Author Spotlight: You Are (Not) Deadpool - Tim Dedopulos

You Are (Not) Deadpool is a book with a twist. As the reader, you determine the story. It is the latest in a proud tradition of ‘pick your own path’ novels, taken to exemplary standards under the banner of Aconyte Books. As the unwitting accomplice to the infamous Wade Wilson, aka Deadpool, you must embark on a quest where chance and wisdom collide and you, for the most part, are in control. The Book Network is therefore honoured to have a quick chat with the author Tim Dedolpulos, who was keen to tell us what readers can expect from this exciting gamebook. 

“I'd describe it as an irreverent romp up and down the East Coast as Deadpool gradually uncovers a horrifying plot to throw the US into violent chaos. You experience this adventure as a gamebook -- that is, as a series of numbered passages that you move between according to the choices you make. Along the way, you're going to get into fights, test your skills, manage your inventory, find achievements and secret entries, and maybe even cheat. All of this will change the options that are open to you. 

“Do _try_ not to feed Deadpool into the wood-chipper, hmm?”

You Are (Not) Deadpool is in fact the second gamebook expertly honed by Tim, and further championed by Aconyte’s Marvel Multiverse Missions series, the first being She-Hulk Goes to Murderworld (meticulous readers may even find a hidden conduit between both books). Tim Dedoplous has formidable experience in the world of puzzles, games and the creation of them, making the gamebook format a perfect outlet for his talents.

“I've always been fascinated by the intersections between books, games, art, and film. Gamebooks give you a flexibility and interactivity you can never have in a traditional novel -- in that sense it's more like a one-on-one session of D&D. They're just a ton of fun.”

And being the fourth-wall breaking merc that Deadpool is, the matrimony between character and format is as natural as can be, and one that Tim could have marvellous time compiling inspiration for. 

“He's one of the few heroes who actually understands that he's in a work of fiction. Marvel calls this power "Comic Awareness". So he's way more self-aware than most other heroes, despite his ever-changing nature. That makes him ideal for what is, after all, an interactive medium. He's able to work with the reader in a way that other characters can't, even if it does leave the player's avatar in the book a little puzzled. Plus, he's a wonderful vector for chaos and spectacle.” 

“Al Ewing's graphic gamebook You Are Deadpool was obviously a primary source of inspiration -- the title You Are (Not) Deadpool is a loving nod of thanks. On the Marvel side, obviously the Deadpool movies are very important, and my favourite comics runs of his are probably Cable and Deadpool and Marvel Now. Of course, you can't write a gamebook without Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone looming large behind you. But I also turned to some less obvious sources for structural and mechanical thoughts -- games like Fallen London and Disco Elysium, for example.”

Weaving this concept into a playable interactive experience must be nothing short of a challenge. From a technical standpoint, how does one even begin to write a story that contains multiple tangents and outcomes determined by point systems, and all the other relevant nuances exclusive to a pick-your-path gamebook? While it might seem an impossible venture to some, Tim’s approach is purely scientific, as well as learned.  

“It's a challenge. I'm not claiming my way to be the One Right Way(tm) or anything, but I first thought about what was happening behind the scenes, then figured out a number of cool scenes and set-pieces that suited Deadpool's chaotic nature. Once I had a nice long list of possibilities, I thought about routes through the plot and scenes, and different ways things could progress. 

“From there, I switched to a flow diagram program (I like Scapple, from the same people who made Scrivener) and set down an entry by entry map. That took a while! Once I had that numbered, with items and stat changes and challenges mapped out, I finally got to type the first words. It was a huge amount of fun, and Deadpool is a wonderful character to get to spend some time working with.”

The creation of puzzles is indeed a labour of love for this author, and one that Tim has been affiliated with for a very long time, with a host of varied and fascinating collections and novels now published under his name. When he was young, his Grandmother had Tim take a Mensa test, and to his surprise, he was accepted. Whilst a member for a couple of years, one of Tim’s first editors requested that he puzzle-check some Mensa-created puzzle books, and the rest was history.

You can check out Tim’s expansive catalogue here. 

“They're a fascinating challenge. There's not many areas where logic, language, mathematics, and creativity are all required equally, and puzzle creation is one of them - at least, the sort of puzzles I prefer creating, which are wrapped in a skin of story. It all comes back to that intersectionality I mentioned earlier, on the borders of narrative.”

The puzzle element is however only one of Tim’s major skill sets. Having such great expertise at writing, and the writing industry, meant that this author was able to provide readers and aspiring writers with some of the finest advice on the craft one could hope to hear. 

 "I've been an editor and a publisher as well as a writer, so I'm going to go with 'honest and genuinely important', rather than 'encouraging': Write what you need to write, but remember that no-one owes you a read. 

If you don't already love reading the genre you're writing, it'll go far worse than if you're writing in a genre you love. Thrillers about grumpy detectives, progression fantasy, Booker-bait lit-fic allegories featuring wise children, category romance about hot billionaires, mass market family epics, it doesn't matter. It's all important. Write the genres you're already reading. If you want to reach lots of readers, look at the books in your genre that people like, and try to work out how to make those books into something you'd love better. 

"Also, every time a writer says "Yes, but X did it in..." a demon gets its wings. The past is not the present, and you are not Jane Austen / Stephen King / William Shakespeare / James Joyce.”

‘Wise’ barely covers it. You Are (Not) Deadpool is now available to buy in e-book format, and can be purchased as paperback September 29, 2022. You can check out all the latest news and musings from Tim Dedopulos on his Twitter page, @Ghostwoods.