Science Fiction

Interview with Science Fiction and Fantasy Author Joseph Carrabis

My next interview is with Science Fiction and Fantasy Author Joseph Carrabis, who’s been a good friend of mine on Twitter and a fellow member of the Fantasy and Science Fiction Reader’s Lounge on Facebook.

Tell us about yourself! What would you like readers to know about you?

Joseph Carrabis: COVID hasn’t touched me or mine, yet, except in the ways it’s touched everyone - social distancing, quarantining, and such. However, since June I’ve had two surgeries and lost a loved one.

I was born blind and have had minimal eyesight my entire life. About two years ago a test indicated my eyes were weakening. We did everything possible and kept surgery as a last resort because, as my doctor said, “Once we cut we can’t go back. We have to save it for last.”

The nature of my challenge was such that we would operate on one eye at a time, see if that worked, then do the other eye. We did my left, weaker eye first and the operation was a complete success. For the first time in my life I could “see” through my left eye as people with normal eyesight can see.

And it enabled me to see one of my children grow weaker and weaker and finally pass over within a three day period. 

I would gladly go blind if I could hold my child for another heartbeat, one pulse of the universe, a single tick of the clock.

But such wasn’t one of the options offered me.

I recently had my right eye worked on. So far so good.

And I cherish what I see now. People don’t understand their worlds can change in an instant. Take nothing for granted, live each moment fully, completely, intentionally. Be aware of what you do. Appreciate yourself and those around you. Enjoy every breath, let everyone know they are loved, speak no harsh words to anyone, be at peace with yourself and let your peace teach others.

Long ago one of my teachers told me “Always look for the good.” 

That phrase has so much meaning to me now.

Alexis: “Always look for the good”—those are good words to live by. I think when times are difficult it’s so important to hold on to the people we love. I’m so grateful that neither of my children has had a serious health problem, and that no one in my family has died from COVID. It’ easy to get bogged down by the hassles and the stresses, but we need to focus on what really matters.

What book or books have most influenced you as a writer?

Joseph Carrabis: Those I’ve read.

I wanted to respond “The kinds with words in them” and then came up with “Well written,” but the best answer is “Those I’ve read” because I’m influenced by well written and poorly written books, and probably more the poorly written ones because the mistakes are obvious. Well written books can be subtle. You know they’re good and enjoy them, figuring out why they’re good and enjoyable might take some effort. Then there are the books you recognize are well crafted but the story’s don’t interest you. Margaret Atwood’s books are the prime example of this to me. I love her storycrafting, her storytelling bores me to tears. I read her work to learn my craft. I read Bradbury to enjoy what I’m learning. 

Then there are certain authors I read to learn specific craft elements and whose work I enjoy. Katherine Mansfield is a trove of setting and character. Poe is a graduate course in timing and rhythm in language. Budrys owns imagery. Few match Butler’s ability to show emotion through character subtleties. Silverberg, at the height of his powers, had an amazing voice. Few writers can draw a reader in like Delany. Hammett is a study in plot. King is a master of character.

And I haven’t touched on poetry. Dickey, Hughes, Eiseley, Brown, ...

Essayists. Kenko, James, Eiseley again, ...

I haven’t mentioned much from non-English authors. Whatever your daily language, I encourage you (who are authors) to study writings in your non-native languages. A completely different philosophy, metaphorical system, my god I can lose myself for years reading non-Western works.

Alexis: I love so man of the writers you’ve mentioned! I do think that reading non-English authors is vitally important. Personally, I’m also drawn to ancient writers. I think there’s something so magical about reading the Epic of Gilgamesh or the Illiad, or Sappho’s poetry, and feeling like you’re hearing a voice from out of time.

What are some tropes of fiction in your genre that you love/hate? Why?

Joseph Carrabis: First, more and more readers tell me my genre is “Joseph.” In the Joseph genre, I will not tolerate weak writing. As soon as I tire, I stop writing and do something else. I don’t rush to get something done, I let it wait. Also in the Joseph genre, I love intricate, tightly woven plots. 

Second and regarding other people’s work, linear storylines bore me except in the work of authors such as Hammett, Faulkner, Hemingway and several of the Golden Age SF writers. Linear storylines are fine in some modern things, but if I can figure out a story’s ending before I finish the first 2-3 sentences, the story’s not working for me. I remember being 9-10 years old and reading Agatha Christie’s The Clocks. My mother loved Christie and I read the books after she finished them. I got about forty pages in, went to my mother and told her how the story ended, who did it, et cetera. I’d read 2-3 other Christie novels and figured out her storytelling style, how she placed clues, et cetera, and how she worked out her novels. I lost interest in Christie right after that (although The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is a stylistic marvel still). I’ll guess my ability to deduce a story’s outcome (plot) is what’s caused me to prefer character driven stories, and unfortunately most genre stories are plot driven (Rita Mae Brown offers a great test for this and it hasn’t failed me yet).

I attended a con a while back (in the days when you actually went out and spent time with people not wearing masks) and offered that genre v literature test while on a panel. An author in the audience got loudly defensive. I was confused. I didn’t say there was anything wrong with genre, only that it tends to be plot driven, not character driven. But pick up any of this author’s books (the ones I’ve seen anyway), read the first paragraph, and you know if the emphasis is on plot or character, hence genre v literature, and please do remember that “literature” is also a genre, simply one that emphasizes character over plot.

In the end, it all comes down to poor writing for me. How many different ways can one write a “Man versus Nature” story? Well, it’s uncountable. “Man versus Nature” is the core. Change it up one and you get “Woman versus Nature.” Change it up one again and you have “Man versus Tidal Wave.” Make it feminist fantasy with “Woman versus Mountain Elemental.”

What I have no tolerance for is anything poorly written.

Alexis: That’s an interesting distinction between genre and literature. I often find the lines between the two very fine and rather arbitrary. Under your test, I imagine that a great deal of well written science fiction by writers like Connie Willis or Octavia Butler, would be re-classified as literature. I’m honestly not sure if I want that or not.

Who is your favorite character in your book? What do you like about them? (or, which character do you hate most and why)

Joseph Carrabis: Which of your children is your favorite? (Hopefully) we love them all equally although we may love different things in them. I recently completed Don Quitamo Sails, a story requested by Harvey Duckman Presents editor C.G. Hallum. I wrote the first two pages of Don Quitamo Sails over two years ago but didn’t know where the story went from there. C.G. Hallum asked for a pirate story and Boom! there was the story. When I realized what the story was about I wept for joy. C.G. also asked for another story set in a world I created, The Woods. During the conversation, she mentioned making “little knitted dragons” for someone as gifts. I heard “Little Knitty Dragon” and Boom! “A Tale of The Woods: The Little Knitty Dragon” is born (which brought tears to her eyes when she read it).

There’s not character(s) I hate. Even the most evil, rotten bastards - and I’ve had readers ask me how I come up with such malevolent characters - are given one if not more reasons to make them human. Such is a requirement, me thinks, of writing any character; flaws. A “good” character needs one if not more “bad” traits, sometimes called “weaknesses.” So do “bad” characters, except a weakness in a “bad” character is a redeemable trait.

What are you doing to de-stress during the pandemic? Is there any coping mechanism you’d recommend (or NOT recommend)?

Joseph Carrabis: Ha. I’m writing. Listening to music. Playing music, too. Walking with Susan (wife/partner/Princess) and our dog. Reading.

Wait a second...that’s what I do anyway.

I tell people I’m boring and dull and this is evidence of it. My life isn’t complex. I’ve also learned to be adaptable. Not being able to do something means I have time to do something else.

Alexis: That’s a good way of thinking about things! I’ve been listening to more music lately, and reading more books as well.

What do you like to do other than read or write? Do you have any interesting hobbies?

Joseph Carrabis: Music. Cooking. Reading. 

Interesting. If you didn’t put that qualifier on it, I maybe could come up with some answers. Oh! I know! I love to fly kites. I have about a hundred different kinds for all sorts of weather conditions and types of flying. Completely relaxing to me, and I don’t do it enough. I also enjoy a good cigar with a good single-malt Scotch. Usually once a week on the backporch, a kind of ceremony, a “Hurrah! I made it through another one! Congratulations to me!” I wrote a blog post about it, Enjoying Scotch and Cigars with @FireRenaissance, @FromGreenhills, and @GGGenge.

Tell us about a mystery/urban legend from your hometown (or another place you’ve lived).

Joseph Carrabis: Oy! I’ve lived many places. What legend or mystery would be best? Have your readers heard of the Inuit SnowWalker? Or how the Northern Lights are the souls of unborn children? Sometimes the myths of where I’ve lived show up in my work. Two examples would be Them Doore Girls and The Boy Who Loved Horses. The former’s about a ocean elemental and the latter is about a gifted child.

One legend that I keep coming back to as story fodder involves an 1800s factory and a boy who was killed in the machinery. He haunts the mill and some workers claim to see him to this day even though the mill itself has been gentrified into office space.

What TV shows/Movies do you like to watch or stream? 

Joseph Carrabis: Well-written ones. Currently we’re watching old episodes of New Tricks and Hustle, two British mysteries. We’re also restarting The Doctor Blake Mysteries, a mystery set in the post WWII Australia. We’re impatiently waiting for the next Murdoch Mysteries season, a Canadian import. Sometimes we’ll do a Cadfael night, a Brit period piece from the time of the Crusades. 

Sometimes the production values get in the way of the stories, especially with some of the older shows, and so long as the storytelling is there, we’ll watch. I watch mostly to learn storycrafting technique; learn how to introduce characters, situations, how to use setting to enhance a story, things like that.

We recently rewatched the original StarMan. I took notes on how seamlessly they introduced setting, character, initialized plot, provided crisis elements, et cetera, in the first eighteen minutes of the movie and kept it all moving forward so the viewer didn’t stop watching. Amazing.

If your readers find a movie or book they enjoy, go back and reread or rewatch it and take notes on what works and why. A movie or book they don’t enjoy? Ditto. Learn what doesn’t work and why. Then apply both to your own writing

What’s your favorite animal?

Joseph Carrabis: Favorite. Hmm...that is a tough one. Do I talk about my Totems? My Guardians? My Guides? My Grandmother and Grandfather spirits? The animals appearing on my personal shield? I suppose the safest answer is “The one I’m talking with at the moment.”

Every aboriginal culture I’ve studied has told me I carry Spider and Wolf (medicines), and most of these cultures associate Spider with StoryTelling and Wolf with Teaching. So I teach via stories?

Yeah, I’m good with that.

Hope it’s true.


Do you like playing board games or role playing games like D&D? If so, which games do you like best?

Joseph Carrabis: My all time favorite was Risk, although I haven’t played it in years. I played Trivial Pursuit with my in-laws at family gatherings but they decided to handicap me due to my extensive reading and memory; I was allowed to know only one word of the question. 

I love chess but lost interest early on as I’m not competitive. I learned to play because a friend played. My uncle, who taught me, told me to play my first game with someone and lose, but pay attention to how they play. Figure out how they play, their weaknesses and strengths, and you’ll win thereafter. I played with that friend, lost, and asked to play again. His mother asked why I wanted to play again, hadn’t her son shown he was a better player? I explained about losing to learn and they couldn’t accept that. Then let’s play again? Okay, fine. And I won six games in a row, at which point his mother wouldn’t let him play any more with me. About two months later he wanted to play again, beat me the first game, and I beat him the second. “You learned to beat me. Specifically me. Not how to play chess better.” During those two months I’d read half a dozen books on chess. My mentor in chess was a fellow student, John Baumgart. My god what a gifted player he was. And lonely as hell. I felt so sorry for him. I hope he found happiness in life.

I play cards fairly often and relax playing various solitaires. I prefer card games because the mathematics is usually fixed by the situation, hence they’re better training for the things I like to do.

Do you have pet(s)? If so, share a picture of your pet!

Joseph Carrabis: Ghost, our cat, passed about a month ago as I write this. Congestive heart failure. He weakened and passed in three days. We still mourn, less each day, and prefer to remember our joy with him than our sorrow at not being with him. We’ll join him when we pass, as we believe all things are waiting, not lost.

Boo is our pup.

This picture is from December 2012, shortly after we got them. Both are rescues.

Alexis: They are so cute! I’m so sorry about your cat’s heart failure. It’s so hard when a pet dies.

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What advice do you have for other writers or people just getting started in writing?

Joseph Carrabis: Write, write, and write. When you’re done with that, write some more.

Also read, read, read. And when you’re done with that, read some more.

Here’s a post about it, What do you mean, exactly, when you tell me to Read and Write to be an author?

How do you choose what books you want to read?

Joseph Carrabis: As noted earlier, the first requirement is that the book be well-written. I do an hour a day on the stairs at the gym and read the entire time. Those books tend to be instructional/educational. My nightstand has books recommended to me and/or given to me. My headboard has books I want to study for various reasons, usually technique or research. The stand by my chair has books I read for enjoyment (and often technique gets in there, too).

Authors sometimes ask me to read their books. I ask for the first few chapters/10-15 pages, and can tell (often in the first sentence and usually in the first paragraph) if the author has enough chops to keep me reading, at which point I’ll buy their book (love supporting my brothers and sisters in pen). Four authors who blew me away with their book openings/writings are Steven Searls, Ricky Ginsburg, Joanell Serra, and Terry Melia. Four completely different styles of writing, four completely different genres, four amazing authors worth watching. And reading.

Do you like Greek/Roman/Norse/Asian/African mythology or folklore? What’s your favorite myth? 

Joseph Carrabis: I spent much of my life as a cultural anthropologist, so yes, I love indigenous truths. Many of my stories make use of various cultural milieus.

But my favorite? Probably the earlier ones. The earlier the better. They tend to be more accurate to what actually happened, less edited to suit some political or social agenda.

If you write scifi, what technology or innovations or scientific discoveries have inspired your work?

Joseph Carrabis: I don’t write about technology or such per se, I write about how people are affected by technology. Most often I come up with a story idea and then go looking for the science - current or projected - to support it.

The closest I can come up with re science presaging a story would be a work-in-progress, The Absolute Limit of Sound. The story came to me pretty much fully formed while I was reading a Science magazine paper on sonoluminescence.

What’s one subject you wish you knew more about? What kinds of things would you like to learn someday?

Joseph Carrabis: The one subject I wish I knew more about? Me.

What kinds of things would I like to learn someday? First, stuff I don’t know I don’t know. That’ll keep me busy. Then the stuff I know I don’t know. Finally, the stuff I “know,” because I really don’t and am just fooling myself.

Alexis: Yes, it’s always hard to really see and understand ourselves, isn’t it? To get an honest picture of what we’re really like.

Find Out More About Joseph Carrabis!

Books: The Augmented Man, Empty Sky, Tales Told ‘Round Celestial Campfires

Website: https://josephcarrabis.com/

Social Media: TwitterFaceBookGoodreadsPinterest, and Instagram

Interview with Science Fiction Game Designer Mr. Hexagon

Tell us about yourself! What would you like readers to know about you?

Mr. Hexagon: First of all I want to give a gargantuan peace sign and emphatic THANK YOU to all the people who follow Mr. Hexagon on Twitter. I am proud to announce that we just broke 1000 followers on the evening of Thursday, July 8th. The gamers, the streamers, the fellow developers, the authors, the artists and the powerful relationships we are building together means everything. We’re forming a formidable agile network with an unmatched tactical effectiveness which should make our obstacles tremble as we approach them. The Mr. Hexagon operation is moving to the next phase according to plan. Pat yourself on the back. We are slicing into the future at the speed of fun.

What book or books have most influenced you as a writer?

Mr. Hexagon: Great question. There are thousands. Let’s stick to influential sci-fi books. The best science fiction story ever written is “Ender’s Game” by Orson Scott Card. It is an easy read. It has perfect dramaturgical expression of timeless themes. It is required reading for the Marines. Then there is “Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy” by Douglas Adams, a good one for all the hoopy froods who want to learn how to make Pan-Galactic Gargle Blasters for fun and profit.

There are more obscure sci-fi books to consider, too. People don’t seem to realize “Atlas Shrugged” by Ayn Rand is science fiction, yet the plot spins around a free-energy generator which converts atmospheric electricity into unlimited power used to make holograms, super-steel, and the sonic weapon PROJECT X, so it qualifies. Several other books I must also mention include the mind-bending “Illuminatus Trilogy” by Robert Anton Wilson and its companion book “Principia Discordia,” hail Eris, the prophetic team-building primer “Sixth Column” by Robert Heinlein, and of course “Pattern Recognition” by William Gibson, a modern cyberpunk masterpiece. There is another 100% safe and verified non-threatening book which is about using DAO Tokens to create a reality distortion field and spawn an impossible-to-kill negative space dragon who will ensure that everything that can’t go wrong will go wrong, but unfortunately I cannot legally remember what it’s called or mention it by name at this time.

Alexis: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is still one of my all time favorite series! Douglas Adams is such a funny, unappreciated genius.

What are you doing to de-stress during the pandemic? Is there any coping mechanism you’d recommend (or NOT recommend)?

Mr. Hexagon: I always try to convert the energy of a situation into something productive. This is the best method to cope with life in general I think. When the virus fiasco first started I channeled the fear into a new project named “God Awful Mess” a story which focuses on survival during societal collapse. Imagine a post-apocalyptic Stardew Valley with more cans of sardines and backyard chemistry. March really seemed like the beginning of the end of the world. I reached out to SAL3M to create some conceptual main characters. We’ve collaborated in the past and they were happy to help. Their work is really tremendous. SAL3M puts all of their heart and soul into the things they create. However, the “God Awful Mess” project has since been put on hold for a more effective therapeutic project: Death Factor. Death Factor II has been my ultimate coping mechanism.

I’ve realized everybody’s biggest fear is death. Myself especially. Dying is at the bottom of everybody’s to-do list. Everybody wants to delay thinking about their fate for as long as possible. So it controls us. Our fear of death grips tightly and chokes our capacity for living abundant lives. By confronting death daily it’s allowed me to keep everything in perspective and be incredibly productive. Facing death head-on and directly looking the grim reaper in the eyes everyday makes COVID-19 seem way less scary. That’s how I’ve been coping with all of this. I’m keeping my head down and continuously showing up to build a focused meditation on dying. Also, I have a rule: every time I die in a video game I do a set of push-ups. So I’ve been getting kinda beefy all pandemic, heh. Exercise is important to stay balanced. It keeps the juices flowing when we have to stay inside all afternoon instead of going outside like we’re supposed to do. It keeps one’s brain connected properly.


Alexis: In Chris Hadfield’s book “An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth,” he talks about how NASA trains astronauts to ask themselves “what’s the next thing that could kill me?” They believe it’s really important that people fully understand the risks and dangers of space travel, because otherwise they might fall into denial and not face hard truths. I’ve been reminded a lot of that during this pandemic. It’s clear that many people chose to live in denial rather than face their fears. They don’t want to believe their life is in danger or that terrible things are happening around them, so they pretend it isn’t real or that they don’t have to take it seriously for “reasons.” I think it’s so important to look straight at the problem we’re facing, look into the source of our fears, and think honestly about it. Otherwise, it’s madness.

As teacher, it horrifies me that people are fretting over kids getting behind in school and demanding schools reopen. The truth is, if we get the reopening wrong, children will die. Their parents will die. Their teachers will die. It kind of makes the hand-wringing about kids getting behind in reading or math seem ridiculous when you face that truth. Kids can get up on their reading, so long as they don’t die. Abd they’re not going to learn much it their teacher dies mid year. Or their parents die. Or they lose a friend or a grandparent.

What TV shows/Movies do you like to watch or stream? 

Mr. Hexagon: My recent secret guilty passion is an obsession with stuff made in 1971. It seems to be the last good year for classic movies, classic rock music, and classic cars. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Dirty Harry. The French Connection. Vanishing Point. Godzilla vs Hedorah. The Andromeda Strain. The Omega Man. A Clockwork Orange. THX 1138. So many good movies. 1971 was last year we were on the gold standard maybe that’s why? So much good music too. Aqualung. Master of Reality. Electric Warrior. Fragile. Led Zeppelin IV. ZZ Top’s First Album. L.A. Woman. Maggot Brain. At Fillmore East. Meddle. The Land of Grey and Pink. Moving Waves. I know it’s not everybody’s favorite type music or movie but if it is, there’s so many good things that came out in 1971. When it’s time to unwind, 1971 is where I time travel. A lot of good sci-fi and a lot of good spacey synthesizers. But I digress.

Do you like playing video games? What’s your favorite game right now? Has a video game ever influenced you as a writer?

Mr. Hexagon: My favorite game right now is Death Factor and it’s my pleasure to offer it at a special reduced price exclusively for Lunarian Press readers. In life, our hunger always grows, so we must buy food to eat. But to buy food, we must work a task to make money. But to work a task to make money we must have enough energy. But to have enough energy we must sleep. But when we sleep we cannot do anything else. We can also choose to be cool or buy stuff or smoke cigarettes. But the longer we live, the greater our Death Factor, and the faster we will die. The game is the cutting edge of simulation science and it plays with ‎Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s concept of “flow”. Trying to manage your life gets you into a loop. This simple language is how to play Death Factor. If you don’t have the context of the game it almost seems like a self-help book. Some of the first players said the game has a big learning curve, so I’ve also added a new “strategy guidebook” to the package. Even if you never ever played the game, the guidebook would still be insightful. One recent customer said it doesn’t even seem like a game. It’s true. Death Factor is a unique bizarre experience that blurs the line between self-improvement and fun. And the best part is that Lunarian press readers can get it at half-price here https://gumroad.com/l/tNSrd/Lunarian

Do you like playing board games or role playing games like D&D? If so, which games do you like best?

Mr. Hexagon: I am indeed a Dungeons and Dragons geek. I’ve been stuffed into lockers for this. I’ve been given swirlies. I’ve lost lunch money to bullies. None of which has held me back from this wonderful pastime. Our current campaign’s party is called The Circle of the Crimson Thorns. We’ve been commissioned by the king to be the bodyguards (and road crew) for the world-famous traveling band of bards known as “The Beaholders” as they perform their sold-out world tour. Backstage they get into trouble and The Circle of the Crimson Thorns must baby-sit them, which we gladly do because we get a hansom gold salary. When I’m not the DM in the rotation, I play a level 9 high elf wizard named Rynn Dimewood, who has a smug know-it-all 19 score in intelligence but a foolish wisdom score of just 8. Rynn mocks everybody who is not as smart as him, which is everybody, but he is too stupid to realize the futility of his attitude. This has landed him in jail several times and leads the party into terrible scenarios. Fun Fact: The ultimate final boss in our campaign is fashioned after Rob Loggia who is the official Chief Procurer of Processed Meats and Pasteurized Cheese Product for John McAfee. (Here’s a link to his tweet that explains the DnD story: https://twitter.com/Loggiaonfire/status/1231587280520957954 )

What advice do you have for other writers or people just getting started in writing?

Mr. Hexagon: Everybody can write but that doesn’t mean everybody should write. There’s too many empty words out and about which are loosely connected and do not propel us in any useful direction. It is our job as writers to pull together words that need to be connected and deliver them to the people that can best use them. As quickly as possible. We turn the data into actionable knowledge for the decision makers. We connect the dots on the graph. We tell the story. This is not a responsibility to take lightly. It is the ultimate responsibility. We must imagine the awesome future because the rest of the world will follow our footsteps. Sharp cutting words will not do for this objective. Wishful thinking is necessary for such engineering. If you don’t think you’re up to the task, your effort will be better appreciated on synthesis duty. Simply invent new words. One new word per day will do the trick. Clearly define the word and let everybody know what it means so we can use it. We always need new words. These old words are terribly restrictive. Help update the system with new vocabulary.

Do you like Greek/Roman/Norse/Asian/African mythology or folklore? What’s your favorite myth?

Mr. Hexagon: I keep a hammer on my desk to remind myself of Mjölnir, “The Grinder”, Thor’s magnificent hammer. The hammer that can move mountains. The hammer of concentrated effort. The hammer of manufacturing. The story goes that once upon a time a devious giant stole this powerful tool from Thor. The giant terrorized the world with his new ill-gotten power. Dark times... Sad times... Powerless times... but Thor baked up an idea to borrow his wit instead of his usual brute force to somehow repossess the hammer. Thor’s plan was to dress as woman and seduce the giant. He wore the sexiest clothing. He put on the sexiest makeup. He dawned the sexiest smells. He whispered sweet licentious poems to the giant with supreme feminine grace and the trick worked. The giant fell madly in love with Thor. The giant asked Thor to be his bride and of course Thor agreed. A grand wedding ceremony was had and at the peak of the marriage celebration, the giant presented a priceless gift to his dainty new wife: Mjölnir. Thor swiftly grabbed the hammer and smashed in the giant’s skull. Covered in the giant’s blood, Thor raised the mighty Mjölnir to the sky. Lightning slashed and thunder roared. The productive power of the grind was returned to its rightful owner. Everybody lived happily ever after.

Alexis: I’ve always loved that story—I think it’s one of the funniest ones in mythology. I can just imagine a Scandinavian bard telling that story around a fire, being super campy and hamming it up, while his audience dies laughing.

More About Mr. Hexagon

My Twitter is my main base of operations right now. https://twitter.com/MrHexagon Don’t be a stranger!

The unique experience “Death Factor” can be found at https://gumroad.com/l/tNSrd/Lunarian

My Email is mrhexagon@yahoo.com for discussing business.

Death Factor II is in the works and coming soon!

Interview with Science Fiction and Horror Writer John Coon

My next interview is with Science Fiction and Horror Writer John Coon!

Tell us about yourself! What would you like readers to know about you?

John Coon: Writing is in my DNA. I work as a sports reporter when I am not writing novels. I currently write for the Associated Press and Athlon Sports and have worked in the media for more than 15 years. I published my first novel, Pandora Reborn, in 2018. My second novel, Under a Fallen Sun, was released in 2019. Alien People, my third novel, comes out in mid-August of 2020. 

What are some tropes of fiction in your genre that you love/hate? Why?

John Coon: I write in both science fiction and horror and I make an effort to take tropes and travel in unexpected directions with them. In Pandora Reborn, for example, many of my characters play with teen slasher archetypes. I have them subvert many tropes in the story. The protagonists refuse to split up when they fight an ancient witch in a decrepit house in the climax. They mock the idea of splitting up and going off in different directions – a common one in horror – as a virtual death sentence. Alien People plays on the trope of alien invasion. Aliens coming to Earth are usually portrayed as sinister. I took the opposite approach and explore what happens if the humans on Earth are actually on the villainous side of things.

Alexis: Interesting! I’ve always hated the “evil aliens” trope. I find it sort of xenophobic. Whatever aliens are out there, I imagine that they’ll have good and bad about them, as well as their own interests.

Who is your favorite character in your book? What do you like about them?

John Coon: I have a soft spot in my heart for Calandra and Xttra, the protagonists in my upcoming sci-fi novel Alien People. I love Calandra's hopeful optimism. She always finds a way to overcome any obstacle while retaining a joyful energy that defines her. I also love Xttra's confidence and loyalty. He remains cool under pressure and he is definitely someone who, once in your corner, will weather the storm with you.  These are qualities I aspire to create within myself.

Alexis: I think optimism and hope are underestimated these days. It’s good to have characters who aren’t grimdark or mopey all the time.

What do you like to do other than read or write? Do you have any interesting hobbies?

John Coon: I enjoy being outdoors. I love to go hiking and explore remote trails. I always bring along a camera so I can capture images of wildlife I encounter or cool landscapes. I also enjoy watching sports. That makes tons of sense with my day job being a sports reporter. Football and basketball are my favorites. 

Tell us about a mystery/urban legend from your hometown (or another place you’ve lived).

John Coon: When I wrote Pandora Reborn, my debut novel, one source of inspiration for the original idea was folklore involving a lost gold mine in my hometown of Kamas. Thomas Rhoads, one of the original settlers of that region, was shown the location of a sacred gold mine by a Ute Native American tribe in the area. Rhoads was allowed to take gold for the purpose of financing the construction of the Salt Lake Temple on the condition he revealed the location to no one else. When Rhoads died, knowledge of the mine's whereabouts died with him. Many people have searched the Uinta Mountains for many years, trying to locate the mine. Some have died in the attempt, leading to legends that the mine is cursed. While pondering what could cause a mine to be cursed, the image of a witch sealed inside a treasure chest popped into my mind. It formed the basis of the story that eventually became Pandora Reborn. 

Alexis: I love it when local legends and stories inspire books. It tends to make the story more unique ad original, instead of another version of “the chosen one will save us all.”

What TV shows/Movies do you like to watch or stream? 

John Coon: Anyone who knows me in real life can tell you that I am a devoted fan of The Simpsons. I've seen every episode countless times. I tend to like shows that were popular when I was in my teens and 20s more the current offerings. Some other favorites include Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Stargate SG-1. I do like The Mandalorian among current TV shows. As far as movies go, I enjoy a wide spectrum of genres. My all-time favorite remains Raiders of the Lost Ark. I also enjoy the Star Wars movies, Back to the Future, and a host of other films. 

Alexis: I’m a huge fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The Mandalorian as well.

What’s your favorite animal?

John Coon: Big cats rank at the top of the list for me. Lions. Tigers. Panthers. They are so fun to watch in the wild and really are beautiful and majestic creatures. I generally like most animals. That's probably why my sci-fi stories tend to feature all sorts of Earth or extraterrestrial animals at one point or another in the narrative. 

Do you have pet(s)? If so, share a picture of your pet!

John Coon: I don't have a pet of my own per se, but one of my Dad's cats is like a surrogate pet. Her name is Chloe. I rescued her when she was a month-old abandoned kitten. Dad adopted her and she lives in his house with him. Chloe turns six years old in September and is probably the sweetest little cat I've ever been around. She has brought tons of happiness to my life.  

Chloe, John Coon’s favorite rescue kitty

Chloe, John Coon’s favorite rescue kitty

What advice do you have for other writers or people just getting started in writing?

John Coon: Don't give up on your dreams. No one else can share your stories except you. Find your voice and refine your craft. You will encounter critics along the way who will work to discourage you from writing. Never give them permission to impede your journey as a writer. 

Alexis: I think it is important to keep going with any dream, even if you face criticism and setbacks. We all start from somewhere, and we just need to keep on learning and writing.

Do you like Greek/Roman/Norse/Asian/African mythology or folklore? What’s your favorite myth? 

John Coon: Myths and folklore are a treasure trove for sparking new story ideas or embellishing existing ones. I love how they tell stories to explain natural phenomena that was otherwise unexplainable to cultures and races lacking advanced scientific and technical knowledge. I'm most familiar with Greek and Roman myths, but I like searching out ones from less prominent ancient cultures. It gives some valuable insight into what made those ancient societies tick. 

Alexis: I agree. I think the stories we tell ourselves are a huge part of what makes us who we are. I don’t think you can really understand another culture or another person without listening to their stories.

If you write scifi, what technology or innovations or scientific discoveries have inspired your work?

John Coon: I'm always fascinated by prototypes and concept designs for near-future technology. They have helped me formulate believable technology for distant planets in my stories. In Alien People, for example, the main characters use a personal transport vehicle known as an aerorover on their planet Lathos. It is based off a concept design for a hybrid car/personal airplane I saw in a tech magazine article. The vehicle was built similar to a car, but featured collapsible wings that could be extended after the engine was started to allow short-distance flights. My advanced technology in my stories are typically rooted in these real-world experimental designs. 

author photo.jpg

Learn More About John Coon!

Everyone can check out my author website to get all the latest news on my novels and short stories. I also offer occasional blog posts on writing related topics. 

Books: Pandora Reborn and Under a Fallen Sun

Social Media: Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
I also maintain author pages on Amazon, Goodreads, and Bookbub.

Interview with Science Fiction and Fantasy Author M. G. Velasco

M. G. Velsaco and I are in a writing group together, so I got to read some of his book Cardslinger before it came out!

Tell us about yourself! What would you like readers to know about you?

M. G. Velasco: Hello! I'm a children's book writer out of the Dallas area, a husband to an amazing wife, and dad to a couple of extraordinary teens. I have a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and worked in a pathology lab before I became an author. Shout out to all the lab and med techs helping battle coronavirus!

Alexis: I always think that having a background in science helps people write vivid and realistic sci-fi!

I understand that you had an agent who sold your first book, Cardslinger. But this person did some offensive things on Twitter, so you left. Could you talk about exactly what happened and why you chose to leave?

M.G. Velasco: Here's the Publisher's Weekly story about it: Three Agents Resign After Red Sofa Literary Owner's Tweet

I was late to everything, reading a tweet about the first agent who quit Red Sofa. From there, I scoured all the threads relating to the incident. Shocked and confused, I reached out to a couple of writers from the agency. Later, my ex-agent's response to the backlash wasn't good and made a difficult choice more obvious. Still, it was a sad decision to make.

Alexis: Yes, I can imagine how hard it would be to walk away. I’m glad you took a stand for what you believe in, though. I also found another writer’s perspective for anyone who want to know more.

Are you planning on looking for another agent? Is your agent’s company or business doing anything to help you?

M. G. Velasco: Definitely. It's back to querying! 

If you are planning to look for an agent in the future, what would you want them to know about you?

M.G. Velasco: I have experience now and a better understanding of publishing. I'm a decent person and will make deadlines.

Who is your favorite character in your book? What do you like about them? (or, which character do you hate most and why)

M.G. Velasco: Atalanta. She has a nice arc and many epic moments. Really though, she kicks ass.

Cardslinger, by M. G. Velasco

Cardslinger, by M. G. Velasco

What are you doing to de-stress during the pandemic? Is there any coping mechanism you’d recommend (or NOT recommend)?

M. G. Velasco: I try not to watch the news or wallow in social media. There was a point, though, that I had to stay current of the goings on in the world otherwise I would get super anxious. Mostly, I'll occupy myself by writing, gaming, or exercising. Now, if you're sitting at your desk all day writing (or working because of stay-at-home orders), I would suggest taking at least one break to foam roll. Get a full-size, solid foam roller and do thoracic stretches. The little pops and crackles from the movements feel awesome and rejuvenating. Your back will thank you, and because you won't feel like crap, you'll probably increase your word count and improve your writing.

Alexis: It’s ironic that you wrote about the foam roll, because my husband just bought me one. I have a lot of back pain (the downside of being a classical musician), and the foam roll along with lots of yoga has definitely helped my back.

What TV shows/Movies do you like to watch or stream?

M. G. Velasco: Recently, my family and I have watched Community and The Good Place. My favorite show from the last few years is The Expanse. Amazing sci-fi with amazing characters. Drummer for life, sasa ke? I binged Watchmen when HBO made it free to watch. God-tier! Early in my writing life, I wanted to be a movie screenwriter. I can't wait to see Tenet and the new Dune.

Alexis: I love Community, and I need to watch the last season of The Good Place. Right now, I’m binge watching Person of Interest, which is sort of a spy thriller/detective show with a scifi premise. I keep meaning to watch the Expanse, because I loved the first season, but it feels like a very intense show, so I’m waiting to watch it when I’m in a happier place.

Do you like playing video games? What’s your favorite game right now? Has a video game ever influenced you as a writer? 

M. G. Velasco: I grew up in the 80's and got caught up in the craze, only hitting pause on video gaming during the PS2/xbox era. Got a PS3 and haven't really stopped since, still loving arcades, home systems, and PC gaming. My favorite game right now is Final Fantasy VII Remake. I played a lot of Red Dead Redemption while writing early drafts of CARDSLINGER. It helped me stay enthusiastic about writing a Western. The details in that game are amazing. The music's great, too. Same with RDR2 while I was revising. The writing in those games is tops.

Alexis: When I’m playing certain games, I always think that stories they tell are really something special. There’s a incredible amount of art in a well done video game, and I wish more people would recognize that.

Do you like playing board games or role playing games like D&D? If so, which games do you like best?

M. G. Velasco: Board games take up a lot of shelf space in my house, although I would say my collection is small compared to others. Playing tabletop games is one of my favorite ways to spend time with my family. Although we might break out a heavy game or two, we mostly stick to medium-weight or light party games that allow for joking around. I still try to crush everybody, though, because I respect my family too much to take it easy on them. Current favorites are Wingspan, Root, and Terraforming Mars. I also have a "small" pile of Magic: The Gathering cards and a few janky, homemade decks. CARDSLINGER has a fictional collectible card game at its core, and it's because of my love of MtG. I even made promos of most of the characters as game trading cards! Also, I went 3 for 3 at the last MtG event, so yeah, I'm not bad. Lol 

Alexis: Haha, I actually tried to get a copy of Wingspan before quarantine, but it was all sold out! I used to play Magic: The Gathering, but it’s been years and I was never a very serious player. We’ve been playing Scattergories and Jackbox with friends online though, and that’s been very fun.

What advice do you have for other writers or people just getting started in writing?

M. G. Velasco: I'm going to steal this from Neil Gaiman: "Just write." If you have that story bubbling inside, don't wait for inspiration, don't worry about perfection, and don't worry about what anyone else thinks. Put that sucker down on paper, on screen, whatever, and write to The End. Oh, and read. 

Alexis: I know it can be so hard to write regularly or write everyday, especially if someone has a job and a family. But honestly, I know that I’m a better writer when I write more often. I have more ideas, I write faster, and I feel better about what I’m writing when I write everyday. It’s just so hard to keep it up when there’s so much to do and so many distractions.

How do you choose what books you want to read?

M. G. Velasco: I'll pick up a book for its premise and cover (yes, I love me some good cover art). I'll read the first few paragraphs to get a sense of the voice. If it hooks, I'll probably buy it or check it out from the library.

Do you like Greek/Roman/Norse/Asian/African mythology or folklore? What’s your favorite myth?

M. G. Velasco: Mythology plays a big role in CARDSLINGER in its plot and in the card game. The story is partly a reverse Odyssey, with some of the characters and monsters showing up in CARDSLINGER. Overall, I love the uniqueness yet similarity of all cultures' myths. They're a reflection of humanity. One Filipino folklore I remember being told as a kid was the story of Pina and why the Pineapple has a thousand eyes. Let just say this: Kids, do your chores or your mom will turn you into a fruit.

Alexis: I had never heard this myth before, so I had to look it up! Very interesting. I always think stories that parents clearly make up to scare children into being good are so funny (now that I’m old enough make up some of my own). It’s such a universal parent thing.

If you write scifi, what technology or innovations or scientific discoveries have inspired your work?

M. G. Velasco: I love everything that is space. Planets, stars, space flight. My work in progress, a scifi adventure, is filled with that goodness. I mixed in Newton's Laws of Motion and artificial intelligence. There's also some of the more fantastical stuff like giant robots, stealth suits, and flying billboards.

Alexis: I’m a huge fan of space as well. There’s something so inspiring yet terribly humbling about the vastness of space.

Science Fiction and Fantasy Author M. G. Velasco, interviewed by Alexis Lantgen of Lunarianpress.com

Science Fiction and Fantasy Author M. G. Velasco, interviewed by Alexis Lantgen of Lunarianpress.com

Learn More About M. G. Velasco

Thanks for having me on your blog, Alexis! It was a nice way to reflect on my writing and on being an author. Here's my website: www.mgvelasco.com and twitter: @Velasco_MG

Y'all can find CARDSLINGER at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and bookshop.org.

Please, check out this review by American Library Association's Booklist: CARDSLINGER

Interview with Artist and Fantasy Author Sarah Mensinga

My next interview is with my good friend Sarah Mensinga, a brilliant science fiction and fantasy writer and artist.

Tell us about yourself! What would you like readers to know about you?

Sarah Mensinga: I'm a professional artist who loves telling stories. I write novels, picture books, and sometimes comics. I have two books officially out in the world; Currently, an aqua fantasy novel about a girl who teams up with criminals to rescue her best friend/true love, and The Box, a story about children wondering what’s inside a mysterious box. I share lots of goodies on my website too. Right now you can find a free graphic novel there, a short comic, and downloadable coloring pages. As for future books, I’m in the final stages of editing my next novel which is a YA fantasy about a girl with unusual powers. I’m also revising a Middle Grade sci-fi ghost story, and I have three new picture books in the works, too.

Alexis: Wow! It’s amazing to me how much creativity and dedication you have, and how many projects you’re working on at any given time. I can’t wait to read your future books.

What are some tropes of fiction in your genre that you love/hate?

Sarah Mensinga: I love an odd couple. I think the dynamics created by opposite personality types or opposing perspectives can breathe life into almost any story or scene. There’s nothing more fun than two characters who have to work together despite their differences. Think Thor and Loki, Pinky and the Brain, or Sokka and Katara. So fun.

As for tropes I dislike, I’m not a huge fan of writers using the “hero’s journey” as a plot structure. I always groan inwardly when I spot it in movies and books (“Oh gee, here’s the mentor.” “Ugh, this is the resurrection moment.”) It’s not that I don’t think it works, it can, it just seems like riding a bike with training wheels, and I think it limits storytellers. It can also feel formulaic. Besides, there are so many other types of plots out there, and I think the best stories are not boxed in by invisible rules an author thinks they need to follow. We’re writers! We should be fearless and inventive! The most recent book I read, The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin, had a wonderfully unpredictable plot structure. I don’t even want to say what makes it so great because that would be a spoiler. Just go read it and be delighted.

Alexis: I do love odd couples! Even in the original Norse myths, Thor and Loki play off each other in such fun and interesting ways. As for the hero’s journey—it can get tiresome. It’s like “farm boy saves the world” which is also in so many fantasy books. Just once, could maybe the expert scientist or the quiet old woman save the world?

Who is your favorite character in your book? What do you like about them? (or, which character do you hate most and why)

Sarah Mensinga: In my novel, Currently, my favorite character is Melily. She is initially an antagonist to my main character, Nerene, although their relationship becomes more positive as the story progresses. When I first came up with the book’s concept, I thought Melily might be my main character. She’s a siren with the power to compel others to do whatever she wants. It seemed to me that she would probably be a very selfish person with warped morals. As I developed the story, though, I thought readers might not stick around for such a badly behaved character, so I gave her a companion who was immune to her power. That companion, Nerene, ended up being the main character of the book. And I found writing Nerene to be very fascinating, too… what would it be like to be an average person surrounded by people with dangerous, superhuman powers? Could you ever really trust them, even if they claimed to have your best interests at heart? The underlying theme of Currently is definitely that power corrupts.

Currently by Sarah Mensinga

Currently by Sarah Mensinga

What are you doing to de-stress during the pandemic? Is there any coping mechanism you’d recommend (or NOT recommend)?

Sarah Mensinga: I’ve been lucky in that I haven’t been that stressed. In turbulent times, I’m the type of person who feels safest when I’m holed up someplace with all my loved ones. So in many ways, having to quarantine was a relief. I would have been a lot more stressed if my kids had been expected to still go to school or if my husband still had to work in his office. My kids have pretty low-key, independent personalities, too, so they’ve handled the quarantine fairly well. That’s not to say it still isn’t hard some days, though. We all miss casual outings. We’re missing our annual summer trip to see extended family in Canada. We miss seeing friends (like you, Alexis!) But in the grand scheme of things, I know we have it pretty good, and I’m thankful. When my family does feel stressed, we go for walks on the park trail near our house, play board games or the Sims, or work our way through TV shows. Right now we’re watching the Clone Wars and Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts. We also really enjoyed watching Legomasters together as well as all the Marvel movies.

Alexis: We miss seeing you, too! I think I just miss all the fun parts of summer that we can’t have because of Covid 19—zoo trips, museum trips, splash parks, swimming lessons. We’ve had some fun exploring our own backyard a little though, and seeing the baby bunnies was definitely a highlight of the summer so far. My little girl also loves Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, and we’re finally watching Avatar: the Last Airbender.

What do you like to do other than read or write? Do you have any interesting hobbies?

Sarah Mensinga: Because I’ve had a lot of illustration freelance work lately, writing is still my hobby when it comes to how I spend my free time. But I have several “aspirational hobbies”, and what I mean by that is that I don’t actually invest time in them, but I like to think I someday will. I dream of gardening more and playing music on my very neglected keyboard. I’d also like to cook & bake more, but that’s tricky. My kids are picky eaters, and my husband can’t eat gluten or dairy, so finding food that everyone likes and everyone can digest is a challenge. Our go-to, most delicious meals at the moment are sauerkraut and sausages (getting high-quality German sausages are key here), and Grandma’s Soup… which is a traditional Dutch soup much like this one. We also have a killer lentil stew recipe (the secret ingredient is blackstrap molasses!) and I regularly make something we uncreatively call “broccoli-sausage-meal” which is a yummy mixture of gluten-free pasta, steamed broccoli, bulk Italian sausage, and Parmesan cheese. I’ve been campaigning to call it “Brocamazing” but I’ve sadly been voted down.

Alexis: Cooking is definitely one of the ways I’ve been coping with Covid 19. Bread of all kinds, fancy tarts, ad I even made cream puffs. There are some amazing gluten-free recipes they make on the Great British Baking Show, by the way. They usually have at least one episode per season that has gluten-free, dairy-free cooking (though not usually both of those things).

Tell us about a mystery/urban legend from your hometown (or another place you’ve lived).

Sarah Mensinga: There were no urban legends (that I knew of, anyway) where I grew up in Etobicoke, Ontario. But I did spend a summer drawing caricatures at Canada’s Wonderland (which is a lot like Six Flags). Our boss had worked at the park for ages, and he told us all sorts of horror stories about people dying on rides and drowning in the park’s fake waterfall. Who knows if what he said was true, but it made my late night walks to the employee parking lot much creepier.

The Box by Sarah Mensinga

The Box by Sarah Mensinga

Do you like playing board games or role playing games like D&D? If so, which games do you like best?

Sarah Mensinga: My husband and kids are big fans of role-playing games, and although I like them too, I love board games and card games even better. My parents enjoy tabletop games too, so I grew up playing Uno, Scattgories, Balderdash, Pictionary, and Euchre. Now I play games like Carcassonne, Azul, Mysterium (which is a creative combination of Dixit & Clue), and Lords of Waterdeep (which appears to be complicated but is simpler than it seems.) I think the best board games have a good balance of luck and strategy. That way the game is interesting, but no single player can dominate too easily. I also think the mark of a great tabletop game is gameplay that’s so engaging you have fun whether you win or lose; Code Names is a good example of that.

Alexis: Code Names is an awesome game. I can’t wait to have game nights again. My family always loved Trivial Pursuit, which explains why I know random facts about the 1980’s.

What advice do you have for other writers or people just getting started in writing?

Sarah Mensinga: Join a critique group. There are many aspects of writing novels that don’t come easily, even if you are a natural storyteller, such as point-of-view, how to handle exposition, how to edit such large manuscripts, etc. A good writing group will help you identify and solve problems in your manuscript, and hopefully also inspire and encourage you too. Writing can be a lonely endeavor so connecting with other writers is important and definitely makes writing more fun. I’ve been lucky to be a part of several writing groups over the years, and I’ve worked with many writers online, too. My favorite social writing events have been when I’ve spent weekends writing with friends.

Learn More About Sarah Mensinga!

Books: Currently, The Box, and Shimmerdark

Find me at http://www.sarahmensinga.com/

Instagram: @sarah_mensinga

Twitter: @sarahmensinga

Interview with Science Fiction Writer and YouTuber Bryce Parker

My latest interview is with science fiction writer and YouTuber Bryce Parker, of Our Unobservable Universe.

Tell us about yourself! What would you like readers to know about you?

Bryce Parker: I got into science fiction when I watched Star Wars: A New Hope on VHS. I was four or five then, and I’ve been writing sci-fi stories ever since. Currently, I’m working on a series of sci-fi flash fiction stories that I read and turn into short videos on YouTube. It’s a unique way to showcase my writing and it has been quite fun to make the accompanying videos. 

Alexis: That does sound fun and interesting. A friend of mine made a simple video of one of my short stories, and I loved it!

What book or books have most influenced you as a writer?

Bryce Parker: Red Mars, Green Mars, and Blue Mars should be required reading in schools. I read Kim Stanley Robinsons’ landmark trilogy in college and my writing hasn’t been the same since. His books distill the elements of good science fiction writing in a way that really clicked for me. There’s so much scientific detail in those books and it’s backed up with a strong narrative that spans centuries. 

What are some tropes of fiction in your genre that you love/hate? Why?

Bryce Parker: This doesn’t just apply to science fiction, I see it in almost every genre, but I must say that I am not a fan of stories that justify abuses of power by their main characters. I don’t understand why writers have their stories treat things like warrant-less searches and torture as no big deal as long as the bad guy gets caught. Stories that do this normalize violence against civilians and give cover to those in power who commit real life atrocities.

Alexis: Agreed. Especially in times like these, when we’ve seen such vivid evidence of the abuses of power that police and government will wield against ordinary people.

What do you like to do other than read or write? Do you have any interesting hobbies?

Bryce Parker: I’ve made a lot of short films and that was one of the reasons that I decided to make my flash fiction stories into videos. I haven’t made any traditional short films in a while, but I might start again once the pandemic is over. For now, I’ll stick to my writing.  I also have a fondness for pixel art. I’m not great at it, but you’ll find me posting my pixelly doodles on twitter from time to time. 

What’s your favorite animal?

Bryce Parker: There are so many great animals on our planet that it’s impossible to say which is my favorite. Tragically, humans are responsible for the extinction of some of the best: including the thylacine (Australia’s apex predator), Steller's Sea Cow (giant manatee from Alaska), and the Chinese Giant Paddlefish (big weird fish). We’ve got to do better at not killing all the coolest creatures on our planet. 

What advice do you have for other writers or people just getting started in writing?

Bryce Parker: Think about how you can present your writing. Not every story works best as a book, you could take your dialogue heavy manuscript and turn it into a video game visual novel, a podcast, or even a theatrical play. The possibilities are endless.  The point is that if you can come up with a cool way to present your work you might find a new audience. 

If you write scifi, what technology or innovations or scientific discoveries have inspired your work?

Bryce Parker: Any discoveries about the planets and moons of our solar system can inspire me to write a story. Recently, I got super interested in the methane lakes on Titan and, after a bunch of research, I wrote a flash fiction piece on it. Thank you NASA, astronomers, and astrophysicists for all your hard work!

Science Fiction Writer and YouTuber Bryce Parker, interviewed by Alexis Lantgen at Lunarianpress.com

Science Fiction Writer and YouTuber Bryce Parker, interviewed by Alexis Lantgen at Lunarianpress.com

Review: Blood Child and Other Stories by Octavia Butler

I’ve been meaning to read Octavia Butler’s books for a while now. She’s one of the great masters of science fiction, and I think it’s important for writers to read the greats of their genres. I also think it’s necessary now more than ever for everyone to read books by diverse authors, and Octavia Butler is also one of the first black women to become famous for writing science fiction. So I recently bought a copy of Blood Child and Other Stories, to check out some of Butler’s short fiction.

In the forward to her book, Butler writes that she doesn’t consider herself much of a short story writer, but I think she must be being incredibly modest or her novels must blow your socks off. These are some of the most powerful, shocking (in a good way), and imaginative science fiction short stories I’ve ever read. It’s hard to put into words how radical and incredible her ideas are. To much science fiction reads like badly updated Star Wars or Star Trek novels (I mean, I loved Star Wars, but I don’t think most people really improve it much with their thinly veiled rip offs). In stories like the titular “Blood Child” or “Amnesty,” Butler depicts aliens in an entirely original and unique way. And the relationships she imagines between humans and aliens are complex, fraught, and uncomfortable in ways that are alternately hopeful and horrifying. It’s hard to explain without giving too much of the stories away, but it’s incredibly powerful and unlike any other science fiction I’ve read.

Blood Child and Other Stories by Octavia Butler, reviewed by Alexis Lantgen of Lunarianpress.com

Blood Child and Other Stories by Octavia Butler, reviewed by Alexis Lantgen of Lunarianpress.com

Other stories that vividly stand out to me are “Speech Sounds” and “The Evening, the Morning, and the Night,” both of which refer to pandemics. They hit home (also, I heavily suspect that at some point “Speech Sounds” was the inspiration for the movie Bird Box—some of the parallels are too uncanny). “The Evening, the Morning, and the Night” explores the concept of not trusting your own mind and the fear that genetic diseases like Huntington’s or Alzheimer’s, with a terrible homicidal/suicidal twist. Yet, for whatever terrors both of these stories inspire, in the end, they have hope.

One of the things I loved about all of Butler’s stories is how many of them had hope even in desperate and nightmarish scenarios. While I haven’t yet read Butler’s novels, I know that one of her most famous, Kindred, explores the horrors of slavery. I wonder if stories like “Amnesty” aren’t influenced by this historical awareness, the understanding that many people survive even the most unimaginably horrifying situations. The understanding that to a certain extent, losing a war against aliens is only the beginning. After that, we can find a way to survive, or not.

I’d highly recommend this book to anyone who loves science fiction or cares about the future. The book also has two essays that writers, especially science fiction writers or writers of color, should read. Her writing advice is thoughtful and usable. And her stories are mind-blowing, visceral, and incredibly powerful.

What good is science fiction’s thinking about the present, the future, and the past? What good is its tendency to warn or to consider alternative ways of thinking and doing? What good is its examination of the possible effects of science and technology, or social and political direction? At its best, science fiction stimulates imagination and creativity. It gets reader and writer off the beaten track, off the narrow, narrow, footpath of what “everyone” is saying, doing , thinking—whoever “everyone” tends to be this year.

—Octavia Butler, “Positive Obsession,” from Blood Child and Other Stories

Interview with Science Fiction Writer and Poet Shaine Greenwood

My next author interview is with writer and poet Shaine Greenwood, author of Faces & Other Poems.

Tell us about yourself! What would you like readers to know about you?

Shaine Greenwood: There are milestones in my life that have shaped me: I have been homeless more than once. I have lived a vagabond life—which isn’t as romantic as Kerouac made it out to be. Before that, I was an academic with a Linguistics (Near East studies) and English double-major. I’ve wandered and now I’m settled. I embrace both lifestyles. I think that shows up in my work.

Alexis: I was never quite a vagabond, but I was a starving artist (or in my case, a starving musician), and that was also not nearly as romantic as people make it out to be.

What book or books have most influenced you as a writer?

Shaine Greenwood: Big Kurt Vonnegut fan, love Slaughter-House Five and Breakfast of Champions. Song of Solomon (Toni Morrison) has been extremely influential to me. That book showed me how powerful fiction can be. How fiction can cut through reality like a knife and reveal truths. Infinite Jest (David Foster Wallace) showed me how wild and expansive one can take writing as not just a discipline, but a philosophy. The Namesake (Jhumpra Lahiri) was the first book that demonstrated to me the power of exposition. How a writer can pick at the reader until they’re forced to feel something in the spaces between dialogue. 

Alexis: I also love Kurt Vonnegut, though I’ve never read Breakfast of Champions. Mother Night haunts me to this day, though, and I love Slaughter-House Five. I also loved Song of Solomon and The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. I never read David Foster Wallace or Jhumpra Lahiri, but I hope to get around to them someday.

What are some tropes of fiction in your genre that you love/hate? Why?

Shaine Greenwood: The biggest trope in fiction, one that I hate, is the perpetual sex, gender identity, and racial disparagement we see. A lot of literature is whitewashed. Popular fiction is mostly written for white people, by white people. I’m not saying that white people need to go out and put a non-white MC in every one of their stories, but we as writers need to reflect deeply about why most of the faces in our stories are white—then make a change!

A general trope that I support is romance in non-romantic fiction. When done well, it’s a great way to humanize people. We all seek varying kinds of connection and most of us desire intimate bonds with other people. (It’s OK if people don’t want intimate relationships as well, and we should think about writing people like that into our stories.) Some people are against romance in non-romantic stories, and I think that’s because it typically builds on the stale tactics of the hero always winning the heart of the person who was out of everyone else’s league, so to speak. Love is such a varied and nuanced concept, that when we rely on the old trope, we fail to do what we as writers wanted to do in the first place: make our character seem more real.

Alexis: I definitely agree that too much literature is whitewashed. It’s racist, and it’s also dishonest and unrealistic. Look at the world around you! Especially in science fiction, why would you imagine a world where people of color don’t exist?

Who is your favorite character in your book? What do you like about them? (or, which character do you hate most and why)

Shaine Greenwood: No novel, but I’ve got some short stories that I’ve published online and some that I’m currently working on. Here’s a beautiful bullet-pointed list:

Currently Published Online

  • The Manufactured: I love the printed person in this. I layered a lot of subliminal concepts into this (not giving people names until the end, as one example), but putting that all aside...the struggle and discovery that the printed person goes through was uplifting and cathartic for me.

  • Coffee, Robots, and Walt Whitman: This was a story I wrote when I was 14, that I edited it in my late twenties. It’s dear to me in a unique half-nostalgic, half-self-deprecating way. I love the “mechanic” in that story. I put “mechanic” in quotes because they’re more than they seem. *Queue spooky music.*

Works in Progress

  • Atmosphere: I love both Simone and Citlali in this. Without spoiling too much, Citlali illegally charters a ship to a dangerous, quarantined planet to save her wife Simone, who with her crew became MIA for months.

  • Untitled “trapped in apartment” story: This is about someone who is trapped in their apartment due to a countrywide chemical gas accident. I actually started writing this short story before the pandemic but I put it down because it was bumming me out due to our actual pandemic. I was to a part where the main character gets a cat shipped to them unexpectedly, and well, I really love that cat.

What are you doing to de-stress during the pandemic? Is there any coping mechanism you’d recommend (or NOT recommend)?

Shaine Greenwood: I’m introverted, but still want to maintain connections with the few people (by choice) that are dear to me. I’m also catching up on a lot of reading and writing projects. Most importantly, I’m taking time to rest when I don’t feel motivated. I would not recommend excessive drinking of alcoholic beverages at this time. I’m trying to fight the one drink a day or so that I might have into several drinks to “destress.”

Alexis: I’ve also been glad to have the chance to do more reading.

What do you like to do other than read or write? Do you have any interesting hobbies?

Shaine Greenwood: I paint. I painted the book cover for Faces and Other Poems. I’m trying to practice my painting techniques for more realistic concept art so that I can paint all of my covers. I’m also practicing French and soon I’m going to try and learn German.

Alexis: I’m always impressed with people who paint and do other artwork. My mother is an artist, and she does painting quite a bit. I also think it’s great to learn new languages. I studied Latin and French in school, but I haven’t kept them up very well. I’ve also learned a smattering of Spanish, but I really want to learn more.

Tell us about a mystery/urban legend from your hometown (or another place you’ve lived).

Shaine Greenwood: I live in Seattle. Our big urban legend and unofficial Seattle mascot is the Sasquatch, or Bigfoot. An ape-like creature that frequents the forests of Washington. It’s likely that people are misidentifying bears and bear paw prints as Sasquatch tracks. Loggers have claimed to bear witness (pun intended) to Sasquatch for many years, but no substantial evidence can be found on their existence.

How do you choose what books you want to read?

Shaine Greenwood: Mood. Sometimes I want to explore futurist ideas in scifi, sometimes I want to be informed and wowed by reality in nonfiction, sometimes I crave the humanity and call to think deeply about myself and the world around me, so I’ll read poetry or some of the great 18th and 19th century literature out there. It all depends on my mood at the time.

Alexis: That’s interesting. I also like reading widely, including nonfiction and poetry. I especially love Ancient Greek and Roman poets.

Do you like Greek/Roman/Norse/Asian/African mythology or folklore? What’s your favorite myth? 

Shaine Greenwood: I majored in linguistics in college, which means a lot of history for my specific field of study. I have a deep fascination with Mesopotamian stories, such as the Epic of Gilgamesh. These are the first stories written by human beings, not passed through word of mouth alone, and they’re filled with such spirit and creativity, such wonder and at the same time they capture the bonds of friendship and the despair of death.

Alexis: I’m also fascinated with the Epic of Gilgamesh. I’ve tried to write a novel set in that world, but it never quite took off. I do have one short story that was inspired by it, though, and maybe someday I’ll find a way to finish or re-write the novel.

If you write Scifi, what technology or innovations or scientific discoveries have inspired your work?

Shaine Greenwood: I think the idea of interplanetary travel (with what Space X is doing) is my inspiration to write Atmosphere, my scifi short story (work in progress).

My muse for writing The Manufactured is the research into printing 3D organs for transplants, and—of course—Frankenstein. My original story actually involved a brain transplant and the printed person’s moral dilemma with someone else being murdered to give them life, but I couldn’t really fit all of that into the story without it being extremely long...so I cut it.

Learn More About Shaine Greenwood

Book: Faces and Other Poems

Medium: https://medium.com/@neutrinoburrito

Twitter: https://twitter.com/neutrinoburrito

Interview with Science Fiction and Fantasy Author Kellie Doherty

My next interview is with science fiction and fantasy writer Kellie Doherty, author of Finding Hekate, Losing Hold, and Sunkissed Flowers and Severed Ties.

Tell us about yourself! What would you like readers to know about you?

Kellie Doherty: Hi there! Thanks for having me today. My name is Kellie Doherty. I’m a science fiction and fantasy author who lives in Alaska. I’m an office assistant by day, a freelance editor by night, and an author literally all the time. (Seriously, I was stuffing envelopes earlier this week for my day-job and brainstorming story ideas at the same time.) Readers should know I am a champion for diversifying the publishing industry. As a queer lady, I never really saw myself—a shy bi girl—in the books that I read, not as a teen or as an adult. There are more queer characters in stories today, but I feel like there could be more positive representation. So all the stories I write have queer female main characters. I write adult fiction currently—novels, short stories, flash fiction, and even some poetry! 

Alexis: Awesome! I think it’s wonderful to have more diverse books. I’m a teacher in my day job, and I’m always delighted to find great books that have good representation for all my students to read (or my daughter, who’s a burgeoning reader). Also, I was actually born in Alaska (though I live in Texas now), so I’m glad to interview someone who’s living in my home state!


Who is your favorite character in your book? What do you like about them? (or, which character do you hate most and why)

Kellie Doherty: Ooo, interesting question! It’s so unfair, though, like asking a mom to pick her favorite kid! I love all of my main characters so I can’t possible pick between them. From my secondary characters, I’d have to say my favorite in Sunkissed Feathers & Severed Ties has to be Roorik Shadowhunt. He’s a late addition who swoops in at the end of the book, and he’s simply fabulous. A glorious gay ex-banished-one-turned-fabric-dyer who helps the heroes in their time of need. He’s also one of my favs because I grabbed the inspiration from Critical Role. (Anyone who knows Shaun Gilmore, knows the energy Roorik would give off.) From Finding Hekate, one of my favorite characters is Cassidy Gates, the first mate. She’s sweet, sees the good in everything, and always tries to help out. But cross this lesbian lady and she’ll shoot you clear off the bridge! I had a reader compare her to Kaylee from Firefly, which made me so giddy I danced around my apartment. 

Alexis: Exciting! I loved Firefly, and Kaylee was one of my favorite characters (I actually dressed as Kaylee for Halloween one year).

Sunkissed Feathers and Severed Ties by Kellie Doherty, Interview by Alexis Lantgen of Lunarianpress.com

Sunkissed Feathers and Severed Ties by Kellie Doherty, Interview by Alexis Lantgen of Lunarianpress.com

What are you doing to de-stress during the pandemic? Is there any coping mechanism you’d recommend (or NOT recommend)?

Kellie Doherty: Reading is a lovely way to de-stress for me anytime but especially during this pandemic. I read science fiction and fantasy, so those stories take me into a completely different world. Right now I’m reading the Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon. If you haven’t taken a stab at her seriously enormous book—It could’ve been broken into a trilogy easily!—I’d recommend it. Her descriptions are truly amazing. When not reading, I play video games (Minecraft is my current obsession right now) and take walks outside since it’s been super gorgeous here in the Land of the Midnight Sun. I also write to de-stress, as it’s nice to sink into a world full of magic and wyverns and daggers. For others, coping mechanisms are specific to the person so if reading, writing, playing games, or walking outside sound like they’ll help, do them! If woodworking, knitting, or playing sports sounds like more your style, do that instead!

As for something I wouldn’t recommend: Binge watching too much TV every single day. No shade to anyone who does this—like I said earlier, each person will have specific coping mechanisms—but if I sit in front of the TV (or lets be real, YouTube on my computer) for too long, I tend to feel worse than I had before. I do love binge watching sometimes, though! Four hours of Critical Role and I’m golden, but I can’t do that every day, day after day or I’d feel crappy about it.

Alexis: I agree. I try to get out as much as I can, though it’s so hot and miserable here that it’s hard to be outside as much as I like. I do end up watching quite a bit of TV sometimes, but I try to limit it.

What do you like to do other than read or write? Do you have any interesting hobbies?

Kellie Doherty: See these kinds of questions make me realize I want to get more hobbies! I read, I write, I do freelance editing (but that’s more of a professional gig than a hobby). It’s amazing how much time those things take up, so around eighty percent of what I do in my personal time is centered on the book-ish world. And that’s not a bad thing! I love books. But a well-rounded person has to have other passions, too, so perhaps I should find some more of mine. I really like water aerobics (and honestly, just swimming in general) and Zumba. I’ve had the benefit of traveling extensively when I was younger since my parents loved to go on grand adventures. Actually, you know what, most of my friends will tell you that I’m a bit of a homebody but I think I would like to travel more! (As time and circumstances and viruses allow.) I’d like to go to Scotland. My mom went there last year and said it was gorgeous. And going back to Japan would be fun!

What’s your favorite animal?

Kellie Doherty: Cats of all kinds, big or little! House cats are so finicky and graceful, sassy and confident. They know when to chase after hair-ties and when to laze in the sunshine. It’s hilarious when they run around at dusk and dawn, meowing like little banshees or chattering at birds. Big cats are gorgeous and powerful. Sleek. Super fast. I always visit them when I go to the zoo. I even got to hold a lion cub once at the state fair; it bit my arm! (But it had baby teeth so it didn’t hurt at all.)

Alexis: I love cats! I have two right now, and they are the sweetest, most affectionate kitties. They’ve actually been thrilled that we’re staying home to avoid Covid 19—one of our cats just stays on my husband’s lap while he’s working.

Do you like playing board games or role playing games like D&D? If so, which games do you like best?

Kellie Doherty: I play D&D with some friends of mine from college, and I also play board games with my family. I really like the character creation and collaborative storytelling from D&D. (Drow cleric who used to be a tiefling here—my girl was reincarnated.) It’s an exciting way to spend a few hours, literally in someone else’s shoes for a bit, and the campaign we’re on is super interesting. We’re playing 5e right now and it’s the only version I’ve ever tried. As for board games, my family really likes playing Pandemic—which is terribly ironic these days but we always win—and Catan is always a solid pick. We also enjoy Sushi Go if we want a short game, and we recently learned a new card game called Garbage that sparked our fancy.

Alexis: We actually liked playing Pandemic, too, though we’ve avoided it lately. I’ve only played Catan once, but I thought it was fun. We were playing Scythe for a while, too, partly because we could play it online with our friends.

Do you have pet(s)? If so, share a picture of your pet!

Kellie Doherty: Yes, I have cats! (No shocker there, right?) I’ve had them as pets ever since I was a young child. My first was an adorable little butterball named Snowball, white as milk and super shy but who liked being in the same space as me. He wasn’t terribly huggable, but I liked to say his aura wanted to touch my aura. I now have two gorgeous black cats—Raven and Cinder. Raven was a rescue cat from a local shelter, and Cinder was from a litter. They’re both super cuddly, lap-cats all the way.

Alexis: They are adorable, and Raven and Cinder might be the some of the best black cat names I’ve ever heard!

Raven and Cinder, Kellie Doherty’s adorable kitties!

Raven and Cinder, Kellie Doherty’s adorable kitties!

Do you like Greek/Roman/Norse/Asian/African mythology or folklore? What’s your favorite myth? 

Kellie Doherty: Asian mythology has always fascinated me! One of my top five places to visit when I was younger was Japan and in 2014 I finally got to go. I’ve always loved the Japanese culture and food and people, and because of that for my fantasy book Sunkissed Feathers & Severed Ties, I brought some Japanese mythology into it. For example, the yokai are a class of supernatural monsters, spirits, and demons and there was one in particular that caught my eye: the enenra. It’s a creature composed of smoke and darkness that lives in bonfires and can only be seen by the pure of heart. I used this idea to create the eneeraa, a small smoke creature with eyes and claws. It’s quite fun to draw inspiration from unique sources, and while I do have semi-traditional European dragons in my books, I wanted to incorporate different mythology, too! 

Alexis: Interesting! I’ve never heard of an enenra, but it sounds like a very unique creature.

If you write scifi, what technology or innovations or scientific discoveries have inspired your work?

Kellie Doherty: I do write scifi—I have a scifi duology out right now, Finding Hekate and Losing Hold—but honestly, I tend to get my inspiration from other scifi works, like Star Trek, Firefly, Stargate, etc., rather than real-world instances. I do grab some inspiration from our tech, though, basic stuff like tablets and radios to more sophisticated holo-imaging. Oh, one thing I incorporated from our scientific discoveries is molecular gastronomy. I saw it on a cooking show—like where liquids can form semi-solid states—and I used that for planet-side water globules in Finding Hekate!

Alexis: You might be the first science fiction author I’ve interviewed to use molecular gastronomy as an inspiration!

Science Fiction and Fantasy Author Kellie Doherty, interviewed by Alexis Lantgen at Lunarianpress.com

Science Fiction and Fantasy Author Kellie Doherty, interviewed by Alexis Lantgen at Lunarianpress.com

Learn More About Kellie Doherty

Books: Finding Hekate, Losing Hold, and Sunkissed Flowers and Severed Ties

Author Website: http://kelliedoherty.com/

Publisher Website: https://desertpalmpress.com/

Social Media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram

Interview with Science Fiction Writer Brian Schutter

My next interview is with Science Fiction Writer Brian Schutter, the author of Titanborn.

Tell us about yourself! What would you like readers to know about you? 

Brian Schutter: Hello! I’m a scientist turned sci-fi author. I love exploring near future worlds and technologies, infusing them with my real world research experience and the knowledge of subject-matter experts from around the world. I believe that exploring where we will go can help us ask how to act now to write the future we want to see, rather than the one others have tried to write for us. 

What are some tropes of fiction in your genre that you love/hate? Why? 

Brian Schutter: I love the ‘lancer’ trope where an antagonist or anti-hero protagonist has a continual, personal beef with the protagonist. When done well, this character’s actions and pain can open a conversation on systemic abuses in their world. The most recent sci-fi/fantasy instance I’ve found is Catra in She-Ra. She had me hooked by the end of the first episode. 

Alexis: That is a trope that can be very interesting in the right hands! I do think that Catra is one of the most engaging and tragic characters on She-Ra. I always hoped that she and Scorpia would just run away and rule the wastelands together. But she’s never quite able to let go of her rage/love for Adora.

Who is your favorite character in your book? What do you like about them? (or, which character do you hate most and why) 

Brian Schutter: In Titanborn, I love and hate Lakshmi the most simultaneously. She was born from some of my favorite characters in comics/games/literature but also from abusive relationships I and close friends of mine have experienced. I love her continuous creative energy and absolutely hate the way she treats everyone. Needless to say, she’s been incredibly divisive among the fans too! 

What do you like to do other than read or write? Do you have any interesting hobbies? 

Brian Schutter: I love to hike and rock climb. It really helps regulate my anxiety and I’ve made lifelong friends while climbing indoors. I program in my free time and I’m always looking to learn skills that enable me to tell stories in new ways. I’m currently toying with the idea of making a Titanborn simulation game that covers all of the Titan colonization, up to the events of the book! 

I cosplayed for the first time with a group at Katsucon 2020, which was an absolute blast, and I’m excited to do more once this pandemic clears. Halloween is my favorite holiday, and I’ve dreamed of improving my ability to make amazing costumes for a long time. 

Alexis: I love hiking as well! I haven’t done much cosplay, but I do historical reenactment with my family, including Viking and Medieval costumes.

What TV shows/Movies do you like to watch or stream? 

Brian Schutter: Ghost in the Shell is an incredibly formative TV series for me. I still watch it, though I’m starting to feel like I’ve outgrown it a bit. Cowboy Bebop on the other hand, still lights up my imagination every time I watch it. 

The Venture Brothers has become my mainstay for re-watching when I need something in the background. I love the way it explores superhero/villain archetypes in a mundane setting. 

New TV I’m digging are She-Ra (which we are borderline binging through, haha) and the What We Do In The Shadows series. 

Alexis: Awesome! I’m obsessed with What We Do in the Shadows, and I enjoy She-Ra as well. I’m watching it with my daughter.

Titanborn by Brian Schutter

Titanborn by Brian Schutter

Do you like playing video games? What’s your favorite game right now? Has a video game ever influenced you as a writer? 

Brian Schutter: I play too many video games. Right now, I’m playing Stardew Valley with my partner (in part to have a virtual dog) and I just picked up Observer which is a surveillance state walking simulator (I love these kinds of games) set in near-future Russia. 

What advice do you have for other writers or people just getting started in writing? 

Brian Schutter: Talk to your support network and find ways they can help you. Writing is difficult and making writing fiction financially stable takes time and luck. The best thing you can do, in my opinion, is find and ask for help every step of the way. I firmly do not believe in the lone genius writer myth and have yet to find evidence to support it. 

Alexis: Agreed! I have some great writing friends and have belonged to a couple of writing groups, and without them I don’t know that I would have kept going. It’s so important to have support.

How do you choose what books you want to read? 

Brian Schutter: I’ll read the synopsis and generally I’ll know if I want to read it right then and there.  Stories with unique voices and settings grab me very easily. I like to be surprised and to have my biases and viewpoint challenged by what I read. I view reading as a way to travel to new places (especially impossible ones!) and meet people that I otherwise might not get to meet. 

Alexis: That’s one of the things I love about science fiction and fantasy—they so often have new and exciting people and other intelligences, and incredible places.

If you write scifi, what technology or innovations or scientific discoveries have inspired your work? 

Brian Schutter: Tons of stuff! My favorite technologies right now to work with are any form of mind or body altering modification. This can be electronic implants or genetic modification. - In a more general sense, I like to explore how technology shapes our lives, jobs, and communities. Drones, surveillance tech, and social media all fall into this category. 

Science Fiction Writer Brian Schutter, interviewed by Alexis Lantgen at Lunarianpress.com

Science Fiction Writer Brian Schutter, interviewed by Alexis Lantgen at Lunarianpress.com

Learn More About Brian Schutter

Book: Titanborn

Website: https://www.brianschutter.com/

Social Media: Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, and Medium