Q: When did you begin writing The Legend of Sarah Press?
About 1986 or 7, when my son was still in high school.
Q: What inspired you to write the novel?
I could see that there were two distinct groups in the school, the “nerds”, and everybody else, and the two groups didn’t interact very much. I could imagine this applied to society in general.
Q: Did you always want to become a writer?
Well, until the kids were almost grown, I didn’t really have time to think about it a lot, although I always thought writing was an elegant, very civilised thing to do. I had done a few bits for the local newspaper, library reviews and so on, but it was my husband who pushed me into believing I could become an actual real live writer.
Q: What themes will readers find in your latest book, The Legend of Sarah?
It says a bit about religion and politics, and their role in society, about dealing with folks who don’t think exactly like you do, and about coping with things exactly the way they are and not the way you wish they were.
Q: How would you describe your main protagonist, Sarah?
She’s a typical teen-age kid who’s had a rough life, and has had to adapt to it. But she still has the high hopes and impossible dreams of any teenager. And there’s a bit of the romantic hiding in there.
Q: How did you get into the classic science fiction genre?
It’s what I read the most.
Q: Describe your writing style using three words.
I use semicolons.
Q: What other projects are you currently working on?
Shadowpaw Press will soon be releasing the three volumes of the Empire of the Kaz., space opera that has something to say about motherhood, overpopulation, the military-industrial complex and getting along with people who don’t look like you.
Q: What advice would you give to aspiring writers in your genre?
A wiser writer than I once said that the only road to success is to apply the seat of your pants to the seat of a chair and write. All I can add to this is: don’t quit your day job. Making a living writing is possible, but it is really, really hard, and harder for SF writers than most.
Q: Where can readers find you and your books online?
https://books2read.com/thelegendofsarah, or get it from Shadowpaw Press.
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