What’s the story behind the story? What inspired you to write The Domain of the Moon?
In the series, the concept of honor is explored in different ways. One of the themes in The Domain of the Moon is Muhammad’s honorable marriage to Hurriya; one that presents a stark contrast to the marriage, under false pretenses, of Zainab to a crude corsair captain. Though the story is set over two hundred years ago, it resonates clearly with modern ideals.
What’s your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?
I love an epic adventure, whether it takes place in the present, past, or future. I guess that indicates a preference for escapism. In my early reading, Kenneth Robert’s Northwest Passage led me to read all of his work about colonial America. That led me to James Fenimore Cooper, and then to the series of colonial times by Alan Eckert.
I also like sci-fi when it illustrates truths about the present. As an example, I was captivated by the Empire Games series: Tales of the Merchant Princes Universe, by Charles Stross. But my fascination with the genre began with early Vonnegut, Jose Farmer, Roger Zelazny, Ray Bradbury, Frank Herbert, and the rest.
What books are on your TBR pile right now?
My list continues to grow. For the past twenty years, I’ve read an average of seventy novels each year. Next up will be Exiles by Cary Groner, The Lost Colony by Elina Shapiro, Fall Down Dead by Stephen Booth, Death at the Sign of the Rook by Kate Atkinson, and so many more.
What scene in your book was your favorite to write?
I might answer that by stating stoically “the last scene” but that would be insincere. Instead, I can honestly say that I enjoy editing and rewriting, and editing and rewriting again and again; polishing a manuscript until it shines, and then only after hearing from beta readers and editors so that I can finish sentences, paragraphs, and chapters with confidence.
Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)
I find inspiration in water. While some people sing in the shower, I wait for insights into characters to fall on my head with drops of water. A quiet swimming pool serves the same function quite nicely.
Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?
As many authors have said: I believe the aim of fiction is to describe the world, not to inform it. And the code I write by was articulated elegantly by D. L. Doctorow: “Facts are the images of history, just as images are the facts of fiction.”
If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?
That’s simple! Remember to go out and buy the next book in the series. And that’s because the books keep getting better! Ha ha!
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