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An Interview with Author Roger Floyd

Roger Floyd is a retired research virologist who is now a science fiction author of short stories and novels. He harnesses a fascination with outer space and space travel to bring readers on a journey with his characters to other planets and the stars beyond. In his debut novel, Explorer: Part I of the Anthanian Imperative Trilogy (August 2024), a team of explorers from a dying planet investigate their civilization’s best chance for survival. Look for Roger on his website RogerFloyd.com. Explorer is available in most bookstores, through IngramSpark, and from Amazon.


What would you like readers to know about the story you tell in Explorer?
I think the most important takeaway for readers of Explorer is the fact that space travel isn’t going to be as simple and easy as all the popular fiction stories make it out to be. We see TV, movies, books, comics, etc, all the time which make it so easy to just get on a spaceship and travel to all sorts of places in the galaxy. Or even out of it. While these stories are fun and enjoyable, they’re somewhat misleading. It won’t be that easy. There’s a certain naivety in that concept, a certain laissez-faire attitude that can’t be brushed aside in real life. We’ve already seen some of the most unfortunate results of that attitude: Apollo 1, Apollo 13, Columbia, Challenger. Yet in the popular media, characters travel thousands of light years in a short amount of time in comfort and ease. I suggest we modify our expectations of space travel somewhat and realize it won’t be as wonderful as we make it out. We humans are highly sophisticated in terms of understanding our world and the environment around us, certainly, but we still have a lot to learn about other worlds, even just the ones close by. I, personally, would love to be among the first to land on Mars, but it still will be a very dangerous journey.

What unique challenges did this work pose for you?
Since this was my first large scale work, and in fiction (I’d only written scientific articles before), I had to learn how to write in a completely different way. I’d never done fiction at all. I started by getting subscriptions to writing magazines. I picked up books on writing, especially writing sci-fi, and I began attending meetings and conferences. I’d read mostly nonfiction in my early years, but I’d read some fiction, and I thought I knew enough to at least get started. So I did. But the challenges of fiction still made it necessary for me to delve into the process of writing in a big way.

Tell us a little about a few of your main characters and why you chose them to carry the story.
At first, the two main characters, Lilea and Jad, were simply two names out of ten that I developed when I was laying out the main story of the book. My first thought was to not use any one person as a main character and tell the story from the POV of each of the different characters. But I soon realize that concept wouldn’t work—too many characters for the reader to keep track of. I settled on Lilea because she was the youngest on the team, and the one with the least amount of space experience, and the least amount of training. What better person to watch grow as the story unfolds? Jad, on the other hand, was highly experienced and well trained, both in space flight and in his chosen field. Growth for him would be much more difficult. An interesting juxtaposition.

How did the book come together?
The main story idea came about over a period of several years. I was living in Cincinnati at the time, and the autumns in Cincinnati are spectacular. While watching the leaves fall one year, I wondered what a visitor from another world would think if he (she?) landed on Earth at that time. Would they think the trees are dying? From that basic concept I developed the story that became Explorer. Of course, I had to develop a good reason for them to visit Earth, and from that work back to their homeworld and make up all the details that went along with it. I started the book in 1998, and got a first draft of 248,000 words finished around 2003. Wow. Way too big. I began cutting and revising and cutting and revising for years, and never really finished it until 2023 when I declared it finished and copyrighted it. Done. (In the meantime, I wrote the second and third books of the trilogy.) Probably the most difficult aspect of writing was learning how to cut. Cut–cut–cut. I kept telling myself, “Everything I cut always makes the book better, even if I’m cutting out some things I like.”

What was the most difficult aspect of world building for Explorer?
The most difficult aspect of world building was not only developing the characters’ homeworld of Anthanos, but finding out what Earth looked like around 15,000 years ago when the story takes place. Research was essential more for the second point than the first. I did a lot of Google research, but much of what I needed wasn’t online. Living in Cincinnati, I went over to the library at the University of Cincinnati and found several books on Earth around the time of the Pleistocene Era, the time of the Ice Ages.

What was your favorite part of putting this project together?
Getting the first books from the printer.

Was it always your plan to write a trilogy? If not, at what point did you realize you needed more than one book to tell your story?
I didn’t start out to write a trilogy. That developed after I finished the basic story for Explorer and realized I wanted to continue the story. That developed into Traveler (part 2) and later into Warrior (part 3).

You began your fiction writing career later in life. What did your mature self bring to the writing table that your younger self never could have?
Probably a life of research which required absolute attention to detail and a commitment to finding out everything I could about a research project.

Knowing what you know now, what would you do differently if you started your writing/publishing career today?
Writing the second and third books of the trilogy went more quickly than Explorer. The second took about five years, the third about three. I suspect I learned a lot about writing just by writing novels.

Do you prefer the creating or editing aspect of writing? How do you feel about research?
I have an affinity for both creating and editing. Research comes naturally, having done it for years.

What does a typical writing session look like for you? Do you have any writing rituals or something you absolutely need in order to write?
I tend to write in the afternoon and evening. I’m not one of those who gets up at 3:30 am and writes just because it’s quiet or I’m rested or the kids are asleep. Generally, I like quiet when writing, or if I play music, it’s classical music. Rituals? No. Just sit down and boot up the computer.

What writing projects are you working on now?
Right now, I’m finishing the second in the trilogy, Traveler, working with the artist to get the cover and interior art done, and formatting the manuscript to get it ready for the printer. All very enjoyable.

Is there anything else you’d like readers to know?
Yes. Buy the book! It’s available in most bookstores (highly recommended), through IngramSpark (also recommended), and from Amazon.


KLWagoner150_2KL Wagoner loves creating worlds of fantasy and science fiction. Her current work in progress is The Last Bonekeeper fantasy trilogy and short stories in the same universe. A member of SouthWest Writers since 2006, Kat has worked as the organization’s secretary, newsletter editor, website manager, and author interview coordinator. Kat is also a veteran, a martial art student, and a grandmother. Visit her at klwagoner.com.




2018 Releases for Authors Robert D. Kidera, Sarah Storme, and D. E. Williams

Robert Kidera, Sarah Storme (aka Sarah Baker), and D. E. Williams are three of the most active members of SouthWest Writers (SWW) who continue to provide stories their fans adore. Each of these authors represents a different genre, but all have new releases (or re-releases) for 2018 and all have one or more interviews posted on the SWW website.


Robert Kidera is the author of the award-winning Gabe McKenna Mystery series with four books released through Suspense Publishing since 2015. His newest novel is Midnight Blues. You’ll find Bob on his website RobertKideraBooks.com and on Facebook and Twitter. Read more about him and his series in his 2015 and 2017 interviews.

Midnight Blues
What kind of person would harm a child? Neophyte P.I. Gabe McKenna and his buddy The Onion find out the hard way, when their plan to ransom a kidnapped boy goes terribly wrong. Finding themselves in a battle against international human traffickers, they rely on the help of unlikely friends in a race against time to rescue dozens of enslaved young victims. In a final, deadly showdown at a New Mexico ghost town, Gabe faces his ultimate challenge. How high a price is he willing to pay? Can he risk death and his own conscience to save the innocent without turning into his enemy?

Available on Amazon.


Sarah Baker writes mystery as S.H. Baker, romance as Sarah Storme, and erotica as Lydia Parks, and currently has 20 novels, numerous novellas and short stories, and three audiobooks available. Her publishers include Kensington, Harlequin, Five Star, Siren Audio and others. In 2018 she released four books from her backlist. You’ll find Sarah on Facebook and Twitter. Discover more about her writing in her 2015 interview.

The Long Way Home was originally published by Five Star and reviewed by Library Journal. Hardbacks are in libraries worldwide, but this is the first time in e-book.

Sam Calvert is the only veterinarian within a hundred miles of Rocky Butte, Colorado. He doesn’t have time to get involved with anyone, but when a stranger appears at the local bar, he can’t let her walk out into the night alone. Allie Tate has hit rock bottom. The only thing she really wants is a home, but life won’t cooperate. When she discovered her husband cheating, she ran. Her car, however, died in the mountains, so she’s on foot without money or a friend…

Available on Amazon.

Strength of a Promise was also published by Five Star. This is its first time in paperback or e-book.

Diana Duncan left New York to find a safe place to raise her daughter. She hopes Hillton, Texas will be that haven, but the house she inherited needs more work than she realized. Thad Crowley has returned to Hillton to care for his aging mother. Repairing a roof for Diana Duncan is the first decent job he’s had in a year. Diana thinks Thad is good-looking and hard-working, but the town hates him and no one will tell her why. Can she trust him around her daughter? Thad can’t tell Diana about his past. A twenty-year-old promise is still a promise. And if he breaks his promise, he won’t be worthy of Diana’s love.

Available on Amazon.

Just Kiss Me and Bayou Rhapsody are books one and two in the Hearts of Marshall’s Bayou historical romance series, originally published by Echelon Press. Book four, Angel in My Arms, is only available in audio, and book three, Moonlight on the Marsh, has not yet been released.

Just Kiss Me: In 1918 Marshall’s Bayou, Louisiana is being ravaged by a drought, but no matter how bad things get, Alberta Strickler will never leave her home and family. And she’ll never let a man rule her life the way her domineering father has. Isaac Broussard, an easy-going Frenchman, is eager to find a place to settle down. He isn’t impressed with Marshall’s Bayou until he meets the woman who steals his heart. Problem is, she’s determined to send him away. As Isaac works to win over Alberta, it isn’t just her stubbornness that gets in the way. Her father is certain Isaac is no good. Can Isaac win Alberta’s heart? And even if he can, will they be able to overcome the social prejudices of those around them in order to be together?

 

Bayou Rhapsody: Daniel Griffin is the new minister in Marshall’s Bayou, Louisiana. This post is not a prestigious one, but it offers the opportunity to examine his faith and maybe prove himself worthy of returning to Atlanta. Unfortunately, his faith seems to be on the verge of abandoning him altogether. Mae Strickler doesn’t intend to stay in Marshall’s Bayou for long. It’s 1920 and there’s a whole world waiting for her. The appearance of the handsome stranger on the boat home promises to make her visit more fun until she discovers he’s the new Methodist minister. Mae finds Daniel more than a little attractive. And Daniel is drawn to her strength, independence, and wild beauty. Mae soon realizes her reputation could ruin his career if they give in to the attraction…

Just Kiss Me and Bayou Rhapsody are available on Amazon. See Sarah Storme’s Amazon author page for more of her books.

A note from Sarah: The Cold Hand, the last of the Dassas Cormier Mystery Series (by S. H. Baker) will be released in 2019 or 2020. I have also outlined a new series, The Tru Mystery Series, set in the near future in Albuquerque. The first book, Dying of Thirst, may be published in 2019. My current passion is for writing short stories; I’ve submitted several to magazines and contests, and I’m working on my critique group’s self-published anthology.


D. E. Williams began writing at the age of 10 but didn’t pursue it as a career until later in life. Between working full-time as a software trainer and honing her writing craft on her off-hours, she managed to publish an award-winning speculative fiction novel, Child of Chaos, in 2015. Chaos Unleashed (2018) is the second book in The Chesan Legacy series. You’ll find Dollie on her website at DollieWilliams.com and on Facebook. Read more about her writing in her 2017 SWW interview.

Chaos Unleashed:
Tridia Odana faces a death sentence if her hidden memories reveal she committed the crimes she’s denied. Her forgotten past is not the only danger. The Chaos Vision foretold that she could destroy the galaxy through a brutal holocaust. Brenden Aren stands ready to execute her to save the galaxy from a nightmarish future. Only reaching an exiled prince to recreate the vision could prove Tridia’s innocence, but she’s forbidden to approach him. And a Hierarchy officer always obeys orders — doesn’t she? As Tridia and Brenden rush toward their inevitable confrontation, an ancient enemy prowls at the edge of the galaxy, preparing to launch an invasion to enslave Tridia’s people and conquer the known worlds. Encountering these foes plunges Tridia and her allies to the brink of a war that will bring the Chaos Vision to life. Her sacrifice could save them all—or guarantee a horrific outcome. Does she dare take the chance?

Available on Amazon.

Coming Up: An author update interview in January focusing on Chaos Unleashed.


KLWagoner150_2KL Wagoner (writing as Cate Macabe) is the author of This New Mountain: a memoir of AJ Jackson, private investigator, repossessor, and grandmother. Kathy has a new speculative fiction blog at klwagoner.com and writes about memoir at ThisNewMountain.com.




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