Interview With Author Orest Lastow
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Orest Lastow and I am a Swedish author with a long career as a physicist, inventor, and entrepreneur. Before becoming a full-time writer, I was the CEO of a pharmaceutical company I founded in 2014. Built on my own inventions, the company is now publicly traded on Nasdaq Stockholm.
In total, I have written seven books. Four have been published in Swedish, Danish and English. My published books are the PetaHertz trilogy, a book kalled Ljusporten. I also have three completed manuscripts of the new CXM-trilogy. In September my next book will be published and is the first installment of the CXM-trilogy.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Last month the first installment of my PetaHertz trilogy was published in English. The title is Our Life Is Not Our Own. The trilogy was originally published in Swedish and Danish but is now globally available in English. As a scientist, I strive to write science fiction grounded in real physics, maintaining a high level of realism. I often describe my books as “not in space, not in the future, and no aliens.” My protagonists are often scientists grappling with both technical challenges and profound moral dilemmas—all while fighting for their lives.
My novels uniquely blend science fiction and alternate history, earning praise from my fans for their philosophical depth and thought-provoking narratives.
I have already received great reviews. One is from the New York Times bestselling author Taran Matharu:
5 out of 5 stars – Orest has written his Magnum Opus
Orest Lastow takes readers on a journey as thrilling as any Dan Brown adventure, but with the added intrigue of mind-bending science.
The book is available globally on Kindle-unlimited and for download as an eBook.
Check it out on https://a.co/d/fquLPdQ, https://amzn.eu/d/4TDaMKZ or other Amazon sites
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I am very structured in my approach. Being a scientist that has spent a lifetime with R&D I treat my writing as a project. There is always a lot of planning, detailed and extensive research and many Excel-sheets with calculations, plans and story overviews.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I draw much inspiration from authors such as Dan Brown, Andy Weir, Philip K. Dick, and, of course, George R.R. Martin.
It probably shows in my books that I like Dan Brown. One reviewer wrote:
5 out of 5 stars – Scratches that Dan Brown itch
There’s not enough books out there that scratch the Dan Brown itch, but I’m happy to say this is one of them! Very fun, and keeps you guessing. Or maybe I’m just a bad guesser? Either way, I had a great time!
What are you working on now?
I am current editing the first part of my new trilogy called the CXM-trilogy. The story is inspired by real events. It is scientific experiments performed in the Soviet union in 1920. The pitch for the trilogy is:
What if there was a technology that could make people unconsciously perform actions against their will?
What if this technology was in the hands of individuals planning to carry out the worst terrorist attack in human history?
What if all of this was part of a century-old plan to fundamentally change the world?
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have my own website www.lastow.com with a lot of information about my books and my self. There is also tons of background information on the technology, places and characters in the books.
I also use Instagram, Facebook, GoodReads and Reddit.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write, write and write. You learn the trade by writing. Write books that you would like to read yourself. Don’t pretend to be someone you are not.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write about things that you know and care about.
What are you reading now?
I am reading Time out of joint by Philip K Dick
What’s next for you as a writer?
Keep writing. I have an idea of a new trilogy and a couple of ideas on spin-offs to my PetaHertz-trilogy.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I would definitely bring Animal farm and 1984 by Orwell. I have Oscar Wilde completed works in one volume. That one I would bring.
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