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05-09-2011: MilSciFi.com interviews author S. A.
Bolich, contributor to the anthology No
Man's Land, book four in the Defending The Future series.
MilSciFi: "Welcome. Please tell us about your
story. What was the inspiration for it?"
Bolich: "My writers workshop runs a Short
Story in a Week challenge twice a year. This came out of the fourth week
challenge in March 2009. The SSIAW requires that you use 5 words submitted by
the members in your story. "Incommunicado" was one of the words that
week. 'Falling to Eternity' fell out of that single, really interesting,
word, pretty much instantly, as I recall."
MilSciFi: "Is it a part of a larger universe?"
Bolich: "No. I haven't written any other
stories with this background."
MilSciFi: "Any plans to continue with this
storyline?"
Bolich: "Not at the moment."
MilSciFi: "Each story is accompanied by a
unique icon, can you tell us something about the relevance behind your own?"
Bolich: "The story is about the struggle
for how Earth will be governed, with freedom a central theme, thus the torch of
liberty superimposed over Earth in the background, with a Patriot Force
destroyer in the foreground."
MilSciFi: "How did you become involved with
the No Man’s Land project?"
Bolich: "A friend forwarded me an invitation
to submit to the anthology. 'Falling to Eternity' was the only military SF
story I had in the drawer, and it just happened to have a female protaganist. I
was lucky that the editors loved it and bought it the next day."
MilSciFi: "What were your thoughts about the
fact that this was a collection featuring all-female authors?"
Bolich: "Right on! Women are often
underrated as 'action' authors, or people assume that our view of military
operations is going to be foofoo. Women in general are pretty tough, and our
perspective may be different, but no less valid. An awful lot of women have
fought and suffered and died for their respective countries the same as their
countrymen. They should be honored for it, and I'm so glad Defending the Future
dedicated a volume to them in this way."
MilSciFi: "What tips would you given an
aspiring military science fiction author, female or otherwise?"
Bolich: "Don't get hung up on the hardware.
its people that make it go bang."
MilSciFi: "Is military accuracy important to
you, or can one simply 'fake' it?"
Bolich: "Being ex-Regular Army myself, the
accuracy is really important. Not just the terminology, but the attitudes. I am
so tired of movies and SF written by people who apparently have never worn a
uniform or known military careerists personally, or even read a memoir by a
real live "hero." They seem to take Hollywood stereotypes as a given. The science
aspect in military SF is important, because you don't want your tech-savvy
audience snickering, but neither do you want your military readers rolling their
eyes because the characters aren't acting, speaking, or feeling like people who
have actually been in the military."
MilSciFi: "Have you been involved with any
similar projects?"
Bolich: "No. This was fun, and I hope I can
do it again."
MilSciFi: "With your growing success as an
author, do you plan to continue writing for the Defending the Future series?"
Bolich: "If I can think of a decent idea
and they'll have me, sure."
MilSciFi: "Are there any upcoming projects
you would like to tell us about?"
Bolich: "My first novel, Firedancer, will
be out in September 2011, and I have a 'werewolf in space' story
coming out soon in Wolfsongs 2, an anthology dedicated to the
lycanthrope-minded. Firedancer is a fantasy, but the protaganist is a woman who
is on the front lines of a very personal battle against a very ancient and
powerful enemy. If she quits or runs, a lot of people will get hurt. It very
much draws on my belief in duty and honor and the gritty stick-to-it attitude
that forms the backbone of any good military organization--and good heroic
fantasy for that matter."
MilSciFi: "And what events do you have in the
months ahead?"
Bolich: "I'll be at Miscon in Missoula, Montana over Memorial Day, then SpoCon in Spokane, Washington in August, and also Worldcon in Reno in August. After that, I'm not sure. I
have the next novel in the Firedancer series to write!"
MilSciFi: "How can our readers find out more
about your work?"
Bolich: "You can find links to my published
and upcoming work at www.sabolich.info. I also have a Facebook page (S. A.
Bolich), and you can follow me on Twitter (suebthewriter). Don't ask about that
Twitter handle..."
MilSciFi: "Thank you for your time."
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