Guide to Categories : Author Interview – an interview with an author, if there is no review from me, I have not read the book and cannot speak to its appropriateness for a school library

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About the Book

Book: Silent Stars (Tomorrow’s Edge Book Three)

Author: Brett Armstrong

Genre: Christian dystopian, science fiction

Release date: September 26, 2023

AD 2040: Barely eighteen, things have become much harder for Elliott. Reeling from the losses during the confrontation that brought Project Alexandria to a halt, Elliott feverishly hunts for the original files needed to finish it off. Finding only dead ends, he instead stumbles upon something dire: messages about the Babel Initiative. Conceived as a successor that would make Project Alexandria’s manipulations seem tame, this new threat once again forces Elliott into alliances with morally grey programmers known as siegers. Beset by continual setbacks and defeats, many siegers abandon the cause and go underground to survive the dangers ahead. The bleak reality that Elliott and those closest to him are almost certain to die in the fight against Dr. Almundson begins to set in. But Elliott isn’t ready to give in. He knows the cost of such a silent surrender will be humanity itself.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author – Brett Armstrong

Brett Armstrong has been exploring other worlds as a writer since age nine. Years later, he still writes, but now invites others along on his excursions. He’s shown readers haunting, deep historical fiction (Destitutio Quod Remissio), scary-real dystopian sci-fi (Tomorrow’s Edge series), and dark, sweeping epic fantasy (Quest of Fire). Every story is a journey of discovery and an attempt to be a brush in the Master Artist’s hand. Through dark, despair, light, joy, and everything in between, the end is always meant to leave his fellow literary explorers with wonder and hope. Always busy with a new story, he also enjoys drawing, gardening, and spending time with his wife and son.

My Author Interview with Brett Armstrong

When did you first know you wanted to be an author? 

Growing up, writing stories was just something I did. I would get an idea for a story based on something I read or saw and it just felt natural. When I was in elementary school, I had to say what I saw myself doing in the future and writing books was one I listed confidently. By the time I got to college, I had convinced myself that I had to choose a practical career, one that was steady and had a stable income to support the family I had also always dreamed of having. But I was pretty miserable in my engineering courses and when I got the chance to take a couple fiction writing classes it was a huge eye opener. Having those courses felt like taking a deep breath after having been underwater. For one of the assignments in the second fiction course I took, I wrote a short story titled Destitutio Quod Remissio about a Roman senator who was a Christian in secret, but his secret was betrayed during a time of persecution. The whole story is a meditation on Colossians 3:13 and forgiving as Christ forgave. I expected my secular university classmates and professor to tear it apart. Instead, I had classmates volunteering to help me make the story into a novel. Sometime shortly after that is when I realized that much like Olympic gold medalist Eric Lidell is credited with having said, “God made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure.” When I wrote I felt as though I could tell the Lord was pleased, that I was doing something I was made to do for His glory. That was when I knew I wanted to not just write, but be an author—a brush in the Master Artist’s hand, doing my best to bring honor to His name.

What is your favorite thing about this time of year?

School started for me right around this time, so as much as I love summer and the freedom it gave there was always something special about it. I guess it was the anticipation of something new—challenges, possibilities, and learning new things. Apart from my junior high years, I really enjoyed school. I still miss being in college. Since my wife is a teacher I still get an echo of that feeling each year and I really enjoy holding on to it for a bit.

How does your faith play out in your writing?

It’s everything. I wouldn’t be writing if the Lord hadn’t pressed on my heart during college to not quit, because He could use me. I tell stories of people facing obstacles and opponents who are far beyond their ability to overcome on their own. I often quote G.K. Chesterton, who said, “Fairy tales do not give the child his first idea of bogey. What fairy tales give the child is his first clear idea of the possible defeat of bogey.” Especially for fellow believers, I want to help them see through the lens of the stories I write that the darkest monsters we continually face, whatever their form and intensity, can be overcome in Christ. And that whether we believe we’ll “win” in a given situation or not, standing firm in the faith is what matters most. 

As a former K-12 school librarian(and since this blog is geared toward school librarians) I have to ask – what is your favorite children’s book?

There are a few stories my son has really enjoyed and are definitely children’s books; among them, Can I Be Your Dog? by Troy Cummings, the Kitty Kat, Kitty Kat, Where Have You Been? series by Russell Punter, and Lost Cat by Roger Mader. If I’m allowed to count CS Lewis’s The Silver Chair, then that would 100% be mine. Deep truths in simple packages, a compelling adventure story, and the truths and depth of the story ages with you. Not to mention there’s such a contrast in who Eustace Scrubb was in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader to who he is in The Silver Chair and it’s unambiguous about Who made the difference in between them. It’s just really remarkable.

Young Author’s Days were an important part of my work as a school librarian.What advice would you give to a child or teen who wants to be a writer?

Getting involved in a writing community (online and/or in-person) is incredibly helpful for building contacts and developing relationships that can help guide them on the path to publishing. It’s also very, very helpful to attend at least a couple writing conferences that are focused on the genre they want to write in. There were so many things that I didn’t know going into the publication of my first novel that I learned from some communities I joined and conferences I attended. I was finishing up a Master’s in English and Creative Writing at the time and read numerous blog posts on publishing and still only had a marginal understanding of the process. Those were the things I could’ve been helped by. That of course was after having a strong background in both the art and craft of fiction writing through years of practice, reading, and courses. So, putting serious time and effort into practicing writing and reading good fiction is really important. Having some creative writing courses is also helpful, though if they’re going into genre fiction, it’s actually kind of tricky, because the rules of publishing for genre fiction and those for literary fiction aren’t 100% in sync. 

The most important thing for a young writer though is the same thing I say to a new writer of any age. As soon as possible, figure out the “why” of their writing. What is it that they aim to achieve with their writing. If it’s to be famous, make money, or seem cool; it’s likely going to be a rough road ahead. Even after years of publishing, the rejection letters, bad reviews, poor sales/lack of reader interest, losing in awards contests—those all hurt and can be so discouraging. But, if they know why they’re doing, why they want to write, and cling to that fiercely, it will see them through those rough straits to calmer, more inviting waters. For me, writing is a means to serve the Lord, so I think for Christian writers it’s easier to find and lay hold of the “why”. But whatever the “why”, a young writer needs to go after it with determination and an appreciation that whatever comes in way of external successes, success in meeting their “why” will be most rewarding and serve them throughout their entire career as a writer.

More from Brett Armstrong

Dystopian stories remind me of Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol. In it, Ebenezer Scrooge is heartbroken for Tiny Tim and asks the Ghost of Christmas Present if the boy will live. The ghost, to paraphrase, says that if the shadows of the things present are not altered the child will not live. Dystopian stories show us the shadows of things that if left unaltered, if not safeguarded against, can bring dire consequences. Years ago, I began writing the Tomorrow’s Edge series because I was concerned. Looking at headlines and articles about everything from the latest tech developments to the weakening links in western society’s integrity, I could understand why so many people fear the future. For me, it was fear for a tomorrow that is the fulfillment of every dystopian nightmare to us, but because it is so gradual so innocuous in coming, those in the future living that dystopia won’t even see it.

Our hold on reality is tenuous in the modern digital world—particularly with AI deepfakes, virtual reality, augmented reality, and the metaverse increasingly edging into our daily lives. And when combined with post-modernist philosophy’s denial of objective truth it makes for a serious existential threat. So, I wrote a story about some teens living in the near future where it is very nearly too late to come back from that edge. Teens who are gifted a glimpse of truth and reality and now can’t turn back from pursuing it. I hope it isn’t a stretch already to see that a story like that is layered. The gripping, fast paced surface narrative has beneath it an adjuration and encouragement for those of us who follow Christ to cling to the Truth and the Creator of all reality, no matter what may come. Silent Stars takes that story arc to its conclusion and in writing it I discovered there was an even more potent symbolic meaning to “Tomorrow’s Edge” than us being on the precipice or a dangerous dystopian tomorrow. It was one of the most rewarding discoveries I’ve had as a writer and I hope you enjoy uncovering it as well.

Views expressed in this interview/guest post do not necessarily reflect the views of this blog host.

Blog Stops

Stories By Gina, August 22 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, August 23

Vicky Sluiter, August 24 (Author Interview)

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, August 25 (Author Interview)

For the Love of Literature, August 26 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 27

Tell Tale Book Reviews, August 28 (Author Interview)

Through the Fire Blogs, August 29 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 29

Artistic Nobody, August 30 (Author Interview)

The Lofty Pages, August 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 31

Beauty in the Binding, September 1 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 2

Guild Master, September 3 (Author Interview)

Blogging With Carol, September 4

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Brett is giving away the grand prize package of $50 Amazon gift card, a copy of Silent Stars, and an illustrated print featuring a scene from the Tomorrow’s Edge series!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5421

Read more Author Interview posts

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