1. When and why did you decide to become a writer?
It was in my teens that I decided I wanted to write books. I'd always really enjoyed the story-writing assignments in English, far more than anything else in class, and decided to give it a proper go when I was 13. And oh boy was it bad! Just awful. I tried again at 17, and that we even worse! It was only when I turned 20, and really gave it a proper go, that I produced something that was merely bad. But I loved it, and decided that writing was my calling.
2. What authors inspired you when you were younger? What books do you enjoy today?
When I was a kid, it was all American Horror books: King, Koontz, folk like that. My reading age was well in advance of my actual age, so I dove into them from a very young age. Which might explain a lot about my current nature! Now, though, I find myself enjoying Fantasy and Science Fiction far more. I still have a soft spot for Horror, but Horror stories have to be exquisitely told to reach the standards of my youth.
3. Can you tell readers the inspiration behind your novel Deep Echoes?
Deep Echoes started with the question of what a religion built around the prominence of women would look like. Hence the Contegon Station which both Maya and Chain belong to at the beginning of the book. From there, I wrote another story entirely to Deep Echoes, but realised eventually that I'd not included enough backstory, enough of the characters, for that tale to work. That was when I went back to the start of the story proper, the book that became Deep Echoes.
4. Were any of the disparate characters in the novel inspired by people you know in your "real life"?
Not particularly. Snow has a lot of me at that age in him, but most characters end up being a reflection of their creator in some way. Which, I suppose, makes me wonder what Wasp says about me!
5. Do you plan on writing or have you written a sequel to Deep Echoes?
The sequel to Deep Echoes is currently with beta readers! With any luck, I should get to release it Q2 this year.
6. Why did you choose such unconventional names for your characters, like "Chain" and "Snow", while your main character had a more typical moniker ("Maya")?
In the world of Geos, names are picked from an old language, taken from the remnants of an advanced society. Everyone is given an 'Old Language' name. Maya, though, her name will have more meaning in the third book of the series...
7. Sol (the sun) is this future world's version of God and its worshipers are elitist and insular. Was this meant as a commentary on how modern religious orders act, or did it happen accidentally?
It's more a commentary on people. Centres of power, be they religious, political, or militaristic, tend to separate themselves off from those without power. It's why, in our times, the Internet is so valuable, because it connects people far more easily than ever before. Whilst religions, ancient and modern, do turn insular and elitist, it is not a trait peculiar to them.
8. What would you, as the author, like readers to take from this novel?
I would like people to take a sense that they were in this world with them, that Geos is a real place. I worked hard on making it seem real, considering incredibly minor things, and I'd hope that came across. I'd also like people to think about Maya and Chain, and their differences and similarities in the way they are about their beliefs, and how one grows whilst the other does not.
9. Would you want to see the story made into a film? If yes, which actors would you want to play each individual character?
I would love to see Deep Echoes as a film, though it'd likely never happen. I couldn't possibly cast them, though, because each of the main characters is really alive in my head.
10. Where do you see yourself and your career in the next ten years?
With any luck, I will be producing a few novels a year, and I'll have a fanbase large enough to support me. Also, I'd love to get sent fan art or fan fiction. That's pretty much my second biggest career goal. My biggest would be to write an Anime series.
11. Are you working on any new projects that you are willing to share with KSR?
As I said, I'm currently working on the sequel to Deep Echoes. I have a Western Fantasy/Horror story called Dust and Sand, which was serialised on www.geek-pride.co.uk , with some agents, and an Urban Fantasy book just kind of waiting its turn.
If you want to hear me swear and talk about geeky stuff, check out the Geek Pride Cast on YouTube or Stitcher.
12. What would you be doing if you weren't writing?
I genuinely don't know. I suppose I might have gone more heavily into Video Games for a creative outlet.
13. Is the theme of rebellion, like how Maya rebelled against her teachings, something you will revisit again in a future book?
It certainly is a theme for Maya in the sequel! ;)
14. If you could collaborate with any author, who would it be and why?
I would say Stephen King, but I doubt I'd be able to contribute anything other than gushing praise. Instead, I'll say George R. R. Martin, because he rocks, and we could kill characters together!
15. Thank you for participating in the interview! Can you leave the reader with three things that may surprise them about you?
No, thank you. And my three things are that I have a degree in Video Games design, I didn't like the Harry Potter books, and that I loved the Harry Potter films immensely!
Find Sean P. Wallace online via:
Goodreads
Official Site
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