I am truly honoured to have been amongst the Sci Fi November 2014 participants who could showcase a science fiction release as well as host the author of one of the books I felt I might appreciate reading down the road! I was given a list of authors, many of whom I did not recognise by sight and asked by Andrea (@redhead5318) to pick out a top favourite list and she would pair me with an author who was not yet selected to be hosted by a SFN blogger! Here is the short list I sent to her after visiting & reading each author on the list:
Benjanun Sriduangkaew (site) – I have seen her novella Scalebright around the book blogosphere a heap lately, and I just read the Book Smugglers review on Kirkus & another review on TOR. I’m sold. I love seeing the combination of mythology and lore into the fabric of a well-crafted fantasy novel and this being a short sounds sublime! :)
Julie E. Czerneda (site) – Oh, my! I love how she writes both sci-fi & fantasy! :) Her world-building is the kind I’ve been hunting for to discover and I love her approach to which stories she’s bringing into focus!
Siobhan Davies (site) – I know True Calling is a bit outside what I generally read but I like that about it. I like remaining open to finding authors who are outside my comfort zone
Cecil Castellucci (site) – I have been wanting to get back into Space Opera & Space centered sci-fi for quite a bit now, and when I read the premise of Stone in the Sky & Tin Star, I must say, I enjoyed where this was leading!
There wasn’t an order of preference to the way in which I wrote the list, as I simply went from the top to the bottom, and wrote down a few notes or observations therein! One of the best blessings of this event, is how we can expand our knowledge of authors and stories to further our readings within the genre itself! I love the discovery period of finding wicked new characters and new worlds to explore whilst seeking out authors who not only cultivate a strongly built world but they give us something to ponder outside the stellar fact we’re travelling to a whole new dimension within the framework of science-based worlds!
I love reading stories which stitch inside a life lesson or a moral stimulating plot which leaves you pensive after you’ve concluded the story itself. Science Fiction and Sci-Fantasy (as I had a sub-focus this year on the blurred lines between science fiction & fantasy) are two of my favourite genres to consume next to High Fantasy itself. Speculative literature to me is happily read in tandem as I could never choose between science fiction and fantasy but rather, I love seeing where the two cross-sect with each other! Perhaps, you dear hearts, feel the same?
I will always seek out stories which cart me straight out of my comfort zones and take me on a literary adventure as lived through my imagination and the portals of where each individual writer wants to take us viscerally as much as visually! I am so happy to welcome Ms.Castellucci to my blog and bring a bit of insight into her writing life and world to my readers! Rock on!
Book Synopsis for Tin Star:
On their way to start a new life, Tula and her family travel on the Prairie Rose, a colony ship headed to a planet in the outer reaches of the galaxy. All is going well until the ship makes a stop at a remote space station, the Yertina Feray, and the colonist’s leader, Brother Blue, beats Tula within an inch of her life. An alien, Heckleck, saves her and teaches her the ways of life on the space station.
Book Synopsis for Stone in the Sky:
Years ago, Tula Bane was beaten and left for dead on a remote space station far from Earth, her home planet. She started with nothing and had no one, but over time, she found a home, a family, and even love. When it’s discovered that the abandoned planet beneath the station is abundant with a rare and valuable resource, aliens from across the galaxy race over to strike it rich. With them comes trouble, like the man who nearly killed Tula years ago—the man she has dreamed of destroying ever since.
Tin Star & Stone in the Sky are published by: Roaring Brook Press an imprint of MacMillian Publishers
What was your impetus to create the Tin Star series?
Castellucci responds: I got the idea while watching the film Casablanca. I thought that the city, being a place of limbo during World War II for people fleeing Nazi Germany made for an interesting setting. I imagined it as a space station during the galactic war. I also was interested in the idea of writing a book where humans were not so popular in space.
How did you ground Tula Bane in humanity whilst her heart had blackened
due to nearly losing the life she lived?
Castellucci responds: It definitely was hard. Tula kind of has to behave like an alien to survive. So when she sees other humans she’s confronted with her own human-ness. I think it’s something that she struggles with and is the greatest thing that she has to learn.
Did you base the adversity on someone you knew or did another writer inspire you with their villain?
Castellucci responds: I think we all know someone who is a little evil. So that is where I started. Then I just thought about darkness with certain leaders that has existed throughout human history. There are a lot of pretty horrible dictators and cult leaders. Brother Blue is cut from that cloth.
What led you to create Speculative Fiction for Young Adults vs writing for Adults?
Castellucci responds: I actually write short speculative fiction for adults and have been published in Strange Horizons, Apex Mag and Tor.com. But my novel length fiction is YA. I really think that there is something special about writing teen characters. They are just trying to figure out what kind of a person they are going to be. Everything is raw and real and often the first time that they are having big feelings. Like love. hate. betrayal. bravery. It’s just such a fertile time, and as a writer, it’s an irresistible time to write for. When it comes to writing science fiction, well, that’s something that I’ve been inching towards my whole career. I love science fiction and fantasy. I fell in love with it when I saw Star Wars and have been wanting to write it ever since. But I had to really go slow because I have such a great respect for the genre.
Which of the grandfathers and grandmothers of Science Fiction inspired you the most?
Castellucci responds: I love the way you put that! Some favorite authors of mine are James Tiptree, Jr. (who is actually a woman named Alice B Sheldon). CL Moore. Ray Bradbury. Frank Herbert. Isaac Asimov. Uhm. There are so many.
Have you observed a shifting of thought and creativity within
the Space Opera sub-genre since you first started writing?
Castellucci responds: I think the great thing about writing space opera sci fi is that you are in outer space. I love a good post-apocalyptic book, and certainly sci fi has a long tradition of being a way to look at things going on in our own world with a certain distance. I think that after all of the dystopia and earth based books that have come out, it’s nice that there are more space based young adult novels. I have been really trying to keep up with our own space exploration and science in order to get inspired. For Stone in the Sky, I got in touch with NASA and they helped me to interview an astronaut about space walking.
Do you find it easier writing for young adults rather than an adult audience?
How do both mediums differ from one another?
Castellucci responds: I think that there is no difference between the two except the age of the protagonists. I think a book is a book is a book. And when you are writing you just have to try to write the best book that you can. I would say that when you are writing for YA you tend to have an eye on there being some hope at the end no matter how dark it might get.
What is the most challenging part about writing a story within Space Opera?
Castellucci responds: It is challenging that so much of it is made up. We don’t have faster than light travel. Space is very big! It’s hard to get places! Also, the environments are so different than earth. And while we have found many exoplanets orbiting other stars, we still don’t know for sure if there are ones that are like earth. We haven’t met aliens. So when you are trying to write sci fi and pay attention to the science, it becomes a real challenge because there are just so many things that we don’t know or can’t do. The only thing that remains constant is human drama.
Have you ever thought about bringing any of your stories (novel or short) to motion picture?
Castellucci responds: I would love for that to happen, but honestly as an author, I don’t have much control over that. But Hollywood is free to call me any time!
How do you find balance between music, novels and film-making?
As you wear a lot of creative hats!
Castellucci responds: It’s all story telling just a different way of getting the story out. Right now all I do is write books, comic books and librettos, so it’s a little bit easier to handle. But I think the fun part of being an artist is doing fun projects. So I just try to do as many of them as I can.
What creative outlets inspired you as a child to become a creative economist as an adult?
Castellucci responds: As a child I was inspired by reading books, watching movies, going to the museum, going to the theater, ballet and opera. Those things still inspire me. I recommend to anyone who wants to be an artist to constantly be engaging with all the arts they can. Fill up that creative bank!
Who has always been your best cheerleader and why?
Castellucci responds: I have been lucky to have a lot of creative cheerleaders, but I’m on a trip with my mom right now and so I’m going to say my Mom. She’s always encouraged me to pursue being a writer. She reads all my books. She has always helped to nourish my thirst for art.
What centers your joy when your not creating or working professionally?
Castellucci responds: I love watching hockey!
Book & Author Signature Haul by Readerly Musings
Inspired to Share: Although Christine was not able to purchase Tin Star, she speaks about meeting the author who signed another novel and how much she’s eager to read the novel I am spotlighting today! Christine and I became friends whilst finding each other in the book blogosphere last Autumn (2013) whilst we were both 1st Year Book Bloggers – in her case, she was only within her first week! I have enjoyed living viscerally through her experiences at live author events, book festivals, and book conventions! And, before I was self-hosted I had a very informative sidebar filled with links to various events of which helped Christine find a few to attend! It is my goal to re-instate my sidebar blogroll as an informative place to find bookish links of interest not only reflective of my own wanderings in bookish culture but to inspire others who visit me to find a new Indie Bookshoppe (as this was one of my favourite sections to add links!) or a live event where readers & authors collide!
I simply thought it was incredible whilst I was searching YouTube for a companion video this one popped up and it was one I had not yet had the chance to view! Christine is on a hiatus from book blogging & vlogging but I look forward to supporting her once she’s able to return! She has a lot of joy for authors & stories, and this was one reason we became such fast friends!
I want to take a moment and thank Ms. Castellucci for responding to my enquiry whilst she was travelling out of the country during Sci Fi November! I was thankful to be matched with her after my initial contact for this Author Interview had to bow out and thereby, she gave me the chance to host an author for the event! It was my first Sci Fi November where I took a more active part, as I was also a contributor to the Blogger Panels when I answered the question about my thoughts & feelings about how evil is portrayed in science. If you did not yet get a chance to see my reflections on this topic please visit Blogger Panels: Representation of Science in Sci-Fi!
I am composing an update about my SFN: 2014 schedule which will post lateron tonight, as I am extending my plans to run through the 14th of December! If you caught my recent tweet about this, you are already clued in that I had some unexpected life moments interrupt my schedules! I find it incredible the amount of support Asti has given to each of us who are a part of Sci Fi November and how wicked happy I was to find that more than a few of us needed an extension to see all of our Sci Fi November ideas & goals to become realised! Asti reminds me so very much of Rinn – two wicked sweet girls who encourage and celebrate not only science fiction but the community of book bloggers & the joy of contributing to an event which takes our passion to the forefront of how awesome it is to be bookishly geeky!
If you have already read or are keen on reading Tin Star or Stone in the Sky, I would love to hear your comments! I also encourage you to leave comments & notes on behalf of the author, as I will let her know when they arrive so she can see your words & perhaps respond as life will allow.
This author interview is part of my contributions of:
Similar to blog tours, when I feature a showcase for an author via a Guest Post, Q&A, Interview, etc., I do not receive compensation for featuring supplemental content on my blog.
{SOURCES: Cover art of “Tin Star” & “Stone in the Sky”, book synopsis for both novels, author photograph of Cecil Castellucci and author biography were all provided by the author Cecil Castellucci and used with permission. Author Interview badge provided by Parajunkee to give book bloggers definition on their blogs. Post dividers by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination. The video by Readerly Musings had either URL share links or coding which made it possible to embed this media portal to this post, and I thank them for the opportunity to share more about this novel and the author who penned it. Sci Fi November 2014 participant badge created by Jorie in Canva.}
Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2014.
Tweets about this Author Interview:
{ favourite & Re-tweet if inspired to share }
.@SciFiMonth #RRSciFiMonth #author Cecil Castellucci visits #JLASblog wherein talks about #writing #scifi http://t.co/oOuvhDkuvL! @misscecil
— Jorie Loves A Story (@JLovesAStory) November 30, 2014
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