Tell us about yourself
I am a former professional photographer and Prison Officer of 25 years service. I also worked in engineering before that. During full-time education, I was a Prefect, House Captain and Librarian and began reading Science Fiction at the age of nine. In those days everything was in black and white (including me) and if one could not get to sleep at night one read. I did not even own a radio until I was fifteen. Our idea of home entertainment was to gather around the piano and violin and sing.
What started you on a path of writing?
I began writing at 13 years of age and included my classmates in the stories. If anyone was mean to me or did not do what I required of them, I killed them off in the story. The headmaster found out about my compulsion and began supplying me with paper and pens. One of my pieces was turned into a school play and I stared in the resultant production – in assembly. It was about a time traveller going back in time to save Jesus from being crucified. My inspirations were Asimov, Heinlein and Harrison. I later moved onto Dick and Card (Philip. K. and Orson Scott, in case you were wondering). Once a father I wrote stories for my son who as you can guess starred in the pieces and I recorded them onto cassette for him to listen to before he went to sleep. At that time I was a devout Trekkie and even went to conventions in uniform (sad but great fun).
Is there a message in your books?
The constant message that runs through my books, mostly set in the 33rd Century, is that though technology will evolve, mankind does not and he remains the same marred creature he always was and always will be. All my books are written with one distinct purpose. Amusement and entertainment. I do not write brilliant prose but I can tell a story.
What have readers said about your books?
Readers tend to find my books entertaining but also funny, I often weave aspects of Blackadder and Monty Python into them, even Laurel and Hardy. I also use references from Progressive Rock music and Rock Music. One book, in particular, I wrote in cooperation with Antony Kalugin of Karfagen. You can read the book and then listen to the album or visa versa. We mutually admire one another.
What inspired the book Mirror of Mirrors?
I have a recurrent theme of mirrors in several of my books and Mirror of Mirrors was supposed to be the one that finished off the theme after Mirror of Illusion, Mirror of Delusion, Mirrortome and Hall of Mirrors, but I suspect there will be more in the future. I cannot stop writing and am always behind my ideas. Where do they come from? They come from everywhere. Inspiration comes from – Karfagen, Riverside, Early Genesis, Alice Cooper, Camel, Laurel and Hardy, Star Trek, Hawkwind, Penny Dreadful, Mary Shelly, Prison, Photography, Love, Death, Ambition, Football…… the list is endless.
Is there an upcoming book?
Sneak Preview – Orang-U-Can – Nik Gehenna – When Orang-U-Can loses their third match in a row in the opening of the 2287-88 season Clara Trentavoria, daughter of Hugh and owner of the biggest corporation the solar system has ever seen decides to do something drastic. She sacks the manager and replacing him with herself. She treats the players like men instead of boys and takes the ancient game of football to a whole new level. A rival manager takes understandable exception to her style and decides that Clara Trentavoria must die!
When writing Science Fiction I write under the name Roxbrough.
When writing Fantasy I write under the name Nik Gehenna
When writing romance I write under the name Gloria Trubbshore
