I write science fiction mostly, for both adults and kids.
I’ve written science fiction – SF, not “scifi”! – since I was thirteen. The
“why” is complicated but the root there is my relationship with my dad. See, I
come from a family where sports were overwhelmingly important. Reading was
there; the importance of education was there; but there weren’t that many other
things we did together. When I was very young, my dad started watching Star
Trek. I watched it with him. We didn’t share a lot, but the fact that he still
reads SF – and I both read it and write it! – is still the thing we share.
Tell us about your latest book.
The book started years ago when I’d grown tired of reading
stories with negative futures for young adults -- or a reliance on
"magic" to get through life. I wanted strong young adults in a
positive future relying on their abilities to solve difficult problems. HEIRS
OF THE SHATTERED SPHERES melds my love of space, science fiction, and my quest
in a package I loved writing and I hope others will love reading.
But I didn’t want to try to create “Robert A. Heinlein for the
21st Century”, either. The kids I work with as a teacher and
counselor in middle school and high school face a whole world of problems even
the brilliant Heinlein couldn’t have imagined. Autism, adolescent profound
sports injuries – in boys and girls,
cellphones, sexting, ipods, real data about the planets of the solar system and
beyond, the “death” of higher education, the lack of trust in government of any
kind, and the other challenges facing young people today will all make it into
the series. The first book looks at autism, sports injuries in girls, and the
“death” of higher education.
Oh – and there’s a mystery, too! (That’s a guilty pleasure I
entertain occasionally. The BONES books of Kathy Reichs are ones I read
whenever I want to relax and exercise my mind at the same time.)
What marketing
methods are you using to promote your book?
First of all: Facebook, emails, Amazon.com, Goodreads, and
the SFWA website. I’ll appear on a few more, as well as in my own blog and I’m
working on a blog interview right now.
Secondly and perhaps most importantly, I’m
“word-of-mouthing”. I’m a guidance counselor in a high school and I’ve been a
science teacher for over thirty years. I know lots of young people – and most
of them read. Word is already out through my connections – and as I’ve been a
teacher for so many years and I’ve taught writing classes and summer school as
well, I’m hoping that word will get around…
What formats is the
book available in?
Only one format right now. It’s an ebook.
Who are your
favourite authors?
Madeleine L’Engle, Julie Czerneda, Bruce Bethke, David Brin,
Gordon Korman, Anne Leckie, Jack McDevitt, Michael Flynn, and a host of others
too numerous to name.
What advice do you
have for other writers?
“Never give up, never surrender!” Jason Nesmit, Captain of the NSEA PROTECTOR,
from the movie “Galaxy Quest”.
A bit more serious way to express this comes from Ernest
Hemingway: “We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a
master.”
What's your favourite
quote about writing/for writers?
Hemingway’s is important to me, as is the quote from CS
Lewis on my blogsite.
What's the best thing
about being a writer?
Talking and writing about a place that's imaginary -- and then having
other people UNDERSTAND what's in your heart!
Where can people find
out more about you and your writing?
My blog is the second-best place to find it all – the best
place is to talk to me face-to-face. My blog is at: http://faithandsciencefiction.blogspot.com/
Who is you favorite
character in your book and why?
I love Emerald Marcillion – she’s brave, snarky, and willing
to move forward rather than bury her head in the past.
Why do you think
readers are going to enjoy your book?
It shows young people engaging in a future that isn’t
confined to Earth, not only going along “for the ride” but being a part of
what’s happening. Young people can do that here, too, and I know some who have
done just that. It’s just that they don’t get a whole lot of press for making a
positive difference on this planet.
How long did it take
you to write your book?
Roughly ten years! I have, however written and re-written so
many times that the stack of drafts (and this is ONLY the paper drafts!) is 8
inches high. Also, my kids have been listening to the story since they were old
enough to understand what was going on...
Who designed the
cover?
Charlotte Volnek at MuseItUp.
Did you learn
anything from writing your book that was unexpected?
That Emerald was autistic – because that diagnosis explained
her behaviors; and that a character who appears to be bad also has a good
streak.
Where can a reader
purchase your book?
What are you doing to
market the book?
See the question above…
Who inspires you?
My wife, my kids, my
“extended family”, the students at the schools I have worked and work at now,
the staff of those same schools, and the many professional writers who took
time to coach me along.
How do you research
your books?
Oh, man! Initially, I have to look at what’s been done and
how people did it. Then I start to play with the idea – for HEIRS, there are
all kinds of stories that feature generation STARSHIPS. Right now, all we have
is a small space station, a few landings on our moon, and the spectacularly
completed flyby of all of the major planets and several minor ones. My question
is how do we get from here to those interstellar “ark ships”. I think the
answer is obvious – we do a dry run, say a decade or more, using an ark-sized
ship to really explore all of the planets in the solar system and bring to bear
the full weight of Human intellect on the anomalies we’re certain to find on
those planets. So – there’s tons of research out there exploring the
feasibility of long-term space exploration and I love research…so there you go.
Websites, blogs, obscure novels and texts, oh – did I say I’ve taught science
from Astronomy to Zoology over the past 31 years?
What is your work in
progress? Tell us about it.
I’m writing a bunch of short stories that sort of…backed
up...in my head while I was writing and editing this one (and one other called
VICTORY OF FISTS). One story involves the last Mayan aristocrat; another is
about a humorous meeting between Humans and a high-gravity alien; a third will
look at the daily use of antigravity in rebuilding Liberian schools (one of
those exceptional young people I mentioned above started an organization to do
this.) I’ve also started the next book in the HEIRS series, Zacharias of Venus.
What are your
thoughts on self-publishing verses traditional publishing?
COOL! One word of caution, gleaned from reading several
self-published novels: EDIT!!!!!
Who or what inspired
you to become a writer?
John Christopher, whose TRIPODS trilogy I read when I was
just thirteen were done and forced me to write my own stories to satisfy my
questions. Ms. Barnes, my eighth grade English teacher who took my fiction
writing so seriously that instead of just correcting the spelling and grammar
errors in a story I gave to her, she made suggestions to tighten up the PLOT! I
wish I could tell both of them how important they are to me!
Does your family
support you in your writing career? How?
OH, YEAH! They put up with me and my wife teases me about
being a Writing Widow, and the kids listene to my stories from the first draft
through the last.
What are you
currently reading?
Julie Czerneda’s TO REAP THE WILD WIND
What books or authors
have most influenced your life?
See the answer above!
When you’re not
writing, how do you spend your time?
Reading, camping, biking, watching movies, eating out,
playing cards with close friends, and celebrating events with my family!
