Interview with Nowick Gray, Author of FutureCon

by grant

in Author Interviews, Biography & Memoir, News

12 May 2020

What can you tell us about your new release, FutureCon?

The concept for the story, just like the story itself, began with a dream. The difference between dream and reality becomes blurred in the age of virtual reality, neuroprogramming technologies, and brain-machine interfaces. On a deeper level the story asks us to examine our choices, recognize where they come from, and reclaim our own power to live the life we dream of.

What books are currently on your nightstand?

That would be the top of the queue on my Kindle:
• The Wilds, by Julia Elliott
• The Reality Revolution, by Brian Scott
• Circle in the Darkness, by Diana Johnstone
• The Reality Bubble, by Ziya Tong
• All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr

What advice would you give your teenage self?

Have confidence in yourself and believe in the paths you choose. Don’t overthink it; or when you do, step back and let intuition be your guide. Know and remember, love is your birthright.

If you had an extra hour each day, how would you spend it?

Much as I already do: choosing what most needs attending to on each given day. That means not only work and necessary tasks, but time to read, play music, enjoy nature, share companionship with my partner and friends. The one thing that gets neglected most often is reading actual books, since I already spend so much time in a day reading for my editing work and to keep up with news and social media.

What makes your world go round? Why does it bring you joy?

Nature and love make the world go round, so they give me joy. And to express that joy in music, or writing, or personal interaction is the natural result, which deepens my experience of it and shares it around.

What scene in FutureCon was your favorite to write?

The chapter called “Desertia” was my favorite, since it played out the sci-fi trope of offworld travel in semi-comic fashion, with a confrontation between Joe Norton and his friend Harrison. In this scene Harry, sipping gin and tonic on a sandy wasteland of a virtual planetoid, is suspected of being Norton’s target, before showing him evidence, onboard their getaway ship, of the real bug in the machine.