Sci-fi author Michael Colon chats with me today about his new novel, The Gift from Aelius.
Bio:
Michael Colon is a creative freelance writer and novelist, born and raised in the Big Apple, New York City. He uses his craft to profoundly impact the lives of others with thought-provoking words that breathe life into his characters. He often equates his writing to painting masterpieces with prose. His inspiration comes from various societal abnormalities, cultural differences, and his own life experiences. When he isn’t writing, he enjoys working out, watching sports, visiting museums, and exploring nature trails.
Welcome, Michael. What inspired you to write this book?
What inspired me to write The Gift from Aelius was to tell a story that involves political and ideological aspects of modern society with a creative urge to write a long-form fiction story. This sci-fi tale is a philosophical adventure and naturally goes along with how I think deeply. I also respect the speculative fiction genre, so it was fun to paint a story like this one.
Excerpt from The Gift from Aelius:
From Chapter 2
As I walk through the many sectors, I look at the digital advertising signsshowing humans as a threat to my kind. Some of the holographic ads showhumans as savage beasts that kill. I wonder if they are really that horrible.
I feel the emotion called sadness, but I can’t show sorrow because that is irregular behavior. I do not want to be banished, since this city is the only place on the planet where my kind can live in peace and safety. As long as we abide by the Overseer’s rules, my species will not go extinct. The Overseer regulates all operations conducted here on our sacred grounds. Paradise is made up of one hundred sectors where each Codex, depending on their function, is stationed.
I don’t like these advertisement holograms, cautioning us to avoid humans at all cost. As much as I like to daydream by looking up at the sky, these digital visuals that broadcast history ruins the splendor. According to history, humans abandoned us a long time ago. That’s how we ended up here in this city.
Mankind shipped us to an uninhabitable part of the planet where we must work in factories and perform other jobs until it is our time to be decommissioned then replaced with another Codex unit. This cycle continues because the Overseer made an agreement with humans so we can have a place in history. These oaths between our ruler and the leaders of human civilization are kept in check by the Paradise Knights. I have read that mankind has enough power to wipe us out in one day, if they choose to. Paradise has tall walls made of the hardest metal composites we could manufacture. These borders separate us from the human world.
What exciting project are you working on next?
I am working on the sequel to The Gift from Aelius, a Christian book related to my faith and a separate fiction book, not sci-fi. I’m very excited about all these upcoming projects because they are near and dear to my personal beliefs and satisfy my creative hunger to tackle more complex works of word art.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I first considered myself a writer when other platforms, such as blogs and magazines, accepted my work.
Do you write full-time? If so, what’s you, and how do you find time to write?
I do not write full-time. I have a day job in the security field. However, I write whenever possible during my workday and on my days off. However, writing is a big part of my lifestyle as a published author.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I’m not sure if I have a quirk, but I love listening to music while I write—all genres of music. I grew up a big fan of hip hop, so based on the mood, I’ll let songs guide my story depending on the scene and chapter.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a basketball player. I grew up playing the game almost every day. Eventually, Creative writing was my next path on this life journey.
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Never give up on what you’re passionate about. Hard work, faith, and consistency go a long way. The power for imagination is very potent and can spring fourth all sorts of inspiration to chase after.