Ask the Author: R. James Stevens
Answered Questions (19)
R. James Stevens
Interesting question - and one that I actually have managed to work into a plot. It wasn't a full-blown book, but a fun little anthology of shorts I did in 2014 called 'keystone.' that all centered around one event on Halloween.
It involved a real-life "incident" that happened to me and a buddy of mine back when we were teens in rural Western PA. We both saw a strange light in the fog that we couldn't explain, and never saw again. While the stories in keystone. were certainly just for fun, this was a real mystery that I still think about to this day.
It involved a real-life "incident" that happened to me and a buddy of mine back when we were teens in rural Western PA. We both saw a strange light in the fog that we couldn't explain, and never saw again. While the stories in keystone. were certainly just for fun, this was a real mystery that I still think about to this day.
R. James Stevens
I was an introvert as a child, so I spent a lot of time in the local town library. I used to bury myself in SciFi, Fantasy and History books - as many as I could read as often as possible. So, naturally, I tend to gravitate towards SciFi predominantly as my genre of choice.
R. James Stevens
I've always said that characters are the most important part of a story, and that is very evident in my Epsilon series. The catastrophe that has occurred is just a backdrop to the interactions of Brig, Steele and Clive. Their (strained) friendships are what drive Epsilon to epic heights. Without a strong, character-driven storyline, what you end up with is just another Hollywood action flick :)
R. James Stevens
Why, yes! I'm also a musician - guitarist, songwriter, singer for my band, Myths of Ra. For those that like that enjoy hard rock / metal, look for our debut album sometime in late 2017/ early 2018.
R. James Stevens
Believe it or not, the most difficult aspect would have to be putting down on paper what I'm actually thinking. I've always said that I wish there were some physical conduit between my mind and a blank piece of paper that would ensure exact transcription of my thoughts, rather than having to interpret them through my communications skills.
R. James Stevens
Great question!
I think that maybe people are looking for change, or in some ways a way of seeing what "could be" if one specific thing were different in the world (hence, Dystopia). In essence, how would life go on if all of what we know is turned upside-down or destroyed. A very compelling genre, for certain.
I think that maybe people are looking for change, or in some ways a way of seeing what "could be" if one specific thing were different in the world (hence, Dystopia). In essence, how would life go on if all of what we know is turned upside-down or destroyed. A very compelling genre, for certain.
R. James Stevens
Clarity (and the Epsilon series as a whole) was borne out of a comic book idea that never really got off the ground in that specific incarnation. It was designed as a 100-issue limited run that covered the exploits of Brigadier Stroud, a former commando trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic future.
R. James Stevens
A death of any primary character. I can kill off auxiliary characters all day without batting an eye. But my primaries, whether good or evil? Rough.
I won't go into details, but in Epsilon Book 1, my eyes still water up when reading a certain chapter near the end.
I won't go into details, but in Epsilon Book 1, my eyes still water up when reading a certain chapter near the end.
R. James Stevens
I'm a stickler for perfection. Typos / bad editing in a novel just kill it for me, so that is what I would consider the First Commandment of writing. Whether that means you hire a solid editor, or whether (like me) you spend an inordinate amount of time editing yourself while/after you write, then you have to do it. Some readers are forgiving on that front - I'm not, and I've taken stars away in review ratings for 1 or 2 simple mistakes.
R. James Stevens
There's a lot of gray areas there, and I would say it depends on what you are writing, and into which portion of SciFi it falls. Hard SciFi - you most definitely have to have a handle on things technology-wise. Those fans are expecting the real deal, and straying too far from what has already been established in other SciFi material is a killer as far as gaining/maintaining fans is concerned.
However, farther down the spectrum, when you create your own worlds its a little more forgiving to create things how you want them without regard to how it "should" be in real life. After all, this is Science FICTION, right?
However, farther down the spectrum, when you create your own worlds its a little more forgiving to create things how you want them without regard to how it "should" be in real life. After all, this is Science FICTION, right?
R. James Stevens
It would work, especially since when it gets to any length, it has red tint to it (despite me not having an ounce of red hair on my body). I've had it long enough on the chin to almost braid, but my wife likes to bonk me on the head with a spoon and tells me to shave.
R. James Stevens
I'm a sucker for the classically-written novels - so in that vain, authors such as Asimov or Tolkien always tend to shape the way I lay out a story and narrate it. It's tough to do these days, as a lot of readers want to be spoon-fed or expect a nice, tidy wrap-up in a limited time frame. I don't usually let that deter me. I write what I like to read, so expect a deep, complex experience in anything I release.
R. James Stevens
As simple as it sounds - either on my phone via voice recorder, or just a simple Word document so that I can outline/timeline things to be sure they make sense.
R. James Stevens
While I always have a few ideas heating on the stove at any given time, it's hard for me not to want to dive back into the world of Epsilon. I've got a couple of anthologies I've been working on outside of that world, and another pair of novels that fit into either the SciFi / Post Apocalyptic genre or SciFi / Horror that I want to get out the door later this year. However, lately, I have been outlining a bunch for Epsilon Book 3. Because of the complexity, don't expect that one until sometime in 2018.
R. James Stevens
Stop, move on to something else. Whether that's another project, or simply another piece of the current project. Unless you are dead set against it, there is nothing wrong with writing a work out of sequential order and putting it together later. If nothing else, do what I do when I'm blocked - start outlining, and it will come back to you.
R. James Stevens
Just write! Don't be afraid to put down what's going through your head - it can be fixed/polished later, that's what the editing process is for. The longer you wait to do it, the greater the chance that you won't ever do it - so no excuses, just do it!
R. James Stevens
Several projects. The most important, obviously, is Epsilon Book 2. While I can't release any details, for fear of spoiling the storyline for those that haven't read Book 1 - I can say that it's more epic than the first, with some epic-ly epic epic moments!
I'm also working on a book of short stories, which hopefully should be published soon after Epsilon Book 2. I've a few other novels in the planning stages - more on those in a few months hopefully.
I'm also working on a book of short stories, which hopefully should be published soon after Epsilon Book 2. I've a few other novels in the planning stages - more on those in a few months hopefully.
R. James Stevens
Simple enough: music.
R. James Stevens
The entire Epsilon series was born of an attempt at a comic book by me and my son-in-law about 10 years ago. While the comic book never really took flight, I took it upon myself to adapt the story to novel format.
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