words longer.
Nate: How long did it all take?
Pat: Between 4-8 months of pretty solid work, depending on how you count it.
Nate: So… it took 8 times longer to revise than it took to write the original?
Pat: Like I said, it depends on how you count it. That includes things like copyedits and page proofs that weren’t part of my one-month draft. It also includes all the art we developed.
Speaking of, how many versions of the shepherd do you think we did, trying to get it right?
Nate: (checks the archives) Five, plus two that were more subtle border illustrations.
Pat: Oof. And that’s not counting the different drafts and tweaks. Then, after everything, we skip it to focus on other images…
Nate: This one was my favorite concept, I think.
Pat: Seriously though. Why do you keep doing this to yourself?
Nate: Seriously then, and this is something I’ve told other artists and writers who have asked me similar questions. “Pat helps me do my best work.” It’s easy for me to fall victim to my own need for speed and call a piece finished just because the shading looks nice. You are good at pushing the details and the thought behind each choice in the image until it’s the best possible version of itself.
Pat: Is there an illustration we abandoned you really wish we could have made work?
Nate: So many. We cut at least 18 illustrations for one reason or another. I think the one I miss the most was a small portrait of Crazy Martin. I love that little portrait of the hulking madman.
Pat: I love doing character design with you. But yeah, I worried it would take too long. Plus, Martin doesn’t actually show up in the book. I know you did 3-4 versions of him though. Wanna show one off?
Nate: Sure.
Pat: Looking at this again, I don’t know what worries me more. The fact that it looks a lot like me… or the fact that it looks a lot like me but younger and probably more attractive.
Which illustration do you think changed the most while we were revising things.?
Nate: We spent a lot of time on Kostrel dancing. We tried Bast facing toward us, Bast facing away, Kostrel facing toward and away, Bast facing away but head turned toward us. Even after we figured all that out, we did so many versions of Kostrel’s angry face.
Nate: There were so many versions of the different embrils too, and the Lightning Tree itself… You know what? I think the axe in the stump was the only one I nailed on my first pass.
Pat: Actually, I made us go back to that because I was worried the laces on the neck of his shirt hanging off it might interfere with visual continuity.
Nate: True, one change. That still puts it way ahead of the curve.
Pat: It also provides further proof that I am, in fact, a monster.
Nate: My turn for questions. Why do you keep doing this to me?
I mean, what’s your favorite part of working with Nate Taylor?
Pat: I could go on and on. I’ll keep it to three things though.
- You have never once choked me even though I’m always asking for another, another, another ANOTHER revision. You’ve never even gotten notably salty.
- When I explain what I imagine for an illustration, or what I’m hoping to change or tweak in the next draft, you for-real understand what I mean. Almost every time. That’s so rare.
- When you add some twist or detail, it’s not just something that fits. Not just something I love. It’s usually something I wish I would have thought of first. I feel guilty knowing people tend to assume the clever idea in one of the pictures is mine, when the truth is, it’s actually the pure child of your beautiful brain.
Nate: I feel my head swelling, so help me keep an even keel. What’s the worst part of working with Nate? And you can’t say he’s too perfect.
Pat: I worry that you’ll get tired of my bullshit and find easier work somewhere else. Or that someone else will realize how amazing you are and steal you away…
Nate: I’ve seen what happens to artists when they only work for people who think they poop gold-pressed latinum. I need a challenge. Speaking of, when are you going to tell readers that Bast is Kvothe’s real dad?
Pat: Nate… Don’t tease the poor people.
Nate: Sorry. When do you reveal Bast is Kvothe’s step-dad?
Pat: Book four. Right after the chapter where Elodin punches the moon.
Nate: What was your favorite illustration from this book?
Pat: Oh man. It really changes. The one with the kitten cracks me up. Same with little Pem. You *nailed* the one with Rike and Bast making their deal, too. Your idea for making the dividing lines look like shattered ice was brilliant. I can’t believe you pulled that off.
Nate: I became a student of ice for a week. What’s a book you’d love to have Nate illustrate?
Pat: This feels like a cop-out answer, but I’m really excited to put a bow on our graphic novel of The Boy That Loved The Moon. Does that count?
Nate: Of course! I’m looking forward to showing that to the world. How about a book not written by you though?
Pat: Something Wicked This Way Comes. You’re so good with Characters, I’d love to see your take on the boys in that story. To say nothing of Cooger and Dark’s Pandemonium Shadow Show.
Nate: You got to show off the area around Newarre for the first time. Was it modeled after a real place?
Pat: It’s not based on a place. But it does have a bit of a Midwestern small town feel though. Mostly because that’s where I’ve always lived.
The old men at the bar always remind me of the Norwegian bachelor farmers from Lake Wobegon though. I remember we were going to take a stab at illustrating those, but we nixed that fairly soon because that one illustration would require doing 3-5 sets of character design for what are, at best, tertiary characters.
Pat: I think that’s all the space we have. Thanks again for chatting, Nate. And thanks for all the hard work you put into this. I’m really excited for people to finally get to see what you’ve done now that they can pick up the book…
Nate: I’m beyond thrilled for people to finally see what we’ve made. Let’s talk more tonight!
Pat: I’m really looking forward to it. You wanna show off some of the new illustrations on the stream tonight?
Nate: New illustrations and old ones too! Though, I should hold some back for later. Don’t want to art dump *too* much.
Pat: That’s fair. And since it’s the first day still, we’ll be keeping the stream spoiler-free. You good with doing some Q&A too?
Nate: I’ve never seen a Q that could stand up to my sculpted A. Sorry, I meant thoughtful A.
Pat: You heard it here folks. Tonight Nate Taylor will tell you all his secrets and teach you how to become a successful illustrator, guaranteed.
Nate: I just found this old wardrobe in an empty room and walked through it —
Pat: No backsies! Talk to you soon!
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Nate Taylor has illustrated the books “The Slow Regard of Silent Things,” “The Princess & Mr. Whiffle,” “Sometimes the Magic Works” by Terry Brooks, and the graphic novels “The Briar-Sword Monk” by Shawn Speakman and the upcoming Temerant tale “The Boy Who Loved the Moon.” He has also done art for the games “Button Men,” “Tak,” and “Lords of Vegas: Americana.”
He now lives with his family in the Pacific Northwest where he freelances as a human illustrator, cartoonist, and portraitist.
Folks can find him on Instagram @natentaylor and view his portfolio site natentaylor.com
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