Cover Reveal for Technopaladin: Charity's Edge

Banner for the Cover Reveal of Technopaladin!

Clarity’s paladin order forbids her from entering the Azure District, the one location in her high tech city that refuses paladin rule and technology. When she receives an illicit invitation to violate the prohibition, spurred on by rumors of suffering in the district, she passes through the crumbling brick entryway into no-man’s land. Within, she finds the residents lack not only the ocular implants and three dimensional computers she takes for granted, but also medicine to fight a disease infecting the children.

Clarity knows her order isn’t perfect---after all, they stole her from her parents when she was a small child to raise her with their values---but she cannot believe they know what’s going on in the Azure District. When she confronts the head of the order, he refuses to aid people who have rejected his help in the past, even the children. Unwilling to take no for an answer, Clarity enlists the help of the leader’s son Cass and takes matters into her own hands.

Desperate both to cure the children and keep her place in the order that is her only home, Clarity engages in increasingly questionable behavior---deleting official records, lying to her friends, and manipulating people who can help her. As the nefarious nature of her actions tarnishes the purity of her cause, she must determine what it truly means to be a paladin, in both name and action.

Cover of Technopaladin by Elizabeth Corrigan

About Author Elizabeth Corrigan

Elizabeth Corrigan has degrees in English and psychology and has spent several years working as a data analyst in various branches of the healthcare industry. When she’s not hard at work on her next novel, Elizabeth enjoys playing tabletop role-playing games and cooperative card games. She refuses to watch most internet videos and is pathologically afraid of bees. She lives in Maryland with two cats and a very active iphone.

Social Media: Twitter and Facebook

Website: https://elizabethcorriganauthor.com/

Picture of Author Elizabeth Corrigan

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Interview with Science Fiction Writer Kristofor Hellmeister

My next interview is with Kristofor Hellmeister!

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

Kristofor Hellmeister: I'm an alien--a legal alien. I was born in Canada but have since moved all the way to a small town near Atlanta, GA. I live with my beautiful wife, Kristie, and my son, Maddox. We are actually expecting our second child—a baby boy—who will arrive in August. I enjoy reading science fiction, historical fiction, fantasy, military fiction, and nonfiction--especially history or leadership focused. When I'm not writing or reading, I am outside taming my backyard, or golfing with my brothers, or going for a run. I am a teacher, but can honestly say that teaching never feels like a job. I hope you enjoy my writing!

Alexis Lantgen: One of my friends, Sarah Mensinga, is also from Canada, and I’m a teacher too!

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

Kristofor Hellmeister: My writing has been influenced by a number of great authors including C.S. Lewis, Bradbury, George Orwell, Brian Jacques and many others! 

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

Kristofor Hellmeister: I once wrote a short story that was science fiction and the editor returned it to me and told me to stop “using nautical terms,” to describe space flight. I don’t necessarily hate the trope of using nautical terms, but I certainly understand why I needed to put my own spin on it! 

Another trope I don’t agree with is making your characters impervious. I think a realistic character carries emotional, physical, or psychological struggles. 

Alexis Lantgen: I also fid the impervious trope incredibly annoying. It makes characters feel too safe, as though they’re never really in danger. It sort of robs the story of its drama.

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

Kristofor Hellmeister: My favorite character is Damien. He’s fiery and doesn’t take no for an answer. It’s always fun to develop his chapters and to see how he interacts with other characters. 

My least favorite character? I’d say Rais, who is purely evil. I don’t like to write purely evil characters because this is usually not realistic and feels like a disservice to his character development. 

Alexis Lantgen: Yes, I generally think it’s better to write complex characters. People are complicated, and very few are wholly good or completely evil. Most of us are just trying to do the best we can to get through the day.

Cover of Axiom by Kristofor Hellmeister

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

Kristofor Hellmeister: To be honest, I pray a lot, spend time outside with my son, hang out with my wife, journal my emotions, enjoy the small moments like a beautiful day or a walk in the sunshine. In the midst of stress, I do not look for an escape because that doesn’t lead to a solution for the pressures. I try to learn from my situations and trust God through them. 

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

Kristofor Hellmeister: Hmm. That’s a good question. I don’t know one specifically for my hometown, but I do know that when my eldest sister was younger—around three years old—she was visited by “the Fog,” which tormented her for almost a year. 

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

Kristofor Hellmeister: I love military thrillers, spy thrillers, science fiction movies like Star Wars or Avengers, but I’m game for political dramas and sports shows like Friday Night Lights. 

What’s your favorite animal?

Kristofor Hellmeister: I love dogs because they are friendly, though I enjoy going outside and experiencing nature however it comes. My favorite bird is the whippoorwill, though.

Alexis Lantgen: I love whippoorwills! I had a friend who had one in their backyard when I was a kid, and I remember watching it pretend to be injured whenever we got too close to its nest. They’re amazing animals!

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

Kristofor Hellmeister: My favorite board games are Killer Bunnies, Smallworld, Monopoly, and Life. 

Cover of Citadel by Kristofor Hellmeister

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

Kristofor Hellmeister: Network. Network. Network. Don’t give up when your first, second, or third book doesn’t sell. Write from your struggles, your failures, your fears and you will never run out of material. Pour everything you have into each story as if it were the only story you had the chance to write. 

How do you choose what books you want to read?

Kristofor Hellmeister: I try to be a disciplined reader, which means I read a nonfiction in the morning and a fiction in the evening. Right now, I’m on a classics kick so I’m reading books like Gone with the Wind and The Brothers Karamazov. 

Alexis Lantgen: Interesting! I also love reading classics.

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

Kristofor Hellmeister: I do! Pandora’s Box is pretty interesting. I like the idea that man has opened a door that carries with it dire consequences. This theme is prevalent in my work. 

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

Kristofor Hellmeister: I’d say that the technology that has inspired my innovations has to be the Apple Watch. I like the idea of having an interface that you can have literally on hand. In my Axiom Chronicles, the technology is also inspired by Scripture in that the citizens of Axiom are meant to shape their world.

Find out more about Kristofor Hellmeister!

Twitter: @KrisHellmeister 

Website: kristoforhellmeister.simplesite.com

Goodreads: @Kristofor Hellmeister 

Instagram: @hellmeisterkristofor

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Interview with Science Fiction Writer P.J. Sky

My next author interview is with P.J. Sky, the author of A Girl Called Ari and Ari Goes to War!

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

P.J. Sky: I’m P. J. Sky, author of A Girl Called Ari and Ari Goes To War. I’m currently working on Ari’s third adventure.

I’m from the UK, and I’ve written from a young age. I’ve always been a fan of science fiction, but I’m also completely in love with the written word. I feel like a novel is a specific thing - it’s not just a story, it’s the exploration of an idea.

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

P.J. Sky: I’m hugely influenced by the classics - Crime & Punishment, The Catcher in the Rye, Jane Eyre, Breakfast At Tiffanies, and science fiction works like Brave New World and Dune. I love the dystopian fiction of J. G. Ballard, particularly his apocalypse works. And I’m a big fan of The Hunger Games. But it was reading Blood Red Road by Moira Young that really got me writing post-apocalypse fiction.

Alexis: Awesome! I actually love reading classics as well. I think it’s always a benefit to a writer to read great literature. I’ve never read Blood Red Road, but it sounds interesting.

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

P.J. Sky: That’s a hard one to answer, because I think most of the main tropes, like government control, environmental disaster, survival, revolution, these all remain just as relevant today as they did fifty years ago and there are almost infinite ways they can still be explored. I think though, if you’re an author who wants to explore these themes, then you should have a reason to explore them and not just use them as a backdrop.

Cover of A Girl Called Ari by P.J. Sky

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

P.J. Sky: With A Girl Called Ari, it’s Ari. As I was developing the book I had the setup, the theme, and I’d stranded my main character out in the wasteland and I thought, “Who’s she going to meet?” and it was like Ari just walked out of the wasteland and into my head and she just took over the narrative. She was hard to work with and wouldn’t do anything she didn’t want to do, but I couldn’t have written the book without her. In the end, I had to name the book after her.

With Ari Goes To War, I’ve a real soft spot for Keshia. She’s a new character to the series and I hope readers like her. Again, this time it was sort of the other way around. As war waged across the wasteland, I had Ari taking refuge in the town of Bo - a sort of wasteland Casablanca, and I thought, “Who’s she going to meet?” and it was Keshia.

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

P.J. Sky: I feel like I’ve coped pretty well during the pandemic. Basically, I’ve written, and writing has been a wonderful way to escape into my head. I’ve also taken up yoga and long walks.

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

P.J. Sky: I play piano slightly better than I play guitar, which I play slightly better than I play bass, and a lot better than I play the drums, but I do have a drum kit I can hop onto whenever I need to make a lot of noise. I’m sure the neighbors understand - I’m usually very quiet.

Alexis: I’m a musician, too. I mostly play violin and viola, but I’ve also recently learned ukulele and a little guitar. I do think that music’s a great way to relax and it’s so fun.

Cover of Ari Goes to War by P.J. Sky!

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

P.J. Sky: I think I’m a lifetime Buffy fan. But recently I’ve been enjoying Stranger Things, The Boys, The Chilling Tales of Sabrina, and the new season of Star Trek Discovery. I also loved The Mandalorian.

Alexis: Haha, I love all those shows too! Right now, I’ve been enjoying WandaVision as well.

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

P.J. Sky: Do it because you love writing and let the writing be its own reward. Never stop learning. And learn to love editing, don’t assume you can leave it to someone else. But also, don’t assume you can do it all yourself. And remember, a first draft is only ever the stepping stone to the second.

How do you choose what books you want to read?

P.J. Sky: I tend to read a wide variety of genres. I think it’s important for a writer to read beyond their genre - a good book is a good book whatever the genre. My bookcase is literally all over the place.

What technology or innovations or scientific discoveries have inspired your work?

P.J. Sky: When I developed A Girl Called Ari I had this idea - that science fiction stories are full of technology and innovations, but what if I treated the human experience in the same way? So in my novels there are no technological innovations, or at least not many, but instead there’s a real focus on the human experience. Maybe this means the book isn’t really science fiction? But I feel like I’ve approached it in a science fiction way.

More About P.J. Sky:

Books: A Girl Called Ari and Ari Goes to War

Social Media: Goodreads and Twitter

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How Irish Legends Inspired a Sci-fi Trilogy about Getting Younger: Guest Post by Byddi Lee

As I was growing up, the  Irish legends that captured my imagination most were not the daring-does of Cuchulainn – The Hound of Ulster nor the stories of Macha – the queen who gave her name to my home town Armagh. In fact, the ancient warriors and royalty didn’t interest me at all, but those stories that involved distorted ageing and extended longevity did. It was an indulgence of sorts to weave the essence of these stories into The Rejuvenation Trilogy. 

Rejuvenation is set in a dystopian future. There are matter streamers to provide food, hovercrafts for transportation, and carebots to tend to the frail. Against this backdrop of technology, we see a society that is top-heavy with an aged population. People still yearn to be and stay young.

The Irish fairy tales have stood the test of time and inspire the children of that era, such as our main characters, Bobbie and Gracie, fraternal twins. Gracie suffers from a rapid ageing disease called Progeria and is particularly drawn to the stories of  Tír na nÓg, the Land of the Forever Young that’s far across the waves and can only be reached by a magic horse as she explains to Bobbie…

‘“I’m no angel,” Gracie said, grinning. “I’m one of the little people, a leprechaun! And I’m going to escape to Tír na nÓg.”

“To where?” Bobbie asked.

“The land of everlasting youth. Everyone is beautiful and young there, and when I go there, I’ll look just like you,” Gracie said. “But with black hair, like Daddy.” 

“How do you know all this?”

“I read about it on the Internet.”

“Can I come?” Bobbie couldn’t imagine being anywhere without Gracie.

“Yes, but you’ll have to wait until when you’re old. Like me.” Gracie’s fuchsia pink dress reflected off her skin, giving her bare, veined scalp an ethereal glow.

“But you’re only nine. We’re the same age.”

“Yes, but I’m the one who’s a fairy, remember? I’ll watch over you from Tír na nÓg. Time passes slower there than it does in Armagh, so it will only feel like ten minutes to me before you’re there, too.”’

Excerpt from Rejuvenation Book 1

The Children of Lir is another example of a legend that tells of excessive ageing and longevity. Lir’s children are turned into swans by their stepmother and sent into exile for three hundred years. They returned to their home in Ireland and resumed human form – as three-hundred-year-old humans – then they died. I’m grossly paraphrasing, but nonetheless, it’s a tragic tale. 

We find out early in Rejuvenation Book 1 that Gracie died at the age of 13 from her condition. Her death left a lasting effect on her twin sister Bobbie who, feeling she had acquired a special understanding of ageing because of Gracie, went on to become a geriatrician. In Rejuvenation Book 2, Bobbie uses the fairy tale of the Children of Lir to try to make sense of ageing and death in the real world, a challenge for her since she sees both daily in her job.

Other Irish fairy tales hold more promise, like the one about Fionn Mc Cool being tricked by the old witch, the Calliagh Berra on top of Slieve Gullion, the highest mountain in County Armagh. As the story goes, one day Fionn found a young woman crying by the lake at the top of the mountain. When he asked her why she said she’d dropped her gold ring into the lake. Being the hero he was, he jumped in after it. But the girl was the old witch who was jealous of her sister for being in love with Fionn. The witch had put a spell on the lake so that when Fionn came out, he had aged to become a withered old man with white hair. But Fionn’s followers made the witch reverse the spell, and he became young again. 

The Rejuvenation Trilogy is all about regaining lost youth and its consequences. Bobbie’s most elderly patients contract a strange disease which proves fatal to some but others, including her Granny, survive and become younger, fitter and psychopathic!

I was drawn to the idea that eternal youth wasn’t exactly the be-all and end-all and wanted to explore the gifts that come with age. In a society that values the beauty of youth, that’s quite a challenge, but even the Irish legends will have us realise that the beauty of youth is only skin deep as in the story of Oisin, Fionn Mc Cool’s son.

As the story goes, Oisín falls in love with Niamh, a woman of the Otherworld. She takes him across the waves on a magic horse to Tír na nÓg. After what feels like three years to Oisín, he becomes homesick and wants to return to Ireland. Niamh warns him to stay on the magic horse and never to touch the ground. But when Oisín returns, he discovers that 300 years have passed in Ireland. He falls from the horse and instantly ages. As the years catch up with him, he quickly dies.

In Rejuvenation Book 1 this same legend is reflected in several instances of age catching up quickly on a youthful body and although this legend is not actually recounted, it forms the basis of some of Bobbie’s nightmares.

‘By the time Death carried Gracie to Tír na nÓg four years later, Bobbie had read scores of legends about the Land of the Forever Young. Alone in the bedroom, Bobbie had once shared with Gracie, she’d jolt awake after dreaming of her twin sister returning for her on a white horse, young and beautiful, her black hair billowing out behind her. Bobbie would reach for Gracie, but as their hands touched, Gracie’s hair would turn white, her skin would wrinkle, her body crumple as she died all over again from old age.’

Excerpt from Rejuvenation Book 1

I think ultimately the idea of folding the old fairly tales into a high-tech dystopian future is a metaphor for life – we can’t forge ahead and embrace the new and the vivacious unless we can carry with us and learn from the stories and wisdom from years gone by. 

Cover of Byddi Lee’s Rejuvenation

About Rejuvenation by Byddi Lee

Synopsis:

The Melter War has left the Earth’s surface devastated, leaving humanity to survive on what little land is left between the Scorch Zones and the rising oceans, where towering scubscrapers dot the dystopian shorelines.

Bobbie Chan is a doctor caring for the ultra-elderly in one such subscraper when she notices a mysterious, new disease afflicting her patients; some show signs of age reversal before a catastrophic, and often fatal, cardiac arrest strikes.

Bobbie begins to wonder if she is witnessing a bio weapon in full force. A Melter attack? Are they destined to finish the war they started?

Bobbie begins a race against time to rescue the Rejuvenees and uncover their true enemy

Picture of Byddi Lee, author of Rejuvenation

More about Byddi Lee, author of Rejuvenation

Byddi Lee grew up in Armagh and moved to Belfast to study at Queen’s University. She has since lived in South Africa, Canada, California and Paris before returning to live in her hometown, Armagh.

Her Rejuvenation Trilogy, is published by Castrum Press and Rejuvenation Book One, Book Two and Book Three all available now. Book One is also out in audiobook.

She has published flash fiction, short stories and, in 2014, her novel, March to November.  Byddi has also co-written the play IMPACT – Armagh’s Train Disaster with Malachi Kelly and Tim Hanna. IMPACT was directed by Margey Quinn and staged by the Armagh Theatre Group in the Abbey Lane Theatre June 2019.

During the COVID 19 pandemic when all theatres were closed, Byddi teamed up with Malachi and Tim to write Zoomeo & Juliet and Social Bubble Toil & Trouble suitable for live performance delivered through Zoom, produced by Margery Quinn and performed by the Armagh Theatre Group.

Byddi is a co-founder of the spoken word event Flash Fiction Armagh and is co-editor of The Bramley – An Anthology of Flash Fiction Armagh.

Author Links

Book links: Rejuvenation, Rejuvenation 2, and Rejuvenation 3

Social Media: Newsletter, Facebook, and Twitter

Website: https://www.byddilee.com/

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Interview with Eric Johnson, Author of Red Eyes

My next author interview is with Eric Johnson, the author of Red Eyes.

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

Eric Johnson: David Drake’s Hammers Slammer’s series has influenced me a lot. It brought a military veteran’s experience into writing and how it could be used to bring up issues that concern me as a military veteran myself. His work set the tone for my books and writing style, which I emulate due to fascination of making current military issues into readable fiction

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

Eric Johnson: I love the military tone that my genre entails. As a military veteran it helps to have the normal trope of crazy military vets and also a focused unit and the ethos it brings up.

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

Eric Johnson: Major Veerkamp as she’s nuts and doesn’t care much about who she offends or deals with. She’s a definite fav to write as she is crazy yes, but she does it in a way that shows that she does it for a reason (that means much to her) and is aware that she’s got issues but somehow appeals to me as a character I’ve started to use more and more.

Cover of Eric Johnson’s Red Eyes

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

Eric Johnson: Well the pandemic hasn’t affected me as most people so I can recommend that getting through this is important and want to stress that while you’re restricted (or not) that life still has to go on and that things will be alright.

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

Eric Johnson: Video gaming is one of my hobbies. But I have artistic talent and usually create something for my stories or something that I need to visualize for my stories, if needed.

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

Eric Johnson: I watch a variety of movies, mainly military or some other form of movie. I do like Marvel Cinematic Universe movies a lot and watched most of them up till now

 What’s your favorite animal?

Eric Johnson: Cats are my favorite animal. I own a cat and love him dearly and couldn’t ask for a better animal to take care of.

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

Eric Johnson: I currently play The Division 2 and it influences me into writing a story where a pandemic happens. My characters will get involved somehow and there’s the story I guess. I haven’t worked out the details yet (I have other WIPs to worry about right now) but that’s a future story that features a pandemic (which is influenced by the current one now).

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

Eric Johnson: I like D&D and have played it in the past. Unfortunately I don’t know anybody nearby that plays the game or I’d probably join a group and play.

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

Eric Johnson: That it’s a long hard path for some and that to stick with it even though it may take a long time. It takes me sometimes a long time to write even a short story but I just say stick with it until you get published, whether it being self- or traditional publishing

 How do you choose what books you want to read?

Eric Johnson: Mainly based on interest and whatever appeals to me at the time. Some books I buy are to learn a subject (sometimes non-fiction) and other related stories to help form ideas based on my own desires in what I want to write in the future.

If you write sci-fi, what technology or innovations or scientific discoveries have inspired your work?

Eric Johnson: So far the railgun has influenced my work a lot. A lot of weapons in my stories is based on that technology. However, I somewhat keep aware of future theories or ideas based on current theory and practice. Sometimes though I incorporate those ideas into writing if it sounds good enough or is plausible enough to use.

 More About Eric Johnson

 Books: Red Eyes, Operation Arrow, and 5th Kommando

Website: http://flanker56.com/index.htm

Social Media: Goodreads and Twitter

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Cover Reveal: Tripping the Multiverse

Tripping the Multiverse: Jade and Antigone #1

Expected Publication Date: January 21st, 2021

Genre: Science Fiction

As a science journalist, Jade has seen more than her fair share of peculiar oddities—none weirder than her socially inept fellow reporter Antigone. When the test of a teleporter using an electron collider goes awry, the two women find their world changed in subtle ways, with anomalies breaking out in their personal lives. Their increasingly unstable dimension gives Jade the ability to shapeshift while Antigone can see portals into other worlds.

A fellow journalist who attended the experiment is trapped in another dimension and Jade and Antigone hold the key to saving him. Of course, their task is not just a simple rescue mission. Realizing they will continue to drift into increasingly stranger worlds until they straighten out the paradox, the women reluctantly agree to travel through the multiverse in search of a solution.

Cover of Tripping the Multiverse by Alison Lyke

If you purchase the book prior to the publication date of January 21, 2021, they may use the promo code: PREORDER2020 to receive a 15% discount.

Promo Pre-Order Link: https://www.blackrosewriting.com/scififantasy/trippingthemultiverse

Alison Lyke, Author of Tripping the Multiverse

About Alison Lyke

I’m an author and an English and Communications professor from Rochester, NY. I’m an insatiable reader and a dedicated writer. I’ve spent many years honing my skills and I now enjoy helping others find and explore their own voices. I write fantasy and science fiction and I aim to captivate and inspire. I’ve written two published novels: a modern mythology titled Honey, which came out in 2013 and Forever People, a cyberpunk science fiction slated to come out in the spring of 2019. I also regularly contribute poetry and short stories to literary magazines.

Website: http://www.alisonlyke.com/

Social Media: Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads

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Interview with J. Bock, Author of Caroline

It’s been a tense week, so let’s all relax and have some fun reading new authors! And if you’re interested in science fiction or thrillers, check out my interview with Jeremy Bock, author of the sci-fi crime thriller Caroline.

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

J. Bock: I’m a native of West Virginia but I’m currently living in Bangkok, Thailand with my Thai wife and daughter. My real job is that I’m a technologist, primarily working in web development with a specialization in making web sites and applications accessible to those with disabilities. I’ve been writing as long as I can remember but professionally, I’ve mostly written technical documentation. Far too much to list. I have also co-authored a couple of academic papers. Caroline is my debut novel, and the first piece of fiction I’ve published.

Alexis: Wow, you actually have a fascinating day job (at least , it seems fascinating to non-techies like me)! As a middle school teacher, web accessibility can be an important issue for me, since we often have disabled students in our classes. I also know a blind person who’s an incredible mathematician, and he told me once about all the difficulties they have in making advanced math textbooks, such as high level calculus, accessible for blind students who read braille.

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

J. Bock: There are many, but novels that immediately come to mind are Slaughterhouse 5 and Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut. Choke and Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk. Recent influential novels for me are Armada by Ernest Cline, Artemis by Andy Weir, and Wired by Douglas E. Richards. My novel, Caroline, and the sequel that’s currently in progress is written from a first-person perspective with a goal to explore plausible future technologies with a story and simple, accessible language. What I want most for my readers is for them to have fun reading. And second, I want them to think a little, but only if they want to. And I think Andy Weir and Ernest Cline are at the top of their games in writing novels that achieve those two objectives very well.

The best series I’ve read recently, though, is hands down the Three-Body Problem series by Cixin Liu. That’s not just an inspiration for me but an aspiration.

Alexis: I’ve been meaning to read the Three-Body Problem, since I’ve heard so much about it. I also love Slaughterhouse Five, which is probably a big influence on one of the stories I’m working on now. Vonnegut—I think I’ll forever be haunted by Mother Night.

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

J. Bock: I’m a science fiction author and I think you can throw in space operas into the same genre. The overuse of proper nouns, paired with hyperbolic literary description of fictional settings exhausts me. When I read, I don’t want to have to memorize the world or universal map in your stories. Nor do I want to memorize the names of many different technologies or space ships. I’m also tired of end-of-civilization scenarios where all our societal systems break down and the technologically advanced culture must become agrarian to survive. Neither of these are fun for me.

Alexis: Agreed! I just find it so unlikely that civilization would break down so much. I think if something like that happens, the majority of the people were probably agrarian to start with, and the technologies were mostly used as playthings for the elite (see ancient Rome).

The very intense cover of J. Bock’s sci-fi thriller, Caroline.

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

J. Bock: I just try to keep as busy as I can with work and writing helps probably the most with stress. I also exercise as much as I can, mostly weightlifting. Keeping good nutrition is important, but so is letting it slip. The inability to travel is the hardest. Homesickness is absolutely setting in. I don’t have any solutions for anyone. Don’t drink too much. Take care of those who need to be taken care of. Escape how you can.

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

J. Bock: Lately, I’ve been diving into Narcos. Both the original and Mexico. I’ve got a pretty important subplot in my next novel involving the Mexican drug cartels. Consider it research, but Narcos is amazingly put together.

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

J. Bock: I do. I exclusively play my Nintendo Switch. And lately, it’s been NBA2K21 and Mario 3D All-Stars. But I also sunk a ton of time this year into Fire Emblem: Three Houses and Breath of the Wild. If anything, these games distract me from writing. Though RPGs can guide you through a story with a sense of emersion and progression, and even though the stories in the RPGs I’ve played haven’t inspired me, the experiences I get from playing them have.

My favorite game now and of all time will always be Final Fantasy IX.

I’ll probably buy a second-generation PS5.

Alexis: I loved Breath of the Wild. But yes, video games can be both an inspiration and a distraction. Still, especially since the pandemic started and I’ve felt stressed and frazzled, sometimes they’re a valuable escape.

How do you choose what books you want to read?

J. Bock: I read whatever’s most popular in the genre to see what’s selling. But lately, I’ve been seeking out other independent authors in the sci-fi/thriller genre via Twitter or Instagram. There are so many talented people out there in the arts that haven’t cracked their way into the system that are really good at what they do.

Alexis: Yes, I think there’s a value to reading popular books sometimes, but I’m sometimes amazed at how really incredible books can be neglected or ignored by agents or publishers.

I noticed that you are interested in AI, which is a subject that fascinates me as well. I think it's one of the sort-of neglected and ignored potential crises of our time. Yet, I think that AI could also benefit mankind if (a big if) it were created with enough forethought and consideration. What are some of your thoughts? Would a super-intelligent AI be a terrible danger to humanity? How close do you think we really are to the singularity?

J. Bock: First off, I am a technologist but my specialization isn’t in artificial intelligence. However, I have read a fair amount of research done by people that are a lot smarter than I am. I think life-changing AI is already here in the form of social media and advertising algorithms that feed our information spheres. While this already is an enormous concern of mine as our online discourse is becoming more and more corrupt and divisive, I’m more concerned with how AI will be used (or misused) in large scale control systems and the cybersecurity around those control systems. That concern is exactly what I explore in the main plotline of Caroline.

The future of AI is going to be good and bad but most importantly: inevitable. And I don’t think it’s going to be possible to apply enough care and consideration to stop the bad. Advances in AI are going to come from everywhere all over the world by both good and bad actors, and that’s something we’re going to have to adapt to.

As for the singularity, I think you are referring to artificial general intelligence (AGI) or an AI that is autonomous from us with its own motivation; something that resembles a human but is far more advanced than we can comprehend. I won’t say that that’s an impossibility but it’s something that feels, to me, pretty far off. However, what doesn’t feel far off is an AI that looks like AGI on the outside, but is a lot dumber with more access and influence over systems than it should have.

Alexis: Interesting thoughts. I agree that the advertising algorithms and social media feedback loops have already become a huge and frightening problem. So many people are so angry and misinformed, and that will make some of them dangerous.

Writer J. Bock, Author of the Sci-Fi Thriller Caroline

Learn More About J. Bock!

 Book: Caroline is available on Amazon and Apple Books, and as a Web Series

Social Media: Twitter, Instagram, and Goodreads

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Interview with Fantasy and Science Fiction Author Z. T. Soyoye

My next interview is with Fantasy and Science Fiction Author Z. T. Soyoye!

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

Z.T. Soyoye: My Pen Name is Z.T. Soyoye. Telling stories has always been a passion of mine, and being able to publish a book has been one of my greatest achievements. My career started picking up in 2016 when I got my first big break. Since then, I’ve been improving my writing techniques and developing a unique writing style to appeal to readers. 

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

Z.T. Soyoye: I think the Percy Jackson series was a big influence. I grew up with it and read it for many years. But I think my influence is just stories in general. Whether in the form of books, anime, movies etc. Any medium that can tell an amazing story.

Alexis: I agree that it’s amazing how so many TV shows, video games, and other mediums have amazing writing and great stories now.

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

Z.T. Soyoye: I think my least favourite Trope is forcing diversity onto a story when it doesn’t add anything to it. I don’t hate it but I prefer to see it well done e.g. with Miles Morales as a black Spiderman. They integrated it into the story so well and it felt amazing to see someone I could relate to. But when it’s just unnecessarily forced into the story to fit a quota and is done poorly… I roll my eyes.

Alexis: I also loved Miles Morales as Spiderman.

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

Z.T. Soyoye: I think my favourite character is the best friend of the main character. His name is Anthony. He is a psychologically fragile person who is trying their best to become a better person. I really love his character development from a seemingly shallow character to a person with a lot of pain and regret and now trying his best to grow into a person he can be proud of.

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

Z.T. Soyoye: I’ve been trying my best to keep myself busy. I started with finally making my author website (I’ll link it below) and now I’ve been working on book 2 in my series. Recently I’ve actually been trying my hand at Live streaming! I’ll drop the link below. So yeah, trying your best to keep busy and getting to all those projects you always wished you had time for pre-pandemic. 

Alexis: I tried live-streaming once as well, and I enjoyed it quite a bit! I do find that projects that can keep you engaged are really helpful.

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

Z.T. Soyoye: I play quite a lot of volleyball which I absolutely love. I’ve been gaming from a young age and still do till this day. I’m also into electronics and technology, I stream myself working on a bunch of fun projects like a Motion controlled fan. 

Alexis: Very Cool! Volleyball sounds like tons of fun, and I also love gaming.

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

Z.T. Soyoye: I love so many shows way too much to list but I think I’ll say my favourite “TV shows” that I’ve watched are animes called Haikyuu, Steins Gate and Code Geass. Recently, I think my favourite movie in memory is Spiderman into the spider-verse and Knives Out. I went into them with no expectations and was blown away with their amazing story telling and characters.

One of my favourite TV series is DareDevil. It was an amazing character study that made viewers feel connected to each of them. Daredevil also had amazing cinematography, as well as interesting psychological warfare. It dives deep into what happens when your ideals are tested to the limit.

 I love stories like these. Shows that exude passion. They clearly gave each character a lot of depth and I feel I took something meaningful away from each of them.

Alexis: I also loved Into the Spiderverse and Knives Out! I used to watch old school anime like Rurouni Kenshin and Lotus War, but I haven’t watched many recent animes apart from Aggretsuko.

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

Z.T. Soyoye: Yeah, I play quite a lot of video games. Right now, mainly Fortnite and Call of Duty. I would say they have influenced me. When I see an amazing story in video games or see interesting concept/powers, I always take note. I also play a lot of games that cause my heart to race. Whenever I’m trying to write a scene with similar feelings and emotions, I remember moments in my life that I felt something similar or that feeling that video games give me. This allows me to describe vividly and give my readers an amazing reading experience.

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

Z.T. Soyoye: Write what you love. I know you might have heard that before but it’s true. Don’t write what you think is popular. Just write a story you’d be excited to read. When I had the idea for my book, I kept daydreaming about it constantly and the idea would not let me rest until I started writing. Even if writing doesn’t turn into your career, all you can do is try. If it doesn’t work out, take it as a learning experience. But don’t take away your chance to find success as well as a potentially amazing story from the world.

Alexis: That’s great advice!

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

Z.T. Soyoye: Most things to be honest. I love learning new things. I constantly research new things that I add in my books so I can get it as accurately as possible. It’s always fun learning a cool new fact or connecting to a new subject. Right now though, I’d say Marketing. Marketing is such a weird subject that I don’t think anyone has really mastered. Sure, it’s easy to reach people by paying for an ad but how can you entice them to do what you want. It’s something I’ve been looking into and I’m trying different strategies. 

Find Out More About Z. T. Soyoye!

Book: The Unwanted

Website: https://ztsoyoye.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TomiZT_

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tomizt_/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/ztsoyoye

Come chat to me live at: https://dlive.tv/DragonDAce

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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.

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: Twitter, FaceBook, Goodreads, Pinterest, 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!

• author interview
• book review
• book spotlight
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