Exclusive: R.R. Virdi talks The First Binding, the power of storytelling, more

Are you one of those people who’s spent the last 10 years groaning about how much you wish you could read The Doors of Stone, the long-awaited third book in Patrick Rothfuss’ Kingkiller Chronicle series? If so, do I have good news for you. The First Binding by R.R. Virdi hit bookshelves this week, and it is a door-stopping tome of an epic fantasy novel that pulls many of the same narrative tricks as The Name of the Wind while still being incredibly unique. Drawing on South Asian mythology and culture, a setting that recalls the Silk Road and a charming hero, The First Binding is the first in Virdi’s Tales of Tremaine series. It follows Ari, a mysterious storyteller with a legendary past, as he tries to shroud himself from the public eye with a web of tall tales and conflicting myths. At the same time, Ari peels back the curtain and gives the reader the true accounting of his riveting journey.

The First Binding was an excellent book; you can find our spoiler-free review of it here.

To mark the release of The First Binding, Virdi stopped by WinterIsComing to talk about writing this epic story, composing its layered myths, transitioning from self-publishing to traditional (and why he’ll be keeping a foot in both worlds), and more.

DANIEL ROMAN: Hi Ronnie! Thanks so much for taking the time to talk with us about your work today. The First Binding is an epic door-stopping tome of a fantasy book, but it also plays with structure and stories-within-stories in a way that few other doorstoppers do. How would you describe this book to a reader who isn’t familiar with your work?

R.R. VIRDI: I would say it’s the idea of the most interesting man in the world but told in the manner of Forest Gump (who, I suppose from the movie, could also be the most interesting man of the world – though, his world), with an emphasis on the nature of stories. How they evolve, run away, refuse to keep their shape the more they’re told. Lies, rumors, and truths all feed them. And it’s so hard to keep track of the reality of a story.

DR: The First Binding is your first traditionally published fantasy novel, but it’s not your first book – you’ve self-published several novels in your Grave Reports series, among others. What was it about The First Binding that made you decide to take it the traditional route?

RRV: It wasn’t supposed to be traditional at all. I was originally going to write it just for me. For my Patreon and keeping myself happy and sane. A project I wanted to do on South Asian/Silk Road mythologies and inspirations. Then there were some audio companies interested in it, but in the end, it was TOR that came through and snagged the series.

DR: Running with that thread, since you’ve now traditionally published and self-published, is there anything about one or the other that’s surprised you?

RRV: Mostly I’ve gotten what I expected. While I started indie, I had no illusions about what that would entail. Gone through all of it: ostracization at times from some authors (it happens, less now I believe, or hope), the ups and downs of everything indie. But I’d attended seminars and conventions and spoken to trad authors of all success levels so I knew what to expect from traditional too. My experiences so far have encouraged me to make being a hybrid author my priority.

DR: Ari’s story is epic, and I’m always curious: are you more of a gardener or an architect (or plotter/pantser if you prefer) with your writing? What’s your process like, and how much of the Tales of Tremaine journey did you know before you starting writing it?

RRV: I’m a pantser/gardener. I mostly know the climax or catharsis of a story before I start, so then all I need is that opening line and hook that sets the tone/mood of the particular story I’m working on and I can go from there. Usually key plot points come along as I write and I keep them in mind as targets to hit ahead and seed things earlier. It’s worked out for me for 11 years now so why change it?

DR: There are a few sections in The First Binding where you do some amazing things with extended rhyming segments. Can you talk a little about constructing those, and the influences for building them in the way you did?

RRV: For the crafting and rhythm of it, I worked with a voice coach and studied the aural (listening) pleasure of oral storytelling for 2 years before the book was turned in.

I studied spoke poetry, songwriting, original storytelling and orating and vocal rhythm. Most of this was spoken aloud as I wrote it to ensure it had the beats I wanted when heard. It was painstaking but worth it. There was math involved as well…which I abhor, but counting beats, how and when I wanted a part of a sentence stressed and then again in another.

There were a lot of moments of clutching my head, I promise.

DR: The First Binding feels in many ways like an homage to oral storytelling. Were there any particular challenges in depicting the book’s many story-within-story sequences and oral storytelling in the written word?

RRV: There were challenges in that there aren’t many modern tales that use that kind of structure. You have to go back to things like the Decameron, Canterbury Tales, and the Mahabharata. I had to tailor all of the nesting to stories to be things that could be plucked from the novel and read and complete separately in places and make them feel like real pieces of folklore being reincorporated into Ari’s life and performances, but also make sure they aren’t too removed in that they only exist for him and his roles. That they are important in the world and cultures—they have inspired, changed, affected things—the same as folktales and stories have in our world. They come from or inspire religion, metaphors to lean on, educate, enrich or entertain and build off of. They serve more roles in my story than just the obvious ones on reading.

Like I’ve said: stories hold grains of truth within in them.

DR: This is kind of a silly question, but I know I’ll kick myself if I don’t ask it. The First Binding features a magic system that uses “bindings” that correspond with specific phrases of power we see used throughout the novel. One of them is “Roh.” Have you ever played Skyrim, and is that an intentional reference to the Fus Roh Dah shout, or artistic coincidence?

RRV: I built a $4,000 dollar gaming PC specifically to go back and play skyrim (around 2015?) on 4k with all the mods. It’s arguably my all time favorite fantasy game and I grew up on Elder Scrolls games. I live 15 minutes (on a good day with no traffic) from Bethesda Gameworks. That being said, no, my usage of Roh was not inspired by that. That has to do with some language stuff and lyrical lines I was working on that are seeded in the story for people who pay attention with the stories of bindings and how they came to be. That might be a spoiler, but who knows, maybe people won’t look too hard at what I did?

DR: Correct me if I’m wrong, but you’ve already finished a draft of Tales of Tremaine book 2, right? What are you working on right now?

RRV: You are indeed correct. The draft is done and was turned in mid July this year. Right now I’m working on nothing as I’m doing this interview, but the next immediate project is the fourth novel in The Grave Report, then I bounce back to Tremaine # 3

DR: You’ve talked a bit before about how you had a really impactful experience with Jim Butcher when you were still an aspiring writer…and back in May, you actually had a short story published in an anthology he and Kerrie L. Hughes edited called Heroic Hearts. What was it like to work with him on that project?

RRV: It was exciting and a dream come true, though I didn’t really work with him I suppose. We all were giving the brief of the anthology theme and our due dates. I wrote my story, turned it in, got really nice compliments from the editors and then it was waiting for it to go out. But afterwards, we had some zoom joint panels and questions which was pretty cool to share a digital stage with so many luminaries of urban fantasy I read and look up to.

DR: What books, shows, or movies have you been loving lately? Bonus points for new releases!

RRV: I just finished rewatching Black Sails, the Marco Polo Netflix show, and at the time of this interview, Neil Gaiman’s Sandman just aired on Netflix. I’ve only seen the first episode, but it is such a wonderfully faithful adaptation and I’m enjoying it. In a few weeks, you bet your butt I’m going to be there for House of the Dragon. I’ve devoured Fire and Blood so many times and know that story like the back of my hand, so I am THRILLED to watch the Targaryen Dynasty be at each other’s throats. Plus, I want to see Vhagar and Vermithor.

DR: Last question! If you were a traveling storyteller collecting fantasy and sci-fi stories from our world…which five would you put into your stack of books to carry from town to town?

RRV: Oooh, good one. Paulo Coelho’s, The Alchemist. In the Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas. And the fifth book? The last one? Well, that one has to be a secret. That one is just for me. Every storyteller needs a secret book. A story only they know that they have.

DR: Ronnie, thank you again for taking the time to talk about your work with us!

RRV: Thank you for having me!

The First Binding is out now from TOR Books! You can follow R.R. Virdi on Twitter at @rrvirdi or on his website.

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