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05-13-2009: MilSciFi.com
interviews David J. Williams, author of the military science fiction novels
MIRRORED HEAVENS and the just-released BURNING SKIES
MilSciFi: "Welcome. Tell me
about your books."
Williams: "The Autumn Rain trilogy is the story of the
world's most dangerous terrorists--a group that makes Al-Qaeda look like a
bunch of rank amateurs. Following Autumn
Rain's destruction of the Phoenix Space Elevator, a hunt develops across the
Earth-Moon system to find the Rain before they can strike at even bigger
targets. BURNING SKIES is the story of
the Rain's attempt to penetrate the fortress of the U.S. president. I
should note that although it's the second book in the trilogy, it's designed so
that someone who hasn't read MIRRORED HEAVENS can still use that as the
entry-point into the Autumn Rain universe . . ."
MilSciFi: "What
was your favorite part, the concept that just really gets you going?"
Williams: "My heroine, Claire Haskell has had her memory
#$# with by her handlers--and a lot of what's going on in the books centers on
her search for her real identity/past .
. . whether it's wondering whether her
romantic liaison with fellow agent Jason Marlowe really happened (he's got the
same memory-implant problem), or waking up to the dawning realization that the
enemy may already be inside her head."
MilSciFi: "Do you
have any future plans for stories set in the same universe?"
Williams: "The last book in the trilogy is due out next
year. I have no further plans to revisit the Autumn Rain universe after that
(and there may not be much left of it by then anyway). Still, in this business, one never says
never . . ."
Milscifi: If
you had a chance to write one story/novel just because you wanted to, and
didn't have to worry about if it would sell or not, what would it be about?"
Williams: "You're looking at 'em!"
MilSciFi: "What is
your favorite story/novel you have ever written and why?"
Williams: "My favorite's going to be the third book, THE
MACHINERY OF LIGHT, or I'll have failed in the task I've set myself. Too many trilogies/series fade after the
first book; I've designed this so that the second's ten times crazier than the
first, and the third is ten times crazier than the second. Anything less, and I'm wasting your time."
MilSciFi: "What
advice would you give the aspiring military science fiction writer?"
Williams: "Same as I'd give to any aspiring writer: never quit, sacrifice everything, work your
ass off, and eventually you'll find out how much you really want it."
MilSciFi: "Who is
your single-most influence in science fiction and what impact have they had on
your own work?"
Williams: "No one influence, and a lot of what's
influenced me isn't just science fiction.
In no particular order: Judas
Priest, Judge Dredd, John LeCarre, V for Vendetta, Frank Herbert, William
Gibson, the Lo-Fi Allstars, J.R.R. Tolkien, Robert Anton Wilson, Edward Gibbon,
Thucydides, and anything starring Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1980s."
MilSciFi: "Do you
have a website where our readers can go to fine more information about your
work?"
Williams: "Of course:
www.autumnrain2110.com; tons of future data there about the military
hardware and geopolitics of the world of the early 22nd century."
MilSciFi: "Give us
some details on your upcoming author appearances."
Williams: "You got it--just check out:"
http://autumnrain2110.com/index.php?action=contact
MilSciFi: "Thank you."
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