I am having the great
pleasure in featuring author Roxanne Smolen, a fantastic and exciting author of
such descriptive and entertaining sci-fi novels that once you start you cannot
put them down. I am thrilled to have been able to speak with her about her
novels and her writing, and it has been a great joy to learn more about this
skilled author.
Collette:
Wow, Roxanne! You are an imaginative writer! Can you tell us how that came into
being? When did you start writing?
Roxanne: I was a young teenager when the
writing bug bit. In those days, I thought of myself as a poet/songwriter.
Poetry taught me to be precise and concise. I didn’t get into fiction until my
twenties. I wrote short stories about space and distant planets, and was
published sporadically in magazines. In 2000, I made the leap into novels. I
remember the date because that was the year I lost my day job. I figured it was
a new millennium, time to start a new life as a novelist.
Collette:
Were you inspired by someone/something to write the genres you’re writing in?
Roxanne: Television. Without a doubt. I
grew up with Star Trek, Twilight Zone, and The Outer Limits. They stretched my
imagination and set me dreaming. On top of that, watching television shows
taught me to end my chapters with a bang, because every commercial break has a
mini cliffhanger.
Collette:
That’s very true. What is your writing process?
Roxanne: I’m a fan of outlining. It’s not a
structured thing, more stream of consciousness with bits of conversation thrown
in as I think of them. When I have the entire story plotted, I start fleshing
it out. I have a laptop just for writing. I use parental controls to limit my
Internet access—no Facebook or Twitter, not even email. Fewer distractions that
way. I split the screen and put my outline on one side and my novel on the
other.
Collette:
Do you write full-time now?
Roxanne: Yes, I do. I get up at 6:00, make
myself a pot of tea, grab my laptop, and write. On a good day, the tea will
grow cold because I’ve forgotten to drink it. On a very good day, I’ll forget
to eat lunch as well.
Collette:
You have written quite a bit so far. You have two series going in different
genres. Can we start with those? Tell us a little bit about the
Anneliese-Thielman and Colonial Scouts Adventures series.
Roxanne: The Anneliese Thielman Trilogy is
a science fiction romance about a
spoiled rich girl whose new husband takes her to a far-off world and sells her
into prostitution to settle a gambling debt. The story was inspired by a photo
I once saw of a woman in a cage, her hand snaking out, beckoning.
The Colonial Scouts Adventures is Young Adult science fiction about a group of teenagers who scout out habitable
planets for colonization. The plot grew from a short story I once wrote. I
loved the idea of using collapsed wormholes as transportation devices and
stepping onto an alien world as easily as stepping through a door. This series
is limited only by the number of stars in the sky and my imagination.
Collette:
How long did they take you to complete?
Roxanne: It takes about a year for me to
write a book. I aim for 100k words, although The Colonial Scouts were shorter.
Collette:
Can you describe your research into your subject?
Roxanne: You’d think that creating a world
completely out of your imagination would require no research. Unfortunately, a
reader can’t connect with those worlds unless there is something basic they can
identify with. You want your settings to be plausible and your alien cultures
to be rich. That takes research. I’ve read everything from scientific journals
to the Bible. The Internet is a
marvelous tool for research, but I keep in mind that I don’t always know where
the information is coming from, so I use it as inspiration rather than fact.
Collette:
You also have sci-fi horror, e.g. Satan’s
Mirror. What inspired you to delve into that genre?
Roxanne: Satan’s Mirror came from a nightmare that wouldn’t leave me. For
years, it sat in the back of my mind, demanding to be heard. Finally I said,
what the hell. Literally. The story is about a woman whose daughter is
kidnapped by the devil and she must break into hell to rescue her. It is based
loosely on the story of Persephone, the goddess of spring, who was stolen by
Hades. My granddaughter’s name is Persephone, and I would go to hell and back
for her.
Collette:
Oh, I hear you there! Was writing horror harder than writing romance or young
adult?
Roxanne: I think so because to write a
convincing book you have to become your character, put yourself entirely in
their situation and write through their eyes. Teenage angst and love’s first
kiss are easy compared to the fiery pits of hell. That said, I think all genres
should incorporate elements of suspense and urgency.
Collette:
Your latest book is about a shapeshifter… yet another genre twist. Can you tell
us a little bit about The Amazing Wolf
Boy?
Roxanne: The Amazing Wolf Boy is a perfect example of having your characters
take over and write the story for you. I’d intended to write a Twilight-type
book with werewolves instead of vampires, but instead of a moody, angst-ridden
love story it turned out humorous and fun. Cody is a joy to work with. He is a
bumbling, nerdy, soft-hearted teen who turns into a werewolf. His lady love is
a goth girl who, when she discovers his secret, tries to cure him with magic
potions. I’m currently writing the second of the series and hope to write a dozen
more.
Collette:
Are any of your characters based on real-life friends or acquaintances?
Roxanne: In The Amazing Wolf Boy, Brittany started out as my granddaughter, who
also likes to paint her eyes, dye her hair, and listen to The Pink Spiders. But
Brittany evolved from there and is still growing. Now there’s little
resemblance.
Collette:
Do you ever incorporate yourself into your characters?
Roxanne: At their core, I believe all my
characters have a little piece of me. How else could I identify with them enough
to see through their eyes?
Collette:
Are you still writing? If so, what will your future projects entail?
Roxanne: I will always write. My WIP is the
next installment of The Amazing Wolf Boy,
given the working title of Problem
Parents. It explains why Cody’s mother banished him after he became a
werewolf.
Collette:
Ooh, exciting! Considering how well rounded you write, do you have a favorite
genre to write or do you write what stories come to mind?
Roxanne: I’ve always written within the
science fiction realm. However, my Wolf Boy series is billed as Young Adult
Romance, and I’m having a lot of fun with it. I think I’ve found my niche.
Collette:
How often do you read?
Roxanne: I read in spurts. I’ll go a month
without anything, and then the next month read everything in sight. Also, I
keep audio books in the car. I never listen to music anymore.
Collette:
What is your favorite genre to read?
Roxanne: I like to read books in series,
i.e. The Dresden Files, Sookie Stackhouse, Dexter, The Game of Thrones, Harry
Potter.
Collette:
Does your reading inspire you?
Roxanne: Certainly. Even a poorly written
book can inspire you to write something better.
Where
can we find you online?
Blog:
www.moonrox.wordpress.com
Website:www.roxannesmolen.com
Facebook:www.facebook.com/roxannesmolenauthor
Twitter: http://twitter.com/roxannesmolen
Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1157902.Roxanne_Smolen
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Roxanne-Smolen/e/B002MA4XFY/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Amazon.uk:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=roxanne+smolen
Barnes
and Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/roxanne-smolen?keyword=roxanne+smolen&store=allproducts
Collette:
Where are your books available for purchase?
Roxanne: I’m available at your favorite bookstore
online or off. Just ask.
Collette:
What formats are your books available in?
Roxanne: My ebooks are formatted for any
ereading device. In addition, both Satan’s
Mirror and The Amazing Wolf Boy
can be bought in paperback.
Collette:
Thank you so much, Roxanne! I wish you all the best with your writing projects J.
Roxanne: Good luck to you as well,
Collette.
I
was lucky enough to pick up and read Roxanne’s sci-fi thriller/romance, Mindbender. I have to say that I loved
every second of it, and I’m not an avid reader of sci-fi! Here is a review of
one of her wonderful stories:
Mindbender was such an imaginative and exciting tale
that I zipped through this book eagerly and excitedly all the way to the end.
While this story is definitely sci-fi, the author did a magnificent job in
keeping it realistic enough that you could visualize the planets, taste and
smell the volcanoes of Io and feel the cold of Mars. Beyond these descriptions,
we have a strong and powerful psychic, Taralyn, whose love for her adoptive
daughter is so maternal that you can feel her pain when she thinks she has lost
her. There is also the child, Gloriana, whose possession is so creepy that I
was actually frightened of her, and our handsome hero, Asher, who you’re not
entirely sure you can trust due to his past but who does everything he can to
help, for better or for worse. Add to that the persecution and discrimination
of the people that Earth views as ‘dangerous’, and you have quite a tale! My
experience with sci-fi is limited, but Roxanne Smolen’s gift with writing prose
has definitely hooked me as a reader. I can’t wait to read the rest of her
books!
Five
Stars!
