“What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun,” says the writer of Ecclesiastes, somewhat wearily (1:9). As an author I’ve felt a little of that same dejection—after all, who wants their books to be ‘nothing new under the sun’? Yet when I consider it more closely, I feel grateful for the authors who have gone before me, who have inspired me and expanded my imagination with their fantastical worlds, to the point where I now create worlds of my own. My books are unique, of course. Nobody …
Interview with W.C. Bauers
Today we are excited to have science fiction author W.C. Bauers with us! W.C. works in sales and publishing during the day and writes military science fiction and space opera at night. His first novel, Unbreakable, was an Amazon and B&N “SF/F Best Book of the Month” pick for January 2015. His second, Indomitable, releases July 2016. Bauers’s interests include Taekwondo, military history, all varieties of Munchkin, and drinking hot caf. He lives in the Rocky Mountains with his wife, three boys, and the best rescue in the world. Welcome W.C.! 1) Everyone seems to have a “how I got published” story. What …
The Races of Star Trek: Vulcans and Klingons
When Star Trek: The Original Series made its debut on NBC in 1966, it didn’t take long for aliens to make an appearance. Gene Roddenberry’s first attempt at a pilot, “The Cage,” featured telepathic beings that could concoct realistic hallucinations. (Although NBC rejected that pilot, footage from that episode was later incorporated into the two-part story arc, “The Menagerie.”). The first aired Star Trek episode, “The Man Trap,” centered around a shapeshifting alien that drew the salt out of unsuspecting victims. Fifty years, hundreds of TV episodes, and nearly a dozen movies later — to say nothing of the books …
Interview with Joan Campbell
Today we have Joan Campbell with us, one of our newest authors to Enclave. Joan has always been captivated by stories, but it wasn’t until she read The Chronicles of Narnia to her two young daughters that she was inspired to write her own. Through C.S Lewis’ words—and particularly through the character of Aslan—she came to appreciate the powerful way in which a story can convey redemption. That was when she started writing Chains of Gwyndorr . The daughter of Dutch immigrants, Joan grew up in South Africa and the themes of discrimination and forgiveness are woven through her writing. She also …
What is Steampunk?
What is steampunk? I’ve been asked this question a lot lately since my latest novel, Tainted, released last month. To make it easy, I condensed the definition down to this: steampunk is a fusion of our history (usually Victorian or western) and science fiction/fantasy with advance technology that runs on steam. For example: London set in an alternate universe where magic exists. A western city with sophisticated technology that runs on steam. A Goth English setting with a character who hunts monsters with high-tech weapons. What I love about steampunk is the possibilities. Steampunk isn’t just science fiction or …
Interview with Jaye L. Knight
Today we have Jaye L. Knight with us! Jaye is an award-winning author, homeschool graduate, and shameless tea addict with a passion for Christian fantasy. Armed with an active imagination and love for adventure, Jaye weaves stories of truth, faith, and courage with the message that even in the deepest darkness, God’s love shines as a light to offer hope. She has been penning stories since the age of eight and resides in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. Welcome Jaye! 1) Everyone seems to have a “how I got published” story. What is yours? I published my first book at eighteen …
Interview with Joshua A. Johnston
Today we have one of Enclave’s newest authors with us, Joshua A. Johnston. In his own words, his exposure to science fiction came early in life. In his elementary years, his father exposed to him to the sci-fi of television and film: Star Trek and Star Wars. When he was an adolescent, his mother (who had no interest in science fiction at all) began taking him regularly to the library, and it was there that he discovered the fathomless domain of science fiction literature. Among his earliest reads were Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series, Ray Bradbury’s The Martian Chronicles, Robert Heinlein’s Starship Troopers, and Heinlein’s Tunnel …
Mythological Creatures: Kitsune
Today’s magical mythological creature is none other than the kitsune. Kitsune is the Japanese word for fox, so it’s not surprising that this mythological creature’s origins are in Japanese folklore. Most of the time, kitsune look like regular foxes, until they reach a hundred years old or so, then they start to grow more tails. They can have as many as nine, and the more tails a kitsune has, the older, wiser, and more powerful it is. They can be quite powerful. Among other things, kitsune can shapeshift into a human form—typically either as an old man or a young …
The Races of Star Wars: Wookiees and Ewoks
By Joshua A. Johnston When Star Wars first hit theaters in 1977, audiences were captivated by the exotic species of George Lucas’s galaxy far, far away. To the more casual filmgoer, the differences between the aliens of Star Wars and Gene Roddenberry’s then-decade-old Star Trek might have seemed little more than a difference in makeup budgets. The differences, though, went well beyond that. While Gene Roddenberry had political and cultural ideas in mind with his extraterrestrials, George Lucas had more entrepreneurial motives. Star Wars was about creatures that appealed to a broad age group … and, by the time of …