In today's guest author interview I welcome Daniel Hope, you can find out more about him and his writing below:
My name is Daniel Hope, and I'm just a guy who can't seem to communicate well outside the written word. I recently published a science fiction novel, called The Inevitable. Besides writing novels, I also serve as the Managing Editor of Fiction Vortex, a site for science fiction and fantasy short stories.
What first inspired you to start writing?
Books were particularly magical to me at a young age, and I wanted to duplicate that magic somehow. I tried several times, but it was only until I was older that I realized I couldn't just copy what I read. You must put something new in the story, a bit of yourself, to make it work.
And what attracted you to science fiction?
I can't quite describe why science fiction speaks so strongly to me. I love space, I love computers and other technologies, I love alien cultures, and I love great stories. Science fiction provides all of that. I can't even name a favorite sub-genre, although it was definitely space opera as a kid. Now I love just about any kind of sci-fi because I'm fascinated with the way we can look at the current human condition through technologies, characters, and settings that don't exist. Am I making any sense? Okay, just rest assured that I love sci-fi. A lot.
If you could work with any author, who would it be and why?
Tough one. I'm notoriously bad at collaboration on stories. I've destroyed friendships with a single outline. So I would hate to work with an author I adore and end up being loathed. Fortunately, I don't have to worry about that in hypothetical situations. I'm a huge fan of Douglas Adams' comedy, so it would be great to watch him work (If he were alive, of course. Or a zombie. Zombie Douglas Adams would be fantastic!). And Vernor Vinge always amazes me by combining mind-blowing ideas with interesting stories.
What future technology would you most like to see happen?
I know I'm supposed to say jetpacks, right? But I've always been leery of that answer because I'm not sure we really want jetpacks. I mean, it's either wear asbestos pants or arrive to work with singed legs every day. And people are scary enough in cars; I don't think adding an additional degree of difficulty (and 63 more ways to die) is a good idea. No, I'd prefer something much safer, like laser pistols.
What was the last book you read?
Just finished The Inimitable Jeeves. I've been reading so much sci-fi, I decided a detour was in order. I heard P.G. Wodehouse was great, so I picked up one of his books. Not perfect, but I did laugh quite a bit.
Where is your happy place?
The beach, alone. I know everybody likes the beach, but I don't need you sunbathing, flying kites, or frolicking in the waves to distract me. It's mine! All mine!
What are you working on at the moment?
My next novel, which is science fiction but completely unrelated in tone and topic to The Inevitable. I'm clearly too ambitious because I'm trying to blend a light-hearted, comedic tone with tragedy and disaster. I'll let you know how it turns out, providing that I don't go crazy in the attempt.
Tell us about your latest work and how we can find out more.
The Inevitable is a story about a robot named Tuck who doesn't want to die, so he travels the galaxy looking for spare parts to fix himself with. But he's also exceedingly rare, and highly valuable to the right people. He has spent the last 150 years on the run, but now he's running out of parts. A mysterious benefactor offers him unlimited parts in exchange for some help with less-than-legal projects, which Tuck would normally refuse because he doesn't want to hurt anyone. But he's too desperate to ignore the offer. You can find it on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DRIYW24/), and you can find out more about me and my writing at SpeculativeIntent.com.
Thanks Michael. Great interview.
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