Oct 4, 2005 ... success. Knowing this potential pitfall and against the initial advice of colleagues,
Syne Mitchell and Eric. Nylund of North Bend are making.
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Sharing a Dream and a Life North Bend writers chase bestsellers and make a home together
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By Sarah Garmire
n the arts and entertainment world, it seems two artists seldom successfully hold together a long-term relationship, whether because of egos or temptations provided by professional success. Knowing this potential pitfall and against the initial advice of colleagues, Syne Mitchell and Eric Nylund of North Bend are making a go of shared dreams as professional writers. Syne and Eric met in 1994 at a Seattle writers’ conference called Clarion West. Syne describes their meeting as right out of a romance novel. “It was instant dislike,” she says with a smile, adding they both have strong personalities and came to appreciate each other during the six weeks of the conference. “We learned how to critique each other’s work at Clarion, without destroying the other person,” Eric says. “We use a diplomatic, professional approach.” “We stick to constructive criticism, allowing only one snarky remark,” Syne adds. The couple’s wooded home boasts two Shetland sheep in the backyard. Syne balances the hightech research of her books with a high-touch hobby of textiles: carding, dyeing and weaving woolen creations. A woven rug of her own design graces the floor. Syne and Eric have a 2-year-old son, Kai, and two friendly cats complete the family unit. 4 OCTOBER 2005 TANNER
Above, writer Eric Nylund at work in his home. Below, Syne Mitchell and Eric with their 2-year-old son, Kai.
Eric and Syne share office space in their home with two computer workstations at separate desks. It is here where imaginations take flight, creating worlds of the future based on scientific facts of today. Syne holds a master’s degree in physics and reads scientific journals for new developments. “I get my story ideas from real science and then try to imagine how things can go hideously awry in society,” she says. “In my books, I try to educate and put a message
out there.” Her books include “Murphy’s Gambit,” “Technogenesis”—about the possibilities of a future Internet—“The Changeling Plague”— about human DNA gone wrong—and “End in Fire”—about nuclear catastrophe and the human spirit. Eric says they have “a five-yearplan” to balance home life with the creative process. “I work full time for Microsoft, while Syne stays home and writes,”
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Left, besides writing, working outside the home and taking care of the couple’s son, Syne fashions woollen textiles on her loom. Below, Syne at work writing. Syne and Eric’s books are available in the science fiction or fantasy sections of major bookstores and can be found online at www.amazon.com.
he explains. Then they trade places. Syne works outside the home and Eric writes. “We’ll keep up the five-year plan until one of us writes the breakthrough bestseller,” Syne says. “We have to pay our Tanner Electric bill each month, too,” she says with a laugh. Eric earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and a master’s in chemical physics. He has published several novels: “A Signal Shattered,” “Signal to Noise,” “Pawn’s Dream,” “Dry Water”—nominated for the 1997 World Fantasy Award—“A Game of Universe” and “Halo,” which added to the storyline for a popular Microsoft Xbox game. Eric says Microsoft computer games try not to promote gratuitous violence toward humans. “We kill a lot of aliens, though,” he says. Eric and Syne’s books have both been published in several languages. As successful writers, they say they now enjoy giving back to the community. “Others helped us, now it’s our turn to encourage younger writers,” Syne says. “We are guest speakers at local high schools on career days and we judge writing contests,” adds Eric. Syne serves on the board of
Seattle’s Science Fiction Museum. What would they say to an aspiring writer? “It takes talent, luck and determination,” Eric says. “And you have to be honest with yourself,” Syne says. “Do I really have talent or are my friends just being nice?” Eric says a writer needs to write for the readers, not for an editor. “It takes a lot of self discipline, too,” he says. “It takes about a year to write each novel.” Eric also counsels first-time writers to find a literary agent. “The publishers won’t talk to you unless you have an agent,” he says.
In the ongoing effort to perfect their craft, Eric and Syne recently attended the Maui Writers’ Conference, each attending separate writing tracks. Syne chose a more literary strand, while Eric went to a screen writing seminar. Besides the “breakthrough bestseller,” Eric says he is interested in working on novels, screenplays, comic books and “more games” in the future. Each writer is somewhat of a celebrity within the science fiction and computer game worlds, boasting his and hers fan clubs. It is obvious they are each other’s biggest fans. ■ TANNER OCTOBER 2005 5
