Interview & Giveaway with Author P.A. Baines

It's my pleasure to welcome Splashdown Books author P. A. Baines to the blog today!

Q:  What was your inspiration for Alpha Redemption?
A:  Would you believe, atheism? I was heavily involved with discussing and debating Christianity with atheists on various Internet sites. It was suggested on more than one occasion that belief in God is irrational. That got me wondering what a purely logical creature would think if it read the Bible. At that moment one the main characters of Alpha Redemption, Jay, was born.

Q:  How do you come up with your story ideas?
A:  Usually it is a single scene that comes to mind, often while reading a book. I do almost all of my reading using audio books, and I often find my thoughts wandering. Sometimes an interesting scenario comes to mind, and sometimes that grows into a complete story.

Q:  How does your faith impact your writing?
A:  It is at the very core of my writing. I do not just want to write "stories". Rather, I want to glorify God through my work. He is at the center of what I try to do.

Q:  How long does it take you to complete a novel? How many drafts do you go through?
A:  The first draft of Alpha Redemption took three months. Add to that, two months of thinking about the plot, and another six months of revisions and editing, so about one year in total. My current story, on the other hand, was one I started five years ago but never got beyond the first chapter. The number of drafts tends to be quite low for me because I always edit my first drafts as I go. So, really, my first draft is more like a third draft.

Q:  After becoming a published author, what surprised you the most?
A:  The biggest surprise was that selling your story is as difficult (if not more so) than finding a publisher. People are generally quite reluctant to take a chance on an unknown author, so it is an uphill struggle. Good reviews help, but that does not necessarily mean people are going to rush out and buy your book.

Q:  What event, writer, or book has most impacted your writing life?
A:  I think "On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft" by Stephen King had the biggest impact on me as a writer because it showed just how difficult it can be to get published, even for someone as gifted as Stephen King. It also showed me that being "gifted" is not what it takes to be a good writer. You have to work hard and push on, even when the rejection letters come. So often we read about people hitting the big time with their first novel, of finding a publisher without even looking, but these cases are extremely rare and we should not look to them as examples of how the industry works. To be a writer, you have to be prepared for a lot of hard work and a lot of rejection. If you don't have a thick skin when you start out, you certainly will by the time you see your book on the shelves.

Q:  What’s the one far out sci-fi technology you’d most like to see become a household item?

A:  Anti-gravity devices. I think they would transform our lives. While this is something I would love to see, I am not convinced that it would be beneficial for everyone. Can you imagine how lazy it might make us? I think far more of us would become couch-potatoes if anti-gravity suits became available at our local supermarkets.

Thanks for visiting with us today, Paul!


ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Paul writes science fiction that is both contemplative and profound. Educated in Africa, he works as an analyst/programmer and is studying towards a degree in Creative Writing through Buckinghamshire New University in England. He currently lives in a small corner of the Netherlands with his wife and two children and various wildlife.
Visit his website at www.pabaines.com. He is also a member of the New Authors' Fellowship.

ABOUT THE BOOK - Alpha Redemption
From despair he fled, through tragedy he lived on, and journeyed to innocence.

His trajectory: the stars. His companion: a computer poised at the brink of sentience.

An unlikely friendship on a prototype spaceship at lightspeed towards Alpha Centauri, and redemption.


WIN THE BOOK
If you’d like to be entered to win the e-book, Alpha Redemption, just leave a comment on this blog. I’ll pick a winner at random on Tuesday, August 23rd. Please leave an email address so I can contact you if you're the winner. (To prevent spammers from trolling for your email, please use this format with the brackets--you [at] yourmail [dot] com--or something similar.)

CFBA Presents ETERNITY FALLS by Kirk Outerbridge

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Eternity Falls
(Marcher Lord Press - October 1, 2009)
by
Kirk Outerbridge


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kirk Outerbridge developed a passion for storytelling at an early age. Through years of reading Fantasy and Science Fiction novels, comics, table top gaming and watching endless hours Japanese anime, he developed a keen sense for what made stories enjoyable and more importantly—what didn’t.

While pursuing an engineering degree in college, Kirk endeavored to tell his own stories, choosing writing as the easiest and cheapest medium to master—or so he thought. Several years and several hundred thousand words later, he produced a Sci-fi trilogy that shall never (God willing) see the light of day, but that did teach him much needed lessons about the craft of writing fiction.

After college Kirk returned to his homeland of Bermuda where he reunited with his childhood friend and future wife, Ria. But before marrying his lovely wife, Kirk entered an even greater marriage and devoted his life to Christ in 2002.

With a new found direction in life, writing fell by the wayside but the urge to tell futuristic stories never left. After much prayer and contemplation, Kirk purposed his writing for God’s Will, seeking to draw to Christ those who shared his passions for all things futuristic and Sci-fi.

Kirk currently lives with his wife Ria and 18 month old son Miles in beautiful Bermuda. He is a faithful member of the Church of Christ and is a professional engineer employed by the government.


ABOUT THE BOOK

In the future, death is only a problem if you can’t afford the price. Such is the promise of Gentec Corporation’s “Miracle Treatment”, a genetic anti-aging elixir that grants eternal life—or does it?

When a Gentec client suddenly dies of natural causes, the powers that be will stop at nothing to ensure their version of eternity remains unchallenged; even if it means concocting a religious sabotage conspiracy to cover a lie.

With the media about to blow the story wide open, the credibility of Gentec and the lives of millions of clients rest on one man’s ability to uncover the truth.
Enter detective Rick Macey, religious counterterrorist expert and Gentec executive Sheila Dunn’s last hope for salvation.

Now with the clock ticking and the corporate brass seeking their own solution at any cost, Macey must track down a religious zealot out to destroy the Miracle Treatment for good.

But when Macey finds himself not only falling for his client, but confronted with the possibility that the culprit could hold a connection to his shaded past, the truth suddenly becomes a dangerous thing.

Only through a test of faith can he stop the crisis before it’s all too late and eternity falls.

If you would like to read an excerpt from Chapter 1 of Eternity Falls, go HERE


JEN'S THOUGHTS

Eternity Falls is another outstanding first novel from Marcher Lord Press. The author, Kirk Outerbridge describes it as Christian cyberpunk. When I asked him to define the term, he had this to say:

It’s probably easier to describe the cyberpunk first. Cyberpunk is a subgenre where the embracing of technology (usually through the direct interfacing of man and machine) has in someway caused great social imbalance and the fringes of that society rebel against the masses to try and restore order. Although my work has the technology portion, my society has moved beyond the angst and found balance. Some call this cyberpunk 2.0.

The religious aspect is something I always found missing in cyberpunk and Sci-fi in general. The belief in “something”, rather Christian or not, is a big part of who we are as human beings. To portray realistic characters and problems I just had to include it, and as a Christian it provided the perfect avenue to tell people about God.

Eternity Falls is the story of Rick Macey, a private investigator who takes on the job of finding out why Greta Darling, an 89-year-old spokesperson for the Miracle Treatment - which guarentees eternal life and made the celebrity look a mere 22 - has died of natural causes. Of coure, the case is much more complex than it seems. Everyone has secrets, including Macey.

Outerbridge sets his story in 2081 Southern California. As a native of So Cal, it was fun for me to read his futuristic vision of places I'm very familiar with, like Los Angeles and Pomona. From the first page, Eternity Falls is almost non-stop action. But there are some nice quiet moments, too. And questions to ponder, such as: If you knew you could physically live forever, would it diminish your desire for salvation?

This is a book well worth your time. I'm anxiously awaiting the next book in the series.

Interview and Book Giveaway with Author Steve Rzasa

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Steve Rzasa was born and raised in South Jersey, and fell in love with books—especially science fiction novels and historical volumes—at an early age. He worked for eight years as a newspaper reporter and editor before moving to Buffalo, Wyoming, with his wife, Carrie, and their two boys. He now works a county library. Steve’s short story, “Rescued,” which is set in the universe of The World Reclaimed, won the 2009 G.K. Chesterton Award in the Athanatos Christian Ministries Writing Contest.

THE INTERVIEW

JA: Congratulations on your debut novel, The Word Reclaimed. Tell us a bit about it.
SR: Baden Haczyk lives in contention with his father aboard the family cargo starship Natalia Zoja. His routine existence is turned on its head when he finds a book in the wreckage of another ship. Suddenly the omnipresent religious police are on his tail, and will stop at nothing to seize the book. Baden finds himself confronting a powerful faith, and runs in to allies who are fighting to stop the overthrow of the royal Realm of Five.

It is set in a future where all printed materials are banned – only electronic media are allowed, and the royal family owns the companies that make all computers, handheld devices, etc.


JA: Give us a glimpse of your road to publication. Was it a long and winding road, or are you an overnight success?
SR: It took me about six years to finish writing The Word Reclaimed, which is part of a much longer novel called Commissioned. As a weekly newspaper reporter and editor, I didn’t spend much time writing outside work – it took a lot out.

JA: What do you hope people take away when they finish reading your book?
SR: First of all, I want them to have fun. This is a space adventure, full of intrigue and battle both in space and on new worlds. Second, I want them to see the power of God’s Word and the effect it has on people.

JA: What’s next for you in the writing arena?
SR: Well, since The Word Reclaimed is the first half of what was originally one long novel, the sequel – so far untitled – will come out hopefully sometime next year. Jeff Gerke of Marcher Lord Press wants to do the sequel but we haven’t set a firm date yet. I also have at least two more novels in my head (and partially on paper) for this universe.


JA: What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?
SR: Though my taste in entertainment runs more toward spaceships, explosions and gunfights, one of my favorite movies is a D.B. Sweeney 1990s flick called “The Cutting Edge.” It’s a great movie.

JA: As a fellow Firefly fan, I have to ask: What did you think about the movie, Serenity?
SR: It was action-packed, but not as funny as the series. There is nothing that beats the episode “Jaynestown” – hysterical! I was disheartened to see them kill off Wash and Book in the movie – mostly because now we’ll never know Book’s secrets! – and I missed the interplay between Mal and Inara.

JA: We think alike, Steve. And I so agree about Wash and Book! Okay, now back to you...

JA: What’s the one far out sci-fi technology you’d most like to see become a household item?
SR: That’s easy – holographic systems! Think “Star Wars” only cooler and less grainy-looking.

JA: The current theme on my blog is The Year of Dreams. If you could realize one life-long dream right now (other than being a published author), what would it be?
SR: I think that dream would be to visit Poland, which is where my bloodline on my father’s fraternal side originates. We here in the U.S. of European descent have a very brief history – 400 years at max. I’d love to visit a land where the people’s language and traditions have roots thousands of years old.

JA: Last but not least, how can people keep up with your latest publishing news?
SR: I’ll keep everybody up to date at http://www.steverzasa.com/.


ABOUT THE BOOK – The Word Reclaimed

Baden picked up the wrong book.

In the far future, the civilized worlds have finally been freed of the curse of religion. Tolerance now rules the five colonies.

Thanks to the secret police, no one has been bothered by so much as a hymn in two generations—much less a Torah, Koran, or that most dangerous of books, a Bible.

Baden is a young man with an attitude. He spends his spare time salvaging wrecks in deep space, claiming for himself whatever the pirates leave behind.

One day, Baden finds a book. A strange and very old book, preserved carefully against the ravages of deep space. Thinking he’ll become rich if only for the value of the paper, he takes it. He counts himself lucky beyond all imagining.

Until it begins talking to him.

Amidst an interstellar war that threatens to overthrow the monarchy and drive great families to oblivion, Baden must evade the secret police and their attempts to get that book.

Baden never had much use for religion. But, it seems, one has use of him.


WIN THE BOOK

If you’d like to be entered to win a copy of The Word Reclaimed, just leave a reply to this blog. I’ll pick a winner at random on October 23rd. Please leave an email address so I can contact you if you're the winner. (To prevent spammers from trolling for your email, please use this format with the brackets--you [at] yourmail [dot] com--or something similar.) Good luck!

Interview and Giveaway with Marcher Lord Press Author Kirk Outerbridge

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kirk Outerbridge developed a passion for storytelling at an early age. Through years of reading Fantasy and Science Fiction novels, comics, table top gaming and watching endless hours Japanese anime, he developed a keen sense for what made stories enjoyable and more importantly—what didn’t.

While pursuing an engineering degree in college, Kirk endeavored to tell his own stories, choosing writing as the easiest and cheapest medium to master—or so he thought. Several years and several hundred thousand words later, he produced a Sci-fi trilogy that shall never (God willing) see the light of day, but that did teach him much needed lessons about the craft of writing fiction.

After college Kirk returned to his homeland of Bermuda where he reunited with his childhood friend and future wife, Ria. But before marrying his lovely wife, Kirk entered an even greater marriage and devoted his life to Christ in 2002.

With a new found direction in life, writing fell by the wayside but the urge to tell futuristic stories never left. After much prayer and contemplation, Kirk purposed his writing for God’s Will, seeking to draw to Christ those who shared his passions for all things futuristic and Sci-fi.

Kirk currently lives with his wife Ria and 18 month old son Miles in beautiful Bermuda. He is a faithful member of the Church of Christ and is a professional engineer employed by the government

THE INTERVIEW

JA: Congratulations on your debut novel, Eternity Falls. What’s the book about?
KO: The book is about a genetic breakthrough called “the Miracle Treatment” which grants eternal life—that is, until one of the earliest clients of the Treatment suddenly dies of natural causes.

The company’s Marketing VP, Sheila Dunn, is convinced there is some religious sabotage at work and hires religious counter-terrorism expert, Rick Macey, to uncover a religious conspiracy plot that may not even exist.

With only days before the media blows the story wide open, Rick and Sheila must work together to solve the case. If they fail the lives of millions of clients and the Miracle Treatment itself could be destroyed forever.

JA: I’d love to know about the moment you found out your book was going to be published.
KO: It was a very exciting moment, but it happened quite simply. I saw an email pop up that said. “Hey Kirk. Want to be a Marcher Lord?”

To understand what it means to be a Marcher Lord, you’d have to visit my publisher’s website over at Marcher Lord Press. I’d been working with Jeff Gerke, the publisher, on various other projects so we had a relationship prior too, but still it was an unexpected and exciting message to get.

JA: You’ve said that you write Christian cyber-punk. For those who might not be familiar with the concept, how would you define it?
KO: It’s probably easier to describe the cyberpunk first. Cyberpunk is a subgenre where the embracing of technology (usually through the direct interfacing of man and machine) has in someway caused great social imbalance and the fringes of that society rebel against the masses to try and restore order. Although my work has the technology portion, my society has moved beyond the angst and found balance. Some call this cyberpunk 2.0.

The religious aspect is something I always found missing in cyberpunk and Sci-fi in general. The belief in “something”, rather Christian or not, is a big part of who we are as human beings. To portray realistic characters and problems I just had to include it, and as a Christian it provided the perfect avenue to tell people about God.

JA: What do you hope people take away when they finish reading Eternity Falls?
KO: Foremost I hope they will come away feeling they were entertained. Secondly, I hope they would have had an opportunity to reflect on the big questions in life and hopefully make some decisions to answer those questions.

JA: What’s next for you in the writing arena?
KO: I’m currently working on the next book in the Rick Macey series, tentatively title The Tenth Crusader.

JA: What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?
KO: I burn trash for a living.

JA: What’s the one far out sci-fi technology you’d most like to see become a household item?
KO: It would have to be the direct brain to computer interface. Amazing possibilities there.

JA: The current theme of my blog is "The Year of Dreams." If you could realize one life-long dream right now, what would it be?
KO: Well I can honestly say that I already have realized a life long dream in the publication of my first novel. I guess the next dream would be to write full time. We’ll see what God has to say about that though.

JA: Last but not least, how can people keep up with your latest publishing news?
KO: You can sign up for my publisher’s newsletter here. Or catch the blog updates on my website here.

ABOUT THE BOOK

In the future, death is only a problem if you can’t afford the price. Such is the promise of Gentec Corporation’s “Miracle Treatment”, a genetic anti-aging elixir that grants eternal life—or does it?

When a Gentec client suddenly dies of natural causes, the powers that be will stop at nothing to ensure their version of eternity remains unchallenged; even if it means concocting a religious sabotage conspiracy to cover a lie.

With the media about to blow the story wide open, the credibility of Gentec and the lives of millions of clients rest on one man’s ability to uncover the truth. Enter detective Rick Macey, religious counterterrorist expert and Gentec executive Sheila Dunn’s last hope for salvation. Now with the clock ticking and the corporate brass seeking their own solution at any cost, Macey must track down a religious zealot out to destroy the Miracle Treatment for good.

But when Macey finds himself not only falling for his client, but confronted with the possibility that the culprit could hold a connection to his shaded past, the truth suddenly becomes a dangerous thing. Only through a test of faith can he stop the crisis before it’s all too late and eternity falls.


WIN THE BOOK

If you’d like to be entered to win a copy of Eternity Falls, just leave a reply to this blog. I’ll pick a winner at random on October 14th. Please leave an email address so I can contact you if you're the winner. (To prevent spammers from trolling for your email, please use this format with the brackets--you [at] yourmail [dot] com--or something similar.) Good luck!

Dreams Past & Future by Grace Bridges - WIN HER BOOK!

Welcome to today's guest blogger, author Grace Bridges!

Dreams Past and Future

As the new year gets going it's a good time to consider the year gone by before turning to the one to come. Last year at this time I was living in Germany, working for the police. Now I live in New Zealand and work for myself. In between were all sorts of adventures, mostly of my own choosing.

After seven years in Germany I decided it was time to come home. But not directly. I'd always dreamed of spending more time in Ireland, so that's what I did. From May to August I lived on the coast near Dublin, and spent September in a seaside town near Belfast. My plan-making seemed kissed with blessing from the very start: the first landlady I rented a room from is a Christian, as were all the others living in the house. A sea view from my room provided inspiration for my summer of writing: finishing one manuscript and writing another in its entirety as well as completing a dozen full-length critiques in exchange for the input I needed on my own work. I made many friends, some for life; I was able to help out the local church as a worship leader for three months; I walked the beaches, traveled the country a bit, and soaked in that wonderful, damp Celtic summer. And after that, my hosts in the North wouldn't hear of payment at all, although we were strangers until the day I arrived in their house. I have to shake my head and wonder. Surely this is not usual?

After that I flew to New York and began a two-month odyssey across the States. Here I met many online author friends and even some fans! While the journey was indeed arduous, it was such a privilege to be a guest in home after home across the country. These people are more than Internet acquaintances now. And how wonderful to talk authorly things in person! Plans were made for ocean-crossing cooperation in various online projects and book publishing, but that's another story.

One month ago I stepped off the plane from L.A. in my hometown of Auckland, New Zealand. The southern summer was about to hit in full force, and I reveled (still do, actually!) in the beaches and lush subtropical suburbs. A time of waiting ensued, and I painted some rooms at my parents' house while considering my next move. Literally. Now that move is completed as I now live in a shared house with a wonderful outlook including the (somewhat distant) sea; the swimming pool is rather more than I dreamed of!

And so that sense of dreamy wonder follows me still. I have been given more than I imagined possible. This is just the start; as I gain a new footing in my homeland, write more books, and develop my business, may this awed gratitude ever remain for the - ahem - unusual things my Creator hands me.

ABOUT THE BOOK - Faith Awakened

In virtual stasis to escape a deadly virus, an ex-slave finds far more than just survival...

Ireland as it has never been seen before – in a future where hope is hard to come by. Mariah, living in the dark time after the advent of a one world government, seeks the light in the underground Fellowship of the Awakened. Shortly afterwards, nearly the whole earth is silenced, and she struggles through the shock with a handful of survivors. Yet the danger has not passed away entirely, and they are forced to fight for their lives using an untested technology.

Faith, too, grows up in Ireland, but it has little in common with the homeland Mariah knew. Sometimes she thinks her life is perfect, asking herself, “If this is a dream, when am I going to wake up?” Other times it seems repetitive and monotonous. She experiences much to delight her, but also suffers from inexplicable bouts of amnesia that rob her of the past again and again. Seeking answers, she travels much in the free world, where disappointments and successes vie for the upper hand until she finally finds fulfillment in spite of all her disasters. n spite of all her disasters.

WIN THE BOOK

If you’d like to be entered to win a copy of Faith Awakened just leave a reply to this blog. I’ll pick a winner at random on January 15th. Please leave an email address so I can contact you if you're the winner. (To prevent spammers from trolling for your email, please use this format with the brackets--you [at] yourmail [dot] com--or something similar.) Good luck!