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A visit from Elizabeth Fountain's Sergio...

10/26/2014

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Prepare for goose-pimples! It's villain visitation month here on my blog. We’re down to the final two antagonists! Today Sergio Leone Eastwood, the villain of Elizabeth Fountain’s novel, An Alien’s Guide to World Domination, is my guest.

Tell us, Sergio…

What is your ultimate goal?

Ah. That is a thoughtful question that requires an equally thoughtful answer, one that takes into account the various synergies and convergences that have bedeviled my otherwise stellar career as an interplanetary mercenary. Some would claim my ultimate goal is to avoid decimation at the hands (if he has any) of the Lord of the planet Kleptofargh to whom I still owe the largest cyborg army in the galaxy, to stay alive another day. Others might insist I aim to take over the galaxy myself, one fine day. But if I were to tell the truth, my ultimate goal would surely involve eliminating that pesky witness who claims she has seen me kill my own father. Of course, she is entirely mistaken; yet her wild assertions might interfere with the business deals that keep me alive.

What makes you so driven to accomplish this goal?

Even an interplanetary mercenary has a reputation to uphold. My business partners do not care a whit that I might have murdered my own father. They certainly would concern themselves with my utter failure to carry out my real mission that night, and my ties to the forces on my home planet who recruited me to kill for them. Such knowledge would surely cut well into my ability to make a profit, if not cost me my own life.

If you could choose anyone from the literary world as your partner in crime, who would you choose and why?

As a fan of the film and literary arts on your little planet Earth, I am well informed to answer this question. Upon significant reflection, I must request Professor Moriarty, the archenemy of Mister Sherlock Holmes. The esteemed Professor’s intelligence might nearly match my own, and his ability to disappear rapidly, leaving those behind him wondering if he ever existed, suits my modus operandi to a T. 

If Professor Moriarty is unavoidably detained from such a partnership, given my choice of Earth name, I would not be able to decline an offer of assistance from Angel Eyes, also known as Mister Lee Van Cleef. A brutal assistant might come in quite handy…

Describe yourself in three words or less.

Pardon me? It is not in my nature to economize with words. However, since you’ve been so gracious in this interview, I will do my best to narrow my response to three words. In order to do so, let us stipulate that handsome, brave, and intelligent go without saying, so to speak. Ergo, three additional words to describe me might include: devious, duplicitous, and treacherous.

I appreciate your attempt at brevity, Mr. Eastwood. Here’s a bit more about this lovely work of science fiction with a sense of humor:

Louise Armstrong Holliday is the last person on Earth you’d expect to save the human race. But when she uncovers proof that her boss is an alien the color of lime Jell-O gone horribly wrong, and is at the center of a plot to destroy humanity, Louie decides to do exactly that. She begins a journey from her company’s suburban Seattle office park to the old cities and castles of Eastern Europe. Along the way, Louie is attacked by flying books, overly-sensitive bat-crow monsters, and her own self-doubts. She must learn the truth about her closest friend, stand up to her boss, confront her oldest enemy, and make peace with her Aunt Emma, who annoys her in the way only true family can. She also has to rely on Buddy, the little blind mini-Schnauzer who saves her life twice—and really is from Mars.

For more about Elizabeth Fountain and her books:

http://lizfountain.wordpress.com Buy links

Find her buy links here:

http://lizfountain.wordpress.com/find-my-published-work/

http://www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Fountain/e/B00B0I5RM2#


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Interview with Misa Buckley

5/30/2014

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Sci-Fi month is drawing to a close here on my blog. For my last interview, I’ve invited Misa Buckley, author of SFR Galaxy Award-winning TIN C AT and other sci fi romance stories. Thanks for being my guest today, Misa!




If you had a time machine, would you attempt to change history? Why or why not?

That's a hard question, as there's so many horrible things I'd love to stop – the Titanic, the 9/11 bombings, Challenger and Columbia – but what effect would changing those events have? Perhaps if I could see everything that ever was and could ever be, just like the Doctor, then I'd dared to meddle.




What was the most challenging part of writing HEIRS AND GRACE? How did you take on this challenge?

HEIRS AND GRACE is the third story in the Amazing Grace series, so the most challenging part was maintaining the threads I've been weaving in. The series has a vague plan, but nothing is plotted out. In fact, I didn't even have a series bible until the start of #4.




Where did you draw inspiration for your characters for this book?

There's a fair bit of Donna Noble in Grace; she was just a normal person working for what she thought was a normal company. Now she's having to deal with being abnormal and what that means for her and the relationship with Benedict, not to mention having to save the world!

Benedict is a bad guy from a certain sci fi show, only without the alien influence. This will come as a shock to precisely no one.




This or That?

Halo or Asteroids?

I'm assuming this means computer games? I don't play any, except for a couple on Facebook, and Pikmin when I get a rare go on the Wii.


Twilight Zone or Outer Limits?

The UK didn't get either series consistently, though I remember a few Zones shown late at night (as in, past my bedtime!). Space 1999. :D


1984 or Logan’s Run?

Logan's Run has more hope than 1984, so that. I like hope.


Light Sabor or Laser Pistol?

If a pistol is good enough for Han and Mal, it's good enough for me.




Where can we find out more about your books?

I have a website! http://misabuckley.com

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Interview with Judy Griffith Gill

5/27/2014

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Sci-Fi month is almost over here on my blog. Today I’ve invited Judy Griffith Gill, author of many romance titles and also The Disbelieving Man, The Dawning, The Jerry-Can Genie, Whispers on the Wind, and sci-fi novel REFUGE, available on Kindle, B&N, Kobo, iTunes and other digital media sites.

Who’s your favorite antagonist of all time and why?

Q, played by John de Lancie, on the different  Star Trek versions. I enjoy his character because he's so self-centered his brand of evil makes me laugh.



What are some essential ingredients for a good sci-fi novel?

Believable characters and events, danger, courage and a strong resolution (unless it's the beginning of a series where room is left for more.)

Anything that ruins a science fiction story, in your opinion?

Speech, idioms, slang and attitudes that are exactly like today's, as if the author has taken 21st century (or 20th, for that matter) characters and shown no advances in ways of speaking, thinking, or problem solving. I have great hopes for human psychological evolution, mentally, emotionally, and societal and enjoy novels reflecting that.


Do you have any writing quirks?

I cannot, absolutely CAN NOT write Chapter 4 in any book I've ever written. If I type those words, the story meets a premature death. To overcome this, I simply keep writing Chapter 3, then when I've finished the book, I go back and sneak Chapter 4 in somewhere between 3 & 5, and all's well. Right now, I'm in about my 60th page of Chapter 3 in The Dirtsiders, sequel to Refuge which, I'm delighted to say, has been getting some very good reviews on Amazon.

What’s your latest novel about, in 25 words or less?

On a far planet "unearthly" kids with ESP are doomed unless hidden in a refuge during a winter none can survive outside of stasis.


THIS or THAT?

Close Encounters of the Third Kind or Men In Black?


Close Encounters.

“May the force be with you” or “Live long & prosper?”

"Live Long & prosper."

Dr. Who or Dr. Mureau?

Dr. Moreau.


Planner or Pantser?

Pantser.

 
Where can we find out more about your books?

http://www.judyggill.com​, judyinthejungle.wordpress.com,

Judy Griffith Gill, on Face Book & Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/judyinthejungle ​http://www.openroadmedia.com/authors/judy-g-gill.aspx

@semitica on Twitter
​

Audra, thanks very much for hosting me today. I enjoyed answering your incisive questions. They all made me think. The toughest, though, was boiling my book description down to 24 words! (Wrote it out on Word, then whittled away until the word counter told me I was within limits.)
Now, I have a question for your readers. Who is Doncer's "topman" in REFUGE? The first three correct answers will win a free download of any of my other books. Readers can reach me at judyashore@gmail.com with "topman" in the subject line.

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Interview with Charles Brass

5/24/2014

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Dust off those time machines and spacecraft, it’s sci-fi month here on my blog. Today I’ve invited Charles Brass, author of Terrorcruise, the Ux-Blood trilogy and associated novellas, and his supernatural thriller, Closure.

Thanks for being here, Charles!
 
It is my pleasure. This will actually be my first interview. Ever.

No worries, it will be painless, I promise.

What type of research do you do for your novels?

 To be honest, I don't spend a lot of time doing research right up front. Typically, I hammer out a first draft, then I usually go exploring for information to either ensure the accuracy of what I've written, or if I need deeper details. That's one part of sci-fi that I like- I can make stuff up, go back and give it something of a solid foundation, and wing the rest (but in a serious way, of course).

 I've traveled the world quite a bit in my life already, having grown up an Army brat, then joining the US Navy out of high school. I've been immersed in a variety of cultures, and some of that has stayed with me through the years. So that's a bit of helpful knowledge when it comes to settings.  I even played a small part in the first Gulf War (remember that one?) way back in the early 1990s. So I've been around, and experienced life. That's good research right there.

 When I do have questions about one subject or another, or one thing in particular, like what it's like just carrying a sword around, there's Google and Wikipedia. I know Wikipedia's not an accepted source for material, but the entries there usually have a plethora of links to sites that are deemed more legit. Of course, YouTube is a great help as well. I think it's utterly fantastic to be writing in a world where just about any bit of information is a few keystrokes and mouse clicks away.

 In addition, I've been in the medical field practically all my adult life. As a radiologic technologist with specialties in CT and MRI, I've had to learn a lot regarding physics and anatomy, among other sciences. That's given me a tremendous foundation of knowledge for my writing.

 And over the decades I've been honing my skills, I've read a lot of books about the craft of writing. That kind of research has been immeasurably helpful. If I feel confident about the mechanics of my writing, I don't have to worry much about getting what I want to say down in a legible fashion and can let my imagination run unfettered where the material is concerned.

 
Is there a character in one of your books that you relate to? How so?

 The main character in my novella Closure, Whicker Campbell, had his sights set on being a meteorologist when he was in high school. But the course of his life changed drastically when he was found to have the skills of a necroti, which meant he became a necroti. Coming out of high school, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life, other than I knew I wanted to be in the medical field, and have an outlet for my creativity. When I joined the Navy, I had no idea there was a position in a hospital called radiologic technologist. But through happenstance I became an x-ray tech for the US Navy and on into the civilian world, and that's been a rather fortuitous and satisfying career for me. As a necroti, Whicker has his good and bad days, and I assure you there can be some bad days working as an x-ray tech, especially in a large trauma hospital. But there are more good days than bad, I think.

 At the end of Closure, Whicker comes to accept the fact his dreams of being a meteorologist are just that- dreams. He then begins to embrace his future as a necroti, which, now that the problems that plague him during the course of the novella are resolved, has much to offer. While my early days as an x-ray tech did have some rough moments (several months' worth, in fact), and I questioned whether this was a job I could really last in, I've since embraced the work. It's given me stability in my life, and allowed me to pursue other interests, like writing. I like to think some of that experience made its way into helping Whicker deal with the unexpected course his young life has taken.


Why do you write in this genre?

I enjoy the freedom it provides. I've worked within the constraints of our time and place only for one story- Nit. While I found the end result to be quite satisfying, I do remember constantly watching myself to make sure I kept the plot elements based on our time and place. I have a vivid imagination, and it would have been quite easy for me to slip in some new technology, something that hasn't been fully developed just yet, over the course of the story. So writing material without some fancy gizmo or bit of magic can feel limiting. Take 3D printing, for instance. Ten, or even five years ago, having something like that in your home would have seemed rather far-fetched. But now? I expect to see such printers available at my local big box store within a couple of years- if they're not there already. I could have easily slipped a 3D printer in Nit if i wanted to, but that wouldn't have maintained the realism.

 I like writing stories that takes an average Joe (or Joette) and puts him in a very unexpected and trying situation. When I come up with my various ideas, almost always they're set in some future time or fantastical place, because one of the elements that makes life suddenly difficult for Joe is something that hasn't been invented yet or grounded in magic or has some other supernatural aspect. Such devices can be a lot of fun. They're also neither good nor bad. It's how they're used that provides the problems that need to be resolved.

 
Tell us about your latest novel in 25 words or less.

 A Ghastly Gillion Stars, set in my Ux-Blood milieu, details how a race called the Shiss acquired their anchor portal, freeing themselves from the Pheelm.

 THIS or THAT?

 “May the Force be with you” or “Live long & prosper?”

Live long & prosper.
I like the idea of the Federation and its struggles against other equally well-drawn societies like the Romulans and the Dominion.

Time travel or Space travel?

 While time travel does have its inherent risks and can offer a tremendous variety of stories, I think space travel requires more effort from humanity, has a certain intimacy (man and machines are forced closer than with time travel), and just hits closer to home.

 Hal or Cybermen?

Hal
We might very well see Hal, in a rudimentary form, in our lifetime. Of course, we might also run into the Cybermen if things take an unexpectedly bad turn.

 Are aliens here for Invasion or Exploration?

 I'd like to think Exploration, but the harvest of organic material, such as proteins or chloroform, is probably a more realistic reason. 

 
Where can we learn more about your books?

Everything I have available for sale is on Amazon.com. Just search using my pen name, Charles Brass. The following links will take you to my specific titles:
Terrorcruise


The Ux-Blood Trilogy: 

Earth Cell 

Witchblood 

A Child of Byne (an Ux-Blood novella) 

Witch Warden 

Also:

Nit 

Closure 

Chainsaw 

I hope to have A Ghastly Gillion Stars available by the end of August. In addition, you can like me on Facebook here, and visit my blog here. Feel free to leave comments. I'd enjoy hearing from you! Thank you!


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Interview with Angelica Hart & Zi

5/21/2014

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It’s sci-fi month here on my blog. I’m interviewing authors of science fiction twice a week, so be sure to catch them all! Today I’ve asked Angelica Hart & Zi, authors of  KILLER DOLLS, SNAKE DANCE, CHASING YESTERDAY, CHRISTMAS EVE...VIL, STEEL EMBRACE, BOOK NOOKIE and THE SIN-SIN IN CINDERELLA Series. Thanks for stopping by, guys! 

A: Hi Audra, fortunate is the word I choose to describe how I feel to be here with you, Zi and your readers. 

 Z: How apt of you to use the word fortunate. To steal from an old philosopher, "Fortune is a god..." Angelica and I have been granted an absolute privilege to be able to channel our creativity, draw upon a life of experiences, and some writing skill, all with a purpose of entertaining. "Industry is fortune's right hand, and fragility her left." is an old proverb. So, to put all that in a pistachio shell, thank you for having us.   

 

A: You have pistachios?  Where are they?  Share.   

Z:  It was just a turn-of-a-phrase. 

A: Ok!  (note to self... buy nuts)  Then I thought we agreed to one sentence as a greeting? 

Z: Change periods to comas, adjust caps and then it's a run on sentence.  Then I kept my word.  Haaa! 

A/Z:  (Regrouping) 

A: Hi Audra. 

Z: Hi Readers. 

Tell us a little about your writing process. Are you two planners or pantsers? Do you write together or pass the manuscript back & forth? 

Z:  Duh!  I'm a plotter's plotter.  I pre-plot the plot, and outline that first, but only after I pre-plot the outline.  This is not intended to be dismissive but completely honest.  Because we work together, we have wonderful sessions where we outline.  We texture locations and pre-define characters.  It is rare that on the fly do we ever vamp in a new direction.  That would be unfair considering we share the geneses and development of every project.  Oops, you just saw the engineer in me, a vision becomes reality within a certain set of guidelines. 

A: Live long and prosper Mr. Spock!  You can see the pyloric sphincter in him.  Which means I don't have to do any of that anal stuff.  Yea! 

Z:  She is the resident PITA and questions everything.  But somehow we get structure.   
 
A:  However, when we are in the midst of creating the outline we sometimes want to go in different directions which makes for some interesting banter.   

Z:  Banter or cursing? 

A:  Banter.  If I cursed you... I'd be a witch... and I am not. 

Z:  So, cuss? 

A:  I'm a cuss free zone.  (She pauses and smiles... evilly)  So, we plot... plot... plot... and then I run off down the rabbit hole out the squirrel’s niche round the borrow, and then Zi  grabs me by the seat of my pants (metaphorically) and sets me down ... and then we plot... plot... plot...  which can bore the bejebeebees out of me, so I jog off to thinking about Green Acres and Ham Hocks... but Zi tugs on me breeches and we plot... plot... plot... yes, I am the pantser... he the planner.  

A/Z:  As for our working together, if we are in the same office, we sit side by side, and work the book through.  After all, we pre-plotted, outlined, discussed.  Sometimes, we work a section on our own. However, the fun really begins when we are apart and use Join Me which allows Zi to be the host computer and allows Ang to cyberly steal his mouse, which he, of course, tries to snatch back.  It is well-known as the Mouse Wars.  A war in which Ang thinks she is winning.  So, do we have rules?  Yes.  Oft times the one who screams the loudest, writes first.  But generally, we look and say something like, that needs color, color it... who me?... yes!, or that did not scare me... scares me... amp it up and scare me, or take that crap and file it in the circular filing cabinet... fine, then you rewrite it.... I will!.  (we write in a pout-free zone)  For the most part it is an additive process, with the delete key option open to either.  At the end of the day we must agree on the product and we have agreed that we will agree.  

If you could have dinner with any author, past or present, who would you choose and why? 

A:  Margery Williams, the author of The Velveteen Rabbit… (Remembering the story, sniffles and blows nose, loudly.)  She touched my heart as a child, and I would love to know the person who made me cry and laugh and feel so sad yet happy.  I missed the characters.  I’d carry the book around.  Since it was read to me, I’d hold it out in a demanding fashion to any and every reading-able adult.   I couldn’t wait to learn how to read so I could read every book in the world.  I’d hoard books and comic books like a rabbit and its carrots.  They were my friends. 

Z:  Chipmunks horde.  Rabbits they wiggle their noses.  Re-examine your simile. 

A:  No...  

Z:  Zi... yes, me.  But not just me, the twenty-something me.  I wrote then with a charming naivety and I respect that highly.  Cynical writing is a trap that bleaches the imagination out of the work.  Agendas are not funny fictional products.  I'd sit and watch me, as I ate a crab cake for the very first time and sense the freshness on my spirit.  I constantly remind myself that there is creative beauty in being awed.   

A: Yourself?  So you pay and you also get two meals.  Dog! 

Z:  Woof!  (Smiling knowing she was correct)  

Where did you draw inspiration for Snake Dance? 

Z: The world of SNAKE DANCE ultimately was a huge extension of Angelica's quirky imagination sparked by that proverbial what if moment.  A love story of two opposites, threatens by heinous evil, placed in a sci-fi/fantasy worldscape, which allowed these contradictions to both magnified and homogenized. 

A: There was the challenged. 

Z:  I suggested that models be the frail bird, the powerful snake and the vicious mongoose.  Wow!  We sat and word pictured the aforementioned animals' temperament traits and used that list to be part of the base construct for the characters' personalities.  Natural conflict!  This was followed by a tedious creative meeting where we brainstormed the plot, using folded paper airplanes that when unfolded held ideas.  That storming turned into an epic adventure of compromising our lack of a willingness to compromise followed by a Water Gun Battle Royale.  The trade-off was that the characters and the conflict reflected my imagination as polished by her craftiness. The story unfolded naturally and with simplicity, because we both found a remarkable fascination in the iconic tale.  But the color, the facade, the tone and texture were occasionally a confounding task. We literally wallpapered our office with page after page after page of ideas and as we constructed the sci-fi world of Starling we drew from what seemed to be an endless reservoir of cognitive subtext.  
 
A: Did you tell them that we fought... and fought? 
 
Z: Immmpliiiied. 
 
What’s your sci-fi novel about, in 25 words or less? 

A/Z  wRen defies her heritage, braves the dark legends of the Asp to be with VeIper, enemy to the Kin, the protectors of her Nestling.   

Z: We hope we entertained your readers and thank you again for this opportunity.  As one armadillo said to the other while standing on the side of the road, "Be careful the walk across could get you tired." It is always my pleasure to try to entertain. 
 
A: You actually used an armadillo reference? Have you no shame? Audra, the banter you see here is quite typical to our days. I, too, thank you for this fun interlude, but mostly I thank anyone who has ever read anything that we wrote. We write for you. 


Thank you so much for stopping by! And now, an excerpt...

Her Shell Breech  

 

...“Her name,” he demanded more sternly than he intended, flashing to the monster all expected. Mong was controlling, though feral, he did not wish for all to know his interest but they did. It could not be evaded. He had the look of a devourer. She was his. He desired it. He silently claimed her, and none would dare to come against that claim once it was officially made known, and he intended to do so.  

 

Charon stepped forward, honored that this noble elite took such an interest. “Her name will be from this point forward, wRen, she honoring my great Aunt.”  

 

“wRen is to be mine,” Mong uttered in a low breath he could only hear. Then for all to hear stated, “wRen is a beautiful name, so apt, for your biddy is more beautiful than beauty could expect. Proud you must ache.” He turned to the fellow Kin, “Murd, you have done well.”  

 

 

Contact Information:  writingteamcw@yahoo.com 

Purchase Information:  http://www.champagnebooks.com/




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 Interview with Pippa Jay #2

5/18/2014

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Sci-Fi month continues here on my blog. I’ll be interviewing two authors of science fiction each week, so be sure to catch them all!

Today I’m interviewing ­­­­Pippa Jay, author of SciFi with a romantic soul. Thanks for being here, Pippa!


Thanks so much for having me, Audra. :)

What is your all time favorite sci-fi novel, and why?
Wow, straight in with a toughie! Um, I guess one that I read so many times that it actually fell apart - The Crystal Singer by Anne McCaffrey. I think because it's more a blend of fantasy and SciFi, and I didn't find it quite as dry as Arthur C Clarke for example. It had very rich and complex world building, intriguing tech based on crystals (my magpie tendencies coming out there), and relatable characters. I read it as a teenager, so Killashandra Ree flouncing out of her musical academy was something I could instantly empathize with.

Anything that ruins a science fiction novel in your opinion?
I don't mind people basing things on currently impossible or improbable science if they keep it consistent for their universe, but I don't like it when basic rules like gravity and momentum are ignored. Plus, while I love light AND heavy tech SciFi, if I feel the story is more like a science lecture than actual story, that also turns me off. There needs to be a balance.

Where did you get the idea for your sci-fi novel?
It was a combination of my love for Star Wars, the desire to write something with more tech than my previous SF, and a lot of teen angst style music! It also gave me a chance to explore and share more about characters from other stories I've written, both published and as yet unpublished or unfinished.

Tell us about your science fiction novel in 25 words or less.
Abandoned by his mother after his father's death, Gethyon must master his strange new powers to evade the dark entity pursuing him across time & space.

THIS or THAT?

Ewoks or Tribbles?

Er, Ewoks.

Space Travel or Time Travel?
Space.

1984 or Logan’s Run?
Logan's Run.

Twilight Zone or Outer Limits?
Twilight Zone.

Where can we learn more about your books?
Website - http://www.pippajay.co.uk
Blog - http://www.pippajay.blogspot.co.uk
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5054558.Pippa_Jay
Amazon author page - http://www.amazon.com/Pippa-Jay/e/B0080QVWEE/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1





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Interview with Keith Wayne McCoy

5/15/2014

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My Sci Fi interviews continue here on my blog. Today I’m interviewing Keith McCoy, author of The Travelers. Thanks for being here today, Keith!
Thanks for inviting me, Audra!



So tell us, is your novel more of a sci-fi story or a ghost story?


My debut novel "The Travelers" is truly a mainstream story with a sci-fi hook.  It is emphatically not a straight sci-fi but rather concentrates on a young, black filmmaker who uncovers an encounter between a World War II GI and his British war bride, and an otherworldly, desperate woman who leaves her starving children with them to raise as their own.  The legendary liner QUEEN MARY has a very significant role.


Is there a character in your latest novel that you relate to? How so?

The character I most closely relate to is Guy Turner and although I am not black and may have no right to conjecture as to his world, I understand his frustrations and disappointments in the thread of life.  He uses his skin color as a reason to blame all of his misfortunes when, in reality, he is simply avoiding the truth of depression and melancholy.  The war bride, Jess Bennett, is an elderly woman when he seeks her out to discover the truth about the decades old mystery and, to his chagrin, he finds that he is a kindred soul to her in that they both are bitter and pessimistic.  But rest assured, all find redemption and peace through their shared journey.


What type of research did you do for this book?

I actually didn't have a significant amount of research to do for this novel in that I have been a collector of QUEEN MARY memorabilia since the third grade.  "The Travelers" is truly character-driven, though, and the retired liner's history is a mere catalyst for the main characters.


What’s your novel about, in 25 words or less?

"The Travelers" is a journey to the limits of anxiety, despair, grief, and joy that are common to every human experience of suffering and growth.


THIS or THAT?

Twilight Zone or Outer Limits?


I must say that I prefer "Twilight Zone" as it was more character-driven than the "Outer Limits".  I have recently discovered on cable, Rod Serling's early 70s show "Night Gallery" and find it quite intriguing (once you get past the clothes!) and though it is not as well-received as "Twilight Zone", the world of the supernatural is actually much more darker and daring.


Laser Pistols or Light Sabers?

I think Laser Pistols are cooler than Light Sabers!


E.T. or Signs?

"Signs" was more realistic and thought-provoking in my mind than "E.T." which I feel was a children's tale.

Planner or Pantser?

Although I love to tease and perform elaborate jokes on friends and family, I consider myself a planner.  I think that most writers must have an introspective side to them as they are necessarily inclined to spend quiet time world-planning and plot-planning.


Where can we find out more about your projects?

I have a website www.keithwaynemccoy.com in which I discuss forthcoming projects and, weekly, do a feature on a particular piece of furniture or memorabilia from my QUEEN MARY collection. 
Thanks for having me, Audra!  Best wishes to all authors!
~Keith Wayne McCoy  



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Interview with Diana Green

5/11/2014

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Sci-Fi month continues here on my blog. I’m interviewing two authors of science fiction each week, so be sure to catch them all! Today I’ve invited Diana Green, science fiction and fantasy author, to be my guest. Thanks for stopping by, Diana! 

Thank you Audra. It's a pleasure to be here.


Who is your all-time favorite writer, and why?
Oh boy. I always find that one difficult, because there are so many authors I love.  Ursula K Le Guin is one of my favorites, because she has written such a diverse collection of books, including both science fiction and fantasy. She is a highly skilled author, but she also includes thought provoking social commentary in her books. They have many layers to them, and therefore I can read them multiple times and gain fresh insight.

How do you get in the mood to write a science fiction novel?
I use music to get in the mood for writing. I usually have a playlist, specifically for the book I'm working on, and if I'm stuck, I'll listen to it. The music is pathway I can follow, back to my original feeling of inspiration. 


 What gave you the idea for New Sion? 

I read an article about restrictive laws in the middle-east, where women have few rights. It got me started thinking about living in an oppressive culture and how a strong-willed woman might deal with it. I considered the possibility of a woman choosing to disguise herself as a man, in order to be safer and to have more freedom. Think of how lonely such a life would be, especially if she met someone she started to fall in love with. From there, New Sion was born.


Tell us about your sci-fi novel in 25 words or less.
On a backwater planet, at the edge of a galactic war, one man, one woman and one desperate alien embark on the road trip of a lifetime.


 THIS or THAT? 

Jabba the Hut or Khan?               

Khan

Twilight Zone or Outer Limits?    

The Outer Limits


Aliens or Robots?                        

Aliens


Jules Vern or Isaac Asimov?        

Isaac Asimov

Where can we learn more about your books?
For more information, excerpts, reviews, and book trailers, visit my website at http://www.dianagreenbooks.com/

All my books are available at Amazon in digital or paperback formats


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Interview with Kerry Tolan

5/6/2014

1 Comment

 
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Break out the time machines and holograms, it’s sci-fi month here on my blog. Twice a week I’ll be interviewing science fiction authors. Be sure to catch them all!

Today Kerry Tolan, author of "Tracks", the Dancer series, and "Waiting Weapon", is my special guest. Thanks for stopping by, Kerry!

What was the most difficult part of the writing process for you? 
 

  Lately, it's getting started on a new novel's first draft.  There are a lot of distractions in life, including holding down a day job and various online games, that it's difficult to sit down and simply write.

What is your favorite part of the writing process?

  Working the third draft of a work-in-progress.  This is where I splash in the improved descriptions and give my characters a bit more freedom, as well as do my best word-smithing.  


How do you get in the mood to write science fiction?  Any special music, snacks or other rituals?

  First, I'll do my usual cycle of stops at writing forums and such to get going, with Pandora playing epic music in the background.

Tell us about your sci-fi novel in 25 words or less.

   The Dancer series is about the struggles of an alien young woman whose race is in upheaval thanks to human intervention.

THIS or THAT?

Jules Vern or Isaac Asimov?

  Jules Vern

Dr. Mureau or Dr. Frankenstein?

  Frankenstein ftw

Close Encounters of the Third Kind or Men In Black?

  Men in Black

Aliens or Robots?

  Aliens


 

 

Where can we learn more about your books?
   www.kmtolan.com


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Interview with Elizabeth Fountain

5/4/2014

2 Comments

 
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May is sci-fi madness month here on my blog. I’m interviewing two authors of science fiction each week. Today I’ve invited Elizabeth Fountain, author of An Alien’s Guide to World Domination to stop by. Thanks for being here, Elizabeth!

What do you like most about science fiction as a genre?


I love the permission writing (and reading) science fiction gives us to explore human behavior in fun and interesting ways. How many times do we catch ourselves looking around a crowded room and feeling like everyone else must be from another planet? Or vice versa, like we just landed on a strange world and cannot figure out its even stranger inhabitants? These experiences are universal (no pun intended), and in writing sci-fi, we get to make them visceral.

From where did you draw inspiration for your sci-fi novel?

From my own life, of course, but also from some of my favorite authors. The wacky humor of Douglas Adams in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series, and the skewed alternative universe of Jasper Fforde in the Thursday Next series, both made me feel like writing a story like An Alien's Guide was possible. Readers might even like it. And believe it or not, this story owes a big debt to The Wizard of Oz. Probably, if we were honest, just about every tale of misfit friends on a journey owes a debt to L. Frank Baum's story.
 

If they were to make a movie of your book, who would you want to play the lead roles, and why?

I adore Alan Rickman. Can he play all the leads? Okay, we'll save him for the villain, Sergio, because we know how well he can play a black-eyed sneak. Laura Linney might be my favorite actress, so I'll wish for her to take on Louie, who understands dogs and cats but not her fellow humans. And Jack, Louie's partner in trying to save the world? Colin Firth is a bit older than Jack is written, but he's got the right hair and eyes. (Obviously I'm not going to make it big as a Hollywood casting director...)
 
Describe your sci-fi novel in 25 words or less.

When humanity's future is in the hands of the one person on the planet who questions whether they are worth saving, it's lucky her dog knows what to do.

THIS or THAT:

Star Wars or Star Trek?


Star Trek. The - original - series - with - William - Shatner (I'm trying to write that like he talks!). Hands down. Although I had a crush on Han Solo in high school (alert! the author dates herself!). But you have to love the original Star Trek series, as long as you don't have to play one of the non-essential personnel heading out on the probe. For dog's sake, those poor people never come back!

Dr. Who or Dr. Frankenstein?

New Dr. Who series one, Christopher Eccleston. Or Gene Wilder as Dr. Frahn-ken-steen. It's a toss up!


Are aliens here for Invasion or Exploration?

As the natives on almost every continent said to the Europeans, what's the difference?

Original Battlestar Galactica or Remake Battlestar Galactica?

I never watched either, but on principle, I have to choose the original. Any television from the late 1970's is so dang awesome.
 

Where can we learn more about your books?

My blog/website is the best place to start: Point No Point (http://lizfountain.wordpress.com). You can also find my books on my Amazon author page (http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00B0I5RM2). And you can follow me on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethFountainAuthor)




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    Audra Middleton is a somewhat neurotic and terminally sarcastic author and mother of three from Washington State.

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