As life-long avid reader of diverse genres, I decided a few years ago to investigate our earliest civilizations. Not much exists, other than mythology and the Bible. One of the most interesting and complete set of so-called myths were found in long-buried clay tablets from the Sumerian civilization They told of their ancient civilization being nurtured by those who came from the stars. Each city had its patron god who lived in the central ziggurat. According to the legend, the star dwellers were ruled by a family headed by Anu and his sons En.Lil and En.Ki. Taking this myth as fact, I wondered how an advanced technological society could devolve into being run by a single family, and what was happening on their home planet to lead them to colonize Earth. Drawing upon our own political and societal trends, as well as the expanding resource of the Internet, I surmised their home world and why Anu’s two sons came to be stationed on Earth.
Fascinating stuff. Please explain the "Age of Sumeria". That has a very Dune-sy feeling to me for some reason, which is good, because I love Dune.
Sumeria was in fact an ancient civilization covering extensive territory, primarily in what is now Iraq. At the civilization’s height, it was lush with vegetation. Imagine coming from a primitive hunter-gatherer society and chancing to find the great walled city of Nippur, where all the people were well fed through agriculture and their city homes are filled with amenities. All from the immortal god who dwelled in the ziggurat.
Ah, so I was way off. :/ Oh, well. Geography has never been my strong suit. But let's get more into your personal life. Who were some of your influences growing up? Has sci-fi always been your genre of choice?
Growing up in Zanesville, Ohio, there wasn’t much to do other than read. I think I read every book available in the children’s section. One of my early favorites were the science fiction novels of Andre Norton. But I read virtually everything. I’m a lawyer by profession.
Ah, yes. It says that on the biography of your website. Speaking of your biography, it also says that your first installment, Colony Earth, won first place in the Global eLit award in science fiction. Can you please tell us how you entered that and what it felt like to win first place?
I saw an advertisement for the contest and submitted by novel, never expecting that I would win. I was completely amazed at winning. It was awesome!
What do you have in store next for your fans?
The third installment of The Alterran Legacy Series follows Anu to Alterra, where his rivals are making plays for power. With Alterra in focus, I can explore ways in which the Internet, mind implants, cloning, and our other technologies may evolve, for better or worse.
Sounds good. Are there any other genres that interest you? Would you ever, say, write a fantasy novel? Or a mystery?
I like exploring the changes that will hit our society as longevity lengthens, especially through the creation of new drugs or procedures, such as the rejuvenation chamber used by the Alterrans. There are various contemporary ways to explore this breakthrough. Wouldn’t it be odd if grandma took a course of treatment to become as young looking as the grandkids?
That would be odd. So, what is it like being an author in Ohio? Do you put any Ohio influences in your story?
Northwest Ohio has great parks, which are good for taking long walks and thinking through plots. Also, with few traffic jams to consume my time, I have more time for writing!
Excellent! Is there anything else you would like to talk about or plug?
I really appreciate this opportunity to talk about my book!!! Thank you so much.
No, thank you! The pleasure was all mine.
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