Martinus Publishing’s
latest anthology, VFW: Veterans of the Future Wars, is out! Throughout February, I’ll be interviewing
some of the authors who have stories featured in this collection. Today, I'm
interviewing Neal Wooten, the talented author of who contributed “Divine
Protocol.” Thank you for taking the time to be
interviewed, Neal.
NEAL WOOTEN: You’re
welcome
MTI: Starting off, could you tell our readers a
little bit about yourself?
NW: I am a writer for
the Huffington Post and I also love to write sci-fi. My first novel, “Reternity,” which is a time
travel story based on Biblical prophecies, has won eight national awards and
was named to Kirkus Reviews Best of 2011.
I have a sci-fi novel titled “The Balance” due out April 15th,
2014.
MTI: Now, getting down to business; what first
compelled you to weave fiction, and what's your favorite type of story to
write?
NW: I’ve been writing
fiction for a long time. Futuristic stories are definitely my favorite since
every aspect comes solely from imagination.
MTI: Tell me, if you had to pick just one author
who has influenced or inspired you, who would it be?
NW: H.G. Wells
MTI: “Divine Protocol” appears in VFW, an
anthology of military science fiction that honors soldiers and veterans. Was there any particular inspiration for this
story?
NW: There were two
elements: the very brief mention of the Nephilim in the Bible, and the war in
Heaven, which gives us the warrior side of angels. Combining those elements led
to “Divine Protocol.”
MTI: If you could go back to any point in history,
when would you visit?
NW: Native American
life before any explorers showed up.
MTI: If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who
would it be?
NW: Gandhi.
MTI: Shifting back to your writing, can you tell
us a little about what you're working on right now?
NW: I’ve stepped out
of my circle for a spell and I’m working with a famous drummer from the biggest
country music band in history to write his autobiography.
MTI: Other than “Divine Protocol” appearing in VFW,
do you have any other stories being published in the near future?
NW: Besides the novel
due out in April, I had a total of eight short stories accepted in 2013, not
all yet published. The other seven are:
The Shombie Apocalypse
Canyon Casnova
Reading Glasses
The Dream Job
Human Era
Veggie Moon
Ode to an Urban Legend
MTI: Other than writing fiction, you have had some
interesting jobs. Math teacher, stand-up
comic, and columnist are just the few listed in your biography. In retrospect, what has been your favorite
career choice to date?
NW: Doing standup was
great, except for the traveling, but I still do an occasional show. Being a columnist is always fun, but I’d have
to say teaching kids math was my favorite thing to do.
MTI: On a lighter note, have you watched any good
tv lately?
NW: The Walking Dead
and The Big Bang Theory are all I watch.
I’m now a contributor to The Walking Dead Fan Club.
MTI: What sort of music do you enjoy?
NW: Oldies – 50s, 60s,
and some of the 70s. Give me the Eagles
and CCR anytime.
MTI: And if you would, name three movies that you
could watch over and over again and not be bored.
NW: Jaws, All the movies of the Alien series, & Serenity
MTI: You have the attention of potential
readers. Are there any great words of
wisdom you’d like to share with them? Perhaps
something that would persuade them to purchase your work?
NW: I think the most
important thing about writing fiction is believability. My novel, “The Balance,” is set 100K years
into the future, but I hope people will read it and think, “That’s really
possible.”
MTI: Readers love free samples. Is there anything you’d like to share with us
today, perhaps something new or recent that you’ve written?
NW: Here’s an excerpt
from the first chapter of “The Balance.”
Lightning? I have
only seen lightning from above as I traveled around the tube, beautiful green
and blue bursts from within the clouds thousands of feet below the city. The
transport shakes again and I almost fall. I sit on the cushioned seat to brace
myself, my fingers digging deep into the outer material. Adon still stares out
the side of the tube away from the city, so I look to see what he sees. I see
only myself. The darkness outside creates a mirror effect on the tube, a
distorted reflection looking back at me, scanning my own eyes as if also
searching for answers. I notice my shoulder-length, straight, pale hair, the
same as every other male in the city, even my grandfather’s. I see wrinkles on my
face that should not be there, then I realize they are not on my reflection but
hovering in the span of distance between us. There are lines that seem to be
floating in air, little threads tracing across the normally unobstructed view
of the sky. The tube is cracked, and the lines seem to be alive, growing,
spreading.
The tube’s clear
casing breaks even more, the lines darting across the cylindrical enclosure
like lightning itself, stretching out in all directions. Then the space beside
our transport explodes into a million shards of crystal, reflecting the dim
light like twinkling stars as they spin off into oblivion. The transport seems
to hover for a full second and then…weightlessness.
MTI: Excellent stuff. Thanks for this intriguing interview,
Neal. Those who wish to read more of his
stuff can pick up VFW: Veterans of the Future Wars today!
No comments:
Post a Comment