First Saturday Sci-Fi - Feb 2019

I was hoping to have this month's author... Travis Borne... do his interview at the end of last year... you know go out with a bang !!!

Travis is a father of four great kids and a coder of various programming languages. He creates plug-ins for graphic software, designs dynamic websites, and has been in the graphics industry for nearly 20 years. An avid hiker Travis loves the outdoors, usually spending an hour or so running or walking before starting the daily grind. A few of his passions include the studies and experiences of lucid dreaming, fitness and nutrition, science, and of course whipping words into strange concoctions. The dream world floods his thoughts with stories, and Travis can't help but to push on toward new ventures. As his wife says, he always pushes things to the extreme… which can be a good and bad thing, as it has turned out.

1. Tell us about your favorite work… what makes it special ?

Does it have to be my work? I’m guessing so, duh, but I also read a ton and to be honest I’ve yet to read a story were the author hasn’t poured his or her soul into his or her work. Really, I’m just grateful to be a part of all that. I’m grateful add a slice of my soul to the magnificent works floating around out there. And I might add—there are millions of work out there that DESERVE, by far, like out-of-this-galaxy, MORE ATTENTION!

But…assuming again—smack to the jaw—you are talking about my work… Okay, finally my teeny dose of selfishness… Me.

My only two books currently out are LENDERS I: The Unlicensed Consciousness, and its sequel, LENDERS II: The Time Tribulations. I’m currently working on the third and final installment.

What makes them special? You don’t say… They have sex, drugs, more drugs and acid trip, and ROCK ’n’ ROLL. Misanthropes and LOVE. Wormholes and black holes. Tacos and tequila. But, all that hardcore stuff aside, if you don’t find yourself laughing, and crying, and being shocked all to all hell after reading them, then hit me up. I have found SPOCK! He lives! And I’d like to have a beer with the pointy-eared ol’ dude. (I’m a Star Trek fan). Actually I don’t drink beer. So, Spock can have the whole six-pack, I’ll just drink the tequila from my flask.

2. What do you think makes for good Sci-Fi ?

Having all of the above and more. And one must be a full-grown adult, in order to be allowed ALL OF THE ABOVE, and the MORE. And when I mean all, I mean ALL. Slit throats and hatred that seethes with neutron-star matter, sex every which way, meaning nerdy pift-and-done sex to supermodel orgies in a rockin’ club. And a genuine tear falling. And vocal cords a laughing from sh*t that’ll blow the top of your head off. But, last but not least, experience. Real-life experience translated into clever and pithy prose. That, is the only way to roll. It makes a difference and readers can tell.

3. Do you think your books can help shape the future and if so how?

My first two will probably scare the you-know-what out of you. So yeah, as far as a good intestinal cleansing, yep. Future changed.

As far as really changing anything—I’m gonna make this short: We’re all screwed. It might not be bad, it might not be good or even better, but it will be different. And there is nothing anyone can do about it. So, NO, with capital letters. Besides the good ol’ intestinal cleansing, and sobbing worry for no reason, and because the sh*t is going to hit the fan anyway… Nope. My book won’t change anything any more than any other book will.

4. Do you have inside jokes or true events hidden in your writing?

They are so many Easter eggs, inside jokes, and true events in Lenders I and II that you’ll probably be wondering: how in the hell? And: did this, could this, really have happened? I’ll never say.

But remember above when I said that real-life experiences make for the best fiction. It’s true. I’ve read vicarious experiences translated into words, and acid trips that REALLY happened, translated into words, and you know what, I know. And after reading Lenders, you’ll know too, and you might have to clean your drawers because they’ll be full of sh*t.

5. Which do you prefer… model your characters after people you know or just make them up?

Same as above. Use what ya know. Get it from real life. That’s were the good stuff is, and that, is mostly from where I’ve gotten much that has gone into my novels. Flying through wormholes, into the Sun, time travel, NO.

But destroying the armrest, getting caught with your pants down, explosive partying, drinking, drugs and sex and true love and hot hate, yes. Yes, yes, yes!

6. Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to take away?

I’d like my readers—disregarding all else above, the oh so terrible, boohoo-hoo sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll—to take away a message of love. It’s science fiction, but after you read my work, Lenders I and II—all you voracious readers out there, and THANK YOU—I want your heart to feel warm. I want a tear traveling down your cheek. I want you to openly cry and say out loud, holy sh*t! Because that’s what I did while writing both of these 220K-word novels. Call me I’m a lunatic, fine, but ya gotta read it to say so veritably. And I’d be honored if you would. Initiate your dive into my world. I don’t write to disappoint.

7. What is your favorite review?

I have many (I think 28, currently) for Lenders I: The Unlicensed Consciousness. And there are currently 4 online for Lenders II. But my favorite must be from Mark Schultz, Word Refiner, for after and during reading, he would message me privately. He told me my works really did it for him. And that coming from someone who reads more than sixty books a year, and is a professional in the industry… I almost couldn’t believe it.

But actually, again, I could believe it. And there’s that scintilla of Gemini frivolity… But I do know how much I laughed and cried while writing Lenders I and II. And that’s what I’m trying to pass to you!

Joking aside, after reading Mark’s review and hearing feedback from numerous others, I was affirmed it was good from one outside source after another. And I’m humbled by that. I’m happy about it. Like any author would be, I suppose. And I’m paying it forward by reading and reviewing as many indie author’s works as I can. As I said, there’s just too much talent out there that does not get the attention it deserves. This year, 2019, I plan to read and review over 100 novels, and am on track to do so—in conjunction with finishing Lenders III.

One other memorable review… I received this one from another voracious reader, James Meadows. He compared my work to a few Hollywood Blockbusters. The title of James’ review said: “The Dark Tower Series meets Ready Player One meets Lock In,” and the last sentences in his review said: “One of the things I enjoyed most was that the author wrote fluently & naturally as most speak. Overall the book was a joy to read and refreshing, if not original, take on the future and I suggest that you DO NOT PASS this title.”

What comes next?

I’m currently about 60K words into Lenders III. Considering L1 and L2 are about 220K words each, I’m less than a third done with the final installment. As I write this, half of those 60K words in L3 are close to, if not already, final draft. It’s coming along very, very well. And I couldn’t be more excited.

Where can we learn more?

Info about me, Travis Borne, can be found on my website at: http:// travisborne.com

I’m also aboard just about every social media site as well, but most active on Twitter, then Facebook, respectively.