Indie Author Interview with roadbloc - Author of the Science Fiction Novel A Momentary Lapse of Reality.
roadbloc enjoys writing wacky science fiction stories. In 2012 he published his first book Vending Machine Lunch and has since written and released the first part of a trilogy called A Momentary Lapse of Reality in 2014.
Interview with roadbloc
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| Author roadbloc |
roadbloc: For as long as I can remember I've always written stupid little stories on whatever computer was available in the house. My father worked a lot with technology when I was younger and a lot of different computers would always arrive that I could use until he decided they needed to be sold. Even though it was rare I'd be able to complete a story or even keep them because the computers would be eventually sold off along with my part completed story, I'd still put in a lot of time writing. So yeah, I spent a lot of time as a kid writing a load of crazy science fiction stuff even though I knew I wouldn't be able to keep any of it, as I didn't have my own computer. I hand-wrote occasionally but I preferred writing on the computers.
Who are your favorite writers, your favorite books, and who or what are your writing influences?
I love Issac Asimov's works, especially the Foundation and iRobot books. Anthony Horowitz was a favorite until he turned all rubbish and predictable. I always liked the Harry Potter books as a kid, but kinda went off them the older I grew. George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty Four is always a great read, but my favorite ever book probably has to be The Long Walk by Stephen King. It’s a shame that as I've got older I've gone off reading in favor of video games… I ought to put more effort in to read.
When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?
For as long as I can remember to be honest. Writing is something I've always done for some reason so when it came to choosing what I do for a living, writing was obviously the first choice.
Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
I think so, or at least the first story I wrote worth remembering. It was called OMRI and was about a killer robot. From what I can remember it was almost like Terminator, but lacked the time travel elements and was confined to one building. That is one piece of work I wish I still had. No doubt its complete rubbish, but I remember being so proud of it when I'd finally completed it. I think I was about nine at the time.
Tell us about your writing process. Do you have a writing routine?
I usually just sit down with my PowerBook or iMac and open Microsoft Word and just write. Most likely with my tunes on shuffle and a cup of tea nearby. I beat my fists and occasionally my face against the keyboard for a year or so until I have enough pages to call a book. In all honesty though, quite a lot of my time 'writing' is actually just messing around on the internet whilst Microsoft Word sits there bored, hidden behind a few other apps. I'm easily distracted regretfully which is probably why it takes me so long to do anything.
Please, describe your desk/workplace.
There are a few places I use to write, but my main one is in my bedroom. My desk there is usually full of clutter and general junk I haven't really needed for at least six months, but it also has my valve amplifier for my tunes and my iMac G4 for writing on. One day I might make an effort to clear up the junk I don't need. My room is in the attic so in winter, it does get very cold due to the central heating not working correctly. That’s why in colder weather I'm usually writing downstairs in the kitchen on my PowerBook.
"Planning the stories is probably the easiest [...]"
What do you find easiest about writing? What the hardest?
Planning the stories is probably the easiest bit. It’s the writing and putting all the ideas into words that is the tricky bit for me. Its something that entirely depends what mood I'm in. I've got to feel like I want to write to be able to write, otherwise it's just a waste of time as I end up just messing about. On the days I am enthusiastic about writing however, I find my work flows much better and I'm generally happier with what I've produced.
"Seeing people read and enjoy my works."
What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
Seeing people read and enjoy my works. It feels great to capture people's interests and have then hooked on my stories. Reading is a great way to help escape the sometimes awful reality that life dishes out and if I can help people do that with my works then I'm happy.
Roadbloc, please tell us a little about your Science Fiction Novel A Momentary Lapse of Reality.
It is a crazy story that follows college failure Gemma dragged into a dystopian future by a man, nicknamed Bob, who claims both to be from the future and to have forgotten his name. The pair and Gemma's chav friend Scrilla find themselves in the year three thousand and two where a colossal and incredibly unbalanced war is occurring between two Solar Systems. With the discovery of travel being heavily abused by both sides so they could win the war, the three of them find themselves on the run from both sides as they try to discover how to get Gemma and Scrilla back to their own time and discover the real reason behind Bob forgetting his real name and mysteriously being transported back in time. It’s a story that refuses to take itself very seriously, always poking fun at both present and future life as it throws the characters in situations that quickly snowball out of control. It’s the first in what will hopefully become a science fiction trilogy from me.
.png "A Momentary Lapse of Reality (roadbloc)") |
| Click to Read an Excerpt |
What inspired you to write the book?
It's actually based on a short story I wrote when I was about fourteen that I called Bob. At the time it was heavily influenced by Doctor Who and Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. I've since attempted to rewrite it a couple of times, both of which failed since I didn't have the greatest attention span back then. But once I had completed writing Vending Machine Lunch, I knew my next project would have to be making my 'Bob' idea become a reality.
Who do you see as your target audience and where can we buy the book?
The book is aimed at late teens/young adult audiences. Whereas the book can be very silly at times, it does cover some more mature topics and isn't appropriate for small children. I'd say it's probably suitable for people of sixteen years of age and older. The book is available for purchase in Kindle and Paperback formats on my website and on Amazon. I'm attempting to work with Apple to get it on iBooks too in the near future.
What makes your book special?
Interesting question. I actually find it hard to big up my own works, I often cop out and tell people it isn't worth buying just so I don't have to sound like yet another pretentious author who thinks his ideas are the most important thing in the world. I digress. It'd probably say that its something different is what makes it special. Even though the science fiction genre has been around for years, I'd like to think I've injected a fresh take on how we see the future and how science fiction narrative usually unfolds. With most people jumping on the sexy, romance, fifty shades bandwagon nowadays, I'd like to think I'm there for them who don't like that stuff.
How would you describe the success of your book so far?
So far, it's been fantastic. I couldn't tell you how much it's sold and to be honest, I couldn't care less. It’s the fact that everyone I know who's read it has responded positively and have genuinely enjoyed reading my stuff. If I succeed at that on a larger scale, I will be extremely happy indeed.
How long did it take it to write the book?
About two years. Quite a lot of what I originally wrote was rewritten and then rewritten again. I have a bad habit of doing that.
"[...] note every idea down."
Can you give some advice for other Authors regarding the writing process?
Be patient would be my advice. I know a lot of people who have expressed interest in writing and to be honest, most of them have the minerals needed and a lot of great ideas. They just lack the patience to be able to pull it off and often end up giving up before they've even come close to finishing. Regretfully, for me at least, writing consumes a lot of time and the results of that time is not always very clear until you've finished. Another bit of advice would be to note every idea down. I'm blessed with a BlackBerry for this job. It doesn't matter what you use, just make sure if you have an idea, note it down real quick.
Are you working on another book project? Can you tell us a little about it?
I am and I can. I'm going for my token zombie apocalypse book next with what should hopefully be an interesting twist. After that I'll be working on completing my science fiction trilogy, or at least provide a second installment.
Where do you see the book market in 5 or 10 years? Will there be only eBooks and will book stores disappear like record stores disappeared?
As much as people love to predict the death of the paperback, I don't see it. People were predicting the death of the CD/vinyl when MP3 players hit the market and yet a decade on and vinyl is actually still going strong. Whereas I think eBooks will eventually be the preferred method of reading at large, there will always be them who want a 'real' book. And good on them.
What is your e-reading device of choice?
I have a Kindle. Unfortunately it's kinda broken at the moment so I'm not doing much reading from it.
Do you write full-time or do you have a day job? When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
Heh. I have a part time job at a local pub. Its nice to get up from behind the keyboard and do something I can claim is a real job from time to time. In any other free time I have, I enjoy playing video games and being generally lazy. Civilization V, Left 4 Dead 2 and Doom are among my favorites.
How can readers connect with you?
If they really feel compelled to contact me, I'm on Twitter- @roadblochd and I can be emailed- roadbloc@roadbloc.co.uk.
Thank you very much for the Interview, roadbloc.
About the Book A Momentary Lapse of Reality
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| Click to Read an Excerpt |
When failed student Gemma is kicked out of college she inadvertently bumps into a strange man who claims he is from the future and has forgotten his name.
With nothing else to do with her life, herself and chav friend Scrilla end up joining him on a journey to the future to help him fight the biggest war in the Solar System and hope to find the truth behind the reason he forgot his name and was sent back in time.
Links to the Book
Link to the Paperback A Momentary Lapse of Reality with Excerpt on Amazon
Link to the eBook A Momentary Lapse of Reality with Excerpt on Amazon
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