Friday, February 10, 2017

Valentines interview with science fiction author VE Lemp

Today I have an interview with VE Lemp, author of THE OTHERS TRILOGY. This is a very exciting new science fiction series that will coming out starting this year! Also, be sure to enter the rafflecopter drawing at the end of this post for a chance to win a paperback ARC of THE LIGHT FROM OTHER SUNS.  



1.) Can you tell us a little bit about The Others Trilogy?  What genre is it and what makes it unique?

THE OTHERS trilogy is science-fiction, set in the near past and contemporary times, with the action occurring primarily on Earth.  The three books are: THE LIGHT FROM OTHER SUNS, THE DARK OF OTHER SKIES, and THE ECHO OF OTHER EARTHS.  I would categorize them as science fiction combined with strong elements of adventure and romance.  They explore one of my favorite “what ifs?” – What if aliens have been studying, and even experimenting on, humans for a very long time, as well as communicating with a few of us via dreams?  As someone who has experienced very vivid and unusual dreams, and kept a dream diary for many years, the idea that dreams could be used for telepathic communication is always intriguing to me.

In terms of unique aspects – unlike many alien contact stories, the aliens in my books are not monsters (although they do some bad things) and their goal is not invasion and conquest. They simply want to use the Earth as one of their scientific laboratories – rather like humans studying and experimenting on animals in the wild. I tie-in a lot of traditional UFO, ET, and related alien lore into the books, hopefully in a unique way.

Another unique aspect of the books is the importance of the arts. My protagonist, Karen, is an artist, something that is as essential to her as breathing. The importance and value of human creativity expressed through all forms of art, music, theatre, dance, literature, film, and other similar endeavors is a major theme in the trilogy.

The books are also about people, and how they react when they learn the truth – not just about aliens, but also about what human beings are capable of when money and power are involved. So there’s definitely an exploration of greed, cruelty, love, courage, and other human behavior in the books. Things aren’t exactly black-and-white, as far as the alien and human relationships are concerned.

2) Since it’s almost Valentine's day, tell me about the romance in the books! What is the relationship between the two characters like?

My protagonist is involved in two very different, and equally important, romance relationships in the book, although there is NO love triangle. (Yes, it’s complicated and… shhhh – spoilers!)

One of the romances is a breathless, head-over-heels, love affair. The other one builds more slowly.  They are both real, but quite different. As someone who thinks there’s value in many different types of love, I like to play with the concept that one type is not necessarily better than any other – it all depends on the individuals involved and their particular life experiences, needs, and desires. I also believe that people can love more than one person in a lifetime, and that those relationships can be equally deep, meaningful, and fulfilling.

3) What would be the ideal Valentine's Day date for the couple in your book?

Well, as I said, there are two different love relationships. For one of the relationships: a spur-of-the-moment flight to Paris to visit art museums, followed by dinner at some obscure but fantastic little cafĂ©, and then a romantic interlude in a charming Left Bank hotel suite.  For the other: anything they do together!

4) What are your all-time favorite romantic books or movies?

This is always a tough question, because as a voracious reader and film fan, I’ve enjoyed so many wonderful books, and watched a lot of fantastic movies, over the years. So I’m going to limit myself to some of those books or films that I have read or watched numerous times:

·      Jane Austen’s books and any film adaptions. I particularly love the Emma Thompson version of Sense and Sensibility, the PBS version of Persuasion, and (of course) the miniseries of Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth. I’m also a fan of Charlotte Bronte’s JANE EYRE and its many movie adaptions.
·      Disney’s animated version of Beauty and the Beast. (I have also seen the stage production and I’m looking forward to the live-action remake!) I love Cocteau’s La Belle et La BĂȘte too.
·      Love, Actually (which my husband and I watch every December), Casablanca, Sabrina (original version), Wings of Desire (in German), and a film that is relatively obscure and should not be: I Know Where I’m Going!
·      A 6-book series that I have read many times – Dorothy Dunnett’s LYMOND CHRONICLES, which starts with THE GAME OF KINGS.  Best. Slow-Build. Romance. Ever.  (And one of the best historical adventure/romance book series ever written).

There are many more romantic books and films I love, but I think I will stop there, or this will turn into a blog series instead of a post!



BLURB:

THE LIGHT FROM OTHER SUNS
Artist Karen Foster draws while dreaming. Scientists label her a valuable commodity. Aliens call her their perfect messenger.

Seeking money for art supplies, Karen is thrilled when charming researcher Alex Wythe recruits her for a dream study called the Morpheus Project. But the Morpheus Project is not what it seems, and neither are the detailed technical illustrations Karen draws in her sleep.

Warned off by government agent Mark Hallam, Karen refuses to leave the project, even after her fellow subjects suffer breakdowns. Like the sun, her love for Alex blinds her.

Karen believes their love is forever, until a tragic accident blasts both their lives.
Aided by Mark—as well as a UFO investigator, his psychic daughter, and the dark-eyed strangers who haunt her dreams—Karen must fight to uncover the truth.

A truth that includes humans trading lives for profits—and a powerful cabal that will kill to keep such secrets from the world.

A truth that unveils the ultimate, terrifying, reality –
We have never been alone.



BIO:

 If there’s one word to describe Vicki it’s “eclectic.” Equally enchanted by classical music and current chart-toppers, and appreciative of pop culture as well as high art, Vicki loves good writing in all genres. A lifelong fan of fantasy and science fiction, Vicki also enjoys a twisty mystery or mind-expanding literary fiction. Although her focus is on novel-length works, a few of Vicki’s short stories and poems have appeared in print and online literary magazines.
Coffee, cats, and chocolate are basic essentials in Vicki’s life. A library director for a performing and visual arts university, Vicki loves foreign films, but will defend the merit of television shows like BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, FRINGE, and TWELVE MONKEYS against all naysayers. She’d be happy to travel the world, if someone would just provide the ticket.

Vicki is represented by Frances Black at Literary Counsel, NY, NY. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and some very spoiled cats.




2 comments:

  1. Great post! I'm finding all of these different dates fascinating and fun. :)

    --Lily
    www.lilyblackbooks.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! I've been enjoying the variety as well. Except my TBR list is growing.

      Delete