Ask the Author: Scott Olen Reid
Answered Questions (13)
Scott Olen Reid
Hi Kyle, Thank you for your interest. I've had a lot going on my personal and professional life that has effectively shut down my writing for the last two years. I'm just getting back to writing now and am working on NA Book 3, tentatively titled, Nova Academy: Dead or Alive. Unfortunately, I don't think I'm going to have it finished until 2021. For the Earth Interstellar sequel, the jury is still out on how I'm going to proceed with the EI series and I don't have an update for you. There are some personal considerations I have to figure out that I won't go into before I know how I'm going to proceed. At the very least, I'll be writing other hard science fiction in the same genre.
I know it's not what you want to hear, and it's not want I want to be telling you. But it's my reality for now. Over the next year, I expect to have more time for writing and I'll ramp up again and have better news to report.
I know it's not what you want to hear, and it's not want I want to be telling you. But it's my reality for now. Over the next year, I expect to have more time for writing and I'll ramp up again and have better news to report.
Scott Olen Reid
Hi Gallandro, Thank you for asking. I've had a huge interruption in my writing due to personal issues and, more recently, starting a new job. I'm back to writing now and am working on NA Book 3, tentatively titled, Nova Academy: Dead or Alive. Unfortunately, I don't think I'm going to have it finished until 2021. For the Earth Interstellar sequel, I'm still figuring out how I want to proceed with that storyline and do not have an update for you.
I know it's not what you want to hear, and it's not want I want to be telling you. But it's my reality for now. Over the next year, I expect to have more time for writing and I'll ramp up again and have better news to report.
I know it's not what you want to hear, and it's not want I want to be telling you. But it's my reality for now. Over the next year, I expect to have more time for writing and I'll ramp up again and have better news to report.
Scott Olen Reid
Hi Jamie, Thank you for your interest (and patience). I had some personal issues that have delayed finishing Bases & Lairs. I'm mostly through it now and hope to have it published in about a month.
Scott
Scott
Scott Olen Reid
Hi Yuosiph, I have a few other projects I am working on before I go back and give another Chzek-kin race a shot at Humanity. Best guess, 1.5 years. I have an obligation to get through Nova Academy as it is my first series and I'm about to publish book 2, Nova Academy: Bases & Lairs.
I love the story, so I will be back for book 2 of Earth Interstellar, it is just going to take me a while as a part time writer.
Thanks for your question,
Scott Olen Reid
I love the story, so I will be back for book 2 of Earth Interstellar, it is just going to take me a while as a part time writer.
Thanks for your question,
Scott Olen Reid
Scott Olen Reid
Hi Jasmine,
Thank you for asking!
The new cover (and that is all it is) I had created so it matches the style of the new cover for Book 2, Bases & Lairs. I used a different illustrator for Book 2 as my niece (who made the first cover) was not able to do the second.
I need to fix how it displays, but Goodreads is not set up writer friendly when it comes to making changes to the covers of published books. I'm still trying to sort out how to show they are the same book and present both covers together. Goodreads does not allow you to replace a cover and if you have an updated cover you want to show, they make you set up an entirely new "version" of the book and it displays as a separate book.
Bases & Lairs is in editing. I have had a personal issue that has set me back a few months. I expect to have it published within the next few months and do apologize I did not keep to my publishing schedule.
On a positive note, I'm very excited about Bases & Lairs and believe you will find it an even better read that Heroes & Villains.
Take care,
Scott
Thank you for asking!
The new cover (and that is all it is) I had created so it matches the style of the new cover for Book 2, Bases & Lairs. I used a different illustrator for Book 2 as my niece (who made the first cover) was not able to do the second.
I need to fix how it displays, but Goodreads is not set up writer friendly when it comes to making changes to the covers of published books. I'm still trying to sort out how to show they are the same book and present both covers together. Goodreads does not allow you to replace a cover and if you have an updated cover you want to show, they make you set up an entirely new "version" of the book and it displays as a separate book.
Bases & Lairs is in editing. I have had a personal issue that has set me back a few months. I expect to have it published within the next few months and do apologize I did not keep to my publishing schedule.
On a positive note, I'm very excited about Bases & Lairs and believe you will find it an even better read that Heroes & Villains.
Take care,
Scott
Scott Olen Reid
Hi Jasmine!
Thank you for your interest and no apology needed. Right now I am working on my first rewrite of my next book, Earth Interstellar. I expect it to take 6-10 weeks (hopefully less).
As soon as Earth Interstellar is finished, I will begin writing the sequel to Nova Academy. I'm really excited about Theo and Carly's sophomore year (and don't forget Maria will be going to the Academy this year)! I have a rough outline already completed and am tinkering with it regularly. I expect to have it finished in 6-7 months (+/- March 2018). Because I already know the characters and world so well, it could be faster (I'm hopeful).
I know that is a long time to wait, even for me. Writing is my passion, not my day job, however, and I am only able to write about two books per year right now. I periodically post updates on my webpage at www.threehelmets.com. Check there for news periodically and for information on other books I am writing.
All my best,
Scott
Thank you for your interest and no apology needed. Right now I am working on my first rewrite of my next book, Earth Interstellar. I expect it to take 6-10 weeks (hopefully less).
As soon as Earth Interstellar is finished, I will begin writing the sequel to Nova Academy. I'm really excited about Theo and Carly's sophomore year (and don't forget Maria will be going to the Academy this year)! I have a rough outline already completed and am tinkering with it regularly. I expect to have it finished in 6-7 months (+/- March 2018). Because I already know the characters and world so well, it could be faster (I'm hopeful).
I know that is a long time to wait, even for me. Writing is my passion, not my day job, however, and I am only able to write about two books per year right now. I periodically post updates on my webpage at www.threehelmets.com. Check there for news periodically and for information on other books I am writing.
All my best,
Scott
Scott Olen Reid
This summer is all about sequels. Sequels, sequels, and more sequels. Hopefully some of the authors will have them out by the end of summer (and this list will encourage them to get busy!). So, here is the list.
Everything Just Begins: The Way of the Shaman Book 6
Vasiliy Mahanenko
The Weirdest Noob Book 2
Arthur Stone (Arthur Sergeevich Smirnov)
Peace Talks: The Dresden Files
Jim Butcher
Heartstriker Series Book 4 (Book 1 is Nice Dragons Finish Last)
Rachel Aaron
Rune Universe Book 3
Hugo Huesca
World of Ruul Book2
J A Cipriano
Video Game Plotline Tester series Book 2
Michael Atamanov
The Unconventional Heroes Book 4 (Book 1 is Two Necromancers, a Bureaucrat, and an Elf)
L G Estrella
The Gam3 Book 2 (not likely out this summer)
Cosimo Yap
If even 3 of these come out this summer I will be a happy camper.
Everything Just Begins: The Way of the Shaman Book 6
Vasiliy Mahanenko
The Weirdest Noob Book 2
Arthur Stone (Arthur Sergeevich Smirnov)
Peace Talks: The Dresden Files
Jim Butcher
Heartstriker Series Book 4 (Book 1 is Nice Dragons Finish Last)
Rachel Aaron
Rune Universe Book 3
Hugo Huesca
World of Ruul Book2
J A Cipriano
Video Game Plotline Tester series Book 2
Michael Atamanov
The Unconventional Heroes Book 4 (Book 1 is Two Necromancers, a Bureaucrat, and an Elf)
L G Estrella
The Gam3 Book 2 (not likely out this summer)
Cosimo Yap
If even 3 of these come out this summer I will be a happy camper.
Scott Olen Reid
Superhero books are a genre I just started reading in the past few years and my most recent work came from drifting off into my own fantasies of superheroes I imagined to write about as I read other's works. That and I tend to daydream while I drive and get a lot of ideas for books there. Fortunately, I have not had any accidents while daydreaming.
Scott Olen Reid
I was inspired to dream of becoming an author by reading the hundreds of books by my favorite authors from my childhood. However, for the past few years that I actually began writing, I have been inspired by the young independent authors who have brought new creativity and passion into science fiction and fantasy that I have been reading since I bought my first Kindle.
Scott Olen Reid
I am working on two books and have an idea for a third champing at the bit for me to get to it.
The first book is about humanity 300 years after 1st contact where they have become a vassal race to the Vrene, a benevolent race who made first contact with them.
Now it is humanity's turn to make first contact as the more advanced race and follow in the footsteps of the Vrene as they make contact with a race in the early stages of their own space program.
Only there is another race who wishes to enslave the newfound race. A war ensues with the aggressive race, the Chzek, and their vassal race, the Chzek-kin.
The Chzek are an aggressive and militaristic race who force their vassal states to adopt the Chzek identity and suppress their own culture to the point the vassal states are only allowed the name of "Chzek-kin." Whatever their identity was prior to becoming a vassal to the Chzek is destroyed. Those races the Chzek take control of who are not fortunate enough to be "worthy" are become slave races who are not permitted to develop space travel. Those that are worthy become the cannon fodder of the Chzek's expansion of their region of space.
Humans come to find out they were intended to be a buffer between the Chzek and the Vrene as part of a Vrene 1000 year plan to protect themselves form the Chzek. The humans also discover all the technology they have been stealing from the Vrene for the past 300 years was actually allowed happen so humans could advance enough to develop their own military capability so they will be ready to face the Chzek-kin.
(insert space battles, intrigue, and human ingenuity)
The first book is about humanity 300 years after 1st contact where they have become a vassal race to the Vrene, a benevolent race who made first contact with them.
Now it is humanity's turn to make first contact as the more advanced race and follow in the footsteps of the Vrene as they make contact with a race in the early stages of their own space program.
Only there is another race who wishes to enslave the newfound race. A war ensues with the aggressive race, the Chzek, and their vassal race, the Chzek-kin.
The Chzek are an aggressive and militaristic race who force their vassal states to adopt the Chzek identity and suppress their own culture to the point the vassal states are only allowed the name of "Chzek-kin." Whatever their identity was prior to becoming a vassal to the Chzek is destroyed. Those races the Chzek take control of who are not fortunate enough to be "worthy" are become slave races who are not permitted to develop space travel. Those that are worthy become the cannon fodder of the Chzek's expansion of their region of space.
Humans come to find out they were intended to be a buffer between the Chzek and the Vrene as part of a Vrene 1000 year plan to protect themselves form the Chzek. The humans also discover all the technology they have been stealing from the Vrene for the past 300 years was actually allowed happen so humans could advance enough to develop their own military capability so they will be ready to face the Chzek-kin.
(insert space battles, intrigue, and human ingenuity)
Scott Olen Reid
Write down the ideas you have for stories, characters, worlds, dilemmas, and anything else that could go into a book as soon as you think of them.
Once you start putting ideas down on paper it will lead you to start fleshing out the ideas and coming back to them.
Once you are coming back to your ideas and expanding on them, you have begun the process of brainstorming a story. Then take your brainstorming and do a rough, unorganized outline with pen and paper on a legal pad.
From legal pad, to type written outline, to writing. Each leads to the next and if you are really interested in writing, you will keep coming back to it and making more and more time to work on your stories.
Once you start putting ideas down on paper it will lead you to start fleshing out the ideas and coming back to them.
Once you are coming back to your ideas and expanding on them, you have begun the process of brainstorming a story. Then take your brainstorming and do a rough, unorganized outline with pen and paper on a legal pad.
From legal pad, to type written outline, to writing. Each leads to the next and if you are really interested in writing, you will keep coming back to it and making more and more time to work on your stories.
Scott Olen Reid
For me it is a life long dream to become a writer. It's sad it took until I am 52 to publish my first book, but I will take it. It is very fulfilling and gives me a sense of accomplishment and that I have left something behind for a legacy.
In some small way I also hope to impact the thinking of people in the area of science fiction. There has been so much impact of visionary science fiction writers that I would love to be a part of that in some small way.
In some small way I also hope to impact the thinking of people in the area of science fiction. There has been so much impact of visionary science fiction writers that I would love to be a part of that in some small way.
Scott Olen Reid
To overcome writer's block:
I start by trying referrring to my outline notes I created before I started writing the book.
If the outline notes are not helpful, I brainstorm what I am trying to achieve where I am at in the story. The brainstorming is not organized and I just throw stuff down on paper as I think of it. Then I try to sort through what I have written to see how I can use it for what is causing my block.
If the block is for a larger transition in the story, I will brainstorm at a higher level. The important part is to get on paper short statements of what you are trying to achieve where you are at in the story.
If the block goes on too long, or I am losing interest in fighting the fight to get through the block, I will switch to another book I am writing (I tend to have more than one going) and plug away at it for a while.
Writers block can generally be overcome by brainstorming and outlining at whatever level of detail you need to get out what it is you are trying to achieve so you can see it.
I start by trying referrring to my outline notes I created before I started writing the book.
If the outline notes are not helpful, I brainstorm what I am trying to achieve where I am at in the story. The brainstorming is not organized and I just throw stuff down on paper as I think of it. Then I try to sort through what I have written to see how I can use it for what is causing my block.
If the block is for a larger transition in the story, I will brainstorm at a higher level. The important part is to get on paper short statements of what you are trying to achieve where you are at in the story.
If the block goes on too long, or I am losing interest in fighting the fight to get through the block, I will switch to another book I am writing (I tend to have more than one going) and plug away at it for a while.
Writers block can generally be overcome by brainstorming and outlining at whatever level of detail you need to get out what it is you are trying to achieve so you can see it.
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