Interview with Chris H. Stevenson, Author of The Girl They Sold to the Moon

Author’s Bio: Author Chris Stevenson, originally born and raised on the beaches of southern California, moved to Sylvania, Alabama in 2009 and settled in with his twin sister. His occupations have included newspaper reporter, front-line mechanic and federal police officer. He has been writing off and on for 36 years, having officially published books beginning in 1988. Today he writes science fiction, fantasy, paranormal romance, young adult, adult thrillers and horror.

He has a total of 10 titles appearing on Amazon with nine more in reserve with his agent. He was a finalist in the L. Ron. Hubbard Writers of the Future contest, and just recently took the first place grand prize in a YA novel writing contest for The Girl They Sold to the Moon. He writes the popular blog, Guerrilla Warfare for Writers (special weapons and tactics), hoping to inform and educate writers all over the world about the high points and pitfalls of publishing.

He continues to write because he can’t stop. His agent has just enough steam to keep up with him when she’s not taking care of the rest of her stable.

What inspired you to write your book?

The Girl They Sold to the Moon was a spontaneous quirk. I was riding with my niece, and her daughter was acting up in the back seat. Fed up with the noise hollering, my niece told her daughter that if she didn’t straighten up she’d pawn her at the next gas station for a full tank. I thought wouldn’t that be unique, if in a dystopian society, parents or heads of household could pawn their dependents for huge cash advances and send them off to labor camps. That’s how it started.

Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?

The very first piece of writing that caught my attention was a short story in Twilight Zone magazine. I thought, or assumed, I could write every bit as well as that prose and attempted to do so. Reading Poul Andersons’ The Virgin Planet, was the first novel that inspired me and launched my book writing career.

Is this your first book?

This is about my 25^th book in total. Nearly have of them have been published, and I still have nine more finished and waiting in the wings for agent submission.

Do you write with an outline, or just let it flow organically?

I go solo (seat of the pants) with all of my writing projects. I think I outlined only one romance novel that was set in Martha’s Vineyard because it required intense and accurate research. I don’t like a plot that is confined.

Do you listen to music when you write? If yes, is there a theme song for this book?

Strangely enough, I do not listen to any music while I write. I can’t remember listening to any type of music while writing. I prefer the silence and concentration.

What are the keys to success in getting your book out to the public?

You have to interact with as many writing groups and display sites as time will allow. No one will know you have a title out there unless they can find mention of it. It takes dedication and persistence, especially in today’s competitive marketplace.

What advice would you give to new authors?

Authors must be persistent and determined. They cannot let any failure, blocks, rejection and depression enter into their creative world. They can always write themselves out of a corner if they choose to. Look at writing as a fun project—no one is holding a gun to your head. Finish your book to the very end and prepare yourself for valuable criticism.

How about sharing an excerpt from The Girl They Sold to the Moon?

“I’m Reginald Breedlove. I’m here to pawn my daughter.”

I’m here to pawn my daughter. Tilly Breedlove knew they had another word for it—they called them “kickouts”, people who were sold to the establishment to cover debts. She and her girlfriends used to laugh at the K-Span commercial on late night Holoview. She wasn’t laughing now. She’d never seen so many kids gathered in one spot, except at a school assembly.

The first floor of the auditorium-sized building had at least twenty standing lines and a waiting area filled to capacity. This building area was reserved for the Sunflowers, teenagers who ranged in age from 13 to 19 years-old. At 17 years-old, Till fit right in.

Sure, there were sniffles and tearful goodbyes, with an occasional knock-down-drag-out, but the worst scenes were reserved for the six to twelve-year-old kids, the next wing over. Those kids were on the Daffodil Plan, commonly called Daffys, and their screams pierced through the air conditioning vents. She’d seen the entrance door for the Daffys on the outside of the building, next to the Sunflower entrance, which was her admission portal. The Daffys were hardly equipped to handle the emotions of severing bonds with their parents, and Tilly couldn’t even begin to understand what kind of jobs assignments those kids would have in order to work off a debt for their parents.

What’s next for you?

I just finished my first romance novel and turned it in to my agent, Sara Camilla. She’ll have the line-edits done in a week and then I’m off to redline fever!

Where can readers find out more about you and your book(s)?