Pelagia - Between the Stars and the Abyss by Steve Holloway

 Please welcome Steve Holloway author of Pelagia - Between the Stars and the Abyss

One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.

Pelagia - Between the Stars and the Abyss

by Steve Holloway

 

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GENRE: Science Fiction

 

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INTERVIEW:

What inspired you to start writing?

 

I grew up on the beach cities of Los Angeles and have loved the sea since childhood; always looking for an excuse to be in the water. My early years were spent body surfing, surfing, fishing, sailing, snorkelling and poking around in tide pools. So, it was no great surprise that when I went to university I would study aquatic biology.

I then spent the next forty years working in different parts of the world in research, development, and mariculture consulting. 

About ten years ago I realized that there was nothing stopping us from pioneering and colonizing the open sea. I thought about and researched many aspects, and then had an opportunity to write about 5 years ago, resulting in the novel Pelagia: Between the Stars and the Abyss.

What elements are necessary components for this genre?

 

Pelagiamight be classed as speculative fiction and hard-science fiction. It is a techno-thriller as well as a human-interest story. 

It is speculative because it explores the pioneering and settlement of the open seas fifty years from now. 

The novel is rich with real "hard" science, hints of what discoveries of today may lead to in a few years. Alternate energy sources, amphibious aircraft, buildings grown from seawater, herding tuna with robotic fish, nomadic seastead homes.

The fact that it is a thriller drives the plot and pulls the reader along against a backdrop of families settling the South Pacific Ocean. Like pioneers of early America, settlers must struggle against the elements, outlaws and political factions. They survive and build healthy communities.

Pelagiais also driven by the emotional and spiritual struggles of the characters. There is a huge diversity among the characters, reflecting the diversity I have also experienced living in many parts of the world.

How did you come up with your idea for your novel?

 

The novel reflects three of my passions: science, the sea and the spiritual world around us. 

Science: All the technology in the story is within our reach today, though some is not quite in our grasp. It is very plausible that these technologies will be available in fifty years. 

The Sea: The oceanic settlements and poetic descriptions of the sea in the book are drawn from my experience and knowledge of marine biology. 

Finally, narratives of Faith: I have lived in many parts of the world and have met many people of very different world views. I am especially fascinated with those who recognise the spiritual world around them; I’ve tried to tell their stories accurately and honestly in Pelagia.

What would you want your readers to know about you that might not be in your bio?

 

My wife and I have raised three great kids in exotic locations around the world. We are a close family. Creative outlets besides writing include cooking, musical instrument making, woodwork, gardening and winemaking. I love walking and the outdoors, especially along the coasts.

As far as your writing goes, what are your future plans?

 

I am working on a sequel to Pelagiaand am about two-thirds through the first draft – but of course this is only about an eighth of the work necessary to prepare it for publication. The working title is DeepStar. It will take place in theNorth Pacific,rather than the South Pacific of Pelagia, but will have many of the same characters as my first novel.In the sequel, people will be establishing communities on the abyssal plains, 3,000-6000 meters under the surface of the ocean. These abyssal plains make up 50% of the earth’s surface, but we know very little about them. 

Can you give us a sneak peek into this book?

 

What if you faced your worst nightmare? In Pelagia, my protagonist, Ben Holden, has done just that and it has crushed him. Ben spirals downward into alcoholism. Much of the story of Pelagiais Ben's difficult climb out of this dark, dark hole to regain his life. I won't spoil the story by telling you too much of this journey, but at one point he finds sanctuary among a nomadic clan of Pelagia settlers who herd tuna around the Southern Pacific Ocean. Then they must together defend themselves against the ruthless agents that stalk Ben.

Do you belong to a critique group? If so how does this help or hinder your writing?

 

I’ve been part of several writing groups and found then invaluable as I've learned the craft of writing fiction. It took a while for me to find groups that would give me constructive critique, as well as encouragement. They were worth searching for. 

Also, when I reached the seventh draft of Pelagia, I sent it out to a network of friends to review. They included other writers, scientists, deep-thinkers, journalists...people from many walks of life. What an gift it was to receive honest feedback from their unique perspectives. Their input took the narrative to a whole new level I could not have achieved on my own.

When did you first decide to submit your work? Please tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step?

One of my most recent editors was a published author herself, as well as a professor of writing and a screenwriter. After several rounds of ruthless, but excellent, editing, I was thrilled when she offered to ask her own publisher if they would consider my book. They took my manuscript through their commissioning process, doing in depth market research because Pelagiawas so much outside their normal genres. Finally they agreed to publish it and offered a contract. My editor believed in me, but more importantly in the quality of the book, and that made all the difference.

Do you outline your books or just start writing?

Each writer, unsurprisingly, has their own style. Some might try to persuade you that there is only one formulaic way to write – and then sell you that formula. But, of course, it isn’t so; I suspect there are as many writing styles as writers. And be warned, there are a lot of sharks out there in the waters. 

I have a very active imagination, and my writing experience is having the character ‘appear’ in my mind. I then watch and follow as their story unfolds, as well as the larger story around them. The characters often surprise me, do unexpected things. 

I've heard that Tolkien wrote this way as well. 

Who is your favorite character in the book. Can you tell us why?

It is hard for me to choose a favourite character, as I've grown to know them and love them all. But if I had to choose it would be nine-year-old Sophia, an autistic child who is a savant prodigy. She excels in designing under-sea robots which realistically mimic many types of sea life. 

Unsurprisingly, many of my readers also love her. She is brave, sensitive, intelligent, loves life, and makes the most of the constraints imposed by her autism. She is comfortable in her skin. Sophia is instrumental in many of the key turning points in the plot.

BLURB:

 

Former special forces agent turned particle physicist Ben Holden is on the run.

 

The New Caliphate will stop at nothing to get their hands on his wife’s scientific research, which is believed to hold the key to unleashing chaos in the West and advancing their cause.

 

But in reality it’s Ben’s biometrics that have the potential to unlock the information they so desperately need. Within the oceanic world of Pelagia, in the year 2066, Ben finds sanctuary among the sea settlers of the South Pacific Pelagic Territory, but his respite is short-lived.

 

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EXCERPT:

 

Ben’s Escape

 

He lifted the hatch and placed it onto the deck, then pulled himself up and lay flat near the bow. The coolness of the storm awakened his senses. Rolling onto his back, he paused under the deluge and allowed the rain to stream into his mouth, gulping down the water.

 

Thirst barely slaked, he slithered to the edge of the boat. The wind now lashed his wet body. He shivered, staring into the night, allowing his eyes to adjust. He spotted the island, a dark fleeting promise glimpsed through a break in the squall.

 

Looking back, he saw a silhouette climb out onto the side of the boat. Adrenaline shot through him. The man was just a few metres away, clinging to a rail as the boat rolled under them, but still looking towards the stern. Ben inched closer to the edge of the bow, willing himself to be a shadow.

 

Holding the safety rail, Ben swung himself over the side with the roll of the boat. He hung for a moment, suspended above the sea. Large, deep breaths. Each time the boat tipped his feet dipped beneath the waves. On the third tip, he released his grip, slipping below the surface noiselessly.

 

As he surfaced, he heard the man on deck shouting into the water in Arabic, “Cut the rope!” There was an answering shout from the water that was lost in the roar of rain.

 

Ben kept to the shadow of the bow rocking above him. After a minute, that seemed like an eternity, the man climbed back into the stern cockpit. Ben slipped below the water.

 

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Steve Holloway grew up on the beach cities of Los Angeles and has always loved the sea. This passion led him to gain a degree in Aquatic Biology from the University of California Santa Barbara; a background which opened many opportunities for him in researching, developing, and engaging with mariculture activities around the world. 

 

Steve and his wife have lived and travelled in many countries over their forty years of marriage, successfully raising three kids in exotic locations in the process. They have always engaged with the people and cultures they live among. 

 

Currently Steve lives in England and consults for a Christian charity in areas of research, leadership development, adapting to new cultures, social enterprises, and mariculture projects. Currently he is consulting for a Indo-Pacific mariculture project – a social enterprise – growing sea cucumbers, a delicacy for the Chinese market. 

 

Steve has always loved books and writing. The story of Pelagia reflects three of his passions: science, the sea and the narratives of faith. The background, in his words:

 

“I have for many years believed that settling the open sea was within our grasp, and even more accessible than space as our ‘next frontier’. So through the last ten years or so I have been thinking just how this might happen, what would be needed, where people would settle, what kind of livelihoods they might have on the open sea, beyond the EEZs of terrestrial countries. My son Adam told me about what would become a key component of Pelagia, Biorock or seacrete, because of his experiments with it. Many discussions with other scientists, engineers and others helped to begin to fill in the gaps and the concept of the Pelagic Territories, similar to the unincorporated territories of the early US, and what geopolitical contexts they would find themselves in.”

 

Steve finds any excuse to get into the ocean: sailing, diving, swimming, or just poking around tide pools.

 

 

Website: Pelagia.net

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PelagiaHolloway/

 

Buy link:  https://www.amazon.com/Pelagia-Between-Stars-Steve-Holloway/dp/1782643397/ref=sr_1_1

 

 

 

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

 

One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.

 

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f4043