The following is an interview with James Wylder regarding Arcbeatle Press’ 30th anniversary celebration of the Doctor Who: The New Adventures character, Chris Cwej. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Wylder about the new adventures of the character in Cwej Odyssey, what readers may take away from the story’s themes, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Throughout the year, Arcbeatle Press has been celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Doctor Who: The New Adventures character, Chris Cwej, and the celebration continues with Cwej Odyssey. What will readers have in store with this new adventure?
James Wylder: A place to start, first off. I kept hearing people say they were interested in checking out the adventures of Chris Cwej, but it was a little intimidating with 30 years of books. So, I treated Cwej Odyssey like it was the first Cwej Story—he’s already had a lot of adventures, but we’re dropping into his world for the first time. Everything is introduced fresh.
The story starts with a girl, Jhe Sang Mi, in a hospital, she’s been there a while after a mental health crisis, and visits from her family and friends have slowed down to a trickle, when she sees a man in the hospital courtyard trying to lure out a strange cat that is in black and white, complete with film grain running down its fur. She sneaks out of her room to help him, and once they rescue the cat, the man promises her that if she can recover enough to get released from the hospital, he’ll take her to see something wonderful. And so she does.
Years pass, and she sees the same cat, and knowing that Chris Cwej has to be nearby, follows it to find him, and make him keep his promise. A promise that will take both of them on a journey through history, and across the American Midwest meeting the cryptids and monsters that live along it.
Basically, you’re in for an adventure filled with heart, mayhem, and a cool road trip!
BD: The creative process of adapting a prior work or character can be a daunting experience. What can you share with us about your experience in spearheading this anniversary celebration of the character, and what did you find to be most rewarding/challenging about the process?
JW: It was really rewarding to get the chance to share what I love about the character with other people. Chris’ own struggles with mental health meant a lot to me, and finding a way to tell a story with him that hadn’t been done before where he mentors a girl who has the same kind of issues he has was… special? I think special is the right word. It’s a story I wanted to tell, and would want to read myself. I wanted it to mean something to readers, and to me, not just to exist for the sake of telling a new Cwej story. I’m really proud that we were able to tell a story I’m proud of, that matters to me.
It was incredibly challenging figuring out how to tell this story for new readers though. I worried a lot that it was going to be confusing, or that I’d get bogged down in lore or details instead of the beating emotional heart of it. So I used a lot of beta readers to make sure it made sense, and that the story didn’t just make sense but was compelling. Having a character like Sang Mi who we see things through the eyes of helped a lot—she doesn’t know about the other 30 years of stories, so it was as new to her as it would be to anyone. When I got the first email from someone who had never heard of Cwej before, or any of his history, and loved it, my heart soared.
And of course, every so often you run into where you have a great idea, but it turns out it contradicts something else from the long legacy of the character. But just as often, you have an idea where the history strengthens it through parallel and contrast.
There’s a criticism sometimes from folks who look at series like Cwej and ask, “Who is this for? Why is this a story worth telling?” There’s an expectation that it has to be from some weird place of wanting fandom clout, or to make some minor mark on online wikis or something else. Obviously, you can’t please everyone, and some people just want to complain and feel superior without ever touching your work, but I wanted to make something that pushed past all that. Beyond the legacy of Cwej, all the years of lore and history, this is simply a story that my soul ached to tell. And Cwej was the best vessel to bring it out into the world. I hope people get to experience it.
BD: What do you feel will be most appealing about Chris Cwej’s adventures to a new generation of readers?
JW: Chris is someone who has been through the wringer—he’s seen the worst of people, and made huge mistakes that he has to live with along the way. But even though it’s cracked him, it hasn’t broken him. And he knows how hard it is to struggle through the same things.
There are a lot of stories about people getting swept up in adventures by a hero who can travel to amazing places. But Cwej meets Sang Mi, a girl who just isn’t usually seen in these stories. She has depression and anxiety. She struggles with her emotions and self-hatred. She can be a little manipulative, even while also being deeply compassionate. She wants to do the right thing, but doesn’t always know how. She’s the kind of character that guest stars and gets eaten by a monster in the second act.
But Chris sees her, really sees her, and takes her on an adventure too.
And that’s what I think people will love about Chris Cwej—Cwej will give you a chance, no matter how screwed up you think you are. You deserve the chance for adventure, and wonder. And he’s reaching his hand out to you from these pages.
BD: What makes Arcbeatle Press the perfect home for this story?
JW: The things that make Cwej such an appealing character—his queer identity, his struggles with mental health, his difficulty meeting the expectations he sets for himself—these are things that a lot of the writers at Arcbeatle Press can understand. And they’re things a lot of our readers connect with too.
But also we believe in this story—I didn’t actually want to publish the first Cwej book we did, because I thought (mistakenly) it was about telling a Cwej story for the sake of telling more stories. Hunter O’Connell, the mastermind behind adapting Andy Lane’s character into his own series, called me late at night and opened up about why Chris had meant to so much to him. It was a raw and heartfelt conversation about personal trauma, survival, and the inspiration Cwej gave him. I knew we had to take the series on.
This is my chance to tell a Cwej story, and I believe in it just as much.
BD: Are there any other projects – past or current – that you would like to highlight for readers?
JW: I’m particularly proud of Academy 27, the series you interviewed me about last time. It’s a slice-of-life sci-fi series made by a group of writers in collaboration set on a school on Mars. It’s a really lovely time.
Coming up, I hope readers will check out our upcoming series, Steel Changelings, especially if they enjoyed Sang Mi’s adventures with Cwej Odyssey. It’s the most ambitious thing I’ve attempted, and I can’t wait to show it off.
I’m also involved in a short film project my partner is working on, so watch out for that as it moves forward!
BD: Lastly, what would you like to tell readers who want to learn more about Cwej Odyssey and your other work?
JW: You can read Cwej Odyssey for free, right now, and so if you’re interested go ahead and dive in. You’ll have a good time: https://www.arcbeatlepress.com/cwejodyssey.html
You can find my other work on the Arcbeatle Press Website, and get updates on what I’m doing on Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/jameswylder
Thank you for taking the time to talk to me, and thank you to everyone who took the time to listen. Stories are important, now more than ever, and I’m happy Fanbase Press gives a platform like this to creators. Let’s keep telling the stories from our hearts.
