Author Interview The Shadows of Peace

   

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Author Interview The Shadows of Peace

What inspired you to write The Shadows of Peace?

As a very dyslexic person, I’ve always struggled to put ideas to paper. Despite this struggle, I've wanted to be an inspiration for those that might have a wonderful idea but have similar difficulties. From a young age I’ve dreamt of building a science fiction (sci-fi) universe. I didn’t want to just write a novel, I wanted to build a universe from the ground up that captivated an audience. I’ve been a long time sci-fi fan, and I loved Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: Next Generation. I really enjoy the world Gene Rodenberry created, and I wanted to try my hand at building a similar story. Throughout my writing process, I’ve learned that with the right people helping you along the way, you can make your dream happen. I’ve now fulfilled my dream with the help of my wonderful partner—who also serves as my editor—without whom this book would still remain in my imagination.

 

Can you tell us more about Captain Frederick Langfield and his role aboard the Pax Aeterna?

Frederick Langfield is captain of the starship Pax Aeterna, and he’s responsible for every person on board. As the novel progresses, however, he takes on many more responsibilities. He’s an experienced commander that’s been thrown into a position for which no one could’ve been prepared. He and his crew learn the hard way that every action has a consequence, and he’s forced to cooperate and collaborate with his crew to ensure their survival.

 

Why did you decide to set part of the story around Mars University?

The planet of Mars is pretty recognizable to any reader, so I felt its name recognition presented an opportunity—Mars grounds the story in our universe. Though the story takes place outside our solar system, readers might be able to connect with the fact that I’m using actual planets based in reality. The story is set hundreds of years in the future, but I wanted to include landmarks and familiar planets that make the story believable.

 

Jane Mitchell has some big discoveries—what made you choose her as your main character?

Jane is the name of my best friend's newborn daughter, and as I wrote the character Jane Mitchell, I wanted her to embody the sense of hope and curiosity present in baby Jane. I wanted Jane Mitchell to bring humanity to the storyline–there are a few situations in which Frederick reacts badly or sees the worst in others, and I wanted Jane to be his light. Jane and Frederick become a duo, and though they have their differences of opinion, they ultimately work well together. Additionally, I wanted this to be an inclusive book series and appeal to both men and women with fully fleshed out, relatable characters.

 

What’s the story behind the mysterious ruins discovered in the Wolf system?

The premise of the novel centers around a mysterious faction called the Eastern League and their vengeful return to our galaxy. Their return is connected to catastrophic events that happened 200 years prior to the setting of The Shadows of Peace. At the end of World War III, a war that decimated earth, humanity arose from its own ruins and entered a Golden Age of development. There was only one wrinkle: the Odyssey incident and its repercussions. The incident involved the first space ship operated by humans with the intent to explore and colonize another planet. The Odyssey was pirated and stolen by the Eastern League, and the truth of the incident was buried. Jane had an inkling as to the truth based on events that occurred off the page and prior to the start of The Shadows of Peace; once she boards the Pax, she’s on a mission to discover something tangible to prove her point. I created the Stellarverse to connect all these interwoven parts, and I plan to write short stories that delve into the different story arcs.

 

How does the Assembly maintain peace, and why might it be controversial?

In the novel, the Galactic Assembly has been the ruling regime for the better part of 200 years. Most members of the Assembly hold the perspective that humanity has flourished under their rule, and so the story is told from the perspective of people that benefited from that ruling. Conversely, the Eastern League has watched from the shadows and seen the restrictive elements of the Assembly’s regime; the Assembly limits the expansion, legislation, and abilities of other galactic powers, stifling them in the name of protection.

While writing my novel, one of my main objectives was to present the reader with small moral quandaries and allow them to determine right from wrong without forcing opinions down readers’ throats. I’m optimistic that, when readers get to the end of The Shadows of Peace and the subsequent novels, they’ll need to pause, take a second, and determine for themselves what they believe is right and wrong.

 

What challenges did you face while writing about life in space during the year 2402?

I know the sci-fi audience quite well, having been a fan myself! I know how minute details matter to sci-fi fans, but it was a challenge to write with precision. In addition, I was forced to imagine technology and situations based 400 years in the future—this was certainly a unique challenge.

 

Marcus seems to be important to Jane—can you talk about their relationship?

I don’t want to give too much away, but I will say that Marcus is one of my favourite characters. You’ll see why as the novel and the series unfold. His love for Jane is strong, but as with many real life relationships, their partnership has its issues. We find out that the foundation of their relationship is not as it seems, but the question I pose to readers is this: does a cracked foundation mean the whole relationship is a sham? Just because the foundation is rotten, do we tear the house down? I was conscious of showing relationships in their true light with real issues and challenges. Ultimately, I hope the core theme of hope comes through in Jane and Marcus’s relationship.

 

There’s mention of pirates appearing suddenly—can you hint at what this means for the crew?

Pirates are a common trope in sci-fi. In The Shadows of Peace, I feel the scene with the pirates is less about the pirates themselves and more about what they symbolize. I want readers to question how pirates were able to make their way into the capital of the Galactic Assembly—does the Galactic Assembly protect their people as well as they believe? Keep in mind that these people are perceived as pirates, but that doesn’t mean they’re really pirates. The reader should take a second to think about this scene and try to determine if there’s something else going on under the surface.

 

The Pax Aeterna encounters unexpected threats—how does this set the stage for the rest of the book?

The end of the first act throws the Pax into a situation for which she was never prepared. I wanted to portray the fact that experience sometimes means nothing, and it’s the intelligence, perceptions, and creativity of individuals that make or break the outcome of a situation. Sometimes that means an individual must make a hard decision—or sometimes it means individuals must work together, and that’s what makes the difference. Frederick is put into these types of situations numerous times throughout the novel.

I look at the world today, and it can seem topsy turvy—especially if you consider corporate America (or corporations in any other country) and the situations in which employees are rewarded for what I deem the “wrong things,” or sometimes merited for having questionable personality traits and tendencies. This world is filled with hope and opportunity but also pain and suffering; actions have consequences, and overall I’m optimistic that the individual that does the right thing because they believe in their actions—rather than only looking out for themselves—will win the day. These are the themes readers will find throughout The Shadows of Peace and ultimately sets the stage for the next book in the planned series.