Interview
1. Tell us a little
about yourself?
I grew up on a farm
in Iowa (USA). I read a lot as a youngster and was always thrilled at the
opportunity to explore my local library. After a 39-year career in journalism,
I returned to my first love -- fiction. I am enjoying the freedom to write what
I want and love the time to catch up on my reading.
2. What made you want
to become a writer?
I've been
fascinated with science fiction after reading Vonnegut's Slaughter House Five,
Frank Herbert's Dune and some works of Asimov, Clarke, Bradbury and Heinlein. Also
the original Star Trek series aired when I was a teenager so the fire was
stoked. Hopefully, I honed my abilities as a writer while working as a
journalist and always wanted to try my hand at science fiction as well as other
fiction genres -- historical and perhaps fantasy.
3. Could you tell us a
bit about your most recent book? Return
of the Earthers: Seers of Verde Book 2 two deals with the struggle
between the descendants of two groups of Earth colonists who have have been
separated and isolated from outside influences for centuries on a distant
planet. The Seers, protectors of the "civilized" protected group,
foster violence against the "lost ones" because the newcomers
practice a different religion. The psychic women also fear the influx of people
will draw the attention of the space marauders, who have attacked the lost ones
ever since the first colonists landed.
4. What gives you
inspiration for your book?
I think my
idea got a jump start after reading the Dune prequels and sequels by Brian
Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. I liked their writing style and felt I could do
something similar. I am not comparing myself to them just that I have tried to
emulate their style.
5. Of all the
characters you have created, which is your favorite and why?
This is like picking your favorite child. One of my
favorites is an an autistic young woman whose talent is being an extraordinary
artist. She is immune to the influence of the psychic women, known as the
Seers. The character just came to me during the writing flow.
6. Tell us a little
about your plans for the future.
Several people already have asked about either a prequel or a book to fill in
some missing years in book one. I have not decided on this. Perhaps it may turn
out to be a short story. You never know when a good dream will inspire a story.
My next two projects will be quite a bit different. The first one will
be an anthology of what journalists call columns (essays?) of my life growing
up on an Iowa farm. The second one in the planning stages will be a historical
piece with some fantasy elements about of my two great-grandfathers during the
American Civil War era. I have ideas for several other projects but they may be
more in the fantasy genre.
Where can we find you
online?
Website: https://mlwilliamsbooks.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mlwilliamsbooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MLWilliamsinCR
Amazon: http://amzn.to/24IquaA
EXCERPT FROM RETURN OF THE EARTHERS:
The CAIN
(Colonization Alliance of Independent Nations) space fleet approached Kenyatta
with
After years
of arguing over a solution, the colonies unanimously voted to develop a new
generation of warships — smaller, faster vessels rather than the behemoths used
in defensive orbits — to go on the offensive. It was agreed to send this fleet
into GEMS-controlled space in hopes of destroying as many Tanlian vessels as
possible. The colonies hoped to force their enemy to finally sue for peace.
Shim Murra
stood on the bridge and double checked the scans of this GEMS (Galaxy
Exploration and Mining Syndicate) world. The CAIN admiral wanted to be positive
it was safe for his fleet. The captain of the vessel stood close by awaiting
his orders. The young officer’s intense dark eyes gazed at his superior
officer, awaiting the order to push on to the planet.
Looking up
at the taller man, Shim met the other officer’s gaze for a moment and nodded.
“We’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time haven’t we, Captain Nandez?
Order the first wave into orbit. Let’s see if this GEMS world is serious about
being free of the Tanlians.”
“Yes,
admiral,” Jorn Nandez saluted. He relayed the order for the other five vessels
of wave one to follow his ship into orbit. Jorn had been the first CAIN officer
to volunteer for this duty. For years he had heard stories of how his ancestor,
Hector Nandez, had been ambushed and killed by Tanlians on a mission to
colonize the far-off planet, XR-309.
Almost no
one in CAIN officialdom remembered the planet’s christened name — Verde Grande.
At that time his family had been heavily involved in the discovery, bioforming
and attempted settling of the planet, only to have it plucked away from them
and turned over to the syndicate.
When a
CAIN ship intercepted that Kenyattan vessel a year and a half ago, the GEMS
scientists on board the vessel could find no record of Verde Grande. Jorn
wanted to know what had happened to the planet. Was it unsettled? If so, why?
He hoped to get his answers very soon.
First
contact with the GEMS vessel had been a surprising success. The Kenyattans,
whose ancestors had fought so bitterly to break away from Earth control, were
ecstatic at re-establishing contact. They had answered every question the CAIN
officers asked and offered even more information. The Kenyattan officers had a
surprising knowledge of the Tanlian flight routes, schedules when the
plunderers visited the other GEMS worlds and what they carried away as cargo.
It seemed the Tanlians had turned into mercenary commercial shippers in their
dealings with the syndicate planets.
In a show of
etiquette, Shim hailed a lone Kenyattan vessel, asking for permission to orbit
their world. A woman’s voice quickly answered. “Greeting’s Admiral Murra, I am
Sula Gallgos, captain of Kenyatta 27. I have permission of the Elder Council to
welcome you to Kenyatta as honored guests.”
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