1. What inspired you to write this book?
I have always wanted to write a series and have love the science
fiction genre since I was 11 years old and read "Tunnel in the Sky"
by Robert A. Heinlein. Yet what I had been seeing since the media domination of
the great sequel era; Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Star
Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn (1982), Aliens (1986) ... we haven't really
gotten much in the way of science fiction as the technology fantasy genre
started to replace science fiction instead of being it's own genre. Most of
what are now referred to as "Science Fiction Epics" are just well
marketed techno-fantasies in space. Firefly, Dark Matter, Farscape, and so on
are all techno-fantasies because there is no actual science to them just set in
the future or another galaxy. Adanced technology with no explanations or
scientific backing. So, I felt that I should try to address this as well as
several other issues and flaws I had been seeing become prevalent in the genre
as well. From my dislike of all modern female protagonists being oversexed
killing machines to the belief that you can have either science or magic... but
not both... Unless the magic is just a sufficiently advanced technology as to
seem magic to less tech-based cultures.
2. What exactly is it about and who
is it written for?
The short answer is that it is about the possible penalties for
changing or losing accurate historical accounts of events, cultures and
religions and was written for young women between the ages of 13 and 30...
The long answer has more to do with my dissatisfaction with what
I had being seeing passed off as "Sci-Fi"...
Don't get me wrong, I am a HUGE fanboy of Star Wars going all
the way back to being 3 years old in the theatre with my family in 1977 and
watching the "A New Hope", Which my father recorded on a VCR cassette
off HBO and I wore out re-watching throughout my childhood. Krull, Ice Pirates,
Farscape, Firefly, the list goes on and on.
Yet... All of these are Techno-Fantasies and not Sci-Fi.
Therefore, everything involving "the good guys" is
based entirely in proven or established theories with backing in the scientific
academia and community.
Even the books, shows and movies that remained actual Sci-Fi,
even if crossed genre like Resident Evil is both Sci-Fi and Horror. Almost, if
not all the female protagonists are portrayed as oversexed killing machines.
Alice (Resident Evil), Honor Harrington, T-X and T-900 (Terminator), River Tam
(Firefly), Starbuck (Battlestar Galactica) and so on.
So, the main character of my book is based on my best friend who
is an Anthropologist with secondary degrees in Ancient Religious Studies and
Archeaology. Book nerd and genuine bibliophile. Tea affectionado, "crazy
cat lady" and genuinely warm, bubbly, and optimistic personality. With a
strong sense of values and duty to her family and loved ones.
I am also honestly sick and tired of anytime Earth is involved
it is destroyed, unapproachable, or the most important lace ever. And since I
felt Mars was almost as badly overdone...
I chose Venus...
The most scientifically anomalous and backward planet we have
ever discovered.
Though it is also possible I chose Venus because I hate
myself... (laughs)
I also wanted to address the no magic in science fiction stigma
and made "the bad guy" the focal poit of a 50+ thousand year old
prophecy from an extinct and forgotten culture. He has magic... Period. Making
the book in some ways a magic vs. science battle as well.
All encompassed by the overriding belief I have in the power and
meaning of human connections...
Not romantic connections but genuine human connections from
teammates to countrymen and even friendships can change the course of events.
3. What do you hope readers will get out
of reading your book?
It is my deepest hope that they get a sense of deep enjoyment
from reading it as well as being able to connect to the characters and form the
same emotional attachments as have been formed for other characters in the
genre. A feeling that ALL the characters seem full and developed whether they
survive a paragraph on the entire series. As well as giving them a story they
can love that isn't dependent nor even has, a romantic hook. I want them to
laugh and cry with the characters. Have them wanting to go back and reread a
section just because of the emotions they felt rading it. But mostly...
I want them to hate me because they have to wait for book
2...
4. How did you decide on your book’s title and
cover design?
I had thought about skipping this question because in all
honesty...
I hate the current cover and feel it in no way represents what
my book actually is.
First and foremost I want to make it clear that Dorrance
Publishing has been amazingly supportive of a new author like myself and that
the cover art is honestly my only complaint. But the sad truth is that however
they came up with it, I had neither the funds nor connections to make a
different one and wasn't even able to get my "Promo-Poster" made
until 3 months after the book was released. Sad truth of the business is that
when publishers are involved, which is a necessity of success, there will be
changes you as the author won't like and/or agree with.
5. What advice or words of wisdom do you have
for fellow writers – other than run!?
Stick to your story idea but allow it to grow and evolve on it's
own. If a character that was supposed to be secondary seems to be taking over
the book... Let them and you will have a much better ending result. Allow your
story to have a life of it's own but listen to your fans, editor and publisher.
And above all, accept that to succeed you have to let go of a need for complete
control and be willing to work with your publisher so that your story can be
told and they can feel it is marketable.
6. What trends in the book world do you see --
and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading?
Sadly, the biggest trend I have seen is the "One Step
Away" retelling of a successful series like Harry Potter and then Percy
Jackson. Nobody seems willing to forge their own literary paths anymore. Just
pander proven storylines by changing names and tweaking aspects so as to be
presentable as "different". As for where the industry is heading. I
believe that it has tapered back when the advent of streaming went worldwide
but the lack of the movie and television industry’s ability to provide new and
original content continues the book industry will make a gradual comeback which
includes capitalizing on the convenience of e-books.
7. Were there experiences in your
personal life or career that came in handy when writing this book?
Too numerous to count. Whether it's using bad grammar and
misspellings to be able to "write accents". Or having such a wealth
of human interactions that provide me with a wealth of personalities to
populate my worlds with. To using bits of everyone I have ever known to flush
out and make a "cookie cutter character" rounded, individual and
complete. Everything in my life has helped in my writing because it was a step
of growth, experience broadening or gaining of knowledge or understanding
allowing me to grow into the writer and person I am today.
8. How would you describe your writing style?
Which writers or books is your writing similar to?
In many ways my writing style is truly and uniquely my own.
Partially because I refuse to let anyone tell me how I can tell my story or
what I have to have in it for it to be "appealing". I frequently use
incomplete or broken sentences solely to control the speed a reader reading my
book, Knowing that the, technically, bad grammar forces them to slow down and
is almost always followed by something relevant or important to the main
storyline or character subplots. Readers will find parts of y book giving the a
Heinlein feeling while other parts seem almost Tolkien in the telling. There
will also be comparable parts too writers such as avid Eddings, Anne McCaffery,
Terry Brooks and David Webber. Every author I fell in love with as a reader's
influence can be found and felt throughout my writing.
9. What challenges did you overcome in the
writing of this book?
The current edition is actually the second publishing of
"Forgotten Darkness". The first edition was me refusing to give up or
be told no. And that absolutely no one would tell me what I could or couldn't
do in telling it. Ironically, writing it was actually the easiest hurdle. The
long road to completely self-publishing and creating the original cover art
took 4 years and numerous stumbling blocks, denials, failures and searches for
other options to press forward.
10. If people can buy or read one book this
week or month, why should it be yours?
It's a change of pace from any other type of reading filled with
characters, thrills, wonders and mysteries that will leave them wanting more
and be something to talk about with friends as we do such great series like
"The Lord of the Rings', "Dune", and "Honor
Harrington".
About The Author: Born at MacDill AFB in 1974, and raised in a
military family. Following tradition served in the US Army as a combat medic.
Spent 30 years helping build the Tri-Cities, WA science fiction and fantasy
community as well as helping start and run RadCon every President's Day weekend
since 1992, in Pasco, WA. Retired and now living in the country along Historic
Rt 66 in Missouri.
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including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book
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Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres,
right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark
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hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and
has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence
College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association,
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Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have
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