The Odds

Gamemaker Interview: C. A. Kersey (Coeus Alexandrian)

Questions posed by bent-unbroken.

Just to jump right in, you've hosted a number of Games of your own, and you've hosted on Author_Games before. What's different this time, and what's brought you back to the account and co-hosting?

I think that sometimes an opportunity for a change presents itself and you know you have to take it. During the golden age of Author_Games, I spent years wanting to be a host on the account and, when I finally got my chance, I blew it by being somewhat of a bratty teenager who couldn’t get my ego out of the way. Before that, Age of Rebellion became one of the account’s most successful competitions, and I’m confident we can recreate that magic. Luckily I’m all grown up now (sort of), even though I’m still the team youngster. That’s definitely going to take some getting used to.

You're one of the more prolific Hosts on Wattpad...what is it about these competitions that appeals to you so much? What is is about the world of Panem that brings you back and back again?

It’s got very little to do with Panem! Most of my recent competitions have had nothing to do with the Hunger Games; before Fifty Flames, I hadn’t hosted anything set in Panem in over a year. What brings me back is the people. I’ve met some incredible people in my many years of hosting who I never would’ve encountered otherwise. My favourite thing about hosting is to see new competitors blossom, or maybe some who’ve been around a while grow into what I’ve always seen in them. I can’t think of anything else in my life that brings that same sort of satisfaction.

In your opinion, what factors set one competition apart from another? What makes for a strong competition as opposed to a mediocre one? 

I think, at the end of the day, what makes a competition great is the characters it inspires. It’s watching the tributes interact with the tasks at hand that makes any competition memorable. People don’t often remember individual tasks (although there are exceptions); they remember entries and characters. So, as hosts, our job is to inspire the best in our competitors. That’s how we succeed as hosts.

When judging an entry, what's the things that appeal to you? And on the flip side, what material makes you switch off as a reader and a judge?

Though they don’t appeal to everybody, I really love an artistically structured entry. I’d say I’m probably the most inclined to well-done purple prose out of us three hosts - a healthy dose of prétention never hurt anyone, if you ask me! More than anything, the best thing I can find is an entry that serves as a crucial turning point in a character’s development. Those moments are always powerful, when well-done and used sparsely.

As far as turn-offs go, nothing will make me want to stop reading like an author trying to write themes and/or events which they aren’t equipped to write. If you’re thinking of having a character deal with intense themes/surviving painful events just for the hell of it, ask yourself: am I confident that I can do this accurately, respectively, and sensitively? If the answer is no, maybe you should hold off until you’ve done more research and/or improved your skills as a writer. There’s no shame in admitting you aren’t ready!

Okay, I'd like to ask a few questions about you as a reader and a writer in general! Youve written a huge range of characters and situations. Where do you draw your inspiration from?

I’ve honestly drawn inspiration from just about everywhere. Sometimes it’ll come from people I know, or even myself (who hasn’t written a self-insert or two?) but lately my methods have gotten a little more unconventional. Sometimes, I see a cool stylistic method used by an author in a book I’m reading and make a character I think will allow me to try it out. Others will be based around a theme I want to write, or even just something I see in the world that inspires me - these are often my more artistic writings. My favourite kind of character, though, is the one that jumps from the page because the competition inspires them. No matter how much you tell yourself that no, Carl, you aren’t going to join this one, the character calls you and you don’t regret it.

If you could sit down for drinks with any author, living or dead, who would it be? What would you talk to them about? And just for the heck of it, what would you be drinking?

Just one? Come on! I can only narrow it down to three, so let’s just look at three separate scenarios, shall we?

Oscar Wilde. The two of us would be sipping wine in a fancy Victorian parlour, talking about current events in a pointedly shady way. I would have a blast, and by the end of it we’d probably be both be imprisoned for resisting legal and social codes. The dream, y’know?

Margaret Cavendish. For those who haven’t heard me rant about how incredible she is (lucky you), she’s a 17th-century novelist, playwright, and poet who essentially invented science fiction. Again, we’d probably be sipping mimosas or something equally sassy while having witty banter with a side order of feminist discourse. Also, I could ask her what the hell “Nature’s Cook” is meant to mean. Ask me about that poem; it’s a hoot.

William Shakespeare. Anyone who says they wouldn’t want to go to a pub and get hammered with good old Billy Shakes has fallen prey to their high school English teacher’s lie that Shakespeare is a serious author who should be treated with the utmost respect (or they don’t drink, which is fair). We’d have too much whiskey, make puns all night, and see who can come up with the most cringe-worthy pickup line. I mean, the guy invented “your mom” jokes.

I know there's a lot of books that are important to you. If it's not too personal, what literary works have affected you personally, and why?

Again, there are so many books - I study these for a living, never expect me to narrow it down to one answer! On the one hand, there’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, which is probably as worrisome a book to relate to as saying that your love life is Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space,” but I digress. Then there’s Becky Albertalli’s Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda, which is so wholesome and happy and makes me happy cry every time I read it. And obviously The Hunger Games has had a pretty heavy impact on me, considering I’m still here...

Time for an impossible question that you still have to answer! In your opinion, who is the best literary character of all time?

Oh, this one is easy: CeCe! By which I obviously mean the Creature in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein...I mean, they’re the ultimate representation of nature vs nurture, and contrary to popular belief they aren’t a rampaging monster but a being who fashions themselves through reading and impossibly tries to make a place in this world. Plus, the Creature’s canonically a bisexual vegan with hardcore daddy issues, and that’s just plain fun. Again: ask me about it. I can back every outlandish claim I’m making this interview.

I think it's fair to say you have a unique perspective and a distinctive voice. What can readers and competitors expect to see from you as a Gamemaker on this account?

Readers and competitors can expect to see someone dedicated to their enjoyment and betterment! By now I think I’ve proved I can be counted on to provide creative and stimulating tasks, but my focus as part of the Author_Games team is writers. I want to help everyone blossom, both by inspiring them to write their best work and by giving them helpful, in-depth feedback when the opportunity presents itself.