It’s Saturday, and although I’ve been giving you abbreviated posts for the past week, today’s post does not fall into that category. Not abbreviated, unabridged—in other words, long. But trust me, you’re going to want to read all of this because our guest is fascinating. This (intro) is part of Linda G. Hill’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt, but the rest of the post took a lot of planning.
“Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is ‘starts with ‘ab’.’ Find a word that starts with ‘ab’ and use it in your post. Enjoy!”
If we were having a beer, I think our guest might be arriving.
Note: Carol has to travel today for an unexpected family issue. She will not have Internet access, but will be responding to comments tomorrow.
“Something odd is going on outside, Dan. I think Cheryl is buying a dune buggy.”
“Unlikely, David. There’s nowhere around here to ride a dune buggy.”
“Well, she’s looking at some single seat vehicle with a plastic frame, a bubble top and wide balloon mesh tires.”
“That’s a rover—Carol’s here!”
“A rover?”
“Yes, the vehicle from Carol’s Red Sands Chronicles. In that series, if you’re not riding a Maglev, you’re on a rover.”
“You’re talking about riding around Mars, right?”
“He certainly is.”
“Hi Carol. I see you’ve met Cheryl. This is David.”
“I’m pleased to meet you. I love it when authors visit the bar in a car, er vehicle from their books. Did Cheryl take your order out there?”
“I did, one Irish Coffee coming up.”
“I don’t usually drink, but Cheryl made that Irish coffee sound so good. I can follow it up later with a Dr. Pepper.”
“I have to ask, are all rovers single seat?”
“No, David. There are also two seaters, flat beds and family size rovers.”
“Here’s your coffee. Dan, here’s a cold Modelo and David, here’s that collection of beverage and glassware you prefer.”
“Cheers, Carol. I have to tell you, I’m almost finished reading Redline, and I’m finding it very hard to put down.”
“Thank you, Dan.”
“Dan was out of town, so he hasn’t told me anything about this book. Can you fill me in on the basics of the book and the series?”
“I’d love to, David. Redline is a sci fi western set on Mars about third generation settlers trying to tame the frontier. Jefferson Brodie’s dream is to run mag levs (that’s a type of train) down to the polar regions to expand existing towns. Unfortunately, RPEC (an Earth-based EPA) attempts to shut the rails down, supposedly to protect ‘the caribou’s environment’ but really, it’s a control issue. Enter Olivia Ellsworth, reporter and RPEC spy, whose primary job is to scout out the opposition and set up ways for RPEC to undermine Brodie. Throw in bar room brawls, a bit of romance and a gunfight and Jeff Brodie risks his life, reputation, and the woman he loves to keep the rails open.
“Redline was originally intended as a one and done book, to honour the heroic spirit of the early Oregon trail pioneers. But I can’t write westerns so I set one on Mars. Then I had an elderly lady fan who fell in love with the characters, and I had to write another story just for her. After that, the characters kept demanding I tell another story and another. Now the series has morphed into six books with a possible three more down the line.”
“Wow! That sounds like a great series. I love westerns, and having one set on Mars, with modern elements sounds fascinating.”
“It is, David, it truly is.”
“Carol, I’ve read Dan’s books, and while they could stand alone, I think they’re better if read in order. Is that the case with your series? Is Redline the first book?”
“Redline is the first in the Red Sands series, Cheryl, but the series is more about living on Mars than a particular character, so each book is a standalone story and order isn’t all that important. The first three books, Redline, SkyReach and Serenity follow three generations of the Brodie clan. The next three Home to Blue Ridge, Diamond in the Rough and Wish Upon a Double Moon do the same for the McKinnon clan. There’s some crossover as characters from different books make appearances in other books (these are small communities after all) and therefore a few spoilers. However, if you need to keep the ‘history’ in order, reading them in order is more fun.”
“And, if your OCD is intact, like Dan’s, reading in order is essential.”
“Touché, David. But it does make me wonder, is Red Sands one series or two?”
“Red Sands is a collection of stories about living in a harsh frontier-like environment on Mars. I guess you’d call it one series in two sections. The books take place in roughly the same time frames, Redline with Home to Blue Ridge, SkyReach with Diamond in the Rough and Serenity with Wish Upon a Double Moon. Some of the characters are good friends with characters from other books, while others are friends with the children or grandchildren.”
“Sounds like you have Dan trapped for a while.”
“Well, that wasn’t my intention. My goal was to create a believable world with the same tight-knit community values of the small towns I grew up and lived in. Personally, I don’t like reading ten books to see how a story ends, so I write all my stories as stand alone, that way readers can finish the story even if they don’t want to buy another book.”
“Well, Redline won’t be the end of the line for me. But the books in The Red Sands Chronicles aren’t the only books you’ve written. On your Amazon Author page, you say Knight’s Edge is the book you wish people knew more about, but you also say if we don’t know anything, we should start with Home to Blue Ridge. This begs the question: Where should I start reading if I want to begin reading Carol J. Parsons?”
“Well, Dan, it depends on what genre you like. Knight’s Edge and its sequel Phrygellia are YA books which will appeal to anyone who likes video games and always imagined they were part of the game. Tears of the Dragon is a fantasy book set in an alternate ancient Japan. The Red Sands series are soft sci fi with a western feel. The Brodie clan stories are a bit more man versus the system stories, while the McKinnon clan stories lean more toward romantic adventure novels. Then there are my space opera stories beginning with Time of the Phoenix that are more like Star Trek and Star Wars. Whichever one you start with you’re going to find strong moral characters and a feel-good story that leaves you feeling optimistic about life.”
“When Dan said you were going to visit, I wanted to know more about you—I like knowing the people at my bar. I read you Amazon profile and the About page on your delightful blog. Could you share a little about your missionary experience—I find that fascinating.”
“Oh, Cheryl, I love talking about our experiences in Ecuador even more than I like talking about my books. We served with the International Mission Board for ten years in Manta and Esmeraldas, Ecuador. Both are coastal cities in rural areas, although the cities themselves were large. Rural is more about infrastructure (or lack thereof) rather than population. My husband, Bruce, worked with the churches to establish new churches and train leaders and pastors. I worked with the ladies, teaching first aid, nutrition, prenatal and abstinence classes. A lot of our work was simply making friends and building relationships by having lots of folks in our home and spending time together, especially on holidays.”
“Did that experience influence your books?”
“A lot of the ‘alienness’ and difficulty adjusting to a different culture comes from that time overseas, as well as an appreciation for what is different and unique in other cultures. I think it also gave me a better ability to see life from a different perspective and reflect it in my writing. For example, lots of sci fi novels focus on technology, but if you’re starting life on a new world, tech breaks down. Going simpler can be advantageous. We saw it applied many ways overseas.”
“Do you keep in contact with the people you met?”
“We still keep in touch with our friends, whom we consider family, via Facebook. Our sons were small when we went overseas and the oldest was fourteen when we returned. Our daughter was born there and still considers herself Ecuadorian. We consider it our adopted country and miss the people terribly. In twenty-seventeen we had the privilege of returning for a brief visit and got to see both the end results of our work and how the country had advanced while we were gone. It was an awesome experience!”
“That sounds like an amazing experience, Carol. Can I ask, what drew you to science fiction?”
“I started reading science fiction in junior high, David. I love the different worlds and cultures, the sense of adventure, the cool technology and the way science fiction takes tough topics and discusses them in ways that remove the ‘hot buttons’ and allows folks to see different viewpoints without getting irate. Star Trek is an excellent example. I also love the way writers like Andre Norton took ordinary and made it extraordinary. Her Beast Master blends western elements with futuristic tech. So cool! Then there’s the original Star Wars—straight up swashbuckler! I’m a traveler at heart and science fiction takes me to worlds I’d never be able to visit in this lifetime. It’s a blend of the best of all the genres: action, adventure, romance, westerns, fantasy, slice of life, and even horror, if you like that sort of thing.”
“OK, now I have a two-part question.”
“Knowing Dan, it’s probably a three-part question.”
“Perhaps, but let’s start with, what do you like about writing science fiction?”
“I’m a lazy writer. In spite of a journalistic background, I really don’t like paying attention to detail, so researching locations, time periods and what’s real is something I try to avoid except when necessary. Science fiction allows me to create my own world with plausible science. I need just enough research to keep it plausible, even if it’s not realistic. So I might reference realistic science (like mag levs) but expand them beyond what we currently have. I love taking ordinary and making it look extraordinary. Science fiction allows me to do so in ways that typical genres like romance and westerns wouldn’t. Gunfights with blasters? Awesome! Romance with an alien? Aren’t we all aliens? Even Gene Roddenberry said Star Trek was just Wagon Train to the stars. I like the unlimited possibilities inherent in science fiction, ‘to seek out new life and new civilizations.’”
“And I’m sure you can guess the second part. What do you find difficult about working in that genre?”
“Hmmm. I think what’s most difficult for me is the growing ‘disbelief’ in readers, the need for everything in science fiction to be ‘factual’ and ‘realistic.’ I grew up on Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon and Star Trek: Original Series. I read and still read the old Tom Corbett series. Yes, I know Venus isn’t a jungle planet and Mars doesn’t have canals; however, that doesn’t stop me from enjoying those stories. I want to continue that tradition, but with the inundation of hard sci fi novels, people have a tendency to scoff at soft sci fi….and yet they keep watching Star Wars. Anyway, finding the balance between believable science and readers’ expectations is a constant struggle.”
“Dan, your beer is empty. Are you guys ready for another round?”
“I am, and I see that David still has seltzer and ice but is low on John Howell’s Bourbon.”
“Carol, are you sticking with that Dr. Pepper you mentioned earlier, or do you want me to Irish that up a bit?”
“Dr. Pepper, Cheryl, I don’t want to fall asleep on you. Funny story, when we were visiting with Ecuadorian friends during the twenty-fifth anniversary celebration of the church overseas, we were staying at a resort. Our friends brought fizzy beverages for us to drink, assuring us they were non-alcoholic. What they thought was ginger was actually gin! Boy did I sleep good that night.”
“OK, Dr. Pepper, neat.”
“You mentioned research, and despite the fact that you want to avoid it, you did have to do a lot. Can you tell us about that process?”
“As you guys know, Dan, Cheryl. Research for any genre comes with the problem of how to incorporate it in the novel. Some authors feel a need to info dump everything just to show how much research they’ve done. Personally, I think research results should be organic and flow as part of the novel. I didn’t go into all the details for the mag lev trains, but I did use terminology from an actual design in China utilizing Halbach coils. Aerogel is something NASA invented and it forms a good part of the insulation of buildings and mag levs in my novels. Research is important to make our sci fi worlds realistic and keep us from making glaring errors that are obvious to our readers. However, depending on whether the novel is hard or soft, the amount of research is going to vary.”
“And technology changes fast. Dan still watches Star Trek in syndication, but real technology has eclipsed much of the original series.”
“Except for the Transporter, David. I still want one of those.”
“But David’s right! Writers should keep in mind that tech is quickly outdated and to overload novels with scientific explanations for everything might end up dating our novels, much like the science fiction of the fifties and sixties. Great stories, but the science is long gone. As a reader, just tell me the make and model of the blaster for realism’s sake, but don’t bore me with the details of how the thing works. The goal is to satisfy the reader’s curiosity, not to impress them with your great knowledge.”
“You weave in western elements, which I assume you draw from your life experience. In the opening of Redline, you mention that it’s the first time trying to mix the two elements (western/sci-fi) but you did it well.”
“Are you going to ask Carol a question, Dan?”
“I’m getting there, David. Are you concerned about going against somewhat rigid guidelines for genres?”
“Not in the least, Dan. All good stories mix various elements, if we are honest. My ultimate goal is to tell a good story, not concern myself with what ‘genre’ it is. It does make it difficult to categorize it for Amazon, but I believe that even folks who don’t like ‘sci fi’ would enjoy my stories. I don’t consider them romances, although there are certainly romantic elements, so even the guys should enjoy the stories without feeling the books are too ‘mushy.’ By the same token, I don’t list an age limit. Like C.S. Lewis, I think a good story should appeal to all ages, not a specific group. I grew up in rural America, so a lot of those experiences and values form a basis of my novels. I also love space and wish our space program kept pace with the enthusiasm my generation had for space exploration. Blending the two just seems natural to me. If I was trying to publish through a traditional publisher, I’d find those rigid guidelines a bit stifling. It’s one of the reasons I like self-publishing. There’s more flexibility and freedom for telling the story.”
“Your profile indicates you are a Christian author. We had an email discussion about criticism from some Christian readers over science fiction and, in my case, paranormal elements in our books. You said something that stuck with me. You said: ‘Our God is God of unlimited possibilities.’ I believe that. Do you find it challenging to know where to draw the lines in your stories, or do you just write from the perspective that is the way you live your life?”
“There’s never been a question in my writing about drawing lines. All my novels are written from a Christian foundation, so I have strong moral characters whose faith is the basis for all their decisions, especially the hard ones. It is a reflection of my own life. I’ve said in other places that is it easy to die for your faith, but much harder to live for it. I think living out one’s faith in every area is the most difficult challenge life has to offer. It’s much harder to write an uplifting story and make it interesting. As a Christian, I think it is my responsibility to present a story that glorifies Christ Jesus and does not bring reproach upon His Name. It doesn’t mean I don’t have characters that don’t’ make bad choices or use bad words, I simply choose not to include the specific word. I’ve heard the argument from other Christians that they have to use sex and profanity to make their stories ‘realistic’, but I can quote from several popular authors and their books that avoided both and yet told compelling stories. I think writing from a perspective of godliness gives my characters a strength of character that is sometimes lacking in modern stories but is present in the classics.”
“You have a new release available. Can you tell us a little about that book?”
“Wish Upon a Double Moon is the last of the McKinnon stories. Adam McKinnon is a rancher who operates a training center to help newcomers transition to settlers. In the midst of trying to convince his best friend Lydia Landazuri to fall in love with him, he is co-opted to liaison with a film crew and is targeted by the leading lady as her next leading man. As if this isn’t enough trouble for our rancher, an Earth-based land developer begins buying up land and intimidating newcomers to sell their homesteads for a pittance. Adam finds convincing Lydia tough since she’s had the responsibility of caring for her siblings for most of her life and with the youngest getting married is finally free. As a newcomer herself, Lydia is instrumental in helping Adam run the training center, so Adam has plenty of opportunity to spend time with her. Whitney Lake, the actress-producer, likes Lydia, but tries her best to interest Adam. Without giving away spoilers, Lydia comes under attack and her life is in danger, but Adam thinks it’s tied to the land developer. He mobilizes the settlers and newcomers to save Mars for future generations, but the decision is taken out of their hands and placed in the hands of Earth courts. With both Lydia and Mars in danger, Adam is hard-pressed to find a solution and his frustration grows as he realizes he is powerless to save either.”
“We’ve been at this for a long time. Are you guys getting hungry? Carol, does anything seem interesting to you?”
“I saw that you have nachos on the menu that are made with potatoes. Those sound yummy.”
“Irish Nachos, coming up.”
“We have been at this for a while, but I have to ask one more question.”
“Of course, you do, Dan.”
“I think you’ll find this interesting, David. Carol, you had a blog post earlier in the year about ‘The Importance of the Mundane.’ It was about living as a Christian, and I agreed with your premise. I also thought it was good advice for authors. A lot of times, we skip over what some might consider the mundane details in our settings, in our dialogue and even in describing our characters. Do you agree that some mundane details are worth adding to a story?”
“Definitely! Writers need to connect with readers and what makes a reader sit up and take notice but the mundane details of life they share. It’s a way of giving our readers the sense that they, too, can do something important, be someone special, make a difference. I remember telling a friend who was a cancer survivor that if she only shared her victories, her audience couldn’t connect. She needed to share her failures, too, so her audience would believe ‘hey, if she struggled and won, so can I.’ It’s the same with the mundane. The mother that struggles to find time to write amid daily life of dishes, laundry, and meals. Essie Summers was a master of this in her novels. The father that is dog tired at the end of the day, but still takes time to read a story to the kids. The worker that goes the extra mile at the office in spite of never getting the credit. A standard trope in Korean dramas and telenovelas. It’s one reason Star Trek was popular. In the midst of all the action and adventure they took time out for the ordinary, everyday life. Mundane details sometimes are incorporated into the action and sometimes it’s just a quiet beat of rest before the action starts. It makes our characters human.”
“Carol, thank you so much for joining us today. It was fun getting to know more about you and your books.”
“Thanks so much for inviting me to hang out with you, David, and Cheryl. It’s been a blast and privilege! I’m looking forward to reading your next book, Dan!”
 | Visit Carol’s Blog |
 | Red Sands Chronicles |
 | Redline – The book I am currently enjoying |
 | Wish Upon a Double Moon – Carol’s latest release |
 | Knight’s Edge – a YA novel by Carol J. Parsons To see all Carol’s books, visit her Amazon Author Page |
 | Follow Carol on Twitter |
All five of my current books are now available in audio book form thanks to Amazon KDP’s Virtual Voice process. The voice is AI generated, but I can honestly say, it’s pretty darn good. The audio books are reasonably priced (all below $7 US) and, if you already own the Kindle version and want to add an audio version, you can do that for $1.99. There is a five-minute sample on the book page for each book. If you’re interested, click on any of the Dreamer’s Alliance book links below the image or on the link below for my latest book.
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