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I've been waiting a few months for this to come out and I'm so stoked that it's finally here! GABRIEL'S RETURN
Links:
On the far-off icebound planet of Poliahu, North American Federation Navy Commander Evan Gabriel suffered the loss of several team members in order to free a native species and save his brother. Now he is being called away on a new mission by a friend in trouble, and by a name from his distant past. He and his surviving team must again travel across the galaxy to the planet where he lost his naval command, and his original team, so many years ago: Eden.
Evan Gabriel must face three distinct threats on Eden: the well-armed terrorist group that has been raiding Eden City, the dangerous planet itself, and his own haunting memories of his past.
Gabriel’s Return continues the epic science fiction/adventure trilogy with characters new and old, devious political intrigue on the moon and Mars, and deadly jungle combat on Eden.
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Website: steveumstead.com | Twitter: SteveUmstead | Google+: Steve Umstead | Facebook: Steve Umstead Writes
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I was so excited to be a part of Steve's blog tour that I over did it with all the questions I wanted to ask him! He answered them all too and I just could not shrink any of it down so I decided that I must share all of the interview. So here is the second part.
THE INTERVIEW (PART II) Technology, Social Media & Writing (Part I)
TECHNOLOGY
Much of the technology described in your stories seems so common place that one would think they are in existence today. How did you get such a feel for how technology may evolve without it seeming construed?I've done a ton of science fiction reading, and I'm a big techie geek, so I pay attention to a lot of the technology articles online and in magazines. With a lot of the current tech, you can see what the next step would be, the next logical progression, so I try to use what looks like its right around the corner in the stories.
You can have my iPhone when you pry it from my cold, dead hands. I do want an iPhone…
What current technology would you love to have?
As a techie geek, I'm already fairly well set on the gadgets. Since I don't smoke or have a gambling habit, my vices consist of buying the latest and greatest (iPhone, MacBook Air, etc.) I have yet to pull the trigger on an iPad, so that might be next...
What must be invented to complete your life?
I'll say two of the technologies/discoveries that I used in my series. First, neuretics (I made that word up - kinda cool, huh?) which are neural implants giving the user instant "online" access to information, communication, etc. I'm sometimes glued to my iPhone - to not have to carry it around, and still have all the features of it installed in my head? Oh yeah… Next would be interstellar travel via wormholes. Just the idea of jumping to another planet same-day, as easy as taking a flight to Mexico…very tempting. Whoa, that would be a little too invasive for me, I like the privacy of my won brain.
STEVE UMSTEAD, THE WRITER
I would say that you have a large following of fellow Indie Authors. How did this start and how much has it affected your motivation to continue writing?
Honestly I have no idea how all of this happened, it just sort of snowballed from meeting a bunch of great people online shortly after publishing my first (Gabriel's Redemption). I'm still blown away by the fact that that many people follow my messages. I have to watch what I say! There can be a fine line between personal platform building and offending others. How has it affected my writing motivation? More than I could have ever believed. The people I've met have been incredible, and a small handful of them have supported me in both the good times (publishing a work) and bad (getting discouraged and disenchanted - which is easy when you're judge, jury, and executioner of the novel).
Great segue - it's the #pubwrite hashtag I'm speaking of when I say a small handful. A group of like-minded authors on Twitter one day got together and decided to append a hashtag to our regular conversations so we could more easily follow them…and my goodness has it exploded. Maybe even too much, as now the hashtag has become something people append to 'buy my book/read my blog' random tweets just to get their name out there (which by the way, if you're reading this and are one of them, that's not why the #pubwrite hashtag was created…it's to chat with other great writers…those hashtag spams as I call them are actually hurting your platform, as the regulars get ticked off.) As for the PubWrite Group, again a small handful of the 'originals' thought that a more organized and centralized place where authors could meet other authors, and help each other in promoting their stories, was needed. And the PubWrite Group is completely separate from the hashtag, and will continue to be, as the hashtag again is for friendly conversations, not sales. If you're a writer you really need to check out what these guys have to offer!
Wow… I have to say that took me a bit off guard. I've never thought of myself as having the knowledge or influence to inspire others. I'm just plugging away, asking advice where I need to, giving some where I can. I'm by no means an expert, sheesh! I'm also not sitting on stacks of cash at home, lighting cigars with extra hundred dollar bills, and gold-plating my bathroom fixtures. And I've certainly had my stumbles along the way. But I guess I'm willing to keep trying new things, and I'm certainly willing to help anyone in any way I can. Hey, this is supposed to be fun, right? Writing and publishing? I like your attitude Mr. Umstead!
Are you an Indie for life or would you move to a big Print house if the money was right?
If the money was right, I'd dress up as a woman and run for governor of Mars. Then again, I'd probably do that for free if I could get to Mars. I'm loving being independent, and have no plans to sign an agent or go through a publisher. I love the freedom to write my own stuff, design my own covers, set my own pricing, and market the way I want to market (I have a degree in marketing, for Pete's sake…) That being said, I'd be silly if I said I'd turn down the right offer. I just don't see that happening, because… I think you're selling yourself short.
Where do you see book publishing going in the next ten years? Fifty Years?… the big publishers are in trouble. Right now I think they're too slow, too entrenched in what things were like, instead of seeing what things will be. The internet age, the digital age, is here and here to stay. To say books should be $24.99, and eBooks the same price, is ludicrous. Now an eBook can be sent anywhere in the world, at any time, in any quantity, for little to no cost. However, that being said... I think the current vibe from big publishing houses is spend more, save trees!
…paper books will never go away. eBooks absolutely will be the preferred method of reading and distributing - the writing (pardon the pun) is on the wall. Some people say paper is dead, but I don't think that's quite the case. There will always be a market for paper books, but as evidenced by the collapse of Borders, eBooks are the future (Barnes & Noble gets it - I see their stores within five years being nothing but showpieces with cafes and Nook kiosks where readers can download books to their Nooks). One thing I see happening, and hopefully in time for my kids when they enter college, is that college textbooks will be eBooks, and every student will walk around with an always-on iPad or equivalent. THAT will be a sea change I'll be thankful for (cost wise!) No, I think these text book publishers will find a way to make it cost more, and imagine how quickly these things will get hacked and shared?
WHAT IS STEVE DOING NOW?
What are you working on right now?These cursed interviews! Oh, you mean projects…right. As we speak (type?) I am sitting in a mountain cabin…okay, not really. I'm in the mountains with my in-laws in a trailer park. But you get the idea. I'm here with the family, but I'll be putting a lot of time aside for the next project - outlining Book 3, Gabriel's Revenge. With any luck, I'll come home in a few days with a fairly detailed outline, ready to jump in to the first draft come September 1st. Woo Hoo!
Do you have anything besides Evan Gabriel stories in the hopper?
Actually yes. A few weeks ago while on vacation I had a dream - and my dreams sometimes are very detailed, scenes that play out in my head, even to the point where I see words in a book describing that scene. This scene was very intriguing, and when I woke up I had an idea for a new story which has a little time travel and alien invasion to it. I'm actually really looking forward to putting pen to paper (sorry, fingers to keyboard) and getting to it.
When should we be keeping our eyes peeled for Gabriel's Revenge? I know I can't wait (although I'm sure that the Republican Bastards from the SA can).
If plans go well, I'm shooting for the Christmas season. If I have a story in my head, and outline in front of me, I can really churn out words. As a matter of fact, the last week of writing Gabriel's Return was so fun, the scenes so slam-bang action packed, everything wrapping up, that I wrote 30,000 words in seven days. So I know it can be done, I just need to sit down and do it. One chapter per day, mine being around 2,000 words, is easily achievable - so September & October, with some days off to actually make money at the day job, I should be able to complete a first draft of 90k+ and edit the heck out of it during November. Those South American Republic bastards will never know what hit them. You, my friend, are a machine!
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