Interview: Rob and Karina Fabian, Editors of Infinite Space, Infinite God II

Today we welcome, Rob and Karina Fabian, editors of Infinite Space, Infinite God II.

On November 3, 1990, Rob and Karina Fabian were married at the Air Force Academy chapel, thus starting a collaboration that has resulted in four children and three anthologies. While the children are still works-in-progress, their books have won an EPPIE award for best sci-fi (Infinite Space, Infinite God), and been top placers in the Preditor and Editor polls (Infinite Space, Infinite God and Leaps of Faith). In their spare time, they like to play crazy card games and watch sci-fi and Mythbusters.

Welcome to you both. Can you tell us a bit about yourselves?

We're sci-fi geeks in love! A mutual friend fixed us up. He called Rob, said, "You have to meet this woman!' and handed me the phone. I said, "Live long and prosper." Rob said, "I'll be right over!" He walked in with the Vulcan peace sign and the rest is history.

When did you begin writing together?

Around 1996, when we had two toddlers at home. We have already been good at talking about family matters, etc. during the day even with kids around, so when we went on dates, we decided to do something different. So when we went out to dinner, we took a pen and paper with us and mapped out a story. Since Rob was involved with Artemis (a group trying to get a commercial manned presence on the moon) and I was doing a series on different religious orders, we came up with an order of nuns who worked in space doing search and rescue operations. From there, we wrote a couple of stories, which led to our developing the anthologies.

What is this book about?

Infinite Space, Infinite God II contains twelve science fiction stories featuring Catholic heroes. Meet a time traveler who sacrifices his life to give a man a sip of water, and the nun who faces venomous snakes to save a friend. Share the adventures of priests who battle aliens and machines in order serve the greater good.

Infinite Space, Infinite God II spans the gamut of science fiction, from near-future dystopias to time travel to space opera, puzzles of logic to laugh-out-loud humor and against-the-clock suspense. A great read for any science fiction fan--a must-read for the Catholic sci-fi lover.

What inspired you to write it?

Our publisher asked us to do a second volume, and we enjoy the challenge of finding quality science fiction with a distinctly Catholic flavor. Plus, it's very rewarding to give some worthy authors a chance to get published.

Was the road to publication smooth sailing or a bumpy ride?

Bumpy, thanks to the economy. Lida, the CEO of Twilight Times Books, had planned to publish ISIG II in April, but held onto it to see how the economic winds were going to blow. We had a few contributors who were starting to wonder--and we did, too. We're glad Lida has enough faith in the book to publish it now, and we hope her faith is not in vain!

Where can readers purchase a copy of your book?

At B&N online: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/books/product.aspx?box=1606192310&pos=-1&ISBN=1606192310

OR they can approach their local bookstore (Catholic, independent or chain). It's available through all the usual distributors, or directly from Twilight Times Books.

Do you have a website and/or blog where readers can find out more?

http://www.isigsf.com/ has all the information about Infinite Space, Infinite God II and its predecessor, Infinite Space, Infinite God. It has bios of the authors, synopses of the stories, video trailers and more. There's even a study guide for ISIG I. (We're working the one for ISIG II.)

If you want to learn more about Karina's writings (and the other anthology Rob and she did), go to http://www.fabianspace.com/

Do you have a video trailer to promote your book? If yes, where can readers find it?

Yes. You can find it on the website or at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9JKtLWkchw.

What is up next for you?

For the two of us, nothing. Rob's very busy with his work, and now that we have four kids ages 10-17, time is tight.

As for Karina, she's not sure yet on the writing scene. She has several books in the works, but hasn't decided which to finish first.

On the publishing scene, she has Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator, coming out in December from Damnation Books (yes, there's an irony there!). Neeta is a zombie exterminator who is training up apprentices on a reality TV show. She also has a short story about a bad date with Coyote the Trickster God, "Perfect Ten," coming from MuseItUp Publishing. In September, her fantasy novel, Mind Over Mind, comes out. Deryl Stephens' psychic powers not only subject him to the thoughts of everyone around him, but to the whims of to aliens at war. Can a brilliant intern with an unusual take on psychology help him control his powers and regain his sanity?

Well, it sure looks like you'll be busy. We wish you continued success.

Story Summaries

The Ghosts of Kourion by Andrew Seddon: Professor Robert Cragg thought that he could escape the grief of losing his wife and daughter by traveling back in time to study a city soon to be destroyed by an earthquake. He felt safe in the fact that he could do nothing to save these people, but when he befriends a local family, however, he realizes he must try. In the end, he cannot save them, but he learns that if he cannot save the ghosts of Kourion, he can at least ease their sufferings.

Antivenin by Karina Fabian: Three nuns from the Order of Our Lady of the Rescue offer help to a ship that is off-course and not answering hails. They find the ship crawling with venomous snakes who have killed their handler and bitten the pilot. When one bites her partner, Sister Rita must conquer her phobia and snatch the antivenin from their nest.

An Exercise in Logic by Barton Paul Levenson: An ancient alien satellite has diverted an asteroid toward a human colony planet. The people who built the satellite refuse to veto programming logic installed by their ancestors. Can an Ursuline sister who is also an alien contact specialist change their minds?

Cathedral by Tamara Wilhite: Katarina's kind were engineered to love scientific research and dedicate themselves to bettering mankind until their jumped-up neurology caused them to die an ignoble death while in their twenties. Perhaps Katarina could have lived with this, but when she discovers the medicines she created were actually drugs to control the population, she spends the last of her tortured days righting her wrongs.

Otherworld by Karina Fabian: Father Jonas is haunted by the loss of his mother, who died while in a virtual reality world. As a priest, he's driven to evangelize to the players in Otherworld--to remind them of reality and the God who cares about what they do on both worlds.

The Battle of the Narthex by Alex Lobdell: What do you get when you mix a royal assassination, alien militia and the Saturday night Mass-and-Spaghetti dinner? Battle of the Narthex tickles the funny bone and touches the heart!

Tenniel by Colleen Drippe': Bishop Tenniel must fight the leader of the Wolfbane clan to win the conversion of the tribe to Christianity, saving their lives as well as their souls. Another exciting tale from Colleen Drippe's Lost Rythar universe.

Tin Servants by J Sherer: Father Paul's desire to serve his people in war-torn Ghana that he allowed himself to altered to resemble the androids sent to provide medical help. Once there, however, he finds himself limited in the comfort he can offer, and embroiled in a conspiracy to convert the andorginacs into soldiers.

Basilica by John Rundle: A Navy buddy needs help fixing up an old clunker of a spacecraft and Father Carpizo arrives to do his old friend a long overdue favor. As he turns wrenches, however, Carpizo finds a mystery to whet his appetite: a riddle deep rooted in the history of the Church. The scholarly priest unwittingly uncovers a dark secret which others have paid for with their lives. He is suddenly confronted by unspeakable evil and now Carpizo must make the ultimate sacrifice to destroy it…if only there is enough time.


Cloned to Kill by D. Mak: The power of Baptism helps a clone programmed to kill find her humanity--but to what lengths will Father Markham have to go to protect his new ward?

Frankie Phones Home by Karina Fabian: Sixteen-year-old Frankie was kidnapped by aliens who wanted to understand the mysteries of her human religion. Now, as they return to Earth to make First Contact, Frankie calls her family.

Dyads, Ken Pick and Alan Loewen: Father Heidler's latest assignment takes him to Cathuria, where the Catholic Church and all of Earth are blamed when a failed missionary's desperation boils over into terrorism. With the planet in the midst of riots and the Archbishop/Ambassador to Cathuria severely injured in a retaliatory strike, Father Heidler negotiates a delicate maze of politics and religious convictions to find a way to restore peace and reconcile the two worlds.

Here are the links for purchase:

From Publisher: http://twilighttimesbooks.com/ttb_booklist.html#InfiniteSpace2

From Barnes and Noble: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/books/product.aspx?box=1606192310&pos=-1&ISBN=1606192310

From Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Infinite-Space-God-II/dp/1606192310/

Kindle edition: http://www.amazon.com/Infinite-Space-God-II-ebook/dp/B004CLYDUG/

Author Interview: Philip Stott, Author of Another World

Philip Stott was born in England in 1943. In 1967 he moved to Nigeria to lecture at Ahmadu Bello University and from there he moved to South Africa to lecture at Wits. University. In 1976, while an ardent atheist, he met the Lord Jesus Christ and his perspective on life changed completely. For many years he has been passionately concerned with the relationship between Scripture and Science. He has been an invited guest lecturer at The Russian Accademy of Sciences, the European Centre for Nuclear Research, a UNESCO conference on the teaching of Physics, the State University of St. Petersburg and many other places of learning in Europe, Africa, USA and Canada. We'll talk to Philip about his youth, his writing, and his future plans.


Welcome to The Book Connection, Philip. Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I am a very fortunate person. I grew up in a loving home and was encouraged to work towards a sound education. I have had the opportunity to do many exciting things, go to many interesting places, meet many outstanding people, marry a very special wife, have wonderful children and most fortunate of all, to experience the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in a small sea-side town in England. It was just after the Second World War and England was in a devastated state. Everyone was struggling with the same difficulties so it was a time when people were sympathetic, cared about each other and were more than willing to help with each others problems. In many ways I think it was a better environment for growing up than the ease and affluence of today. Those were the days before television, and most of us read avidly. I used to read about five books a week.

What is your fondest childhood memory?

One which I treasure is from the end of the war. My father came home on leave from France (where he was an interpreter with an American bomb-disposal team). He brought a French toy train set with him. I remember my elder brother sitting on the sofa and my mother holding me in her arms. We watched the train go round and round its little track. The locomotive had a battery-powered headlamp which was brighter than the dim gas lamps which lit the room. It was pure magic.

When did you begin writing?

I began serious technical writing in 1965. I only began writing fiction in 1973 - just for fun. I wrote short stories and a novel without really thinking of getting them published, I just shared them with friends. The first time I wrote actually intending to reach a wider public (in anything other than technical journals) was in 1994 when “Vital Questions” was published.

Do you write during the day, at night or whenever you can sneak a few moments?

Quite a bit of my working day is spent on technical writing. My non-technical stuff is done whenever I can find a quiet opportunity. I usually get up at 4am - sometimes even earlier – when everyone else is still asleep. I am at my most creative, and enjoy writing the most, when the only sound is the distant crowing of cocks.

What is Another World about?

Another World is about the count-down to the flood. The main character is Noah's son, Japheth. We travel with him through a world that has become rotten to the core. He has to contend with gangs of robbers, corrupt police, dishonest businessmen and human traffickers. But he does come across a few honest, upright people and has some great experiences as well as many scary ones on the way to his family's earth-shattering date with destiny.

What inspired you to write it?

I have done a lot of research into the flood. It is one of the topics I have lectured on throughout Europe, Africa the USA and Canada for about twenty years. The events of the flood itself, and the condition of the world just before it struck, were almost certainly very different from most people's conception of them. The evidence suggests a highly developed civilization with advanced scientific knowledge and stunning technology. I can't think of a more exciting setting for a novel ... it cries out for a special genre which could be called “Scriptural Science Fiction”.

Who is your biggest supporter?

My daughter, Angela, who is, among other things, a talented and successful author. She has always been a great encouragement. She often seems to have an inflated opinion of my abilities. That can be a bit embarrassing when I fail to live up to them, but she never seems to lose faith in me anyway.

Are you a member of a critique group? If no, who provides feedback on your work?

I have been a member of a local writers guild “Die Bleomfontein Skrywersvereniging” for a few years. Amost all of the members are Afrikaans speaking, and all the presentations are in Afrikaans, but the members can all speak English fluently. I have learned a great deal from the guild and one of the members is a “fan” of my work, always ready to give advice and to critique my writing.

Where can readers purchase a copy of your book?

If the local bookstore does not have it in stock they could order from Nordskog Publishing Inc, Ventura California. In South Africa it is available from Christian Liberty Books, Cape Town. It is also available at Amazon.

Do you have a website and/or blog where readers can find out more?

I have a web site Scripture and Science. It is part of the Reformation Christian Ministries web site (which is going through a major re-organisation at the moment). There is a lot of information about the interaction of science and scripture, including the flood.

What is one piece of advice you would like to share with aspiring authors everywhere?

Enjoy your writing. I think it is better to aim for a piece which gives you a lot of joy in the making, rather than just to get it published. If it gets accepted for publication take that as an added bonus. If it does not, it will have been a valuable part of developing your writing skills. If you did not enjoy writing it, then it's not very likely that others will enjoy reading it.

What is up next for you?

I am working on a book about cancer – its causes and cure. Some early-bird readers of Another World have suggested a sequel, and I might think about that when the cancer book is finished.

Is there anything you would like to add?

There is an old, but true saying that if you do not know the past you will not be prepared for the future. The flood was a judgment from God. The Bible tells us there will be another judgment. Jesus said that it will be “just as it was in the days of Noah” – most people will be totally unprepared. I hope Another World will inspire readers to be prepared for what I believe is coming sooner than most people expect.

Thank you for spending time with us today, Philip. Good luck with your book.

Leaps of Faith Virtual Book Tour

Welcome to Day 2 of hosting contributors to the Leaps of Faith anthology. Today our guest is Susanne Marie Knight. Susanne is the author of 21 novels and one anthology. Her book, The Coming, won the 2004 Dream Realm Award for best speculative fiction. She also is a six-time EPPIE finalist and writes in such diverse genres as science fiction, Regency, paranormal, mystery, suspense, time-travel, and contemporaries. Among her science fiction romance novels are award-winner Janus Is A Two-Headed God, the sequel Janus Is A Two-Faced Moon, (Earthling Press/Awe-Struck eBooks, Inc.) and best-seller Alien Heat (Wings ePress, Inc.) You can find out more about her works at www.susanneknight.com.

What is the title of your story and what is the inspiration behind it?

My story is called The Convert. The idea for The Convert started with the phrase "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned." If this was to be the beginning of my story, I then wondered why the speaker needed God's forgiveness or blessing. To give the tale a science fiction twist, I created an unusual dilemma for the main character, Father Wren. The question The Convert asks is: who is the real convert in this story?

Why did you decide to contribute to Leaps of Faith?

As soon as I heard about the call for short stories for a Christian Science Fiction anthology, I wanted to contribute. Combining Christian fiction with science fiction is a very imaginative mix. While I’ve written science fiction and also written about faith, I’ve never merged the two. I really enjoyed creating this thought-provoking story.

What it is that ties all these stories together?

All the stories in LEAPS OF FAITH are very entertaining with challenging themes. What more could a reader want?

What do you enjoy most about writing Christian Science fiction?

I enjoy the freedom of creating any number of possible scenarios using faith and science to stimulate the mind. An infinitesimal speck in the vast infinity of our universe can be explored via a story using astronomy and the glory of our Creator.


Find out more about this anthology at www.leapsoffaithsf.com.

The Leaps of Faith anthology is now available at Amazon.com!

Leaps of Faith Virtual Book Tour

Today we have the pleasure of interviewing Karina Fabian, a contributor to Leaps of Faith, an anthology of Christian Science fiction. Karina and her husband Robert also served as the book's editors.

What is the title of your story and what is the inspiration behind it?

I have a couple of stories in Leaps of Faith:

--Leap of Faith: My husband and I had come up with a universe where the solar system had been colonized and an order of nuns did search and rescue operations in outer space. We have several stories in this "Rescue Sisters" universe. Leap of Faith came to me after reading a story about a woman who had had a very traumatic experience as a child, but her mother, while comforting her, told her "Just forget about it." She did, repressing the memory completely, but later other events triggered the emotions from the experience. I decided to do the same with Sister.

--Tampering with God's Time: I actually wrote this in college, wondering what God would do if people tried to tamper with Biblical events. I was glad to brush it off for this anthology. I changed a few things, but overall, the story is the same.

Why did you decide to create Leaps of Faith?

Rob and I had wanted to write science fiction that included the Christian religion because we don't feel that humankind will "outgrow" faith just because we leave the atmosphere, develop new tech toys or even conquer the mystery of time travel. At that time, there were very few venues for Christian SF--that has changed now, hooray!--so we were pleased when FrancisIsidore E-Press gave us a chance to compile this book. Now, we're even more pleased that The Writers' Café Press is putting it in print.

What is it that ties all these stories together?

Faith and science are not at loggerheads; or at least, not fighting because one is inherently superior to the other. In these stories, there is not good guy chaplain against the evil atheist scientist, nor is there the rational man of science vs. the superstitious Believer.

What do you enjoy most about writing Christian Science fiction?

It just makes more sense, from a worldbuilding point of view, to include faith in our characters. Also, it's fun to address moral or even relational issues from a religious angle. Further, my faith is such a part of me, that it comes out in my writing and characters, so I enjoy the freedom of being able to write openly about it without concern.

Find out more about this anthology at www.leapsoffaithsf.com.

The Leaps of Faith anthology is now available at Amazon.com!