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1. What was your very first experience in writing like?
I’ve always read a lot. My dad was a truck driver and he had books everywhere. Mostly war stories and westerns. I devoured them. During the third grade after reading all the interesting books in the “children’s” section, I had nothing to read. At that point, I decided to write my own stories.
I didn’t care for horses, still don’t, so I decided to write a war story. Unfortunately, it was during math hour, and I got busted. My half-written story was confiscated, but I did get a good review.
2. Who has been most influential in your writing journey?
That would be my first professor, Deborah Chester. (NYT best-selling author) She taught me the importance of the primary building blocks, stimulus and response, and the traditional scene-sequel styling that I still utilize today.
3. Let's discuss your book Hard Kill. Why sci-fi?
I mentioned earlier that I don’t particularly care for horses, and I’d read enough westerns to last me a while. In the eighth grade, I discovered the science fiction section of the library. “Retief and the Warlords.” Even though it was essentially a Western in space, I was hooked. “The Moon is Harsh Mistress” by Heinlein. That is what I aspire to.
Hard Kill is actually my third novel. My first was a fantasy, Shem’s Quest, Shem o’ the West. My first sci-fi novel was Cadet Adam, which I wrote in college. I’m equally at home in both genres.
4. In the book, humankind faces extinction. How real do you think that threat is?
Actually, humankind doesn’t face extinction in Hard Kill, humanity does, but that’s splitting hairs. Then again, why be bald if you can have twice as much hair? But I digress. As for your question, humanity faces a grave risk from depopulationists like Bill Gates. Look at COVID. Fauci killed a million people because he refused to acknowledge, actually he outright lied, that ivermectin would kill the flu, which is what COVID is, an enhanced flu virus.
Our President is dead set on getting us into a nuclear conflagration with Russia. Yes, the threat of extinction is real.
5. Which character in the book do you most identify with? Which character was the most fun to write?
Doctor Anders was the most fun to write. I released a comedy album in 2000. One Swell Foop by Dollar Bill Eckel. Rosebud Records. I enjoy writing humorous characters. As for the rest, there is a little bit of me in all of the characters. There is also a little bit of whoever has irritated me recently. Don’t make me mad. I’ll kill you off in my book.
6. What part of the writing process did you find most challenging? What was the most rewarding?
Filling in the empty spaces between plotting, scene lists, and first draft presented the largest challenge. I’ve been in writing groups where an author described his scene as, “The hero confronts the bad guy and beats him up.” The scene seems to miss a few details. Filling the gaps can be a challenge. Filling them with incidents that excite the reader while moving the story forward is artistry. Doing this over and over within the book is rewarding. Actually, fulfilling would be a better word choice.
As a performer, being “on” is the best feeling in the world, hands down. Writing a good scene comes really close.
7. There were a lot of details in the story. How did you keep track of them all?
A book bible. Now this can be a collection of notes in a folder, a timeline, or tracking them in your mind. This becomes increasingly more important if you are writing a multi-book series. (I am) As I’ve gotten older, my “bibles” have become more written and less memory. As a point of interest, researching a fantasy novel is as in-depth as researching a sci-fi novel.
I don’t concern myself with retention of the facts unless I’ll need them again later in the story.
8. What's next for you? Is there another book in the works?
I may have mentioned, if not I meant to, my fantasy novel, Shem’s Quest, is a planned four-book series. Three days ago, I sent the second installment, First Created, to my editor. I’ve partially plotted the next book, Sun Father. Additionally, I have a half-finished novel (62,000 words) with a working title of Space Force.
Oh, and I’m setting up a Patreon page. I’ve got thirty videos of myself reading First Created aloud, chapter by chapter, for the first time. Editing as I go and explaining why I’m making the changes. The page is for fans of the story and also for other beginning authors. The second tier (still in production) will be me explaining each chapter and how it fits into the overall story.
I like to end with fun questions.
9. What's your favorite science fiction TV show?
Star Trek Enterprise. Though Dark Angel runs a really close second. DA aired on the Sci-fi Channel in the ‘90s I believe. A really young Jessica Alba starred as an enhanced soldier hiding in a dystopian Seattle.
10. What author do you most want to read your book?
Deborah Chester. I would have said David Farland, who is no longer with us, but he edited Hard Kill. Wow, I’ve had the pleasure of studying under two NYT best-selling authors. I feel blessed.
11. What fictional technology would you most want to have and why?
The medical technology. Put me in a tube and a moment later I come out all better. Yeah, I like that. A transporter would be convenient, not to mention it would ease my blood pressure. I tend to get a little vocal commenting on the driving habits and discussing the immediate ancestory of others in front of me holding me up!
12. What's your favorite season?
Spring. Everything is renewed, green, and growing. It is glorious.
