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08-21-07: MilSciFi.com interviews author James Daniel Ross, contributor to the upcoming military science fiction
anthology "Breach the Hull".
MilSciFi: “Welcome. What was your inspiration for your
story?”
Ross: “Believe it or not, I was really
stumped. Even with my experience in military science fiction, I could not come
up with a compelling story, but then I was struck by a particular piece of
music. It was: Children of the Sandstorm by Darude vs. Robert Miles. The
ultra-fast beat, periodic pauses to breathe and general feeling of obstacles
overcome laid the seed for my action-adventure run."
MilSciFi: “Do you have any future plans for
stories set in the same universe?”
Ross: “Actually, yes! The character of Rook,
and the universe, is found in my first novel, The Radiation Angels: The
Chimerium Gambit and First Drop a short story, both from Mundania. I am on the
verge of completing the second novel, The Radiation Angels: The Key to
Damocles, and another short story, Poison Bullets.”
MilSciFi: “What would your ideal project be if you
could plan your own anthology?”
Ross: “I have an idea for two, actually: Blood
for Glory and Curses! The first for heroes, the second for villains of every
stripe, one story from each genre: Horror, action, scifi, fantasy, superhero,
and so forth.”
MilSciFi: “What other upcoming works are on the
horizon for you?”
Ross: “Well, with The Key to Damocles almost
finished, I need to start a story I have been asked to do for Bad-Ass Faeries
2.”
MilSciFi: “How would you describe your experience
working on the book?”
Ross: “Fast. I have to admit this is one of
the fastest I have ever seen something go from concept to reality. It’s very
impressive to see so much talent come together so quickly and professionally.
It is much like being a part of a highly trained science fiction SWAT team.”
MilSciFi: “If you had a chance to write one story
just because you wanted to, and didn't have to worry about if it would sell or
not, what would it be about?”
Ross: “You know what? I was asked at a
writer’s workshop at ConGlomeration if a particular scene I had described in my
next novel is based on reality. I said it was, and nothing much was said for a
few seconds. I’d like the strength to really write about those things one day,
without the veil of fiction to act as armor.”
MilSciFi: “What is your favorite story you have
ever written and why?”
Ross: “My favorite story was The Harvest.
I was writing for the RPG industry, and not only did it prove I
could write a good bit of fiction (if I do say so myself), it proved I could
write the end of a story and the ghosts of the beginning and middle would
support the whole thing. Not only was the main character my first attempt to
write Rook, it proved the RPG world I was working on could live in other
formats. You can read it yourself at http://www.radiationangels.com/down.html.”
MilSciFi: “What are you working on next?”
Ross: “After my contribution for Bad-Ass Faeries
2, I want to finish Poison Bullets. I have dozens of story seeds (about
1000 words apiece), but I think I am going to work on a novelization of one of
my old short stories, a fantasy piece. After that, the sky is the limit, I
suppose.”
MilSciFi: “Give us the details on your upcoming
author appearances.”
Ross: “Wow, well I plan to be at Context (Columbus) in September, Philcon (Philadelphia) in November, as well as numerous and sundry
signings in bookstores from Dayton to Louisville.”
MilSciFi: “What advice would you give the aspiring
military science fiction writer?”
Ross: “It is not the first ten thousands words
that makes one a writer, it is the last ten thousand. Never give up until it is
done."
Oh, and something my Creative Writing teacher, Mrs. Hannigan, once
said: NEVER THROW ANYTHING AWAY. The first four paragraphs of The Radiation
Angels was actually written in 1995. I dug them out while cleaning out some old
papers and, suddenly, I knew what came next. Everything you write has value.”
MilSciFi: “Who is your single-most influence in
science fiction and what impact have they had on our own work?”
Ross: “Joel Rosenberg, by far. His stories are
compelling; his characters memorable; his relationships feel honest and deep. I
admit to being very jealous of him, and he doesn’t get anywhere enough
accolades for his work. http://forums.slovotskys-laws.com/index.php”
MilSciFi: “What is the one thing you find the most
difficult about writing military science fiction?”
Ross: “Honestly, it is striking the balance
between glory and glorification. The story has to have a hero, action,
adventure, and when its over it has to make everyone cheer and pump their fists
like someone just scored a touchdown…at the same time one can never forget that
war is a horrible scar on the body of humanity, and has a weight, a growling
presence of its own. There has to be a cost, even in success, a price even
greater than blood. Stating that cost, without becoming macabre, is the most
difficult thing by far.”
MilSciFi: “Do you have any awards you would like
to share with us?”
Ross: “Wow, no, but if you find any lying
around on the ground, I will gladly claim them (begins attacking someone’s Hugo
with a dremmel tool).”
MilSciFi: “Do you have a website where our readers
can go to fine more information about your work?”
Ross: "Of course." www.radiationangels.com or www.myspace.com/MSLogan
MilSciFi: “Do you write under any other names?”
Ross: “Nope. But maybe I should. The commoners
might throw less fruit on the street.”
MilSciFi: “Is military science fiction the only
thing you write, or is there something else out there we should be looking for?”
Ross: “So far my only novel is MilSciFi but my
role-playing work was actually Dieselpunk, a combination of fantasy with 1940’s
style pulp adventure. What I always wanted to write was fantasy, so I hope to
get into that before long.”
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