Writing Hero For December – Angus Day
My Writing Hero for the month of December is Angus Day. As is the way with these heroes of mine, I have read and reviewed one of his works on Amazon. Of course I loved the book, or he wouldn’t be here at all. If I had to choose a favourite genre, it would have to either science fiction or fantasy. Angus writes in the same fast moving and incredibly powerful style as some of his own favourite authors. I believe that you can tell quite a lot about the person behind the book in most cases, but as my friends know, it is now my mission to highlight those writers whose work I admire, and ask them lots of personal questions, that they’re normally too polite to refuse to answer, purely for the edification and enjoyment of their avid fans. Myself being one of that nosy crew. He answered all my questions very nicely, and I give you his replies in his very own words. So, without further ado I give you my review of Having Nice Things.
Classic Science Fiction And A Great Read!, January 2, 2013
By
Jo Robinson
Amazon Verified Purchase(What’s this?)
This review is from: Having Nice Things (Kindle Edition)
I haven’t read hard-core science fiction for so many years, that I forgot how much I enjoy it. Having Nice Things is most certainly hard-core science fiction, and I most certainly did enjoy it.
In the distant future The Home Planet Recovery Division (HRD) is attempting to cleanse the world of the globe destroying remnants of a war of genocide, while Earth’s population lives in domed cities. Life is not good on a planet vastly overpopulated, and subjected to all the oppressions and tribulations that go with that.
The vice president of HRD is a man with a vision of a recovered planet, and a passionate love for his woman. His life is turned upside down, and changed in unimaginable ways, as the two of them are catapulted into deadly battle. On Earth also, are alien beings with varying agendas, not all of them transparent. The advent of a religious sect, led by a being who has lost his mind, sets off a chain of reactions that plunges the globe into chaos, war between worlds, and the possibility of annihilation.
Having Nice Things is non-stop action, and a very exciting ride through the tribulations of galactic war. At no point do you know how this book will end. And I’m not going to tell you. The scientific knowledge of the author is obvious, as is his skill at spinning a fine tale. His very dry wit is also worthy of mention. I laughed right out loud several times. I particularly enjoyed the depth of every character in the book, and also the very alien ways of the aliens. I like my aliens to do alien things. I got quite fond of a few of them along the way.
There are several very graphic sex scenes in the book. It will surprise many who know of my usual aversion to anything overly erotic, that these didn’t offend me. They suit the world of this story, and this particular branch of this particular genre. One of my all time favourite writers of sci-fi, Piers Anthony, liberally hands out very blush-inducing romps in his books – not always within the same species either!
With the one reservation, and it’s not actually a proper reservation, of having to say that this is a read for adults only, I heartily recommend this book to all you classic science fiction lovers out there.
Now to the questions…
Tell us about who the man behind the author is.
I’m married, father of two fine children and I have made Fort Collins Colorado my home. Currently I work as a manufacturing chemist in the pharmaceutical industry, swim and write science fiction
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Read, watch movies, hike, swim.
Who are your favorite authors?
Asimov, Herbert, Heinlein and Clarke were my early favorites. They’ve been joined by Frederick Pohl, Larry Niven, Joe Haldeman, … and too many more to list here or it will start to resemble one of the early books of the bible.
When did you begin to write?
Writing with the goal of producing good stories came late, age forty eight. I wrote some in High School but nothing serious. As a military officer and as a chemist I have been called upon to write a lot of things that we all know were very enjoyable. *sarcasm*
What music do you listen to, if any, when you write?
I don’t listen to anything when I write. I enter the world I am creating.
What do you love?
My family, God, the people in my life to varying degrees and creating anything that brings joy or at least respite.
What don’t you like?
Assumers, haters, know-it-alls, dream-killers and anyone who is against the greater good of my species. I’m trying to keep it narrow you see. Ultimately, I don’t like any being that feels they have the market cornered on a belief system and you are ill for not following along.
Tell us a little about your next book.
The book I have that will be up by 1st January 2013 is called Utopian Estates. The main protagonist is a newly graduated business woman taking her first professional job on Mars. People feel comfortable in placing things in categories or pigeonholes where I feel more comfortable in crossing boundaries to find a balance of genres. While still attempting to digest what that means you could say this work is: Science Fiction, dystopian, romance, erotica, space opera, military SciFi and alien encounter. I probably missed some but ask you to form your own opinion on a more valuable quality. Did you enjoy the adventure?
Do you only write science fiction, or have you ever written anything in another genre?
I write what I enjoy reading because that is the key to doing your best work. With that having been said I really like to pull the other genres into Science Fiction. There will definitely be a dark comedy in the near future, a spy thriller, a grand epic and a detective work. They will all be set in my Next You Universe.
Tell us about your published works.
Legacy of Daddy: My first work was meant to be a seed from which many different vines of the Next You Universe would grow. As a result of that vision it was incredibly difficult to write as there were so many story lines and Points-of-View that at times I felt like I had lost myself. I am very satisfied with the current version and want to finish making an audio book out of it.
Next You Interstellar LLC: Follows the reincarnation of Pavel Arican Stevens, PAS, fulfilling the indentured servitude of having been brought back to be an Interstellar operator fulfilling the missions assigned to him by the IA. This was a lot of fun to write and I feel the main character has some more adventure in him.
Having Nice Things: Again I took multiple Points-of-View to try and create a picture of Earth trying to climb its way back out of social disaster with the help of an interstellar company only to be faced with another crisis presented by a crazed extraterrestrial.
If you could choose anywhere in the multi-verse to write where would it be?
I’m a fiction writer. Multi-verse: Five hundred years in the future where we are still hungry to expand yet not evolved enough yet to be beyond understanding. First contact and game changing tech are my dreams and I revel in finding new ways to present them while maintaining future humans still need to eat, use the restroom and get laid on a regular basis.
Is there anything you’d like to share with us here?
I look forward to attacking my next work Destined for…Something as my first collaboration with an awesome author.
Find Angus Day on Facebook:-
http://www.facebook.com/AuthorAngusDay
http://www.facebook.com/groups/166437960168946/
Blog:
GrindingForward.blogspot.com
Twitter: @AngusHDay
Follow Angus Day’s news and upcoming projects on the fantastic, new completely open Google+ community, where readers get to actually interact with their favourite authors.
https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/115573021758683598908
And now I leave you to enjoy the books of Angus Day. I’m about to begin my next one.
Till next time friends. xxx
Jo Robinson 
January 2, 2013 at 4:12 pm
What gives me the right to the title, hero. To my mind I will say nothing, but I enjoy the hell out of the thought that someone else thinks so. Enjoy.
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January 2, 2013 at 4:49 pm
Heroes don’t generally know that they are. Real ones anyway.
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January 2, 2013 at 4:33 pm
Reblogged this on Angus48's Blog.
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