Holding on to your Dream, an Interview with author Mark Roman

I have been doing author interviews on my blog for the past few years and I've always learned something from my fellow authors. This interview is no different. It remains us all that we need to keep writing! Read on for your own inspiration.

Most everyone thinks they can write a novel. What brought you from the world of science to writing fiction? How did you come up with the idea of your current book?
The book was conceived with a good friend when we were both at university, many years ago. We began knocking it out on an old manual typewriter (in the days before word processors) with the underlying plan of spoofing every clunky sci-fi cliché that had ever bugged us. Like: aliens who speak perfect English, or silly character names. But the story and characters quickly took over. And so did I, as my friend lost interest.

Could you give me a short synopsis of the story for my readers? What makes these beings the ultimate inferior beings? 
 The story is about a bungled space mission involving an ill-chosen crew and a ship’s computer that thinks it’s a comedian. A stowaway and a saboteur add to their troubles. On their journey they encounter slimy green blob aliens who speak perfect English (I know what you’re thinking, but stay with the story and all will be revealed).

Among the aliens are a religious group who believe that, somewhere Out There, exist a species of inept beings that are really, really bad at everything they do. They call them The Ultimate Inferior Beings (or The Dogs), and a prophecy predicts that a fatal act of incompetence by The Dogs will bring about the End of the Universe. One alien becomes convinced that Humans are this bungling species (not such a completely unreasonable assumption). He believes Humans will destroy the Universe unless he can destroy them first. And, in the end, the prophecy does come true – but you’ll need to read the book to find out how.

You write under a pen name – how did you choose it?
The pen name is a mixture of mine and my friend’s first names, but I’m not saying which is which.

Outside of your technical writing, what other fiction writing have you done?
TUIB is the first piece of fiction I’ve tried to get published. And it’s been a long and twisty journey, spanning three decades, and involving many obstacles and setbacks.

How did you go about finding a publisher? Did you pitch any agents?
I sent the first version out to agents and publishers in the UK over 30 years ago. Nothing. Ten years later, I rewrote it and tried again. This time I got lucky. A literary agent in London loved it and tried to place it. After six months and six publishers he reluctantly gave up. So the thing sat in the trunk for another 20 years until something inspired me to dig it out and rewrite it again. More agents and publishers. More nothing.

But you apparently didn’t give up. What happened next?
I put it up on Authonomy, which is run by Harper Collins, and is a great community of unpublished writers, many of whom give very helpful feedback on your work. (I hope I gave some useful feedback in return). This helped me make significant improvements to TUIB. Not that the publishers and agents noticed!

How did you hear about your current publisher? How long was it before you got any feedback?
My current publisher, Cogwheel Press, is a start-up and put out a call for submissions on several websites, including Authonomy. This happens occasionally, although some “publishers” who advertise their wares are dodgier than others and should be given a wide berth. I sent Cogwheel my first five chapters.
Happily, the editor has a most discerning 9 year old son – a child of great perspicacity – who plucked my book out of the slush pile. A request for the full manuscript came within a week with a contract a week later. Mine was their first book, and there have been 3 others since.

How do you write? Did you do an outline first? Did you do individual character development before doing the full plot?
I’m embarrassed to admit my writing is a totally unplanned, uncoordinated, random process. I admire writers who plot things out in detail, work out their characters’ development, etc. Me, I just write random pieces – ideas, snatches of conversation, bits of chapters – until there are enough random elements in the mix.

It then becomes a vast, complex, problem-solving exercise to fit everything together and shape it into some sort of plot. This is not the right way to do it. No self-respecting proper writer would ever use this technique. But for me, as a hobbyist, I think it’s OK.

What type of publicity do you expect your publisher to do in promoting your book? What plans do you have to promote your book?

As my publisher is a small press I realize there is a limit to the amount of promotion they can provide. Serious promotion costs big money and, sadly, small presses do not do have those funds. They invest their time and money in selecting, and then publishing, books they think have merit.

After that, it is largely left in the hands of the author to push their own work. If you can handle that sort of thing, that’s great and you’ll go far, but if you can’t, then your book won’t get noticed. Many writers are shy and self-effacing creatures, so shouting the wonders of their book from the rooftops doesn’t come naturally and, in fact, just feels slightly tacky and wrong. (I may be in the minority on this point!)

What do you know now about writing that you wished you had known sooner? I have been told, more than once, that adverbs are evil and must be eradicated. Hence I’ve been on many an adverb-hunt through my book to (mercilessly) shoot the buggers, although some may have (slyly) escaped the cull. Now I never (knowingly) use them.

Is this a standalone book or are you planning a sequel or prequel for any of your characters?
At the moment it is standalone. But, who knows, I may one day return to the crackpot world of TUIB.

What is the best advice you’ve been given about writing or that you’ve learned that you would like to pass along?
I’ve learned never to trust positive comments about your work. If people tell you your work is brilliant, hilarious, clever – don’t believe them! There’s a possibility they may genuinely think this, but equally there’s the chance that they’re just being polite (especially your mum) and holding something back. It’s difficult to be sure which (except in the case of your mum).

The only comments you can guarantee are genuine are the negative ones (except when they’re deliberately spiteful or malicious, for whatever reason). Criticism will upset you, of course. And in some cases, it may just be one reader’s opinion. But think the comments over. The reader may have a point or two that will help you plug a minor/major weakness in your story, or style, and make your book “even more perfect” (as a friend of mine used to say).

Thank you for that fun interview. I wholeheartedly agree with you on the folks who give only positive comments. The different critique groups I’ve been in over the years have always told me how wonderful my writing is but in many cases it is then rejected or ignored when it comes to the editors and publishers. Still I keep pushing on, and rewriting and hoping that the next editor/publisher will fall in love with my work. 
 
If you’ve enjoyed this interview and would like to learn more about the book and maybe even buy it, here’s the link to the website.
If you want to buy it in the UK, here’s the UK Amazon link
If you want to buy it in the US, here’s the US Amazon link
And here's how you can find details about submitting to Cogwheel
 I've saved the best for last...if you would like a FREE eBook you can get one on 11/10 and 11/11 by

using this link...   http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0089TF3LU

Interview with Victor Travison, sci-fi author of Savage Worlds

I've been a fan of sci-fi stories since I was a kid when I read a Rod Sterling book of Twilight Zone stories. I've also been a fan of writings by Asimov, Clarke and Heinlein with my favorite being the latter. I like how they can stretch your mind and your imagination. So today I'm hoping to your tickle your interest in a new sci-fi writer. Read on to find more about this author's writings.

Your blog and writing focuses on sci-fi. What has inspired you more in writing for this genre is it book authors, TV or movies? What sci-fi authors still inspire you today?
I have a great imagination, and watching how others use their imagination interests me. My primary interest in sci-fi comes from TV series, but I’ve also watched movies and read books. Isaac Asimov was one of the earliest authors I followed, as well as Robert Heinlein, Arthur C. Clarke, and others. Gene Roddenberry’s vision for Star Trek captured my interest from the first episode I saw. As for writing styles, I don’t try to emulate anyone but myself.

In regards to writing sci-fi you say you do your best to ensure it contains no contradictions with known science. How much research does this entail when you are creating space vehicles, new worlds or new creatures?
When I say “no contradictions with known science,” I’m talking about evolution, which is not a true science. In other words, the process cannot be seen, observed, or studied. I’m also thinking of the first Star Wars movie, which had X-wings and TIE fighters doing loop-the-loops in space, which is scientifically impossible without air.

I want to make my stories believable, so most of my research focuses on “Is it possible in the real world?” However, this doesn’t mean I can’t go beyond known science, which is what sci-fi is about. Faster than light travel, translators which can instantly teach an alien language, and paralyzing electrical weapons are among the things I invent to take my stories beyond.

In your book, Savage Worlds you say you let God have a voice, so He could be an interactive Player instead of sitting on the sidelines. Can you give me an example of what you mean by that?
I see so many sci-fi stories with a scene that begins “Do you believe in God?” and ends with a generic answer which does nothing for the plot. On Star Trek, God is regarded as a “concept” or a “myth,” which I know is not true. One of my purposes in this genre is to use God in a more active role, and not in a generic way that allows all sorts of interpretations, as in The Force of Star Wars. And of course, I have to be in tune with His guidance and His Word when I write these scenes.

How do you go about creating a new species of beings? Is there anything that is common to all your “aliens”?
The one thing all my aliens have in common is they were created by God. I believe the myth of evolution has entered our concept of aliens, to the point we think they have to look different from us to be “realistic.” But if someone from another country can be an alien, so can someone from another planet, with general build, facial features, color, culture, and language being the only differences. I don’t like using the term “species” for humanoid creatures, because that sounds like an animal classification. Instead I talk about “races.”

As a Christian you believe that God created man in His own image. That carries over in your sci-fi writing as well where you believe that “aliens” would also be created in God’s image though not the same physical design as homo sapiens. However, why couldn't space aliens be non-human or more specifically a planet that exists of creatures that do not have the final creation in God's image such as our planet existing without man?
I would ask, “If the final creation does not have God’s image, then who created them?” On the planet Kyan in Savage Worlds, the oppressed Bosti race formed a colony on a fully animalistic world, including boar-like creatures called namzali, so I think it is possible to have a fully nonhuman population.

But if you’re asking “Why couldn’t God’s pinnacle of creation be in some other image besides God’s?”, I know there’s a theory that God’s image is not necessarily in hominid form, but in essence only. However, from what I’ve read and seen in science fiction, even the essence tends to be less godlike—aliens confused about good vs. evil, for instance—so I’m not sure the theory holds up. Still, everyone must make up their own mind about this, since no one really knows whether outer-space aliens exist, much less what they look like.

In Savage Worlds your characters travel in a “houseship.” Could you tell my readers how that concept evolved? Do you envision this book to have a sequel?

I envision the houseship in the same sense as a houseboat, where people can live while traveling down a river or on another body of water. I wanted to avoid overdone terms like “starship,” though it was unique when Star Trek started.

The houseship also carries the idea of a family exploring space together, not a military force, with some homebound words mixed with the standard nautical ones. Since family is very important to God, this should appeal to the sense of family unity most of us have. And yes, there is a sequel to Savage Worlds now in the final stages of edit, under the title Pirates from Gnorlon.

You've also written a trilogy about a group called the Justice Coalition about a group of handicapped people who can call upon divine powers to save people in need, or to save themselves as they are assisted by other handful of able-bodied friends. How did this storyline come about? What do you want readers to take away from the stories?
I’m involved with a group of Christian handicapped people called TRYAD, which stands for To Reconcile You Able-bodied and Disabled. My own disability is congestive heart failure, which disallows me from working a standard job anymore. I have seen first-hand how often people who have a physical infirmity can have skills in other areas. I had wanted to write a superhero story of sorts for some time, and I thought, “Why not invent a group of handicapped people who get power from God to rescue?” Therefore, the Justice Coalition was born.

I like the book notes for this trilogy that says, “They fight not only for truth, justice, and the American way, but to rescue the lives and souls of all mankind in need.” This of course is reminiscent of the opening lines for the early Superman series. Why did you choose that concept?
Superman was an early childhood hero of mine. Though now a bit clichéd, the line has always appealed to me because “truth, justice, and the American way” is also God’s dream for us. With the Justice Coalition, I wanted to extend their mission beyond Superman’s, so I added “to rescue the lives and souls of all mankind in need.”

What do you know now about getting published that you wished you had known earlier?
I self-publish with CreateSpace for printed books, and Smashwords for e-book formats. The CreateSpace versions are also available on Amazon. I’m something of a perfectionist, so I’ve learned to take more time going over my manuscript, several times, before I upload it. Being in a hurry is never an advantage, because I always manage to miss something. When I tried a more traditional route, I learned it’s very hard getting a potential publisher to agree with all of the new concepts that are important to my faith.

What if anything has surprised you the most in getting published and talking with people about your books?
It’s a lot more work to format my own book than I thought it would be. When I talk to people about my books, I give a synopsis like “It’s about a family of crew members who explore space together,” and if they’re interested, I give them an author card that gives my pen name and the first three books I published, as well as my website. Recently a friend who read The Wild Green Yonder made a suggestion about the rank of one character who is a nurse, so in the interests of accuracy I republished it with the change.

What is the best piece of advice you have received about writing that you would like to pass on to others?
Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite. We all like to believe our ideas come from God, but we have to remember we’re not writing Scripture. We have to go back and edit, change paragraphs, add and delete to make it a better story.

I just rewrote an entire chapter and a half of Pirates from Gnorlon, because the scene did not ring true or logical with the rest of the story.

That's it for today's interview. If you'd like to learn more about Victor's sci-fi thought click on his website which is http://victortravison.webs.com. It includes his blog, Lightwalker’s View, where he compares popular science fiction and fantasy ideas with the Bible. And in the left sidebar you’ll find his fictional “Sci-fi Philosophy” and several Story Samplers.

If you would like to buy his books click here for a direct link to Amazon. If you're interested in an e-format click here.