Our featured story this month for the June Signature Background is "Crash Landing" by Bill W. If you haven't already downloaded your background, the month isn't even half over yet so you still have plenty of time! We started out Signature Week with a great review that Cia did, and now it's time to hear from the author himself. Hopefully you enjoy this interview that Cia did with Bill W.
Author Interview: Bill W. on Crash Landing
Are you a person who makes their bed in the morning, or do you not see much point?
It depends on the day. Most days I make my bed when I get up, but if I get up feeling run down and suspect I will end up taking a nap later, then I leave it as it is.
Who do you like best, Jerry or Tom?
I've always identified with the underdog, so I would have to say I like Jerry better.
What first brought you to GA?
The site I was posting on at the time suddenly shut down. A short time later, Myr contacted me and asked if I'd be interested in posting on a site he was starting. I agreed, and as they say, the rest is history.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
I like to go back and read the classics, including Shakespeare's plays. I also like to watch certain sports and I'm an avid college football and college basketball fan.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
You mean other than coming up with a good idea/plot for a story? Yes, because I've been criticised for not including enough description/details in my stories from some readers, while others tell me I've included too much. I'm not sure where I'm messing up.
Do you have a favorite story or character you’ve written?
That's a tough one. I would have to say that I've always identified with Josh, the father in the Castaway Hotel series, but I've always got a kick out of Ricky, the first boy Josh adopted. Ricky has always been a little prankster and a bit of a devil at times, but he's also wormed his way into my heart.
Did something inspire you to write Crash Landing, beyond the anthology theme?
I guess there were a couple of things that might have inspired the story. First of all, we're always concerned about the threat of pandemics, but when you combine that with a threat from space, it magnifies the destructive potential. Also, the talk about life in other parts of the universe and the theory that some elements, possibly including life, may have arrived on Earth via space has always intrigued me. I guess it all just came together when I saw the anthology theme.
Did the characters or the plot come to you first?
Definitely the plot, then the characters were developed for specific purposes within the story.
Where did the technical knowledge and medical information in this story come from? Personal/work experience or research?
Once I knew what I was planning to do, I did a lot of research to fill in the medical and scientific aspects. I guess the jury is still out on whether my research was a productive or not.
Crash Landing has a nice twist ending that creates the possibility for an alternate society Earth setting. Have you considered going back and exploring that further?
Actually, I haven't. I felt I'd made the point that I'd intended, that there are those that are willing to rise above the pettiness of life and do what was best for everyone, no matter what the threat, while others would cling to their petty and closed-minded beliefs, even if it might mean their own destruction.
Do you want to share anything about your current or future work?
At this point, I'm not currently working on anything and I have no plans to write anything new. I've heard from a few people that have told me they would like for me to add another book to the Castaway Hotel series, but coming up with new material is difficult at this point. Besides, I have a feeling that too many readers are suffering from Castaway overload, while prospective readers are daunted by its current size.
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