About the Author:
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| Author's Amazon Page |
Ken Goudsward is a Canadian science fiction writer, poet, avid follower of “fringe science”, and RPGer. He lives in Prince George, BC, Canada.
Ken on the Web:
ProfileInterview with Ken Goudsward
What inspires you to write?
I just have so many ideas—like all the time. Back in the day I used to do more poetry and music, but I’m really finding writing to be a better outlet. Well, that’s not entirely true. There are many times when poetry is the only answer.
What is your favorite scene in the book? Why?
The opening scene has a special place in my heart, because it’s the first thing I wrote and my first crack at fiction in general, so it really was the thing that got the ball rolling. There’s lots of other parts I really love a lot, especially a lot of the Brother Anderson driven ones. Another that stands out is the flashback, where we see the hull breach through Colin’s eyes. It’s the only section in the book that uses first person perspective, so that was a bit of an interesting and refreshing part to write.
Did any of your characters inherit some of your own quirks?
Yes. All of my characters are in some way like me. It’s interesting to come to terms with all the varied personality bits that make up every person.
What is your most interesting writing quirk?
I use super short chapters. I use differing perspectives between chapters. I sometimes break conventions just to force the reader into a feeling of slight discomfort.
I was a poet for many years before I started writing fiction, so I like to break typical language forms in some ways. Poetry can be very jarring – in a good way. I think prose can too, but you have to be a lot more careful, and only allow yourself to go a little bit in that direction. It’s a subtle form of inducing ontographical damage, which can lead to perspective shift.
Do you read? Who are your favourite authors and how have they influenced your writing style?
Of course! But actually not that much. I love Frank Herbert, Orson Scott Card, Vernor Vinge, and many others. What I really dig though, is stuff like Graham Hancock, or Jim Willis. Stuff that makes you really think.
What is the best piece of advice you have received, as a writer, till date?
Specific advice? Hard to say. But I have two go-to sources for this kind of thing. One is the blog of writer K.M Weiland. She talks about craft and character, and theme, which are all so important. The other is the Facebook Group “Science Fiction And Fantasy RoundTable”. It’s such an awesome community of likeminded peeps who are always keen to support each other.
What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?
Just start. Write one scene. Write something that you can visualize. Just start describing it. It worked for me. When you are done give me a call, I’d love to help you publish it!
What would be the Dream Cast for you book if it was to be turned into a movie?
I guess I picture somebody like Zooey Deschanel or Anna Kendrick playing Hannah. It’s all about the attitude. Hmm, for Colin I’m not as sure, maybe like Jonah Hill, or maybe James Franco. Actually, I think James Franco would be a cool Brother Anderson. I’d love to see how he pulls of a robot. Or else Jake Gyllenhaal.
How do you spend your free time? Do you have a favorite place to go and unwind?
I actually really love just staying home. I mean it’s fun to go out sometimes but I’m a hardcore introvert and I really value some alone time, as well as just spending time with my wife who is truly the most amazing person I have ever met.
Can you share with us something off your bucket list?
I want to do a lot more traveling. I would love to visit many archaeological sites in Peru, Central America, Turkey, Egypt and elsewhere.
What do you have in store next for your readers?
As “the Spindown Saga” continues, we are going deep into some time travel, but it the kind that’s based on cosmological, hard science. There’s no magic time machine, so we have to fit our time travel plans into known physics. This will begin happening in book 2-3, after that we’ll be turning our focus to computational theory based on stone-age technology, then diving into civilization as a bunch of intertwining cultural phenomena, then throwing in some cataclysms, and panspermia.
In a separate series called “the Blood Sleepers Cycle”, I’m taking a fresh take on vampires, biological weapons, religion, secret societies, and ancient civilizations.
I also have a couple of dark comedies in the works, one of which is a co-writing project with my son, Solomon Goudsward, who is a fantastic writer in his own right.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with your readers?
Yeah, if you like punk rock you should check out my band “Green Light Mausoleum” on Spotify.
About the Book:
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| Check out the Book on Amazon |
Hannah has finally adjusted to life on board the Ventas-341, when a series of strangely catastrophic hull breaches and a devastating viral outbreak decimates the crew. Now she finds herself stranded in the shadows of the asteroid belt. Together with the only other surviving crew-members, Colin, and the robotic Brother Anderson, she must somehow overcome their chaotic relationships if they are to have any chance of escaping the doomed ship.
