He was born August 23rd, 1993, to father Gordon MacLaren and mother Sonia Manalo. Ian was raised in Montreal, Canada, where he has lived all of his life. He was always interested in the arts, having acted in several live stage plays and musicals where he would show off his acting and singing talents, both of which he’s been told he is very talented.
While he was never formally trained in literature, he’s always had quite the imagination. He would often imagine stories and scenarios related to things he’d see, whether fan fiction of his favorite television shows or more original stuff related to simple things he comes across in his everyday life.
At many points in his life, he was told that he should consider writing as many found the ideas he shared interesting, but he was always too afraid to do so. However, this changed when he decided to write his first story in 2019 with Chater and Chater.
Since then, he has found a passion for writing as he can finally put his imagined scenarios into a form where anyone can see and enjoy them. He neither desires nor believes he can ever reach the same level as great authors like J.R.R. Tolkien, Stephen King, or George R. R. Martin. If at least one person enjoys his stories, he will be happy.
Q.1 Tell us something about yourself that not many people know?
A. I’m half Filipino, half Scottish.
Q.2 Are we going to read more from you in the near future? Any new project you’re working on?
A. Yes. I have manuscripts ready for two more books, with my second one being edited as we speak and soon to be published. And there will be more to come soon.
Q.3 What inspired you to write Chater and Chater?
A. Well, I’ve been interested in the idea of conjoined twins after seeing multiple documentaries of real ones. Then I came across an artist online who draws two-headed characters regularly, and I commissioned him to draw characters who would later become the main characters of my story.
Q.1 Tell us something about yourself that not many people know?
A. I’m half Filipino, half Scottish.
Q.2 Are we going to read more from you in the near future? Any new project you’re working on?
A. Yes. I have manuscripts ready for two more books, with my second one being edited as we speak and soon to be published. And there will be more to come soon.
Q.3 What inspired you to write Chater and Chater?
A. Well, I’ve been interested in the idea of conjoined twins after seeing multiple documentaries of real ones. Then I came across an artist online who draws two-headed characters regularly, and I commissioned him to draw characters who would later become the main characters of my story.
I wrote a backstory for them, and those who read it said they loved it and wanted to read more. So I decided to make a full story around them, and the rest is history. Also, said artist is now my illustrator.
Q.4 What is the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?
A. The most difficult part is knowing whether or not I portrayed them accurately and if they come across as true feminine characters and not as either a man in a dress or a sex object, and according to my female friends, I succeeded.
Q.4 What is the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?
A. The most difficult part is knowing whether or not I portrayed them accurately and if they come across as true feminine characters and not as either a man in a dress or a sex object, and according to my female friends, I succeeded.
My method is to write them with as much integrity as I’d like myself to be written while still keeping them distinctly women. As George Lucas wrote it, write them as heroes without having to put them in men’s clothing.
Q.5 How do you develop your plots and characters? Do you use any set formula?
A. My method for any story is to map out the basic structure of the story, which is made up of a beginning, middle, and end, and everything in between writes itself. The characters start off simple with simple motivations, and I flesh them out as the story goes on, adding more to their backstory and personalities until they are fully fleshed out by the end.
Q.6 Do you try to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?
A. My primary goal is to write what I want in the story, and people will either like it or they won’t. I don’t try to please everyone because I know I can’t.
Q.7 How long, on average, does it take you to write a book?
A. Depends on how long the book is and how much thought is required to write it. My first book took me several months to write, and my latest book took me nearly two years. There really isn’t an average time period for me.
Q.8 What’s your writing schedule while working?
A. If I can do any writing while at work, I do what I can on my phone. Otherwise, I just go on my laptop in the evening after work.
Q.9 What differentiates Sci-Fi from Fantasy?
A. Sci-fi tries to explain how its world works through in-universe science, hence why it’s called science fiction. Fantasy is less about the science and more about the adventure, usually making the story feel more spiritual in nature. That’s the difference between Star Trek and Star Wars.
Q.5 How do you develop your plots and characters? Do you use any set formula?
A. My method for any story is to map out the basic structure of the story, which is made up of a beginning, middle, and end, and everything in between writes itself. The characters start off simple with simple motivations, and I flesh them out as the story goes on, adding more to their backstory and personalities until they are fully fleshed out by the end.
Q.6 Do you try to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?
A. My primary goal is to write what I want in the story, and people will either like it or they won’t. I don’t try to please everyone because I know I can’t.
Q.7 How long, on average, does it take you to write a book?
A. Depends on how long the book is and how much thought is required to write it. My first book took me several months to write, and my latest book took me nearly two years. There really isn’t an average time period for me.
Q.8 What’s your writing schedule while working?
A. If I can do any writing while at work, I do what I can on my phone. Otherwise, I just go on my laptop in the evening after work.
Q.9 What differentiates Sci-Fi from Fantasy?
A. Sci-fi tries to explain how its world works through in-universe science, hence why it’s called science fiction. Fantasy is less about the science and more about the adventure, usually making the story feel more spiritual in nature. That’s the difference between Star Trek and Star Wars.
Both are in space, but one is about exploration and broadening our understanding of how the universe works, while the other is more about the journey itself, not bothering with the science behind it. Plus, the addition of the Force gives it a mystical feel to it, making it essentially a magical world set in space.
Q.10 Among all the supporting characters in your books, who is dear to you and why?
A. My dearest supporting characters are characters who appear in my second book, which, at the time of writing this, hasn’t been released yet. They are eccentric scientists who want to better understand the conjoined population boom and, as such, end up inventing a machine that physically changes them. I won’t go into details as doing so would be a spoiler, but I will say they are dear to me because they are by far the most fun characters I have had the pleasure of writing.
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 still a relatively new author, so I don’t yet have the connections to make a full-on marketing campaign, but my publisher put me in contact with a very good publicist who hopefully will change that. Otherwise, it’s really just promoting my books through social media and word of mouth.
Q.12 What, in your view, are the earliest works of science fiction?
A. I’m not really well-versed in very old science fiction, so I’m not entirely sure. I know that stories written by famous authors like Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke inspired many aspects of science fiction that we take for granted today, and in the world of television, the show that really paved the way for Sci-fi as we know it today is Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek. I know there were other sci fi shows before and since that made their own impact, but those are the ones I can remember off the top of my head.
Q.13 How many books have you written? Which one is your favorite?
A. I have written three books so far, though at the time of writing this, only one has been published. But my favorite by far is my second one, Chater and Chater: Man or Monster, which I hope will be released soon.
Q.14 Who designed your book covers? How do you select them?
A. My publisher, Sydnie Beaupré, designs my covers based on art drawn by my illustrator, DarkLordStan. They make several prototype designs and let me choose which one I like the best. I choose based on which I believe represents the story the best.
Q.15 What advice do you give to aspiring writers who want to explore themes related to sci-fi in their writing?
A. My advice is the advice I wish I received much earlier. Don’t be afraid of putting your ideas on paper and letting others see them. If you want to write, do it. Some people won’t like it, that’s inevitable, but don’t let that stop you. Even the best stories have people who don’t like them. Just go for it and see where you go from there.
Q.16 How do you select the names of your characters?
A. There really is no selection process. I just choose names I like and add them to my characters. Some of my earlier characters have names of friends of mine, but they are not said friends. They just have the same name. Plus, I don’t use the names of people I know often anymore.
Q.17 What do you want readers to take away from your books?
A. Overall, I just want them to enjoy my story, but I also want them to see the world as I want it to be; a place where we can all co-exist as equals and can look towards a positive future.
Q.18 Do you believe in writer’s block? If yes, how do you deal with it?
A. Yes and no. Yes, people do stop writing for one reason or another. No, in that I feel the very concept of writer’s block is a form of defeatism. It’s essentially saying, “I can’t write right now, but it’s not my fault.” I get that feeling, but there’s usually a reason behind it. It’s not some mythical disease that’s blocking your creative process. You need to identify the reason, and if it’s something that can be solved, solve it. If not, then at least you know what’s causing it, and hopefully, it will pass on its own.
Q.19 What is your favorite book from other authors and why?
A. Most definitely, it is The Lord of The Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. That and Harry Potter were the first full novels I read as a child, and I ended up gravitating towards LOTR more. It’s stories like these that inspired my creativity at a young age.
Q.20 Share the experience of your writing journey so far?
A. It’s been amazing. Creating these worlds and seeing how others are enjoying them, too, it’s honestly one of the most amazing feelings I’ve ever felt. I’m looking forward to writing some more.
Q.10 Among all the supporting characters in your books, who is dear to you and why?
A. My dearest supporting characters are characters who appear in my second book, which, at the time of writing this, hasn’t been released yet. They are eccentric scientists who want to better understand the conjoined population boom and, as such, end up inventing a machine that physically changes them. I won’t go into details as doing so would be a spoiler, but I will say they are dear to me because they are by far the most fun characters I have had the pleasure of writing.
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 still a relatively new author, so I don’t yet have the connections to make a full-on marketing campaign, but my publisher put me in contact with a very good publicist who hopefully will change that. Otherwise, it’s really just promoting my books through social media and word of mouth.
Q.12 What, in your view, are the earliest works of science fiction?
A. I’m not really well-versed in very old science fiction, so I’m not entirely sure. I know that stories written by famous authors like Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke inspired many aspects of science fiction that we take for granted today, and in the world of television, the show that really paved the way for Sci-fi as we know it today is Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek. I know there were other sci fi shows before and since that made their own impact, but those are the ones I can remember off the top of my head.
Q.13 How many books have you written? Which one is your favorite?
A. I have written three books so far, though at the time of writing this, only one has been published. But my favorite by far is my second one, Chater and Chater: Man or Monster, which I hope will be released soon.
Q.14 Who designed your book covers? How do you select them?
A. My publisher, Sydnie Beaupré, designs my covers based on art drawn by my illustrator, DarkLordStan. They make several prototype designs and let me choose which one I like the best. I choose based on which I believe represents the story the best.
Q.15 What advice do you give to aspiring writers who want to explore themes related to sci-fi in their writing?
A. My advice is the advice I wish I received much earlier. Don’t be afraid of putting your ideas on paper and letting others see them. If you want to write, do it. Some people won’t like it, that’s inevitable, but don’t let that stop you. Even the best stories have people who don’t like them. Just go for it and see where you go from there.
Q.16 How do you select the names of your characters?
A. There really is no selection process. I just choose names I like and add them to my characters. Some of my earlier characters have names of friends of mine, but they are not said friends. They just have the same name. Plus, I don’t use the names of people I know often anymore.
Q.17 What do you want readers to take away from your books?
A. Overall, I just want them to enjoy my story, but I also want them to see the world as I want it to be; a place where we can all co-exist as equals and can look towards a positive future.
Q.18 Do you believe in writer’s block? If yes, how do you deal with it?
A. Yes and no. Yes, people do stop writing for one reason or another. No, in that I feel the very concept of writer’s block is a form of defeatism. It’s essentially saying, “I can’t write right now, but it’s not my fault.” I get that feeling, but there’s usually a reason behind it. It’s not some mythical disease that’s blocking your creative process. You need to identify the reason, and if it’s something that can be solved, solve it. If not, then at least you know what’s causing it, and hopefully, it will pass on its own.
Q.19 What is your favorite book from other authors and why?
A. Most definitely, it is The Lord of The Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. That and Harry Potter were the first full novels I read as a child, and I ended up gravitating towards LOTR more. It’s stories like these that inspired my creativity at a young age.
Q.20 Share the experience of your writing journey so far?
A. It’s been amazing. Creating these worlds and seeing how others are enjoying them, too, it’s honestly one of the most amazing feelings I’ve ever felt. I’m looking forward to writing some more.
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