This week I’m talking with Science Fiction Author M Pax.
I’ve just recently read her novella Semper Audacia (a mere .99 at Amazon) in
which not only did she do a fantastic job creating a detailed and intriguing
world, but gave her readers a plot that was fast-paced and engrossing
So, when I heard her new Backworlds series was coming out, I
had to read it as well, the first in the series being free, The Backworlds.
The story centers around Craze, a poor,
bio-engineered, far-future human who just wants to be the owner/operator of a
bar. Simple goal, no? But from the beginning all of damned creation seems to be
hell bent on thwarting his ambition. We’ll
have to wait and see how many cool new worlds and harrowing situations M Pax
can come up with.
The second in the series, Stopover At The Backworld's Edge is just about to be released so let’s
connect with M Pax here, chat a bit and see where all this is heading!
PB: Hi M Pax. Good to talk with you today. The Backworlds is a fascinating concept. Can
you tell us, is the seed for the idea strictly from your imagination or did
something spark it?
M Pax: Craze and his
bar came to me first. The television series Firefly sparked several aspects of
the story -- the anti-hero and the frontier setting. I've always been drawn to
the anti-hero and Firefly did it very well. Other inspiration comes from where
I live. The high desert is very dusty. A history show on coffee sparked the
idea of how I use chocolate in the series, and I just generally like weird. A
comic book of strange tales I read as a kid added in a sprinkle of creative
spark, too.
PB: Would you tell
us something about your goals for this gripping series? Do you have a number of
books you intend to create in mind or is it more open ended?
It is open-ended for now. The Backworlds, the first,
is a free sample. Stopover at the Backworlds' Edge, Book 2, is out July 23rd. However, if you
look for it, you might find it sitting and waiting on some ebook sites. Boomtown
Craze will be the 3rd book. I hope to have it out in early 2013, and I came
up with an offshoot series telling stories from the Foreworlds. Earth
Hereafter will be the first in the side series. More will come. I just
don't know what they are yet.
PB: Wow, I love the
scope of your undertaking. This is going
to be a world your fans can wander in for a long time to come. You seem to
write quickly and juggle many things - how do you manage along with your
'stargazing' at the observatory?
MP: I don't write quickly at all. I don't think. I strive for
1,000 words a day on each project I'm working on, including reshaping/revising.
I do a lot of that.
Maybe because I'm easily bored is why I usually work on at least two projects.
If one needs more attention, I'll drop the other to give the problem child or
project under deadline my full focus. I have pretty strict time schedules which
is how I squeeze things in. I still feel as if things get away from me. And,
they do sometimes.
The observatory is open in the summer -- end of May through end of September. I
work Friday and Saturday nights. It does get my schedule out of whack as I
adjust back and forth between astronomer's hours and my usual routine. Sundays
and Mondays are rough for me. Naps on Friday and Saturday afternoons are a
must.
Taking time for some frivolity is also a must. It's important to recharge our
batteries and frivolity often provides fodder for future work. The observatory
has had a hand in sparking ideas in everything I've written so far.
PB: Now that we know
a bit about what makes your fiction world tick, tell us a bit of what you like
to do for fun, that recharging frivolity you mentioned.
M Pax: My favorite
things to do outside of writing, besides working as a star guide at the
observatory, are exploring Oregon with the Husband Unit, and meeting up with my
writer friends. I love taking photos, so it takes Husband and I 5x longer to
get anywhere than most people. I stop about every 5 miles to take photos
PB: So between this great new series,
exploring and stargazing ~ have anything new out beyond the fringe?
M Pax: My next
release in the fall is for a new series about a gal named Hetty Locklear. It's
a deviation from space opera incorporating my love of strange, Jane Austen,
contemporary fantasy, and science fiction. If you've read Plantgirl (a free read available through her website), it's in that
same sort of vein.
PB: Sounds good and I encourage all my
readers to visit M Pax’s website check out her writing and enjoy. Follow her on Twitter to see what she's up to or join her on Facebook. And this author enjoys connecting with her readers so make contact if you like.
Get M Pax's new Ebook, Stopover At The Backworld's Edge in several locations:
iTunes and Kobo are coming soon.
