Michael K. Rose, Author

Do you see alien landscapes in your dreams?

Dreams, no. Daydreams, you bet! I've done a fair bit of reading on what alien worlds would look like. Did you know that for different types of stars (blue stars, red stars, etc.) plant life, if it draws energy from the sun, would most likely be colors other than green? It has to do with the wavelengths of light those plants would absorb. Now, for the purposes of my science fictional universe, which I call the Myriad Spheres Universe, I don't go into too much detail about that sort of thing because there will be people out there who know more about it that I do and will call foul. So, I like to paint my alien worlds impressionistically and let the readers' minds turn those broad brush strokes into an image. In my stories I have mentioned, in passing, things like bioluminescent oceans and "cloud fish" living in the upper layers of a gas giant. And, as I explore the Myriad Spheres Universe further in the Sullivan's War series, I hope to bring other fantastic alien worlds to my readers.

Is there any genre besides science fiction that you want to explore in your writing?

Absolutely! After Sullivan's War I have a hard science fiction novel in the works called Chrysopteron. But I also have a book that I'm developing called Disreputable. It is not quite a modern retelling of "The Aspern Papers" by Henry James but it is inspired and heavily-influenced by that novella. I would call it "literary fiction." I am also interested in writing "fantasy-ish" stories... perhaps "magic realism" would be the better term... and I have a few mild horror/paranormal stories that I'm thinking of releasing together as Inner Lives: Volume Two. The story "Mahler's Tenth" in the first Inner Lives collection is a good example of the literary "magic realism" style of writing that I do. 

What part, if any, does humor play in your writing?

Hmmm... not a whole lot, so far. I think there are amusing passages in some of my stories, but perhaps "wit" would be a better term to use than "humor." If I set out to write a laff riot I have a feeling I'd fail miserably. I think I'm much funnier off the cuff than when I actually sit down are try to be funny. It's just not how I'm wired.

Do you have any writing rituals or odd habits directly related to the way you produce your fiction? Give us at least one strange tidbit!

Honestly, there's nothing! I just sit down and write. I know that isn't very "writerly" of me! Now, I do like to have a drink on hand, usually tea. I tend to write in the mornings and early afternoons and, when I focus, get out about 2,000 words a day. One thing I do do is real-time editing. I'll often go back over a just-finished chapter or scene and change things. I do this for two reasons: one, I'm a bit of a perfectionist about certain things, and two, I want to make sure that what I wanted to say didn't get lost in the mechanics of telling the story. If I left editing until the end I might not remember weeks or months later what the point of a certain passage was if it wasn't made clear from the beginning. Oh, and I also write in the nude. No, not really.

Who, among your family and friends, is your biggest supporter? Anyone in particular you'd like to thank?

My family has, of course, been supportive. But I've been really impressed with the kindness that strangers have shown me on Twitter, retweeting my announcements and mentioning me to their followers. So, I'd like to thank my Twitter followers in general, especially those with whom I interact on a regular basis. They have made this "business" of writing truly enjoyable.

Question: When will your books see print?

Sullivan's War is a trilogy of novellas. As such, I am waiting to finish it and will then release the entire story line in one print edition. I hope to do this sometime in July. My next project, Chrysopteron, will be a stand-alone novel and it will see a simultaneous ebook and print release in, I hope, September.


Contact Info for Michael K. Rose:
Blog: http://myriadspheres.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/MichaelKRose
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000670152582
Amazon
US Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Michael-K.-Rose/e/B0062EIPN2
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5323090.Michael_K_Rose