Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a Southern California writer working in historical fiction and satire. The last three of my eight novels have been ostensibly science fiction. I say ostensibly because the Alien Affairs trilogy is more about current affairs than the alien invasion that is the heart of the plot. Previously I have written a political satire about saving California from ruin, an account of Nazi doctor, Josef Mengele’s forty-year exile in South America, an alternative history from the Mexican War through WWII, a Civil War era biography and a tall tale about my ancestors’ arrival in the New World.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Alien Child is the culmination of the Alien Affairs trilogy. I wanted to see if I could tell a story from the viewpoint of a half-alien teenager. Readers have informed me that the voice of Terrie Deshler is spot on. Well, in my own opinion, she is a bit of a delinquent who needs to cleanup her language and not go out with older guys. She does, however, share her mother’s knack for outwitting aliens.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Maybe. I write with a laptop, in an easy chair by a picture window with a rose garden in the foreground and the San Gabriel Valley in the distance. Most of the time a Yorkshire terrier is sleeping by my side.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Hemingway and Tom Robbins. What two authors could be varied? I like Hemingway’s Spartan style and Robbin’s un-orthodoxy.
What are you working on now?
I am working on a sequel to Golden State Blues that parodies the outrageous political condition in the United States today.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Free short stories containing links to my books are the best method I’ve found for gaining name recognition. People are really into free. My website www.ScottSkipper.com and blog www.ScottSkipper/blogspot.com are necessary evils but neither gets a lot of traffic. Likewise, social media is something one has to do to maintain credibility, but it does little to drive sales.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
My standard reply is: “do your damnedest to give every preposition an object, and don’t sweat a little passive voice.” To that I’d like to add, “pace is everything.” Keep your story moving.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Tell the truth.
What are you reading now?
I’m reading an apocalyptic/survivalist story called Into Autumn, and it’s ghastly. I’d drop it in a heartbeat, but I’ve committed to reviewing it. I’m afraid the author isn’t going to be very happy when he sees my review. I hate to write bad reviews, and rarely do, but I insist on being honest.
What’s next for you as a writer?
More of the same. I’m looking for some good source material for another historical fiction. Anybody have a suggestion?
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?
Well, some really long books. Norman Davies History of Europe comes to mind. Garcia-Marquez’ Cien Años de Soledad because I read Spanish very slowly. I would have to have a Hemingway, maybe For Whom the Bell Tolls, but only because The Old Man and the Sea to rather short. For my last choice I’d browse Smashwords and take a chance on something by a self-published author. Of course that means I’d need a solar panel to recharge my reader.
Author Websites and Profiles
Scott Skipper Website
Scott Skipper Amazon Profile
Scott Skipper Author Profile on Smashwords
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