by
Stephen Leigh
The Wild Cards universe has several distinct styles of volumes: there are books that are simply collections of short stories which aren’t necessarily connected, as in the recent SLEEPER STRADDLE volume, which contained short stories with Roger Zelazney’s Sleeper character featured, or the original (and self-titled) WILD CARDS volume which introduced the readers to many of the characters who would become important in the early WC universe. The ‘collection of short stories” books were often the first books of the triads.
Then there were the books where an interstitial thread (or two or three) connected individual stories thematically. These were most often the middle volumes of our ‘triads.’
The final volume of most of the triads were largely “full mosaic” books, with each of the writers writing the scenes where their POV character was featured. These books read like novels, without any breaks in the narrative. These were perhaps the hardest books to write, requiring a close collaboration between the writers, and certain the most difficult to edit.
There were also occasional solo novels, illustrated graphic novels, solo short novelettes and novellas published by Tor.com (and once on the official WILD CARDS website, by Paul Cornell in July 2020), role-playing games, audiobooks, and movie & TV rights (though, alas, none the last have ever came to fruition). Go to the WILD CARDS wikipedia page for details on all of these (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Cards)
So which of these various modes was my own personal favorite? George, IIRC, is on record as saying that his preference is for the full mosaics. Me? I’ve always been fond of the interstitial model… because I’ve done several of these. I’ve found that as a writer I really enjoy discovering the commonalities by reading all the individual pitches and drafts, then constructing a thematic thread to help tie all the separate stories together into a single narrative. It’s admittedly difficult work, but extremely satisfying when it all comes together.
For me, coming up with and writing the interstitial for a wild cards book is my favorite type of ‘collaboration’ even if it’s not collaboration in the purest sense of the word. But I find it incredibly rewarding and satisfying as a writer. Here’s my history with interstitials over the decades…
My experience with interstitial material started with book 4 of the series, ACES ABROAD, where I wrote an interstitial narrative for the opening section of the book for Senator Gregg Hartmann, even if the interstitial thread didn’t continue throughout the entire book. Poor ol’ Greggie would become embroiled in a different plot thread entirely in Vic Milan’s story.
My first true full interstitial appeared in Volume IX, JOKERTOWN SHUFFLE, with “The Temptation of Hieronymus Bloat” featuring (duh) my character Bloat, the then-governor of the Rox before Bloat was eventually whisked off to what we called the “Twinkie Dimension.” The book also featured my least favorite set of characters in the WC pantheon, the Jumpers, who could move their mind into someone else’s unsuspecting body and trap the victim in the jumper’s own body. But despite that, I had lots of fun with this one, especially with the fantasy touches I stole borrowed from Hieronymus Bosch, one of my favorite artists.
My next literary waltz with an interstitial was in Book 1 of the Card Sharks Trilogy (CARD SHARKS), with the character Hannah Davis. She had no superpowers at all, but was only a normal (nat) arson investigator working to untangle the deadly fire at the Our Lady of Perpetual Misery, Father Squid’s Church in Jokertown. I loved doing this book, love Hannah as a character, and especially enjoyed the strange relationship that grew and blossomed between Hannah and Quasiman. It also contains my favorite closing lines, when Hannah goes to Senator Hartmann because he’s always ‘been on the side of the jokers’ and gives him the evidence she’s collected. I’ve been told this made regular readers of the series shudder…
In MARKED CARDS, the next book of the trilogy, I also used the interstitial method, with Hannah’s continuing story “The Color of His Skin” (a reference to poor Gregg’s fate). That was Walter’s fault, since he asked “Hey, Steve, can I turn Gregg into a yellow caterpillar?” and I said “Sure…” (I’m such a easy collaborator…)
I was back in interstitial mode in WC XXIV: MISSISSIPPI ROLL with Captain ‘Steam’ Wilbur Leathers, owner and builder of the 9th (fictional) steamboat named Natchez, built by Wilbur in the wake of WWII. Wilbur’s card would turn when a stray bullet pierced a steam pipe on the Natchez while docked in New Orleans, enveloping Wilbur in the burning steam. That ‘killed’ Wilbur’s body but not Wilbur himself, whose card turned in the same moment. Wilbur would continue to live on with the Natchez, stuck permanently on the boat he built and visible only as a spectral (and both wet and hot) presence when he took on steam from the pipes running through the boat. Again, my job was to find a plot to take Steam Wilbur through the book and give him a satisfactory and emotion-laden ending. Hopefully for the readers, I managed to accomplish that.
Finally, I’m be back in interstitial mode in the release of HOUSE RULES, set in Cornwall, England (publication date 2/25/2025), with “Longing For Those Lost”, featuring perhaps my favorite character, the deuce Gary Bushorn, who also appeared in BLACK TRUMP and DEUCES DOWN (a book which now has added an interstitial component by the talented Carrie Vaughn — so don’t let George tell you he doesn’t like interstitials! He’s added interstitials to more than one of the older volumes)
We tried valiantly to write and rewrite and rewrite again HOUSE RULES as a full mosaic but failed. Still, George finally decided to allow it to become an interstitial book, with separate stories connected by Gary Bushorn’s through-plot.
I love the ending to this book… but I won’t say more. You’ll need to read it and let me know what you think. I’ll look forward to hearing from the readers!