Steve Rzasa and The Word Reclaimed - SciFi Interview

Welcome to EEAuthors, Steve, as we continue our look at Marcher Lord Press authors with recently published works.

Maggie: Tell us about The Word Reclaimed.

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. And then he hears voices in his head.

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.

Maggie: Who did you enjoy writing about more, your hero or your villain, and why?

It was great fun writing about Baden’s grappling with spiritual and family issues. His interactions with his best friend Owen are some of my favorite parts. But they pale in comparison with the satisfaction I gained from writing Detective Chief Inspector Nikolaas Ryke. He’s just so bad! He’s cold, ruthless and all around nasty. It was a very entertaining exercise to write a character in whom one could dump the complete dark side of humanity.

Maggie: What message do you hope to convey?

The Word of God is powerful – sharper than a sword, as the Scriptures say. I hope to show people how it impacts a person’s life, and how it can give rise to faith. Without it, Christianity is a drab shadow of the full glory of Christ.

Maggie: Tell us a little about yourself.

I was born and raised in South Jersey – an important fact. I earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Boston University’s College of Communications in 2000, and then spent seven years as a reporter and assistant editor at weekly newspapers in Maine. In 2007 my family moved out to my wife Carrie’s home state of Wyoming so I could work as to the editor of a weekly newspaper. Today I work at the local library in Buffalo where we live with our two sons.

Maggie: Why did you choose science-fiction/space opera to write?

I’ve always loved reading, but it wasn’t until high school and college that science-fiction books became my favorites. I watched all the Star Wars movies and as many Star Trek (original series and Next Generation) as I could manage, so you can imagine my excitement when Timothy Zahn came out with the Heir to the Empire
trilogy in the early ‘90s.

Space opera seems to me the last great domain of high adventure – fantasy aside, of course. I love the idea of voyaging to uncharted worlds, meeting new people, and most of all, hanging out on cool starships.

Maggie: Do you have a favorite sci-fi book?

I love Kathy Tyers’ excellent Firebird series that offers a different take on familiar Old Testament prophecies, and Chris Walley’s Lamb Among the Stars series that shows a distant future in which sin returns to a galaxy that has largely been at peace. But my all-time favorite sci-fi book is Merchanter’s Luck by C.H. Cherryh.

Sandor Kreja is an everyman version of Han Solo – the ultimate space loner who makes out as a sort-of hero. He isn’t an action star; he’s not overly handsome; he’s not very inspiring. He’s just a regular guy. Combine him with Cherryh’s meticulously crafted universe of politics, economics and war, and you’ve got a great one.

Maggie: What advice would you give to a beginning writer?

If you have an idea, even one that seems dumb to you, write it out. Talk to someone about it, and take their feedback seriously. That was the hardest part for me to learn. You also have to find time to write as often as you can. Just don’t do it at the expense of your life! Keep that story alive, even if it has to be on life-support at times, because you never know what God has up his sleeve.

Maggie: Where can readers buy your book?

The Word Reclaimed is available at Marcher Lord Press, by clicking on the new store tab. It is also available through Amazon, both in paperback and e-book formats.

Visit my Web site here for more information.

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Thank you, Steve, and best of luck in your amazing writing pursuits! This temporarily concludes our Marcher Lord Press author interviews, but we hope to visit with these as well as others in the very near future. Be sure to head on over to Marcher Lord and check out their excellent materials.

Are You Reading This Blog?

Is it meeting a need?

What would you like to see included or done differently?

I have tentative plans to make a few updates, but want to hear what you have to say!

On Blogging Well

Do you have a blog that’s kind of stuck — just sitting there, waiting to attract oodles of readers? Or maybe you don’t have a blog yet. You’ve been told you should start one, though, since everyone who’s anyone in your industry blogs. But, you’re not quite sure how to get started or even if you want to blog. Trust me, I understand. I've probably made every blogging boo-boo possible before I plopped down at the “feet” of some of the best blogging gurus out there and became a serious student of blogdom.

I’m not necessarily the most blog-savvy person on the planet, but, as the song goes, “I Know a Little,” and I’ve had enough people ask me how to blog, what to blog about, how to start blogging, etc., that I decided to launch my own “how-to-become-a-rockstar-blogger” blog. It's called "On Blogging Well" and is located at http://onbloggingwell.com.

On Blogging Well contains tips on creating compelling content, promoting your blog, search engine optimization and techie tips geared toward non-Geeks, podcasts, video tutorials (don’t even make fun of my Arkansas accent, though!),and information about how to make money from blogging if you want. On Blogging Well also offers tips for using social media to create traffic streams to your blog with posts like, “Five Things Your Mother Never Told You about Twitter.”

For those bloggers who’ve been around a while, there’s a free advanced tips newsletter – just sign up in the form located in the right sidebar. I won’t pester you by flooding your email in-box with a bunch of useless ramblings. These posts are sent about once or maybe twice a week and have solid, meaty tips to help you take your blog from stagnant to stunning.

I hope you'll stop by and visit. Feel free to ask questions about all things blogging. If I don't know the answer, I'll do my best to find it!

Thanks so much, Maggie, for letting me hog your blog today!

Linda Fulkerson
Blog Coach & Internet Marketing Advisor

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Linda Fulkerson is a wife, mom, author, hobby farmer, photographer, blog coach/online marketing advisor, and self-proclaimed blogaholic. She’s been blogging for nearly six years, and while some not-quite-six-year-olds are barely out of pull-ups, in bloggy years, that puts her among the blue-hairs. You can learn more about Linda by visiting http://lindafulkerson.com.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope each of you have a wonderfully special Thanksgiving with those you love.

Kirk Outerbridge and Eternity Falls - interview part 2

Maggie: Welcome back, Kirk. What writer or book has most inspired you and why?
I’d have to say it’s Masamune Shirow. He’s a manga artist (Japanese comic artist) not a novelist but his cyberpunk stories and visions of the future always get my creative juices flowing. His works include classics like “Appleseed” and “Ghost in the Shell”. If you have not seen these they are a must see for anyone who enjoys Sci-fi.

Maggie: What’s your favorite speculative fiction book?

I have to say I don’t really have a favorite, but but a very significant book for me was “Armor” by John Steakly. That was the first novel I read that geared me toward Sci-fi. Until that point I was purely into fantasy. Many parts of that novel are still vividly ingrained in my memory today. Plus you just can’t beat futuristic soldiers in powered armor fighting giant alien ants!

Maggie: Tell us about your experiences with growing as a writer.

One of the hardest things was finding my voice as a writer. Sometimes I still don’t know if I’ve found it. After that it was growing thick skin to withstand criticism and critiquing. It’s a tough thing to do, to become vulnerable enough to put your writing and soul out there, but it’s all apart of growing as a writer.

I learned a lot through getting professional help editing my novel. I recommend this to anyone. It will help you see where things are right and wrong. And sometimes it takes a little humility to learn the lesson, but once you do, it’s something you will cherish to have under your belt.

The other big lesson I learned is to have tenacity. I made the conscious decision to become a serious writer in 1996. It’s taken me 13 years from that date to achieve my goal of publishing my first novel. While some may do it faster, the important thing to note is that talent or aptitude alone is not good enough. It still takes time to develop the craft of writing and it’s an ongoing process. It can be a long, hard and often times thankless road. But don’t ever give up on your dream. In the end you’ll be proud of what you’ve accomplished—published or not.

Maggie: What’s the best book or seminar on fiction writing you know?

One of the best writing books I’ve come across is The Art & Craft of Writing Christian Fiction Jeff Gerke. I truly wish I would have had this book years ago to help me with my fiction. It focuses especially on Christian fiction which has some special do’s and don’ts. Besides that it contains everything you need to know about writing as a craft and is set out in a very easy to understand manner. A must have for anyone wishing to write Christian Sec Fic.

Maggie: Where can people find your book?

You can buy it online direct from the publisher here or on Amazon.com here.

Maggie: Any closing thoughts?

If you are a Christian and enjoy Sci-fi or fantasy, please support Marcher Lord Press. They are taking the industry in a new direction but need help from fans to do it. So keep Christian Speculative fiction alive by spreading the word.

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Thank you, Kirk, for a fascinating interview! Best wishes on your future writing dreams; I hope for you only the very best. Please come back and visit again.