News

It’s sometimes easy to forget that we live in an age where there are always humans living in space, though still a select few. As I write this, there are three humans currently in space. Thanks to people like Sunita Williams and Chris Hadfield, us earthbound folks have unprecedented access to what that’s really like.

In fiction, though, there are lots of ways humans are depicted as living in space. Here are a few of the common ones:

Living aboard a spaceship

Space is vast, so it makes sense that a lot of our stories are about exploring that vastness. Living aboard a moving vessel is something that people have done throughout history, and many of those real-life ships inspired the visions of future long distance spacecraft.

The internal structures of military seagoing vessels, such as submarines and naval ships, are recognizable in fictional spaceships like Galactica or Enterprise. Their larger size however, allows for more common areas and roomier quarters — at least for people in high positions. Serenity, on the other hand, is more reminiscent of merchant sailing ships.

In stories set aboard spaceships, most of the characters are there because of their work, though in some cases families or civilians are also living aboard.

Follow Darusha Wehm’s board Life on a Spaceship on Pinterest.

Life aboard a space station

These are often reminiscent of remote research stations on Earth, or large malls. Many contain areas with plants or green spaces, as depicted on Babylon 5, and “town square”-like zones for commerce and community (the Zocalo on B5 or the Promenade on Deep Space Nine). Some are more commercial or military, like Space Station V in 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Here, the people are depicted as mainly being there for professional reasons, although some stations are akin to airports — as waystations from one destination to another.

Follow Darusha Wehm’s board Life on a Working Space Station on Pinterest.

Space habitats – day to day life, but in space

Unlike spaceships or stations, the population on space habitat is mainly made of “ordinary people” who are living regular lives in an artificial environment. Here you see homes, parks, transportation — the same things you’d see in a city on Earth. These are the most imaginative of the three types of environment, as they have no direct model on Earth. They are also the most appealing to me, probably because the combine the familiar environment of Earth with the novelty and wonder of living in space.

Follow Darusha Wehm’s board Life on a Space Habitat on Pinterest.

Our imaginations take us beyond the gravity well of our home planet in film, television and books, just as those pioneering individuals like Williams and Hadfield take humanity’s first steps into orbit. I’d like to think that these fictional stories and images help to inspire our continued exploration of the cosmos beyond our atmosphere.

Today we have an interview with Rebecca Roland, whose new novel Fractured Days has just been released.

Malia returns home the hero of a war she can’t remember. The valley burning under the Maddion’s invasion, the fate of her late husband, the way she resolved the long-time distrust between the Taakwa people and the wolfish, winged Jegudun creatures–all of it has been erased from her memory. Malia hopes to resume training as her village’s next clan mother, but when the symbiotic magic that she and the Jeguduns used to repair the valley’s protective barrier starts to consume more and more of her mind, she’s faced with the threat of losing herself completely.

A powerful being known as “the changer” might hold the solution to her vanishing memories. But the Maddion’s new leader, Muvumo, also seeks the changer, hoping the being will cure them of the mysterious illness killing off his people. Meanwhile, Muvumo’s bride hopes the changer can bring about a new era, one in which she and the other Maddion women no longer need to hold onto their greatest secret.

Me: Can you describe your writing for someone who is unfamiliar with it?

Rebecca: My latest novel, Fractured Days, is fantasy with a wee bit of science fiction thrown into the mix. I tend to write fantasy most of the time, and sometimes venture into science fiction and horror. I enjoy writing fantasy the most, though, because I can play around with different settings, social constructs, organisms, and magic.

Me: Would you want to live in the world of your book? Why or why not?

Rebecca: I think I could be happy living in the world of my book, so long as things were peaceful. My main character, Malia, lives in a pre-technological world that looks an awful lot like the American Southwest. Although there’s no tech to make life easier, tasks are shared among many people and are therefore easier. Plus, she’s friends with the Jeguduns, who are small, winged, humanoid creatures that live in the cliffs surrounding her valley home. They’re intelligent, they have a good sense of humor, and they’re loyal. Plus, they know about chocolate.

Me: Why did you write this story? What is compelling about it for you?

Rebecca: Fractured Days is the sequel to my novel Shards of History. I wanted to write this book because I kept thinking about my characters and what they were up to, and because I wanted to explore how people recover after war, how people cope with issues with failing memory, and how people push for social change.

Me: What surprised you while writing it?

Rebecca: There was one relationship that sort of popped up and blossomed while I was writing, and I wasn’t expecting it at all. I feel like I’m not very good at writing romance, so I figured my subconscious was giving me a gift with this couple and just went along with it.

Me: How will reading it make people feel?

Rebecca: The book includes drama, adventure, magic, and romance. I’m hoping that readers not only find it a page-turner, but that it also gives provokes some thought about social inequality.

Me: Was there anything you did deliberately while crafting this novel (pacing, language, symbolism…)? Why?

Rebecca: One of the things I had to describe was how Malia’s memory was being eroded by the magic she had used in the previous story. That’s challenging to convey, so I described it as a fog rolling in, and slowly taking over more mental territory, so to speak. I find fogs and mists creepy, so a magic fog slowly consuming one’s mind seemed disturbing.

Find Fractured Days at World Weaver Press.

Rebecca is the author of the Shards of History series, The Necromancer’s Inheritance series, and The King of Ash and Bones, and Other Stories. Her short fiction has appeared in publications such as Nature, Fantastic Stories of the Imagination, Stupefying Stories, Plasma Frequency, and Every Day Fiction, and she is a graduate of the Odyssey Writing Workshop. You can find out more about her and her work at rebeccaroland.net or follow her on Twitter at @rebecca_roland.

Josh is back, this time to talk about Enter the Janitor, the first book in his urban fantasy series.

A janitor working for a supernatural sanitation company must track down a fledgling demigod before it’s corrupted or destroyed, all while training a rebellious new employee whose fluctuating power could trash an entire city.

Me: Can you describe your writing for someone who is unfamiliar with it?

Josh: In most of my writing, no matter what genre it is or length it reaches, I tend to focus on dialogue, with a particular love for banter between characters. In Enter the Janitor, I aimed to emphasize the humor side of the story more than I had in previous stories—and found I really enjoyed working to bring the comedic elements to the surface as much as possible.

Me: Would you want to live in the world of your book? Why or why not?

Josh: The world of The Cleaners wouldn’t look to different from our own, especially since the supernatural sanitation company the plot revolves around works to hide today’s magic and monsters from public view as much as possible. It’d be fun to work for the company, wielding mops like staves and toilet plungers like wands. While you might get overlooked by most people for doing menial labor, it’d be satisfying to know you were actually playing a vital role in keeping the world safe (and clean).

Me: Why did you write this story? What is compelling about it for you?

Josh: The idea grabbed me and just wouldn’t let go. I greatly enjoy urban fantasy stories, but many protagonists in them take on similar roles: cops, detectives, investigators, military, government agents, etc. I wanted to play with fantasy heroes who took on a far different mantle in order to go where they were needed and get the job done. Janitors and other sanitation workers are around us all the time, often doing their work without any sort of recognition. But what if they were fighting for our survival all along?

Me: What surprised you while writing it?

Josh: It surprised me how well the concept of magical janitors, plumbers, maids, and other sanitation workers actually fits with both ancient mythology as well as modern society! I mean, look at witches and their stereotypical image of flying around on brooms. Or the idea of reincarnation and our current focus on recycling. Or how the rise of sanitation and hygiene efforts has been a cornerstone of civilization itself. It makes an odd sort of sense.

Me: How will reading it make people feel?

Josh: Aside from getting in good chuckles and laughs, I want people to feel like they’re getting a chance to peek behind the curtain, seeing another side of reality. The next time they bump into a janitor in their office building, see one mopping up spills in a grocery store, or spot a cleaning van on the highway, maybe some part of their mind will wonder, “What if…?”

Me: Was there anything you did deliberately while crafting this novel (pacing, language, symbolism…)? Why?

Josh: Initially, the story wasn’t as humorously bent as it is now. It was more a straight urban fantasy with the occasionally absurd situation or banter. However, I realized the funny side needed to take more prominence, and so went back in and did my best to shift scenes and characters to reflect the humorous tone more—and I feel that definitely helped strengthen the story plus set it apart as a more unique approach to the genre.

Josh Vogt has been published in dozens of genre markets with work ranging from flash fiction to short stories to doorstopper novels that cover fantasy, science fiction, horror, humor, pulp, and more. His debut fantasy novel, Forge of Ashes, adds to the RPG Pathfinder Tales tie-in line. WordFire Press is also launching his urban fantasy series, The Cleaners, with Enter the Janitor (2015) and The Maids of Wrath (2016). You can find him at JRVogt.com or on Twitter @JRVogt. He’s a member of SFWA as well as the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers.

I had a chat with Josh Vogt, author of the fantasy Pathfinder tie-in Forge of Ashes. This is the first of two releases (stay tuned for the second next week!)

A decade ago, the dwarf warrior Akina left her home in the Five Kings Mountains to fight in the Goblinblood Wars. Now, at long last, she’s returning home, accompanied by Ondorum, a silent companion of living stone. But once you’ve traveled the world, can pastoral pastimes and small-town suitors ever be truly satisfying? Adding to Akina’s growing discomfort is the fact that her mother has disappeared into the endless caverns beneath the city. In an effort to save her, Akina and Ondorum must venture below the surface themselves—and into a danger greater than they could ever have imagined.

Me: Can you describe your writing for someone who is unfamiliar with it?

Josh: Well, it’s actually pretty varied. I write across multiple genres (and subgenres), including fantasy, epic fantasy, urban fantasy, sword and sorcery, science fiction, horror, humor, pulp, and mixes of all those and more. I’ve got two novels debuting this year, I’ve published a couple dozen short stories and flash fiction pieces, and I also freelance for a number of RPG developers and publishers. So I like to write across as many formats and styles as possible.

Me: Would you want to live in the world of your book? Why or why not?

Josh: Forge of Ashes is set in the roleplaying world of Golarion, from Paizo’s Pathfinder world. I’m a bit torn by this question because, while Golarion is an incredibly dangerous reality, it’s also exceptionally fascinating and colorful. I think I’d like to visit there, to at least get a chance to live in a world of unending magic and adventure—all the while knowing I might get eaten by a troll if I let my guard down.

Me: Why did you write this story? What is compelling about it for you?

Josh: I wrote Forge of Ashes for several reasons. First, I wanted to break into writing for RPGs, and jumped at the chance to pitch a novel for Paizo when they offered the opportunity. Second, I love writing solid adventure tales, which is much of what Pathfinder is about. I love stories that are a mix of fun and thrilling and have a fair share of action in them, so that’s what I set out to write here.

Me: What surprised you while writing it?

Josh: The main character, Akina, is a dwarven barbarian with a bit of a temper. Yet as I wrote more of her journeys, it surprised and delighted me to discover more of the depth she held as a person. She may not  have a softer side, in the traditional sense, but she cares greatly for certain people in her life and will fight for them to the very end. She struggles to retain a sense of self and purpose in a world given over to violence and endless struggle for survival. These realizations helped bring her much more to life in my mind.

Me: How will reading it make people feel?

That they’re on a dangerous adventure full of monsters, magic, and mayhem. That there’s always something around the corner, likely waiting to eat them. I hope it can leave some people a little breathless, like in the aftermath of a battle.

Me: Was there anything you did deliberately while crafting this novel (pacing, language, symbolism…)? Why?

Josh: One of the issues in the story is Akina confronting her brother’s wayward lifestyle, often getting drunk and generally making a mess of himself. Yet at the same time, she tends to lose herself in a battle fury, getting intoxicated with violence and bloodshed. I tried to parallel these two dynamics, showing how each of them is, in a way, addicted to unhealthy coping mechanisms while ignoring the underlying issues that drive their negative behavior. It was an experiment to show how different people can struggle with similar problems in both internal and external ways.

Josh Vogt has been published in dozens of genre markets with work ranging from flash fiction to short stories to doorstopper novels that cover fantasy, science fiction, horror, humor, pulp, and more. His debut fantasy novel, Forge of Ashes, adds to the RPG Pathfinder Tales tie-in line. WordFire Press is also launching his urban fantasy series, The Cleaners, with Enter the Janitor (2015) and The Maids of Wrath (2016). You can find him at JRVogt.com or on Twitter @JRVogt. He’s a member of SFWA as well as the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers.