Author D. Robert Pease Q & A

Heya, nerd! Author D. Robert Pease’s guest appearance on the SFN Podcast will be coming this Friday on the 10th. Why not have a look at a couple of the questions we asked him before we broadcast it? Enjoy!
Glad to have you, Dale! (That’s what the D in stands for ;)). Tell us about yourself.
I’ve been interested in creating worlds since childhood. While drawing fantastical realms with paper and pencil, or dreaming up whole civilizations on an old typewriter, there has hardly been a time I haven’t been off on some adventure in mind, to the dismay of parents and teachers alike. I’m a graphic designer by trade, graduating from the University of Akron with a BFA in Graphic Design and a minor in illustration. I also branched out into the book design business, creating covers and formatting book interiors for fellow authors through my company, Walking Stick Books. With a love of Fantasy and Science Fiction, I’ve enjoyed discovering whole new worlds through the classics as well as modern tales by up-and-coming authors.
My own stories span time and space with a particular bent toward finding the epic in every-day characters. Even if those characters happen to be time-traveling paraplegics or teenage geniuses who can travel in other people’s dreams. Several of my books have won numerous awards and are regularly rated highly by all who read them. I live in the gray-skied world of Northeast Ohio with my wife, two kids, dog, cat, and a pond full of fish.
Your novel “Enslaved” just launched. How would you describe it in 20 words or less?
Enslaved is an imaginative interstellar homage to the Book of Exodus which chronicles the captivating saga of humanity’s final struggle.
It looks like all of your books are inspired by stories from the Bible.Would you say that people need to be familiar with the faith in order to appreciate all of your stories?
Absolutely not. They are all “inspired” by the the Bible, but in a very loose way. More of a jumping off point, than anything else. They are not preachy (I hate preachy books in any form.) I am more interested in what makes us human with all our flaws, triumphs and tragedies.
Is there an underlying message in “Enslaved”?
Again, I’m not heavy-handed in my writing. I’m mostly interested in telling an enjoyable story that readers can get their own message out of. That’s not to say there isn’t a big part of who I am in them. And since I spend a great deal of time trying to discover what’s important to me in my relationships, and with my place in the world, I suppose there is a message in everything that I write. I guess that’s partly my answer. We have a purpose. There is meaning to our existence. And it is our job to discover what that is, and it often isn’t what we thought it would be.
The eventual protagonist of the Exodus series that Enslaved is a part of is named Moshie, clearly a fun take on Moses.
Where did you get his mom’s name, Cosette, from?
I think I had just watched Les Mis. a few days before naming her, and I liked the way the name Cosette sounded in the movie. Then through building a bit of backstory for Earth of the early 23rd century, I came up with a reason for her name. Earth is united under a single government. There are still ethnic varieties, based on the history of individuals and where in the world their families come from. So her family of origin came from what was formerly France. This just adds a bit of flavor throughout the book, and many of the other names of people in her family are French as well.
You described your writing process as “disheveled” in one word. Care to elaborate?
Well, the answer about Cosette gives one good example of this. I used to write completely by the seat of my pants, just seeing where the story went. But I discovered I oftentimes got lost. Now I do a general outline, but I still love the exploration of finding where the story goes. One simple thing like a name, or a new character entering the scene can alter the direction of the story significantly. With Exodus, I had a beginning. And I had a final line for the book. But everything in the middle was much more fluid.
How do you go about connecting to readers who enjoy your stories and ensure that you’re giving them the stories they love to read?
The launch of this book has been especially exciting for me in this regard. I’ve asked readers to forward me their receipts when they pre-order the book so I can get them some goodies. In the process, I’ve had some really great back and forth emails with folks. Learning about their lives, sharing some of mine, and generally enjoying the interaction. I’d love for this to continue. And, I’ve been thinking about ways to get some of my readers involved in the books I’m writing now. Perhaps sending off early chapters and getting feedback, etc… Writing can be pretty solitary, so this kind of interaction has been really great for my soul.

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As always, there’s more where that came from. Stay tuned for the next SFN Podcast EpiXode!

Raphyel M Jordan

When drawing fanfic graphic novels was no longer fulfilling enough as a teen, Jordan ventured to greater adventures in storytelling. Now, when he isn’t busy saving the world through the trusty arsenal called “video games,” the author fancies spending time writing about exciting worlds untouched by man. Jordan writes Young Adult science fiction and fantasy. For more details on characters and art, visit RaphyelMJordan.com

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