Sci-fi author Lara J Nance joins me today to chat about her new dystopian science fiction novel, Rhythm Sword Warriors.
Bio:
Lara Nance is an award-winning author who spins unforgettable adventures in speculative fiction. A true wanderer at heart, she has lived aboard a sailboat and roamed the globe as a digital nomad, weaving her own daring experiences into the worlds she creates. Her stories invite readers to journey beyond the ordinary—where imagination meets adventure, and every page holds the promise of discovery.
Welcome, Lara. What inspired you to write this book?
The idea first sparked for me as an avid player of the virtual reality game, Beat Saber. I envisioned the cube that I attacked in the game as alien blobs, and had the thought, hey, what if a person was playing this game and then found that the skills used were very specialized and needed to kill alien invaders that couldn’t be killed any other way. From there my creative brain took over and imagined how this could play out in a dystopian world setting. I did a lot of research on the science side which included data about muon particles to validate the way the swords could work to kill aliens while taking into account the highly volatile nature of the particles. It was an interesting exercise in staying true to the science.
Excerpt from Rhythm Sword Warriors:
Calena sank onto her cushioned roll and stared at the wall beside her. Tomorrow morning the Globs would arrive. The humans would either wipe them out and go on to a new era of freedom and rebuilding their world, or they would be destroyed, and slowly the rest of those hidden in their small underground sanctuaries would be hunted down and killed until none of the human race remained.
The weight of that certainty penetrated her very soul and left her more frightened than she’d ever been. For thirty years they’d lived in a limbo world, eking out an existence, but not free to live above ground and rebuild. All that time, the aliens had probably been planning for future expansion and complete domination. She allowed images of her friends in Pavilion to float through her mind, a sad memorial to the departed. Miss Mina with her jasmine plants and sweet corn pudding, Jenna rocking a baby in her arms, all the others who’d touched her life over the years. All gone. Anger began to replace her anxiety, and she welcomed that.
“Cal?” Blake’s soft call interrupted her sad thoughts. He moved gently among the sleepers to her side and sat beside her. “I can stay with you tonight, if you want.”
She allowed herself to meet his gaze for only a second, then rested her hand on his. There was a good chance she wouldn’t make it through the battle the next day, but she didn’t want to talk to him about something so hopeless. She weighed spending the night in Blake’s arms versus alone. Somehow the idea of soaking in his care and affection felt like it would weaken her. She just couldn’t spend this last night focused on sweetness and love. She needed to boil in her hate and desire for revenge, so that the morning would find her cold and heartless, ready to kill.
“Thank you,” she said. “I really do appreciate that, but I need to focus on the rage I have inside me so I don’t crumble from fear. It’s best I do that alone.”
“I’ve never thought of you as being afraid,” he responded in a surprised tone. “I’ve always thought you were the bravest person I’d ever met.”
She managed to look at him again, and the conviction in his eyes boosted her spirit. He really did believe that. She squeezed his hand. “I better get some sleep.”
“Okay.” He leaned over to kiss her cheek. “Sleep well, warrior. Dream of dead Globs.”
“I will.” She closed her eyes and held tight to her hatred like a blood-soaked talisman.
What exciting project are you working on next?
For my next project, I’m diving into the sequel to my novel Starship Earth. In that story, humanity faces the unthinkable: the death of our sun, and their only chance at survival is to devise a way to move the entire planet to a new solar system. In the sequel, I’ll chronical the journey to the new solar system and how the few remaining humans endure the journey and the dangers of a planet hurtling through space. It’s an epic journey of science, courage, and faith, exploring how far we’ll go to save not just our species, but the fragile world we call home.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I first considered myself a writer when I finished a Star Trek fan fiction novel at around twenty-five. It started as just a fun project, but somewhere between the first outline and the final chapter, I fell in love with the process—building worlds, shaping characters, and discovering where the story wanted to go. When I typed “The End,” I was both shocked and thrilled that I had actually finished a novel. Suddenly, my head was buzzing with new plots and characters waiting to be written. That’s when it hit me: I wasn’t just someone who liked writing, I was a writer.
Do you write full-time? If so, what’s your workday like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I work full-time as a nurse practitioner in telehealth, which means I can take my job, and my curiosity, anywhere with a good Wi-Fi signal. I love being able to travel while still caring for patients. Writing fits neatly into the quieter spaces of my life, late at night or on days off when I can unwind and lose myself in storytelling. I always make time for writing as it’s become such an important part of me.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
It might not be the quirkiest habit, but whenever I’m writing a steamy love scene, I have to set the mood. I cue up something sultry like “Red Light Special” by TLC, pop on my noise-canceling headphones, and let the music do its magic. It’s like creating a private soundtrack for the scene. By the time the song hits its groove, I’m completely in the zone and the words just… flow.
Also, must-have snack – Dry Crispix cereal – not too fattening and satisfying crunch!
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Oddly enough, when I was a child, I wanted to be a fashion designer. Even then, my creative side was hard to ignore. By the time I was six, I was sewing dresses and painting whenever I could. I filled notebook after notebook with sketches of clothes I imagined, runways that existed only in my mind. Looking back, it’s clear that storytelling and design came from the same place: a love of creating something entirely my own.
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
I’ve always been fascinated by dystopian worlds. There’s something compelling about watching people think outside the box just to survive, using whatever they have on hand in clever, unexpected ways. I love seeing how resourcefulness and resilience can flourish in the harshest conditions. But what really draws me in is the human element, the moments when, despite chaos and darkness, people choose compassion, courage, and hope instead of cruelty. It’s that spark of goodness in the rubble that keeps me hooked.
Thanks so much for hosting my new release! It was a deeply touching work for me, and I hope that readers will enjoy the adventure and the complex characters in this novel!