Featured Author: DB Stearns

1. What inspired you to write Harmonic Wars? 

I saw a really cool and open-minded documentary on the Great Pyramid of Giza. It prompted me to research similar sites around the globe until I discovered that there was a great deal of archeological evidence that a highly advanced civilization may well have existed on a global scale thousands of years ago. I still have no idea about what the purpose of any of those sites were, but I knew I could make a really cool and compelling SciFi story about it. My research was compelling enough that I was able to be a guest on both Caravan to Midnight and Coast to Coast AM to discuss the research I did for Harmonic Wars as well as promote the book.

 

2. Who is your favorite character and why?  

Alana, because she is a strong warrior. Her sassy and down-to-earth attitude was so much fun to write. She is proof that good and righteous people can be fierce warriors who keep their sensuality without being a slut. Arturo was also a huge challenge to make his evil personality understandable and realistic. Some readers almost sympathized with him, but they had no doubt that he is pure evil, all the way to the core. Inshae on the other hand is a slut by nature, but then again she is a Succubus!

 

3. What did you learn during the writing process about yourself?  

I learned that my years of business writing was no preparation for writing a novel. I also learned that it takes a huge amount of initiative and personal drive to write, market and sell books. The marketing and selling is like pushing a snowball uphill hoping to start an avalanche, but you MUST keep pushing and never get discouraged. It takes time and patience. I also learned that I hate naming characters! 

 

4. What do you think is important for every writer to know?  

Use a good outline and know where your story is going! I created outlines for all four books in the Harmonic Wars series before I ever started writing the first book. When writing a series leave yourself an out so you can write spinoffs from the original series. I figure if I’m going to develop worlds and cultures I might as well use them to the fullest extent possible. Also, know when to “pull the trigger” so to speak. You can edit a manuscript forever hoping to create the perfect story, but at some time you must move forward and put your masterpiece into print. It will never be perfect, but it will be good enough if you trust your editors. Also, design your characters after people you know so that it is easier to include their realistic quirks and mannerisms. It will help to get the readers to endear themselves to the characters … then you can listen to them howl when you kill them off!

 

5. What do you feel is your strength in writing? 

I’m a very visual person, so I try hard to provide a cool vision of the future. When I’m in a creative mood I can write 5,000-6,000 words a day. I never try to do anything that will hamper or constrict that creativity … I just continue to let it flow as long as I can. It’s really cool, because it’s like watching a movie scroll across my screen as I write. Nobody is more surprised by what I write than I am. Once I was writing at a pub and had more than a few beers while I had my headphones on listening to Ozzy in the back ground. Finally, one of my characters started yelling “Sharon!"

 

6. What do you want to improve on? 

I need to improve my balance between my very detailed imagination and the “sweet spot” where the reader’s imagination can take off on its own. Sometimes I’m too detailed, but it provides some really great visuals! I need to work on pacing too.

 

7. What is your favorite sci-fi book and why? 

Frederik Pohl’s Heechee Saga. I had fantastic visuals of the ships and the distant planets that they visited. The characters were realistic and neurotic. Too many times authors try to make the hero perfect ... almost god-like, but we are all humans with serious faults. I tried to build some of this into my characters. 

 

8. Name one thing most people don't know about you? 

I am an accomplished singer and I play guitar. I am also a fantastic cook!

 

9. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you travel? 

Egypt to visit the Great Pyramid, Gobekli Tepe in Turkey which is like 20 Stonehenges that were covered up some 10,000 years ago, then off to the ruins at Puma Punku.

 

10. Would you rather have a great BBQ with friends or take a hike with your family? 
BBQ anytime, but only if I can cook it over a great smoker! And of course my family are my best friends, so they would be first in line along with my other friends!

Harmonic Wars is available on Amazon in print and the 3L Publishing website (www.3LPublishing.com) under books. The eBook version is available in Kindle, Nook and iBook. If you have any questions, please send an email to info@3LPublishing.com.