Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hello, I’m a middle aged guy that grew up on Star Wars, Star Trek, and the like. My love for science fiction started with space travel, real and fictional. As a young man I was a NASA Apollo program nut. As an adult I’ve really grown to be a huge fan of the Mercury program and the Mercury Seven astronauts. You could say that rockets were my first love. In recent years I’ve been very involved with mid to high power rocketry. However, I had to put the rocketry on hold because there was a science fiction story brewing in my head that had to come out, had to be written. I had no choice. I’ve written one book. There are two more to follow to complete the story which are mostly already written.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book is Siever: The Hazards of Mandallass.
I often think of what life would be like on another world and some of my favorite stories are adventures. It occurred to me that on another world, perhaps each time you left the safe confines of a pressurized habitat, it could be an adventure. I pictured a guy that hauled freight between domed cities and had to spend long cold nights out on a frozen desert. Then add a cute girl that he doesn’t really like, but is stuck with, now it can just be fun.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I prefer to write while doing 70 mph on the interstate ; )
Seriously though, not sure if this is unusual, but many times before I sit down to write I’ll pick up a sci-fi book that I own and read a paragraph or two. Not really to copy the style, but to sort of prime the neurons for creative writing.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
For a long time I’ve been fascinated, infatuated, terrified, by the colonization of Mars and of course the space travel involved in getting there with all of its hazards. And I’m also a sucker for stories where there’s a lead male and female dynamic. Some works that have inspired my story would include Venus of Dreams by Pamela Sargent and Mars by Ben Bovo.
But also works by Sean McMullen and movies like Adventures in the Forbidden Zone and The Road Warrior. And finally Red Mars by Kim Stanly Robinson.
What are you working on now?
Siever Volume 2 (The Wraith Agenda) and volume 3. They are mostly written. I just have to go through and trim the fat.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still figuring this out. Most of my efforts have been focused on Goodreads.com
Do you have any advice for new authors?
I cannot offer advice on marketing or writing tips, but I will say that when I decided to write, I decided I would just write my story and enjoy the process. Of course, my hope is that it becomes wildly successful, but if not, I enjoyed writing it. I love the story and I’ll have no regrets spending the amount of time that I did writing it.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Just believe in yourself.
Just kidding. What a bunch of nonsense! What if you’re an idiot?
The best advice I’ve heard is work like it’s all up to you and pray like it’s all up to God.
What are you reading now?
Containment by Christian Cantrell
What’s next for you as a writer?
Finish volumes 2 and 3 of Siever and figure out ways to promote the books.
What is your favorite book of all time?
Holy cow! What a question!
Hard to pick, but:
Eyes of the Calculor by Sean McMullen.
Author Websites and Profiles
Tim Brant Website
Tim Brant’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile