First Saturday Sci-Fi - October
Can you believe it's October already? This year is just flying by!!
Today we have retired law enforcement officer, Indie author of adventure, romance, sci-fi, and crime novels... Larry Shackelford! Check out Larry's books now... he's writing four of them at a time! If you don't start soon you may never catch up with him!!
Tell us about your favorite work…what makes it special?
My favorite fiction Sci-Fi story that I have written is “Ivellians”. In this story, I had the opportunity to draw on my experiences in federal law enforcement. I also and I wanted to write a Sci-Fi story that featured strong female characters. I believe there are not enough stories that include dynamic female characters. In addition, this story includes an underlying social theme that includes addiction. In contrast, Ivellians focuses on the victim’s perspective of addiction.
What do you think makes for good Sci-Fi?
I believe a good Sci-Fi story involves an original story, well-researched, with well-developed characters. I am a romantic at heart, and a believable romance story should always be involved as an important part of the story.
Do you think your books can help shape the future and if so how?
This is a difficult question, because I believe all writers would like to believe their stories shape the future in some way, even if they simply have a positive impact on one reader. I would like to think my archaeology, paleontology, romance crime novels (The Keresa Headdress and The Reliquary) would influence the future in a positive way. In these stories, I highlight the systemic problem of the illegal removal of artifacts and fossils from public lands, and the lucrative black market that is involved. I would hope that readers become aware of this problem, and help deter this egregious crime. These items are irreplaceable historical resources, which should be enjoyed by the public.
Do you have inside jokes or true events hidden in your writing?
Absolutely! I do utilize many experiences from my law enforcement days, but I also use events from my days of living in an athletic dorm in college. One experience that I will share was I had a roommate that was from a Polish Catholic family. Before Christmas break, and without his knowledge, our other roommate placed lacy, women’s underwear in his dirty laundry before he returned home. His grandmother found the items, and voiced her concern. The start of the new semester was a little tense, but the entire dorm thoroughly enjoyed the prank!
Which do you prefer…model your characters after people you know or just make them up?
I like to use a combination of both. Most of my main characters are a combination of people that I have met or known. The secondary characters tend to be made up. I have published seven fiction books, and I have not based a character on a single person that I have known.
Is there a message in you novel that you want readers to take away?
Yes. I write romance, crime, action/adventure, and Sci-Fi stories. Regardless of the genre, I like to place the characters in a position of overcoming insurmountable odds, and I hope readers take away the fact there is always hope. My personal motto is there is no substitute for persistence, and I try to pass on this attribute to my fictional characters.
What is your favorite review?
My favorite review is on my book entitled “Quincunx I” and the review is listed below:
“Do not go to Camp Crowder, strange things have happened there. That is what the teenagers of the small town of "Neosho" in Southwestern Missouri, have been told. But hey, that is just a story to frighten little kids from hurting themselves in the dilapidated buildings…isn’t it? The local law enforcement is used to prank calls from bored teenagers ~ it is a small town, after all, ~ so when they get a call from a young girl, screaming down that phone, and begging them to come to Camp Crowder, they do not take it seriously. They do not send out a patrol. But when worried parents contact them the next day about their missing teenagers, they decided to take a quick look at Camp Crowder. It is then, they realize, their grave mistake. Dr Judy Davis ~ a professor of Genetics and Anthropology at the University in St. Louis, Missouri ~ hoped never to hear of Camp Crowder again. For she is one of those unlucky few who knows the truth. Judy knows about the secret experiments that took place there. Fast-forward fifteen years ~ Judy mistakenly believes that the past is behind her. Judy had thought that all the test subjects had been destroyed. She realizes now that she was wrong. I have never read a book so fast in my life! The action in Quincunx I was non-stop, and the storyline was gripping. This is a sit-on-the-edge of your seat read that turns Midwest America into a dystopian world of nightmares. The characterization is fantastic. I particularly liked Grandpa Jake ~ he may be in his eighties, but he wasn't going to go down without a fight, and some of the things he came out made me chuckle. Quincunx I is a great read, and it is definitely on my repeat to read list. I Highly Recommend.”
I sincerely appreciated this review, because it was from a woman who would not normally read a Sci-Fi fiction book, and I was thrilled she liked the character Grandpa Jake!
What comes next?
I am one of those strange author’s that works on several books at the same time. I am currently writing four books, but I hope to publish another Sci-Fi story (“Simbies”) soon.
Where can we learn more?
My books are listed on Amazon.com
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Larry+D.+Shackelford&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3ALarry+D.+Shackelford
My Twitter account - @larrydshack
