On behalf of an “interview swap” I liked the look of, I’m here today not to talk about my own stuff, but to share the stage with a fellow that I think you should read.
As you know, I’m not the sort to recommend things if I do not actually think they are cool, so you can take that as my word that this gentleman’s writing is well-worth your time if you like “ultra-corperate”, somewhat humorous hard sci-fi like I do. The first book in his Singularity’s Children Series has an awesome dolphin that I’d recommend you dive in and meet.
I reveal to thee: Toby Weston!
*Ehem*
-Please tell us a bit about yourself! What made you become an author and how did your life change since you published your first novel, and then of course subsequent works.
Hi!
I’m Toby Weston Science Fiction Author! Born in the UK, live in Switzerland. Science Fiction is my first love, but I’ve got to pay the bills too. So I write part time and juggle Sci-Fi futuristic techno-optimism with my day job looking at digital-disruption in the enterprise. The combination seems to work, and the two halves of my career amplify each other nicely.
How did my life change? Well, I have a lot less free time! 😉
-What is your prime reason for writing?
To entertain, to enlighten and to challenge! In that order. I read Sci-Fi growing up and it was a kind of stealth home-schooling in a bunch of advanced concepts that you wouldn’t find anywhere outside post-graduate textbooks; things like cosmology, sociology, and AI. Probably because of this wild brain dump from a rogue’s gallery of thinkers from the fringes, my mind is full of ideas and I’m driven by a deep imperative to share them.
Also, the books I loved never rammed anything down my throat. The authors were subtle. They sweetened the science education or any of the political agendas they might have had with enough action and intrigue to make reading a joy. I find some of the books these days are a bit heavy handed with their messages, so another reason I write is to create the type of books I love to read.
-Favorite Sci-Fi book series?
Iain M Banks’ Culture novels. They are not really Hard-Sci-Fi, the underlying science is vague, but they feel rock-hard! Maybe they are philosophically ‘Hard’? Whatever the genre, they are written with care, the characters (especially the AIs) feel fully fleshed out, and the ‘set pieces’ are a delight. I aim for the same mix in my work.
-Favorite Sci-Fi character?
It’s been a long time since I read Hitchhiker’s Guide, but I’d still go with Zaphod Beeblebrox…
Or maybe Flere-Imsaho (I prefer that gritty ‘alt’ to the more professional Mawhrin-Skel).
-One piece of advice you’d like to give to aspiring authors?
It’s not about the Money!
-Jedi, Sith, or Mandalorians?
Nope 😉
But if your asking Terran, Zerg or Protos? Then ‘butter my biscuit!’ it’s Terran for the win!
One last thing I’d like to mention, there are several people called Toby Weston publishing on Amazon… I’m the one writing Sci-Fi, don’t confuse me with people writing in other genres… what I’m trying to say is “I don’t write porn!”
You can download a FREE copy of the first book in my series and find more about me and my books www.tobyweston.net
I’m also on Twitter: @weston_toby. https://mobile.twitter.com/weston_toby
Coffee... WRITING!... COFFEE!! 