He grew up in the 80s with a love for stories in all mediums, particularly science fiction. A cable broadcast of any Star Wars, Star Trek, Alien, or Predator movie was not to be missed, and Exosquad was the cartoon of choice. He devoured books of all genres, from the Star Wars Expanded Universe (RIP) to novelizations of his favorite movies and the works of Bowden, Carr, Card, Clancy, Cline, Corey, Crichton, Foster, Haldeman, Heinlein, Huff, Hurwitz, King, Morrell, Niven, Scalzi, Steakley, Taylor, Traviss, Weir, Wells, and others.
He graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. Since then, he has worked as a software engineer on a variety of products, from finite element analysis simulators to DoD contractors on counter-WMD platforms and educational software. Now, he writes. When not writing or reading, he enjoys family time, home improvement projects investing, RPGs, and video games. He lives in North Carolina with his family and two cats.
Q.1 Tell us something about yourself that not many people know?
A. I’m right-handed, except that I write with my left hand. Say that three times fast!
Q.2 Will we be reading more from you in the near future? Do you have any new projects in the works?
A. I’m writing the third book in my first trilogy, which is due out this summer. After that, I’ll move on to my next book.
Q.3 What inspired you to write The Z Team series?
A. I was inspired by the classic troupe of the freighter crew who becomes drawn into galactic conspiracy and intrigue but with twists on common sci-fi tropes. It draws heavy inspiration from my favorite media growing up: Star Wars, Star Trek, the Alien movies, The Fifth Element, and more recently, The Expanse, The Interdependency, and the game Mass Effect.
Q.4 What is the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?
A. You need to understand the differences in how genders think and what motivates them, but also be careful to avoid stereotypes. Human beings are complex.
Q.5 How do you develop your plots and characters? Do you use any set formula?
A. It evolves with each book I write. I have general concepts and themes in mind, and the characters were created to add unique twists and spins on common sci-fi troupes.
He graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. Since then, he has worked as a software engineer on a variety of products, from finite element analysis simulators to DoD contractors on counter-WMD platforms and educational software. Now, he writes. When not writing or reading, he enjoys family time, home improvement projects investing, RPGs, and video games. He lives in North Carolina with his family and two cats.
Q.1 Tell us something about yourself that not many people know?
A. I’m right-handed, except that I write with my left hand. Say that three times fast!
Q.2 Will we be reading more from you in the near future? Do you have any new projects in the works?
A. I’m writing the third book in my first trilogy, which is due out this summer. After that, I’ll move on to my next book.
Q.3 What inspired you to write The Z Team series?
A. I was inspired by the classic troupe of the freighter crew who becomes drawn into galactic conspiracy and intrigue but with twists on common sci-fi tropes. It draws heavy inspiration from my favorite media growing up: Star Wars, Star Trek, the Alien movies, The Fifth Element, and more recently, The Expanse, The Interdependency, and the game Mass Effect.
Q.4 What is the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?
A. You need to understand the differences in how genders think and what motivates them, but also be careful to avoid stereotypes. Human beings are complex.
Q.5 How do you develop your plots and characters? Do you use any set formula?
A. It evolves with each book I write. I have general concepts and themes in mind, and the characters were created to add unique twists and spins on common sci-fi troupes.
For instance, the pilot is a hot-shot fighter jock in the extremely popular virtual game he plays and the social media attention it gets him, but he can struggle to maneuver the plodding freighter he pilots in real life.
Q.6 Do you try to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?
A. I think you need a balance of both to be really successful. You need the common troupes that attract people to their favorite genre, yet churning out the same old thing will get boring fast, in my opinion.
Q.7 How long, on average, does it take you to write a book?
A. I’m working on my third book, so I don’t have good metrics yet! Definitely, at least one a year, and I aim to increase that ratio.
Q.8 What’s your writing schedule while working?
A. I write on weekdays around 8-4 before it’s time for school pickup. Then, I squeeze time in at night and on weekends when I can.
Q.9 What differentiates Sci-Fi from Fantasy?
A. I think some people get picky about this question. For me, Sci-fi is more future/tech/science-oriented, while Fantasy is not. There’s plenty of media with crossover, like Star Wars. Bottom line: If the book is good, who cares? The category is called science fiction and fantasy, after all.
Q.10 Among all the supporting characters in your books, who is dear to you and why?
A. Gaius, the pilot, is fun because he’s obsessed with gaming and becoming famous. There’s also a murderous AI who never gets to act out against the inferior organics, making its life miserable.
Q.11 It is vital to get exposure and target the right readers for your writing. Tell us about your marketing campaign?
A. I’m on social media (Instagram, Twitter, Goodreads).
Q.12 What, in your view, are the earliest works of science fiction?
A. For me, it was some of the classics, such as Starship Troopers, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and Fahrenheit 451.
Q.13 How many books have you written? Which one is your favorite?
A. Written 2. Working on book 3. My favorite is the one I’m working on, as it combines all the previous lessons and experiences to create something better.
Q.14 Who designed your book covers? How do you select them?
A. Tom Edwards, a fantastic artist. I come up with basic designs, and he makes them beautiful!
Q.15 What advice do you give to aspiring writers who want to explore themes related to sci-fi in their writing?
A. Read a lot, both fiction and nonfiction. The world is changing so fast that it can be hard to predict things, but do your research and come up with rules for your universe.
Q.16 How do you select the names of your characters?
A. I think about other related characters I like and how their names sound, and then I develop variations for mine.
Q.17 What do you want readers to take away from your books?
A. That they are glad they read it and enjoyed the ride!
Q.18 Do you believe in writer’s block? If yes, how do you deal with it?
A. Unless you’ve plotted every last detail, you will reach points where you’re not sure what happens next. Skip around and write other scenes. Write the ending. Put words down somewhere.
Q.19 What is your favorite book from other authors and why?
A. First Blood by David Morrell, where Rambo was created. It's one of the greatest thrillers of all time. The book has never been out of print since it was published in 1972.
Armor by John Steakley. An underrated classic that examines what it takes to survive the horrors of war.
Old Man’s War by John Scalzi. A modern take on Starship Troopers that explores what it means to be human.
Q.20 Share the experience of your writing journey so far?
A. I’ve always liked writing stories based on the elementary school paperwork my parents saved. I decided I wanted to write a book while in college for engineering. I kept at it while working a career in software and reached a point in my life where I wanted to do it full-time.
Q.6 Do you try to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?
A. I think you need a balance of both to be really successful. You need the common troupes that attract people to their favorite genre, yet churning out the same old thing will get boring fast, in my opinion.
Q.7 How long, on average, does it take you to write a book?
A. I’m working on my third book, so I don’t have good metrics yet! Definitely, at least one a year, and I aim to increase that ratio.
Q.8 What’s your writing schedule while working?
A. I write on weekdays around 8-4 before it’s time for school pickup. Then, I squeeze time in at night and on weekends when I can.
Q.9 What differentiates Sci-Fi from Fantasy?
A. I think some people get picky about this question. For me, Sci-fi is more future/tech/science-oriented, while Fantasy is not. There’s plenty of media with crossover, like Star Wars. Bottom line: If the book is good, who cares? The category is called science fiction and fantasy, after all.
Q.10 Among all the supporting characters in your books, who is dear to you and why?
A. Gaius, the pilot, is fun because he’s obsessed with gaming and becoming famous. There’s also a murderous AI who never gets to act out against the inferior organics, making its life miserable.
Q.11 It is vital to get exposure and target the right readers for your writing. Tell us about your marketing campaign?
A. I’m on social media (Instagram, Twitter, Goodreads).
Q.12 What, in your view, are the earliest works of science fiction?
A. For me, it was some of the classics, such as Starship Troopers, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and Fahrenheit 451.
Q.13 How many books have you written? Which one is your favorite?
A. Written 2. Working on book 3. My favorite is the one I’m working on, as it combines all the previous lessons and experiences to create something better.
Q.14 Who designed your book covers? How do you select them?
A. Tom Edwards, a fantastic artist. I come up with basic designs, and he makes them beautiful!
Q.15 What advice do you give to aspiring writers who want to explore themes related to sci-fi in their writing?
A. Read a lot, both fiction and nonfiction. The world is changing so fast that it can be hard to predict things, but do your research and come up with rules for your universe.
Q.16 How do you select the names of your characters?
A. I think about other related characters I like and how their names sound, and then I develop variations for mine.
Q.17 What do you want readers to take away from your books?
A. That they are glad they read it and enjoyed the ride!
Q.18 Do you believe in writer’s block? If yes, how do you deal with it?
A. Unless you’ve plotted every last detail, you will reach points where you’re not sure what happens next. Skip around and write other scenes. Write the ending. Put words down somewhere.
Q.19 What is your favorite book from other authors and why?
A. First Blood by David Morrell, where Rambo was created. It's one of the greatest thrillers of all time. The book has never been out of print since it was published in 1972.
Armor by John Steakley. An underrated classic that examines what it takes to survive the horrors of war.
Old Man’s War by John Scalzi. A modern take on Starship Troopers that explores what it means to be human.
Q.20 Share the experience of your writing journey so far?
A. I’ve always liked writing stories based on the elementary school paperwork my parents saved. I decided I wanted to write a book while in college for engineering. I kept at it while working a career in software and reached a point in my life where I wanted to do it full-time.
Share your social account links -
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/chrisdesantisauthor
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-desantis-author/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chris_desantis_author
Twitter - https://twitter.com/BookSantis
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21987183.Chris_DeSantis
Thanks for having me!
ReplyDelete