Introducing
one of Science Fiction's new voices: author Ann
Wilkes
Last month we talked about science fiction authors
who have passed. Unfortunately, we have another
to mourn. Philip José Farmer. He was first
published in 1946 and was 91 when he died on February
25th. I remember him best from his Riverworld
books. Perhaps now is a good time to revisit them.
While we all love the great
ones, I have planned to introduce you to a few
of the newer voices in science fiction. Today
I’m interviewing Ann Wilkes.
Kim: Hi Ann. Thanks for sitting down
to chat with me for a few minutes. I just finished
reading
Awesome Lavratt and enjoyed it.
Please tell us a little about the book
Ann: Awesome Lavratt is a tongue-in-cheek
space adventure with a nod to the pulp era. I
had a ball writing it. The object of everyone's
desire, the mind controlling device known as the
Awesome Lavratt, becomes the only lasting protagonist
in a parade of them.
Kim: This story has humor which reminds
me of Douglas Adams. Was he an inspiration to
you?
Ann: Absolutely. I'm a fan of Terry
Pratchett, Alan Dean Foster and Jasper Fforde.
Humor and SF are a great combination. Awesome
Lavratt was originally written as a serial.
That provided me the freedom to break the rules
and have fun. It wouldn't have been the same if
I'd written it as a book from the start. Because
I've read so many authors from across the pond
and have saturated myself with British television,
my naturally dry sense of humor sometimes comes
out as Brit wit. I also enjoy alliterations and
the odd rhyme. ;)
Kim: Are there any others who have inspired
you?
Ann: Brin, Larry Niven, James P. Hogan,
Isaac Asimov, Daphne DuMaurier.
Kim: Why science fiction? What about
it draws you in?
Ann: I've always loved sci-fi. I grew
up on Star Trek, Outer Limits,
Twilight Zone and Night Gallery.
I had a subscription to a sci-fi magazine when
I was a preteen. I love problem solving. A lot
of sci-fi contains the author's imagination working
on a social problem or extrapolating from a negative
aspect, exaggerating it to its sometimes unfortunate
conclusion. When it's not us, it's not Earth or
it's not our Earth, it's not our time, it's not
our country, it's not humans, there are no limits
to what you can do.
Kim: Do you read a lot of science fiction?
Ann: Though I do make the occasional
foray into fantasy when it's not sword and sorcery,
I prefer reading and writing science fiction.
One of my favorite books is David Brin's
Practice Effect. It actually has
elements of both. I love Douglas Adams' The
Restaurant at the End of the Universe
and The
Long Dark Tea Time of the Soul. And The
Maquisarde by Louis Marley. And Ben Bova's
Grand Tour of the Universe books like Mars
Life and
Titan. I read historical fiction
when I have the time to take a detour.
Kim: Some say science fiction reflects
the issues of the day. What’s your take on whether
science fiction influences or reflects society?
Ann: I think it's both. Sci-fi is thought
provoking. It's an extreme exaggeration like a
political cartoon. At least that's for the novels
that focus on alien or future societies. Others
take present day technology to the next level.
Scientific advancements and cutting edge research
inspire science fiction and science fiction inspires
the scientists who enjoy reading it.
Kim: I got a huge laugh at some of the
innuendos in Awesome Lavratt. Even with
this being humorous, were you ever concerned about
how women are portrayed?
Ann: I never thought about it at the
time. It was my nod to the pulp era. Aranna isn't
meant to be likeable. In my work that isn't humorous,
the women are strong and accomplished without
using their sexuality to get ahead. I'm not in
favor of that kind of behavior. I no longer enjoy
watching old movies with weak, male-dependent
women.
Kim: What is your opinion of eBooks?
Are they the wave of the future or a fad which
might fade away?
Ann: I like holding a book. I spend
enough time in the day looking at a screen. Looking
at pages on a book feels more comforting. I have
Aranna in Awesome Lavratt reading brochures
on her e-pad, but I can't conceive of a world
without books. I can see how it would be handy
for people who travel a lot: you can carry your
library with you. I think it's adoption will be
steady but slow and limited. But what do I know?
It's all I can do to give a single book away.
I hoard them.
Kim: What are you writing now? Will there
be a sequel to Awesome Lavratt?
Ann: I'm finishing a fantasy short story
that begins with a tragedy that really happened
in Washington State in the '40s in the town where
I grew up. I'm also working on the sequel to Awesome
Lavratt. You'll see many of the same characters
again, which calls for not a little imagination
in itself to bring them back. Also, I'm adding
a shape shifter, because I like shape shifters,
as evidenced by my story, "Jolaneering," that
appeared in the farewell issue of Nanobison.
Kim: What else have you seen published?
Ann: I've had short stories published
in five anthologies and several online magazines.
I have a story coming out in the July issue of
Beyond Centauri, which is a speculative
fiction print anthology for preteens and teens.
It's my first print magazine sale and my first
sale to this particular demographic. A full list
of my publishing credits is on my bio page at
AnnWilkes.com.
Kim: Where can we find you online?
Ann: Besides AnnWilkes.com,
you can find me on Blogger, MySpace, Live Journal,
LinkedIn, Facebook, Good Reads, etc. There's a
complete list of links on my bio page. My blog,
Science Fiction and Other ODDysseys, recently
made someone's top 100 SF blogs list. Find it
at Sciencefictionmusings.blogspot.com.
Kim: Is there anything else you’d like
to say?
Ann: I've met amazing writers at science
fiction conventions in the past year. My goal
for the next five years is to get another couple
of books published, but I can't stop writing the
short stories. I especially love writing flash
(under 1,000 words) fiction. Two of those were
published last year at Every Day Fiction and "The
Heist" made it into their The
Best of Every Day Fiction 2008.
Kim: Thanks for sitting down with us
Ann. We appreciate you giving us your time.
Ann: My pleasure.
 Awesome
Lavratt
By Ann Wilkes
Science Fiction
Unlimited Publishing
Jul 31 2008
ISBN/EAN13: 1588329917 / 9781588329912
Page Count: 104
Trade Paperback $12.99
Cover Blurb:
In the spirit of the cult classic The Hitchhiker's
Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams:
Beautiful Aranna Navna plans to conquer the galaxy
one planet at a time. She steals the Awesome Lavratt,
a mind control device, from a freighter in Horace
Whistlestop’s junkyard. She takes Horace, too.
With the Lavratt, Aranna manipulates the thoughts
and desires of everyone around her—until
she gets to the Emperor of Calistania. Then things
go from bad to worse for Aranna. The Lavratt,
however, has only just begun! Oh, the fun you
can have from a small cube with mind control powers.
Travel the galaxy with Tyrantz Lavratt. Silly
science fiction at its best. All puns intended.
Review by Kim Richards
When I first sat down to read Awesome Lavratt,
I hadn’t realized this story has a funny side
to it. I’ve met Ann Wilkes and should’ve expected
her humor to show through. Believe me, it does.
Some of it brings laughter, other parts made
me groan at the puns. I enjoyed this quick read.
The Awesome Lavratt is a thing; an ancient artifact
with an attitude. It manipulates its way across
the galaxy in search of power and a body. How’s
that possible, you ask? This artifact contains
the soul of a man tricked into martyrdom centuries
ago. He’s tired of being cold and lonely. I won’t
tell you who he manipulates or whether he succeeds
because that’s where all the fun is in this story.
Ann Wilkes is one of the newer generation science
fiction authors. I expect to see more books from
her in the future.
In closing, I want to
leave you with a couple of news items:
Planet Origo has an
article about the upcoming science fiction
and fantasy movies for 2009.
Realms of Fantasy is shutting down. I really hate
to see this magazine fold. It’s been a favorite
for years.
If you have any specific topics
you'd like to see me cover or just want to comment,
email
me.
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