What inspired you to write?I think it was the book that I read as a kid – I recognized that they had invented these worlds and thought that hey, you could do that! I worked at it on and off in high school and received good response, which encouraged me to do more. I guess, then, the short answer is the reading I’ve done encouraged me to write.Are you a reader? What are some of your favorites?Absolutely! My favorite author – the one I can always return to – is Robert Heinlein. I have all of his books, save two, and constantly go back to them to re-read. But I’m not stuck in the past. Some of my current favorite authors include Tanya Huff, Seanan McGuire, Douglas Adams, Elliott Kay, Clive Cussler, David R. Palmer, Donald Westlake, Spider Robinson, David Weber, Eric Flint, John Ringo…I’ll pretty much give anyone’s work a try; if I enjoy it, I’ll dive deep.
What is your newest work, and what is going to happen in the future?The most recent book is The Road to the Stars, and it just came out on September 15. This is Volume 2 in The Cassidy Chronicles, which launched in May. TRTTS starts five years after Volume 1, so in 2118, and catches up with Cass (Aiyana Cassidy) and Ken (Kendra Cassidy). They’re living quiet lives, more or less, raising their children, and pursuing their passion projects when the world government reaches out to them for a little project. Things evolve from there as they’re faced with new adversaries, new challenges, and higher stakes than they’d ever faced before.The audiobook for TRTTS should be out around the first of the year, and that should coincide with the launch of Volume 3 (which I’ve started and am about 42k words in).
Do you have advice or tips for Indie Authors?Don’t stop. Don’t stop writing.Don’t stop reading.Don’t stop marketing.Most of all, don’t stop connecting with your fans! Remember, they’re the ones who are buying your books, so give them a reason!
What influenced you as a writer?At this point, everyone I’ve read has influenced my style. There are bits of Heinlein-esque prose in there; there’s a skewed view of the universe courtesy of Adams; there’s plenty of action and space travel from both Weber and Ringo. I’m always reading, so I’m always learning and changing.
Do you prefer a normal book or ebook? I love my regular books. LOVE them. I have many shelves of autographed copies which I wouldn’t discard on a bet! But I have to admit that ebooks are convenient; all I need to have is my phone! Still, there isn’t anything quite like holding a book in my hands to draw me into a universe.
Samantha Evans--Author 