Author Bio:
I was born in Nottingham City, United Kingdom to Irish parents. After a formal education I entered the Civil Service for a number of years until I wrote my first novel. Previously I have had my poetry and short stories published in a variety of magazines and anthologies. I have travelled extensively and enjoy exploring far away places. My life long interests include history, science, philosophy, travel, poetry, films, art. My favourite city is currently Hong Kong. I am also studying Mandarin prior to a visit to mainland China.
What inspires you to write?
I am inspired by the questions about life and our place in the universe. I write to explore the mysteries which continue to lure the speculative mind into the realms of science fiction. The concept of creation continues to inspire me to explore countless possibilities. We live in a world where science fiction rapidly becomes science fact – that alone is a reason to create a fictional universe.
Tell us about your writing process.
I create each character to suit the narrative of the story. I have a general idea of the overall concept but I often expand the original idea to include several complex plot lines, each complimenting the other. I keep detailed biographies of each character, and accurate notes on scenes and locations. I constantly refer to my ‘bible’ of notes to verify a character’s background or personality traits.This also applies to locations and technology used within the story.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
My characters become intimate friends who I live with 24 hours a day. Although I have my favourites, they all add something vital to the overall story line. I have found that my main characters develop a mind of their own at some point, I know exactly how they will react to a situation or another character, and so the dialogue flows very easily.
Who are your favorite authors?
My favourite authors continue to be the great science fiction writers of the past: Isaac Asimov, Robert Silverberg, Michael Coney, but also Vernor Vinge.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I used print-on-demand because it was the most economically viable method at the time. And established publishing houses seldom consider a new unknown author. The stagnant nature of traditional publishing cannot foster new talent to any degree. I simply wanted to tell my story so I chose a method that works very well for me both personally and financially.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I believe the big publishing houses will always dominate, simply because their names add prestige to an author’s bio. But they are economically restricted and as such they miss out on new discoveries. I sincerely hope that self-publishing will one day dominate the market so that real talent be sustained.
What genres do you write?
Science fiction and poetry.
What formats are your books in?
eBook, Print
Website(s)
Peter J. Maher Home Page Link
Link To Peter J. Maher Page On Amazon
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