Ask the Author: Randall Sharpe
Answered Questions (7)
Randall Sharpe
I've been trying to cram in as much retro sci-fi as I can in preparation for a monolithic space opera. Currently, I'm planning to hit L. Ron Hubbard's "Mission: Earth" series, Heinlein's "Stranger in a Strange Land," the "Rendezvous with Rama" series, and also a whole slew of UFOlogy and new age books to get ideas for how a galaxy running on technology devised by self-proclaimed alien abductees and operating on a "universal creed of unconditional love" could even function.
Randall Sharpe
Stick me on the most backwater, middle-of-nowhere planet in the 41st millenium's Imperium of Man. I will give up writing and be happy to flip grox burgers at the local equivalent to Mcdonalds until I miss drill weekend with the PDF and get drafted to go get munched on by Tyranids. Alternatively, if I get to jump species during transit, stick me on a craftworld and I'll just lounge about navel-gazing until the inevitable party with Slaanesh once it's all over. As you can see, my standards aren't high.
Randall Sharpe
Getting to look back on my old hecklers and laugh at them because I published my book first is certainly one benefit. In seriousness though, it is extremely therapeutic for me specifically, as someone with mental illness who was once manipulated into believing some very strange and harmful things. Getting those ideas and concepts out of my head and onto the page has been especially good for my recovery process, as it helps me better distinguish what is and isn't real.
Randall Sharpe
Set aside whatever I'm currently working on and start something new, so I can come back to it with fresh eyes later. If I can't even do that, then I'll work out, run through a few kata, or chip away at my pile of unpainted Aeldari miniatures.
Randall Sharpe
A short starring the remnant personality of an eldritch god, who having lost his memories has opted for a life of space piracy. His captain literally worships the Ferengi from Star Trek, his best friend is an engineer that tends to get stuck in things and was rendered mute by slavers using sissy hypno, his ship is held together with flex tape, and he's confused as to why legions of tentacle monsters periodically show up to bow at his feet. It's a load of laughs, and the characters are actually based off an old campaign I played in.
Randall Sharpe
I pick a name for my main character first. I aim for something unique, but not overtly Mary Sueish. Inevitably I end up using slightly altered names of prominent psychics/conspiracy theorists, or something ridiculous like "Clover Fields" though. After I've done that, I designate a paranormal phenomenon, creature feature, or some other issue for the story to revolve around. If necessary, I may write a page or two of setting notes for whatever planet or picket dimension I'm using. From there, I'll get a stack of papers and start writing until my wrist hurts too much to go on. If I've gotten to the third chapter, I'll keep the story, otherwise I'll either scrap it or put it on a shelf until I can revisit the concept, then start from scratch.
Randall Sharpe
All my books share a common setting, which is inspired by a mix of occultism, conspiracy theories, new age spirituality and pseudoscience. Essentially, when writing the first stories in the Astral Alignment universe, I asked what would happen if all "woo-woo" was actually real. Since so many pseudoscientific, occult and paranormal concepts contradict each other in reality, I have to take occasional creative liberties, but all of my books and the stories in them are based essentially in phenomenon that at least some people believe actually happen in real life. My newest book, Astral Alignment Addendum, sticks closer to this original concept in my opinion than the first and as-of-yet unreleased installments in the series.
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