Interview with Malcolm Petteway, Author of Homecoming - Osguards: Guardians of the Universe

Joining us today is Malcolm Petteway, author of Homecoming: Osguards: Guardians of the Universe.

Malcolm is a senior military analyst, a retired military officer and a twenty-year veteran of the United States Air Force. He flew B-52’s as an Electronic Warfare Officer and has 3,000 flight hours and 300 combat hours. In his distinguished career, Malcolm has used his knowledge in the art of war, military weapons and combat defenses in planning over 400 combat sorties.  Besides his Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters and numerous other awards, Malcolm is the recipient of the U.S. Air Force Air Medal and the U.S. Air Force Air Achievement Medal for his actions during Operation Enduring Freedom. Malcolm Petteway is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and California State University.

Welcome to The Book Connection, Malcolm. It's a pleasure to have you here. Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I am an avid reader. I don’t just read science fiction. I also read mysteries, action/adventure and religious fiction. I also love movies. The summer season is the best season for movies because Hollywood saves its best for the vacation season. But my favorite past-time is spending time with my lovely wife. She is the light of my life and the reason I breathe. She gave me two wonderful daughters that I enjoy being around. They are my pride and joy. And if I leave this world today, I know I gave it two bright gifts in my daughters.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Waterbury Connecticut. It is a small New England town with the picturesque downtown green containing statues and small monuments celebrating the country and the sacrifices made by the local populous in times of war. When I was growing up, Waterbury was just shedding its manufacturing roots. The local factories that attracted so many to migrate to Waterbury in the early to mid 20th century were just starting to disappear. I grew up in the seventies, where crime and drugs were making their introduction into the town. Seeing the transition from hardworking, tight knit families to families trying to survive the onslaught of unemployment, crime and drugs is one of the motivators that shaped my writing voice. My family survived, but had its challenges, and the Osguards is a loose adaptation of that survival, set in a science fiction fantasy world.

When did you begin writing?

When I was young, I was fascinated by science fiction stories on T.V., in the movies and in books. I was so fascinated by science fiction, I made up my own stories about two sisters running away from a war on their planet, only to find themselves in the antebellum south. Their descendants are then plucked from Earth and given the reigns to a universal peacekeeping organization…like a U.N of space. I would play these stories in my head on long car rides during family trips down south or when I was alone during the day and had nothing to do. To me at the time, this was just daydreaming; a way to pass the time. When I was in high school, I enrolled in creative writing classes. There I took my favorite science fiction characters and used them to spawn a couple of my projects. Boy, did I get razzed by the other students, but the teacher commended me for well thought out and very creative characters. During the Academy, on those long lonely nights, wondering what the hell did I get myself into, those characters and those scenes lulled me to sleep and gave me encouragement to put up with the rigors of the coming day. This continued well into my adult life. These characters and the action sequence I placed them in, began to invade my dreams at night, where I no longer controlled the outcome. Now they were telling me the story. They were old friends, and I welcomed them as part of a peaceful night’s rest. One day, in 2000, I had a setback in my Air Force career, at which time, I received some sound advice. Do something to keep your mind busy. So I decided to write down the stories that plagued me. Every day for three months, after work, I would lock myself in the office and type away at the keyboard. Until one day I emerged from the dark pit of imagination and dropped on the kitchen table a 450 page manuscript. I felt a sense of accomplishment.

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

It is hard to find time to write. I mainly write at night after dinner. I schedule Tuesday and Thursday night to write and Saturday morning. The other days, I collect ideas and review what I’ve written.

What is this book about?

The 2011 Hollywood Book Festival recently recognized Homecoming with an Honorable Mention award. Homecoming is a military science fiction book; written in the same fashion as Star Trek, Star Wars and Star Gate books. It is the first book in a series of four novels. It tells the adventures of Michael David Genesis and his family, the Earth-born Osguards. They are leaders of a United Nations type organization in space, called the Universal Science, Security and Trade Association of Planets – USSTAP (pronounced ewes-tap). The Osguards administer diplomatic, economic and military tools of power to keep the peace throughout 60 galaxies of the known universe. Their adversary is a race of humans called Kulusks, who want to destroy the Osguards and take over USSTAP. Homecoming is set in the near-present day and people of Earth are unaware of USSTAP or the Kulusks’ existence. In Homecoming, Earth has become an unwitting pawn in the Kulusk Empire's thirst for revenge against USSTAP. Maxum Ritchen, the leader of the Kulusk Empire, has set into motion the destruction of USSTAP and with it the destruction of Earth. Michael and his family must prepare USSTAP, for the first time, to go on the offensive and wage an all out universal war. If he is successful, many people will die, and if he is not, Earth will be destroyed.

What inspired you to write it?

I am an impatient man who is discovering the power of perseverance. I conceived Osguards when I was young traveling to Jacksonville, North Carolina for a family reunion. There I met relatives I never knew I had from all parts of the country. The reunion was held on land that was the plantation my forefathers and mothers worked. More spectacular, we were celebrating being a family on that very land. It was so surreal and fascinating at the same time. I took that feeling and created the Osguards. Back then, I was fascinated with science fiction, so I placed my characters in a science fiction setting. Like I stated before, I would play these stories in my head when I was alone during the day and had nothing to do. I first put these characters down on paper in my high school creative writing class. Osguards were a family discovering their rich history and the awesome responsibility that history brought them. The characters, I created in high school stayed with me until one day, in 2000, I decided to expand those short stories into a novel. I wrote Homecoming and received some glowing support and calls for more adventures with the Osguards. I also found I had more to write. Therefore, I continued the series with Revelations, Armageddon and Revenge. In summary, my life experience, my family and friends as well as the need to tell a story with positive protagonist inspired me to write.

Who is your biggest supporter?

My wife, Karen Michelle Petteway, is my biggest supporter and fan. Her faith and love sparks me to continue on this journey. She is an associate editor of the first three Osguard books, and now works diligently as the Chief of Marketing for Rage Books LLC. Rage Books is the friends and family independent publishing company I started in 2009.

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

Unfortunately, I’m not a member of a critique group. However, my editor and friend, Mr. James Barnes provides a wealth of feedback on my work. He doesn’t just edit my work; he reviews, critiques and polishes my work. He is brutally honest, but supportive in his efforts. I have learned to grow a thick skin with him.

Who is your favorite author?

Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan series probably influenced me the most. Additionally, Alex Haley’s Roots left an indelible impression on my writing style. I also must include Octavia Butler and Steven Barnes as the sci fi authors who have influenced my thought process. Finally, James Patterson’s Alex Cross character is very influential in my own character development.

Where can readers purchase a copy of your book?

Homecoming and the other books in the series, Revelations, Armageddon and Revenge, can be ordered wherever books are sold. They are nationally distributed and can be ordered on the Internet as well through sites like Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million, Borders, and Amazon. You can also find savings when you order through Rage Books at http://www.ragebooks.net/, http://www.osguards.com/, or http://www.ragebookstore.com/.

Where can readers find out more?

My website is http://www.osguards.com/ and I have a blog at http://www.ragebooks.blogspot.com/.

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

You can find book trailers for the entire Osguard series on Youtube, Vimeo or on Rage Books websites. Simply search keyword Osguards. Homecoming at Youtube.com: http://youtu.be/YANZjlwpNMc. Homecoming at Vimeo: http://www.vimeo.com/26302138

What is the best investment you have made in promoting your book?

The Best investment I have made is entering Homecoming into the Hollywood Book Festival. Homecoming garnered an “Honorable Mention” award for genre-specific category. Now, Homecoming is an award winning book, recognized by a national organization. Additionally, my wife and I traveled to Hollywood to receive the award and met with other authors, where we exchanged marketing ideas, struggling author stories and more. It was exciting and refreshing.

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

Never quit. I’ve only quit one thing in my life. That decision has altered my life and maybe even my very soul. Never quit. Fortitude sends a better message of who you are and what kind of character you have. Because once you quit, it becomes easier to quit again. Then all you are doing is quitting every time you are challenged.

What is up next for you?

I have a few projects in the making. Presently, I’m working on a different type of book. Working title is called Forever Changed. It is about two Department of Homeland Security agents who think they are chasing terrorists, but are actually chasing aliens. Another project I will probably begin writing will delve more into fantasy. I plan to do something with an angel, genie/gen, wizard/witch and ghost. I’m still playing around with the setup, but I feel positive about the concept. The third project I will work is about a military sniper, who comes home to his sister’s funeral. His sister was murdered and he uses his advanced training, weaponry and skills to hunt down the killers. Now, I still have to pay honor to the Osguards, and start another series. I just haven’t settled on the setup yet.

Is there anything you would like to add?

Although, I believe anyone who loves to read action, adventure and thriller books would love Homecoming, I think I have two main types of audiences that will find my books worth their time, intriguing and most of all exciting to read.

First I have the loyal science fiction fan. They will find Osguards is fresh, innovative and exciting with a new voice. My books capture the reader’s imagination, and challenge the industry. There is a quiet revolution taking place in the reading world. There is a new generation of readers, touched by advanced technology. Today, technological hunger, personal experience and raw attraction are what define this audience. They will buy my books because they are avid readers who can relate to the characters using advanced technology as they push through electrifying adventures. These characters are normal people pushed into extraordinary circumstances.

My second fan base consist of disciplined people, mainly military oriented. Between my time in the Air Force Academy, twenty years as an Air Force Officer and my time now as a military analyst, I daresay I know a little something about the military and how to speak to the military. Osguards is a contemporary blend of Science Fiction, Technical Thriller, and American History wrapped in Professional Military Science. My military experience, coupled with my Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Masters Degree in International Relations, gives me credence to reach an untapped audience of Military Science Fiction fans and enhances my ability to compose exciting stories filled with scientific essence and political intrigue encircled in military conflict.

Thanks for spending time with us today, Malcolm. We wish you continued success.

Guest Blogger: The Starseed Theory by Valmore Daniels, Author of Forbidden the Stars

Our special guest today is Valmore Daniels, author of Forbidden The Stars.

At the end of the 21st century, a catastrophic accident in the asteroid belt has left two surveyors dead, but the asteroid itself is completely missing, along with their young son, Alex Manez, who was accompanying them.

On the outer edge of the solar system, the first manned mission to Pluto, led by the youngest female astronaut in NASA history, has led to an historic discovery: there is a marker left there by an alien race for humankind to find. We are not alone!

While studying the alien marker, it begins to react and, four hours later, the missing asteroid appears in a Plutonian orbit, along with young Alex Manez, who has developed some alarming side-effects from his exposure to the kinetic element they call Kinemet.

From the depths of a criminal empire based on Luna, an expatriate seizes the opportunity to wrest control of outer space, and takes swift action.

The secret to faster-than-light speed is up for grabs, and the race for interstellar space is on!

The Starseed Theory by Valmore Daniels

With the recent discovery of a planet twenty light years away from Earth that might be capable of sustaining life, the debate on the possibility of life on other planets has taken a renewed interest in the media and in popular fiction. What kind of life might we meet if we ventured beyond the border of our solar system?

Many science fiction authors and theorists will ask, “Why limit the possibility of alien life to humanoid, or even, corporeal life?” In the farthest stretches of our imaginations, there are endless possibilities of the forms of life beyond our atmosphere. For all we know, they could be transcendental beings of thought and spirit. While, for me, this is an exciting theory, for Forbidden The Stars, I’ve subscribed to the “Starseed” theory.

The Starseed Theory is the premise that tangible, physical life does exist throughout the universe. Millennia ago, spores, microbes, bacteria or extremophiles were distributed throughout the galaxy, possibly by meteorites, comets, or by design (a theory known as exogenesis).

In Forbidden The Stars, NASA astronauts travel to the outer edge of our solar system to Pluto, and discover an artifact that indicates that there are, in fact, over thirty thousand species of aliens in the galaxy.

Throughout the novel, I hint that the alien race most directly involved in the story last made contact with Earth a thousand years ago. The ancient Mayans mistook them for gods, and created their entire Pantheon around these extra-solar beings. These “gods” retreated from the world, and left a set of instructions for when humankind matured enough as a technological society to venture forth and join their cousins in the stars.

Forbidden The Stars deals with the ten years leading up to interstellar travel, and ends just as first contact is made. At this point, I have purposely not described this primary alien race, or introduced them into the narrative … I’ve left that as a cliffhanger for the sequel.

For anyone who is interested in the new world discovered by planet hunters, the red dwarf star’s name is Gliese 581.

In true nomadic spirit, Valmore Daniels has lived on the coasts of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic Oceans, and dozens of points in between.


An insatiable thirst for new experiences has led him to work in several fields, including legal research, elderly care, oil & gas administration, web design, government service, human resources, and retail business management.

His enthusiasm for travel is only surpassed by his passion for telling tall tales.

Valmore’s latest book is Forbidden the Stars, a sci-fi novel set at the end of the 21st century.

Visit his website at www.ValmoreDaniels.com.

Guest Blogger: Combining Elements of The Staff of Rahgorra by Mark Oetjens

Our special guest today is Mark Oetjens, author of the science-fiction novel, The Staff of Rahgorra.

Another time, another galaxy. The mysterious crime lord Thrull has aspirations beyond controlling the underworld in a single corner of the galaxy.  Thrull wants to bring the galaxy under one rule and build a legitimate Galactic Empire.  For years he has been training an army of his followers and building his own private Armada.  But he knows he must also find the Staff of Rahgorra, a weapon of mythic power. To keep Thrull from finding the Staff the Galactic Security Bureau, peacekeepers of the galaxy, has pressed back into service a banished agent.  Chameleon Del Rey was expelled from the GSB for avenging the death of a friend and for practicing the forbidden art of Jai Kin.  Now he must train a young apprentice to use Jai Kin and find the Staff of Rahgorra before Thrull does in order to avoid a war that will stretch across the galaxy.


Combing Elements of The Staff of Rahgorra by Mark Oetjens

I've been asked to write a guest post about how I combined the different elements in The Staff of Rahgorra, organized crime, galactic empires, mythical weaponry and an ancient art form, smoothly to create the world in which my characters exist. I've lived in that world, or galaxy, for so long that at first I did not understand the question. And to a certain extent, I still don't, but I'll give it a try.

I guess the only way to "explain" how I combined all these elements is to compare them to real world examples and how they relate to one another. Now, I don't think I can do this without revealing more about The Staff of Rahgorra than I care to. So let me just warn you right now, SPOILER ALERTS!!!

Organized crime exists throughout the world, and throughout the galaxy I created. Thrull and Toranga's organizations can be compared to any number of real criminal groups, only on a much larger scale.

Now, the idea that Thrull wants to build a legitimate galactic empire might be pushing it a little, except for two things. First, a galactic empire is part of the galaxy's history. Second, (SPOILER ALERT) Thrull used to command the flagship of the Galactic Security Bureau. He was a high ranking military man. He knows a galactic empire is a real possibility, especially if he finds the Staff of Rahgorra.

The Staff of Rahgorra, the mythical weapon, is seen as the scepter of power throughout the galaxy, comparable to the Holy Grail or the Ark of the Covenant. And the Staff is known to exist.
Finally, sprinkled over all this is the art of Jai Kin. Jai Kin is based on Chi Gung, a concept taught by many of the martial arts. Of course, I ramp up the power some in the novel for literary effect. (SPOILER ALERT) The fact that both Cam and Thrull are Jai Kin Masters only adds to the conflict, especially when they are both searching for a mythical weapon.
That's how I smoothly combined the different elements of the story to create the galaxy of The Staff of Rahgorra.

Mark Oetjens was born in 1971. He grew up in suburban Chicago. As a child he was diagnosed with Dystonia, a debilitating neuromuscular disorder. Though there is no cure for Dystonia, surgeries and rehabilitation allowed him to walk with only a slight limp by the time he started high school. He received a B.A. in English and an M.A. in Anthropology, both from Northern Illinois University. As an adult a brain tumor, completely unrelated to his Dystonia, threatened to disable him a second time. Thanks to radiation therapy the tumor has disappeared. Mark currently lives in Phoenix, AZ.


Mark’s latest book is the science fiction novel, The Staff of Rahgorra.


You can visit his website at www.conquerpublishing.com.

Sienna Skyy talks about Villains and American Quest

It's time for the bad guys to roll on out. Today's guest blogger, Sienna Skyy is going to talk about villains and her book, American Quest.



Don’t you just love villains? I can’t seem to get interested in the heroes until the unsavories have churned them through the wringer. And in my opinion those unsavories are juiciest when they’re on the bad, bad, extra-bad side, but with enough complexity and hint of redemption that they’re still interesting.

My heroes in American Quest, Bruce and Gloria, are young lovers with uncommon depths of passion—for their work, for life, and for each other. They’re completely unaware that there’s another world out there, one full of demonic creatures called Maculs who gain power through crushing human virtues. One in particular, Enervata, is on a mission to defile love.

Villains tend to grow so fast in scale that as writers, we don’t really have to work hard to bring their personalities to life. They’re already chock full of conflict. I found it easiest to write about Enervata and his band of nasty minions: two gluttonous brothers who swill honey wine and lay booby traps, a mouthless wretch with shifty loyalties, and two half-bird, half-human creatures called canteshrikes. The canteshrikes live for all things sensory, be it the thrill of flight, sexual pleasures, or the art of pain.

As American Quest unfolds, Enervata abducts Gloria and lays a trap of seduction and temptation, trying to turn her to his side and renounce her love for Bruce and all that she cherishes. If he succeeds in breaking her, he gains enough power to enslave the earth; but if he fails, he will kill her. Bruce sets off on a quest to save his true love, never knowing whether she will remain loyal to him, and unaware that Enervata’s minions are lying in wait.

I suppose writers have enjoyed working with the wicked characters since the beginning of time. We never know what our heroes are capable of until they have to face challenges, heartbreak, and even devastation. One of my favorite literary villains is Sir Bruce sans Pitié from Mallory’s Le Morte d’Arthur. It seemed that any time the knights of Camelot achieved success on their quests, Sir Bruce would show up and wreak havoc. Some believed that he was actually one of Arthur’s knights who lived a double life as a rogue.

Another one of my favorites is Melville’s whale in Moby Dick, whose pure meanness drove Captain Ahab to conjure an even darker, more inescapable enemy: himself.

I’m curious about favorite villains among The Book Connection’s readers. Do you have a preference—man vs. man, man vs. beast, or man vs. nature? And who would you consider to be the best literary villains of all time?

Thanks for the opportunity to say hello. Happy reading!
--Sienna Skyy


The AMERICAN QUEST VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR '08 will officially begin on October 1 and ends on October 30. You can visit Sienna's tour stops at www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com in October to find out more about her latest book!

As a special promotion, Pump Up Your Book Promotion is giving away a FREE virtual book tour to a published author with a recent release or a $50 Amazon gift certificate to those not published who comments on our authors' blog stops. More prizes will be announced as they become available. The winner will be announced on our main blog at www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.wordpress.com on October 30!

The Inside Scoop on Geoff Nelder

Today, I have the distinct pleasure of welcoming Geoff Nelder, an award-winning author of thriller, fantasy, and science fiction. Geoff is also co-editor of a new science fiction magazine titled, “Escape Velocity”. Geoff made three humorous contributions to Inside Scoop: Articles about Acting and Writing by Hollywood Insiders and Published Authors. We’ll talk to Geoff about his books, his magazine, and his contributions to Inside Scoop, but I warn you, Geoff might just crack you up.

Welcome to The Book Connection, Geoff. It’s great to have you with us.

Cheryl, the pleasure is all mine.

When you first contacted me about this interview you mentioned biscuits and tea. Sounds English. Is that where you hail from? Do you still live in England?

I hail from Earth, but I live in the bit called England.

How long have you been writing? Have you always viewed the world with a sense of humor?

I have been writing since schooldays, when I wrote skits for end of semester stage shows.

Who would you say is your biggest source of inspiration?

Tibor Fischer plays with words in a way that I appreciate, admire and make my chuckle muscles ache. Read his The Thought Gang and you’ll see what I mean. Less obviously, one of your countrymen living in Paris, Howard Waldman, has an inspiring flair for writing – try his Back There and his soon to be released Good Americans Go To Paris When They Die.


You’ve recently had a short story published in the literary magazine, Delivered. Would you like to tell us about it?

"Camera Shy" came to me while sipping lemon tea at a pavement café in the Place de Concorde, Paris. A thief dismounts from his bicycle to ‘help’ then steal a video camera from a tourist couple. They use his bicycle to give chase down in the Metro underground. The confrontation is where the twist and countertwist screws when the wife pieces together the real reason why her hubby is so keen to recover what is recorded in the camera. Writing a chunk of a story while on location always gives me a buzz. Hey I get a prize if readers vote for my Camera Shy in the March edition of Delivered – get it from Grimmy Productions.

Why don’t you tell us about some of the story collections you’ve contributed to.

My favorite crime story is "Fake Fake" that appeared in Shots Magazine. Two bungling burglars steal a famous Van Gogh painting and sell it to the wrong people. The story is based on a real Van Gogh stolen painting, yet to be recovered. I understand the police are taking their clues from my story…



Let’s talk about Escaping Reality. It’s listed on your website as a humor thriller, crime mystery with a dash of romance. Okay, how in the heck did you pull all that off?

It is the novel that grew inside me as a young man and finally burst out in 2005. The protagonist is thrown into prison and escapes to prove his innocence. He uses humor, like I do, to overcome adversity. If you are a kid trapped in an adult’s body then it isn’t difficult to find hilarity all around you, particularly when real adults are so po-faced.

How can writers add humor to lighten up their stories without making it seem out of place?

Good question. Next?

Oh, all right. Don’t deliberately use humor to lighten a story. It has to fall into the subtext naturally, or it will feel forced. Often an observation of real life is simple and simply funny. For example, from Escaping Reality is this:
'...a wheeled basket was pulling an old lady down towards the shops on the other side of the road.'

Even in a dangerous episode the way the endangered protagonist thinks helps him to survive trauma. Example:
‘Through half-closed puffy eyes I could see they were considering their next step. It wasn't so much their conversation because two of them hadn't said anything at all and the talkative one had only uttered two words. Actions speak louder than words. They seemed to operate with some sort of low-life telepathy. I've seen it before. Knowing looks, eyebrow elevation semaphore, short jerks of the head, shrugging shoulders and grunts. Why use complicated language, fraught with the dangers of using the wrong words and all the permutations of ambiguity?’



Tell us about “Escape Velocity”. How did it get started? Where can readers get a copy?

Robert Blevins runs Adventure Books of Seattle. He and I have edited his company’s novels and then we realized that between us we had a truckload of unpublished short stories we’d written. We threw some of them into an anthology, Dimensions, which is still available here Adventure Books of Seattle. Although we were satisfied with that publication it struck us that we could involve many other writers if we created a magazine. Now, only in its second issue yet the magazine sells better than the books. "Escape Velocity" has its own website for purchase here: http://www.escapevelocitymagazine.com

Do you accept outside submissions or is this magazine entirely staff written?

After the first issue, it would feel too much like vanity to use our own stories in the magazine – and so we defeat our own original purpose! We write articles and editorials but are open to science fiction stories from any good writer. Please read the submission guidelines in the above link first, even if you send a packet of biscuits stapled to your e-mail.

Let’s move on to Inside Scoop. How did you get involved in this project?

Marilyn Peake and I bumped into each other in a couple of writers’ forums and that latent spark of love and recognition burst into everlasting flame – or something like that.

Your article “Where the Spanish are German, the English are Scottish and the Sheep Wear Cowbells” is about what writers can learn by traveling to places they hope to write about. Is this something that you do frequently?

Absolutely. As a former teacher of Geography I used to get irritated by the use of theoretical models that were the vogue in the 80s. Kids would learn about NewTown and NewPort and know nothing about real places. Now I see that in stories and I see no point in making up places when there are so many colorful real and vibrant towns. But to grab a feel for those places I need to breathe in their air, smell their wild plants, and kiss their women, and so forth. It is a bit trickier in science fiction, but I have a ticket waiting for the next bus to Saturn’s rings.

You talk about Internet research in your next article, “Foraging the Forumiferii (or
using Internet forums for writing research)”. What can you tell us about this one?

I was commissioned by a cycling magazine to research and write a piece on why dogs chase and bark at cyclists. There are so many Yahoo and other forums inhabited by cyclists, dog owners, sound engineers and scientists that they presented an ideal opportunity to forage them for information. I had over 2,000 responses from ‘because they can’ to a book-length essay from an ethologist on canine psychiatry.

Your last article, “The Mob and Hotels: Elements of Research in the Writing of Escaping Reality” talks about the real-life background research you did for your novel. Sounds dangerous. Were you ever worried that what you uncovered could be harmful to you or your loved ones?

I am too ignorant and foolish to realize any danger I put myself and my family into at the time. When you have taught 5,000 people no matter how much I hoped they’d all become model citizens – at least whacky anarchistic but friendly citizens – some were statistically likely to become criminals. One such was a likeable rogue as a kid, and though he became a drug pusher and then gangland leader we kind of respected each other so I didn’t feel in any personal danger. The information he imparted to me was obviously not going to be relevant for a police operation by the time it came out in Escaping Reality. Having said that there were police raids in Maryport, UK after a local reporter noted the crime scene described in my fiction!

What’s up next for you? Are there future projects you would like to share with our readers?

My agent is hawking around my sci fi trilogy, Left Luggage. It has an original premise and will be bigger than Heroes, and more disturbing than Lost. My work in progress is Xaghra’s Revenge, a magic realism fantasy based on a real incident when in 1551 pirates abducted the entire population of a Mediterranean island. Their spirits seek revenge…

Is there anything you would like to add?

That cup of tea? My biscuit has sunk in it.

Just one last question, how are my interview skills? Before you answer, let me tell you that I have an over-protective husband who stands around six-feet tall and is dangerously close to two hundred pounds.

Your skills are outstanding, as is your hair.

Thanks for joining us today, Geoff. It’s been a wonderful and funny ride getting to know more about you and your work. Best of luck in all you do!

Thanks, Cheryl. Next time make it Earl Grey tea, and I’m partial to custard creams.

Science Fiction Author Darrell Bain Beams in with Savage Survival

Joining us today is Darrell Bain, the award-winning author of more than three dozen books and one of the best selling authors in electronic publishing. While Darrell has written humor, mystery, and non-fiction, over the last few years he’s concentrated more on science-fiction and suspense/thrillers. Today we will discuss one of Darrell’s latest sci-fi novels, Savage Survival, which is a limited special edition hardcover.

Welcome to The Book Connection, Darrell. I’m thrilled to have you here!

Thanks. I'm glad to be here.

Before we talk about Savage Survival, can you tell us a bit about yourself? How long have you been writing? What inspired you to become a full-time novelist?

I've been interested in writing since I was a little shaver but only got serious about it when I was around 50 years old and bought my first computer. I wrote quite a lot even after quitting medicine to become a Christmas tree farmer, but became a full time writer after closing the farm a few years ago. It's a great profession to keep you busy after retiring!

You’ve been published in a variety of genres. When you sit down to read, what type of books are you drawn to? Does your wife, Betty, enjoy any of the same books that you do?

I love to read, period. I'll read the label on a box of cereal if there's nothing else handy. My favorite genres are thrillers and science fiction. Betty likes British mysteries, but she also began enjoying science fiction after we were married. Like me, she's an eclectic reader. For both of us, we'll read anything that's interesting and well written! We swap books with each other and Santa always fills our stockings with books whether we've been good or not. Isn't he nice?

Authors of science-fiction novels amaze me in the way that they can create worlds that are so different from our own. After writing so many of these novels, does making up worlds and creatures get any easier? Do you have a starting point--is it the world or the creatures or something else?

Now here is a question I don't get asked very often. The answer is yes, it does become easier with time. It's like any other mental exercise. Do it often and you become better at it. The starting point can depend on a number of things. The theme, whether it's in our solar system or somewhere else, whether you want to portray the aliens as good or bad and so on. When creating a new world and/or other species, you have to be consistent in everything written about them.



Let’s talk about Savage Survival. What is this novel all about?

Savage Survival is both a coming of age story and a novel of survival under extreme conditions, purposely imposed on millions of humans. We follow Lyda Brightner, an eleven year old girl for over five years as she copes with increasingly harsh and life-threatening environments. But ultimately, Savage Survival is designed to portray all that is good and decent and noble in our species, even when challenged by the most horrible kinds of adversity, such as Lyda is throughout the novel.

In Chapter One, we meet Lyda’s parents. What can you tell us about them?

Luckily for Lyda, they are a good, intelligent couple who have given Lyda a basic understanding of moral and ethical behavior. Just as important, they have taught her how to think and learn, something she will need almost every instant in the future.

Also in this chapter, Lyda and her parents witness aliens taking over the world. Eleven-year-old Lyda is asking her parents a million questions. Was it challenging to portray the curiosity of a young girl?

Laugh! Not at all. I was very curious at that age and remember wishing I had someone to explain a lot of things. Unfortunately, I didn't have as good a home life as Lyda. But I certainly know what curiosity and the desire to learn is like.

After aliens put Lyda through her first survival test, she decides not only will she survive, but she will exact revenge on the creatures responsible. When she makes this decision, does she have any idea how she will accomplish this?

Not in the least. All she knows is that no one deserves to be treated like she and the rest of the people who are thrown together are, where only one of a thousand will survive. Of course she has no idea of the ulterior motives of the aliens, not until near the end of the book and then it all makes sense.

What are some of the challenges Lyda will face in trying to follow through on her decision?

Lord have mercy, what challenges doesn't she face? She has to overcome men who want to either kill or enslave her, mind bending psychological horrors, facing and overcoming her own worst fears (how about having to decide whether to run or try making friends with a spider-like creature bigger than you?) and possibly the hardest challenge of them all, resisting temptation in one of the environments and not succumbing to its artificial pleasures that are more intense than reality.

Here’s an important question, where can readers purchase a copy of Savage Survival?

For an autographed copy, you can go to my web site http://www.darrellbain.com and click on the book sale link in the menu. Other places are
Amazon.com ( http://tinyurl.com/25wt5w ) and
Twilight Times (http://www.twilighttimesbooks.com/print_books.html#SavageSurvival ). The best price is my web site or Twilight Times. Amazon has it listed at the full list price because it is a special limited edition and will become a collector's item.

What is up next for you? Are there future projects you would like to share with our readers?

Oh yes. I've been honored by the offer to collaborate on a novel with Travis S. "Doc Travis" Taylor, a noted scientist and a popular science fiction writer. The title will be Human By Choice and will be out next July or so. And Bark! my novel of an addled little dachshund doggie who saves the world from an alien invasion is being published in England in February (but copies will be available here).

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Yes. Savage Survival is my favorite out of the books I've written and Lyda Brightner is my favorite character. I'm very glad that it's out in print so others can read about her and be with her as she grows into a young woman. She has become almost real for me. I might add that this was one of those rare books that suddenly pop into an author's head already themed and plotted and the characters already vivid in your mind. It practically wrote itself.

It’s been a pleasure getting to know more about you and your work, Darrell. I wish you continued success.

Thank you very much. I've enjoyed talking to you.

This virtual book tour has been brought to you by:

The Infinite Space, Infinite God Tour Continues

Joining me today is author and editor, Karina Fabian. We’ll be chatting about the 2007 EPPIE award-winning Catholic Science-fiction anthology Infinite Space, Infinite God (ISIG), which is available in eBook format through Twilight Times Books - http://www.twilighttimesbooks.com/InfiniteSpace_ss1.html - or in trade paperback through Amazon, Bamm.com, Barnes & Noble, Borders, and other bookstores. Karina and her husband Robert edited and contributed to this anthology.

Welcome to The Book Connection, Karina. It’s great to have you here!

Thanks, Cheryl! This is Day Nine on the Infinite Space, Infinite God tour for readers, but something like day 45 for me! I've been filling out interviews, sending out synopses, and doing guest blogs in preparation for this for months. I love the Internet and I love sharing both ISIG and my stories with folks like you.

There is so much we could talk about, but let’s get started with finding out a bit more about Robert and you. How long have you both been writing? What other writing projects have you worked on--together or separately?

It sounds cliché, but I've been telling stories since around age five, and have been writing them since I could string sentences together. I tried to write my first novel in third grade. In high school, I did a lot of bad poetry and good Star Trek fanfic--about what you'd expect from a teen geek! In college, I started exploring my own worlds and characters, and finally got serious about it in 1995, after I'd left the active duty Air Force.

I've written nonfiction articles about parenting, pregnancy, travel, people, businesses--you name it, I probably wrote about it. In fiction, I mostly stick with science fiction and fantasy. I have three craft books out, all tied to the Little Flowers and Blue Knights clubs. In addition, I have a fantasy trilogy I'm shopping around, a fantasy comedy going to a publisher soon (Magic, Mensa and Mayhem), and stories published in Eternal Night, Samsara, Firestorm of Dragons and some others. Oh, and there's all that fanfic I had published back in college. In addition, I keep up my many websites, contribute to blogs and host a weekly authors' chat.

Rob's solo writing has mostly been in the non-fiction arena--military space operations and doctrine, ballistic missiles, space economic development--and published in professional journals like Proceedings of the Naval Institute and Astropolitics. However, he has notebooks of ideas (fiction and non-fiction alike) to pursue once he's retired and has more time to pursue his writing.

Together, we've edited the SF anthologies, Leaps of Faith and Infinite Space, Infinite God. We've also written several stories in a near future universe where humans have colonized the solar system and an order of nuns, Our Lady of the Rescue, conducts space search-and-rescue operations. We have stories in both anthologies and one in Hereditas Magazine (www.hereditasmagazine.com), and are working on our first novel in that universe, Discovery. We're already making plans for Infinite Space, Infinite God II.


Infinite Space, Infinite God is an anthology of Catholic Science-fiction. Being a former Catholic, this intrigues me. How do you mix Catholicism and science-fiction? Doesn’t the Catholic Church believe in creationism, not science?

It's a myth that the Catholic Church is anti-science. Nothing could be farther than the truth. The Church held onto the wisdom of the past through the Dark Ages, helping to foster the Renaissance. Mendel, the father of genetics, and Copernicus, who originally proposed the heliocentric theory of the solar system, were both Catholic monks. Moving into more modern times, the Vatican has a working observatory, a Pontifical Academy for science, and hosts symposiums for scientists of all religions.

What about Galileo? There are a lot of factors in that case, including the fact that we could not prove Galileo's theories until decades later when telescope technology improved, Galileo's slander of the Pope of the time, and other factors. It was not just a question of theology vs. science. The Catholic Church could not endorse Heliocentric theory--which was then unproven--but neither did it reject it or science out of hand. Proposing a new theory about the universe, not a problem. Bad-mouthing the Pope while you propose your new theory, yeah, that would get you into trouble.

As far as Creationism, the Church does not have a doctrinal position for or against it. Like evolution, it is a theory. The Church does not dictate a literal word-for-word interpretation of the Bible. Catholic teaching is that the Bible is for the salvation of our souls, not the scientific explanation of our universe. There are several genres included in the Bible, including history, poetry and allegory. The Creation Story is allegory, meaning it is True, but not literal. For example: Truths: God created the world in an orderly fashion; humans are a combination of the natural (of the earth) and divine (God's breath into Adam); God rested (as we should). Literalism: God said a sentence and light spontaneously appeared. God took six 24-hour periods to create everything. God made the first human out of dirt.

If you think about it, can you imagine God explaining the Big Bang to ancient man? "And God said: E = Amv^2 - Ze^2/r ..."

God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. God has power over everything. That's what our souls need to know. Want to figure out how? Go for it, but don't expect that to get you to Heaven.

Having said all this, Catholic doctrine does not prohibit Catholics from embracing Creationism, either. It's another theory of how God created the universe.

The Catholic Church does, however, take very seriously its role as a moral guide, including in the area of science. Where science impacts on the Ten Commandments, or where it tempts humans to take the place of God, the Church will be there to advise restraint, caution and clarity of mind and soul. A lot of the stories in Infinite Space, Infinite God draw on this important role.

So a long story short is that science, science fiction and Catholicism blend together quite well.

Having read several of these stories already, the topics are very diverse with the Catholic Church playing a role in all of them. What inspired you to bring together the Church and a genre that Catholicism might not be typically associated with?

We believe Catholicism should be associated with science--and in a positive way.

As long-time science fiction fans, we were often frustrated at the lack of any religion in the genre, except when used as a foil for the "Evil Scientist" or to play the villain against Progress. To be fair, that's not the only time you saw it--Canticle for Liebowitz by Walter Miller is a classic of science fiction and undeniably Catholic--but they were rare enough that we wanted to explore the idea.

Our initial exploration was to create the universe of the Order of Our Lady of the Rescue. This led us to compiling our first anthology, Leaps of Faith (which covers many Christian faiths), then to Infinite Space, Infinite God.

Why these authors? Why these stories? What did you find in these fifteen different stories that made you want to include them in ISIG?

We had three criteria:

1. Engaging stories. They had to catch our interest with unique ideas, strong characters, well-done action or well-written prose, or preferably all of these things.

2. Sound science fiction: The science had to be internally believable and where based on real science, realistically projected. (We had some writers work with scientists for their stories.)

3. Sound Catholic doctrine: the stories had to stay in agreement with current Catholic doctrine, or the reason for going against those doctrines had to be extreme and well explained that it was not a casual choice.

In stories like The Harvest and Interstellar Calling, the main character goes through certain experiences that lead him or her to be called into service for the Catholic Church. But as I think about these stories, they truly seem to be more about the calling than about the circumstances which led the main character to decide to serve. But in Hopkins’ Well we find out something surprising about Bethesda. And it is that surprise, along with what he witnesses that makes him decide to want to share what he has learned with the Wellers and the people on Earth. So, in this instance, the story becomes more about the circumstances and less about the calling. Why do these different approaches work in the same anthology?

They work because this is an anthology. We wanted different approaches, fresh ideas, new twists, and varying angles. We were also blessed with some very talented writers with different backgrounds, faith experiences and writing styles. Finally, because religion itself affects people in so many ways, we felt the anthology should do the same.

As you've noted in our stories, some people are led to a Calling, and the Calling is the focus; in others, like "Little Madeleine," their Calling is the solution to their troubles. In other stories, like "Understanding," the Catholic faith, misused or badly considered, causes problems. In some, like "Brother John" practicing Catholicism brings peril, while in others like "Brother Jubal in the Womb of Silence," it brings incredible peace.

You'll see different approaches to the science fiction aspect, too. Science causes problems, solves problems, is the means to tell the story, or is simply the necessary background. Science acts in opposition to faith and in cooperation.

Finally, you'll find a variety of science fiction styles as well: hard science where the principles are based in fact, thought out and discussed, soft science where, for example, you're simply given "time travel exists" and the story moves on, space opera (a long time ago or ahead in a galaxy far, far away), "furry" (a genre I never knew existed until I started this, but that involves intelligent animals), adventure, mystery…

Like you said, it works. One consistent comment we get from readers and reviewers is that they kept turning the pages because they never knew where the next story would take them. We think that's the mark of a great anthology.

The opening pages of ISIG discuss the Catholic Church’s support and encouragement of scientific advancements through the centuries. Why was it important to include such history? Also included, was information about the Catholic faith which helped to introduce the aspects of Catholicism that these stories dealt with. How was this approach decided upon and what does this information add for the reader?

Actually, we did this, in part, as a nod to the original publisher. This would have been their first step into genre fiction, as they publish mostly non-fiction, historical, biographies, and such, and we thought this might prove a transition. When they turned us down--because of the genre aspect--we decided to keep them in. (I worked hard on those!)

The history specifically answers those who pick up the book and think, as you mentioned above, "Isn't Catholicism anti-science?" The story introductions provided some organization and framework. We thought it interesting to learn about the past and present before going on to the future. However, we also specifically crafted the introductions so that they are not necessary to understand or enjoy the stories. (So if you want to skip them go ahead; you won't hurt our feelings.)

Now that we're with a secular publisher, we're glad we included them, because one thing folks have said is that this book makes them think, and that was our goal. I wrote the introductions to try to give folks a reference from which to start, to know what the Catholic Church has done and is doing and may do in the future. Someday, we'd like to put together a study guide--but that's another project, and frankly will depend on how well ISIG sells and whether we think there's an audience for it.

I really could go on, but then what would people learn at the rest of your blog stops this month? Is there anything you would like to add?

Infinite Space, Infinite God is entertaining science fiction with a Catholic twist. That means you don't need to be Catholic to enjoy it--and in fact, our reviewers have spanned the spectrum of faith. (Our writers, too, for that matter.)

Folks can learn more about Infinite Space, Infinite God by checking out our website at http://isigsf.tripod.com. There, you'll find synopses of the stories, interviews, event news, teasers and more.

Infinite Space, Infinite God is already available as an e-book from www.twilighttimesbooks.com or fictionwise. After August 15, it will be available in print from www.twilighttimesbooks.com, amazon.com, or from your favorite books store.

If you enjoy ISIG, please consider asking your local library to purchase a copy so that others might discover it. And let us know how you liked it! Our contact information is on the website.

Thanks for stopping by Karina. I congratulate the authors, Robert, and you for putting together an anthology of thought-provoking, diverse, gripping stories. No wonder ISIG has received such rave reviews. I wish you all much success in the future.

Thanks, Cheryl. I enjoyed answering these questions for you and your readers!

To find out where the Infinite Space, Infinite God tour goes next check out the ISIG website at http://isigsf.tripod.com.