Monday 24 December 2012

Evolution of a Writer - Michael K. Rose


Merry Christmas! (Almost) 

Today I have the pleasure of interviewing Indie Speculative author, Michael K. Rose, who has just published his second novel, 

Chrysopteron
 
Captain John Hayden, haunted by memories of war and still grieving the death of his wife, is about to embark on the most important mission of his career: to discover the fate of the Chrysopteron, one of five generation ships which left the Earth centuries earlier. The descendants of the Chrysopteron’s original crew had successfully colonised their planet, but less than a hundred years later, all contact was lost. Hayden knows that a mysterious new religion which was formed aboard the ship may have played a role in determining the fate of the colonists, but there is no way to know what he and his crew will find when they finally arrive.

In a story that touches on issues of faith and self-determination, Chrysopteron explores the fundamental elements that define our species. Even though we may leave the Earth, we cannot leave behind that which makes us human.

GDT: The big question - what do you get out of it, what made you want to be a writer? 

MKR: Well, I suppose I get the satisfaction of knowing that I am doing something I truly love—and getting paid for it. I’ve always been interested in writing, and I remember writing detective stories in the sixth grade in which all the characters were vegetables—this was before VeggieTales. But I suppose it initially came from my love of reading. I saw the power that fiction could have, I saw what it did to me emotionally and intellectually. The opportunity to do that for another person was one I could not pass up. 

GDT: What writers inspire you? 
 
MKR: In science fiction, Arthur C. Clarke is my guy. I also enjoy Asimov, some of the classics (HG Wells) and, when it comes to current writers, I find lots of great work coming from Indie and small-press authors. I’m also a fan of the classics, particularly Henry James and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

GDT: How long have you been writing?

MKR: I’ve only been writing seriously for about two and a half years. My first published work came out in November of 2011.

GDT: How do you feel your writing skills have developed and changed since your started writing? What do you believe you've learned from the ongoing experience?

MKR: More than I can summarize here. The very process of writing is a learning process. Every scene or character one writes helps one to improve one’s craft. I think the biggest transition for me, and the one in which I learned the most, was the move from writing short stories to writing novel-length works. They are two very different beasts and until this year I hadn’t written a full novel.

GDT: When it comes to writing, what do you think writing allows you to say? What do you want to say?

MKR: First and foremost, I want to tell a good story. If I can do that, I have succeeded. But I also realize that the stories which resonate beyond the life of the writer are those that tap into the thoughts and desires of humanity as a whole. I hope Chrysopteron is a novel which will do that. I’ve put quite a lot of my soul into it and I’m very proud of how it’s turned out.

GDT: What can you tell us about your new novel, Chrysopteron?

MKR: The story follows several generations of characters, but the main story, the one that takes place in the novel’s “present day,” follows a character named John Hayden. He is to lead a mission to discover what happened to the descendants of a generation ship called the Chrysopteron. There’s a lot in it about religion, self-determination, right and wrong—all the popular topics.

GDT: What does the future hold for Michael K. Rose?

MKR: I’m currently engaged in the #12NovelsIn12Months Project. As the title suggests, I’m writing 12 novels in 12 months’ time. I’m currently on the third month and, despite some setbacks due to illness, it’s going extremely well. I look forward to continuing to challenge myself as a writer and this project is certainly doing that!

GDT: Thank you very much, Michael, for your time. Merry Christmas!

Chrysopteron is available via the following links: 

Amazon UK
Amazon US 
Barnes @ Noble 
 
About Michael K. Rose
 
Michael K. Rose is primarily an author of science fiction who also dabbles in horror, fantasy and paranormal fiction.

His novel Sullivan’s War has been called "...a sci-fi thriller that definitely delivers!" and his collection Short Stories has been praised as "...the purest form of literature, as rich as a bottle of Montrachet 1978 and as tasty as a generous cut of Wagyu beef."

His newest novel, Chrysopteron, is already being hailed as a "...gem of a novel..." and "a masterpiece."
 
To find out more about author Michael K. Rose visit his: