Author of Visions of Iotan
Joining me today is the author, Jaimie Schock, author of the science fiction novel Visions of Iotan which will be published today, March 20th, 2021.
Welcome Jaimie, to start us off please tell us about your brand new book Visions of Iotan.
Jaimie: Visions of Iotan is a stand-alone science-fiction novel featuring a gay protagonist, a talking capybara, an evil priest, and bison-sized benevolent aliens. The story follows Cillian, a nurse whose daughter accidentally kills an alien child. From prison, he is given a chance to take his family on a trip to another planet, and he agrees. This decision sends them on a journey rife with danger, from which they might never return.
Helen: First of all congratulations on the launch of your novel, it is such a special day when your book goes live. Visions of Iotan, can you give us a little background on how you came up with the name.
Jaimie: “Iotan” is the name of the planet they visit (in the Iota Horologii system), and “Visions” refers to hallucinations that Cillian ends up experiencing.
Helen: This is a science fiction novel, but you don’t just write sci-fi do you?
Jaimie: I write adult fantasy and science-fiction, always with LGBTQ+ and disabled characters. Though I am currently working on a high fantasy, I am open to writing other genres such as horror and YA.
Helen: It’s great to see inclusive novels being being written. There is definitely demand for them. Do you have a favourite character in the book?
Jaimie: My favorite character from Visions of Iotan is an alien nicknamed Rapunzel. It starts off as just a worker on the ship, but soon enough it performs a valuable role in the story. It helps Cillian and his family substantially. I also really like the name. My second favorite character is a trans woman named Zoe, who is the resident doctor on the ship. She becomes a friend and colleague to Cillian, as well as a voice of reason when things start to go bad.
Helen: I know you are just launching your book, but are you working on anything else? Do you have another work in progress?
Jaimie: My current untitled work-in-progress features a lesbian bard who plays the flute. She is assigned to a mountainous country named Centralla. When a child is murdered, the country descends into a civil war that gets worse and worse as time goes on. The Bard must balance a burgeoning relationship with a witch while helping to diffuse the conflict.
Helen: Sounds very interesting. I love stories with bards for some reason, more I think because they travel and tell stories, spread the word and entertain just like we do! I look forward to it being available! How does writing fit into your daily life. I am sure you have demands pulling you in all directions.
Jaime: I’m disabled and haven’t worked in an office setting since 2013. The moment I stopped traditional work, I began writing novels. I have written eight books and begun a ninth in that time. I write during weekdays predominately in the afternoon. I like to save the evenings and weekends for spending time with my husband, friends, and family.
Helen: Congratulations on being so prolific, most authors are lucky to finish one book! It’s easy starting, it’s the finishing that’s challenging! Tell us a little about your writing progress. Do you plan out your books or do you pantser, and write as you go?
Jaimie: I’m a pantser. I write chronologically without chapters (and put them in after a few revisions). I rarely know what’s going to happen when I begin. I wrote my entire series this way, along with Visions of Iotan and my new project.
Helen: It has been lovely chatting with you, Jaimie. Thank you so much for spending time with me and I wish you every success with your new book. Just one last question. What advice would you give other Indie authors?
Anna: Just write. Whether you plan your whole story ahead of time or start with just a basic idea, the most important thing is to write your heart out. If and when you start querying your piece, don’t lose hope if you get a lot of rejections. For my first story, a fantasy series called The Talisman War, I queried more than 100 agents and more than 20 publishers and got rejected by every single one before getting a publishing deal directly.
About the Author
Jaimie is an author, editor, and journalist with more than a decade of professional experience. I have been published in newspapers and magazines as a journalist, and my novels have been published via a small press. I am married and living in Northern Virginia. Though I have an extensive career, I am disabled with PTSD and chronic illness. I try to incorporate my life experiences into the fictional pieces I write while delivering complex and diverse characters. My pronouns are she/her, and I am proudly a member of the LGBTQ+ community.
You can find out more about Jaime Schock on:
Website
Publisher
Amazon page
and purchase her book Visions of Iotan now.
Helen Garraway 