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While reading through Darrell Bain’s answers to my interview questions, I found him to be a down-to-earth man who enjoys the simple things in life. He’s someone you could be comfortable hanging around with—but his writing jumps into a whole other realm. He writes bizarre science fiction with a different twist on the political, personal, and social world around us, but he somehow manages to draw me into this very different place. And he brings it all together with great characters, keeping me glued to their lives and situations, wanting to find out how it all comes together in the end. For those reasons, Darrell Bain is one of the few science fiction authors I’ve read more than once.
Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, Darrell spent his childhood exploring their farm while his little brother tagged along. Then he learned to read, and he spent most of his time doing that. The funniest things he’s ever read are the M*A*S*H books and Semi-Tough. He kept chuckling for days after reading them, thinking about some of the hilarious scenes.
Darrell is a collector of miniature cannons and mortars and pestles. His greatest pleasures in life are writing, reading, and interacting with his wife, Betty. They’ve been married for over thirty years, yet they’ve never had a fight, and they rarely ever raise their voices at each other.
Some of his favorite things are science fiction, his brother Gary, his computer, old clothes that are soft and fit right, beer, strawberry shortcake, their two dachshunds, his book collection, and their home.
On Writing, in Darrell Bain’s Own Words
What or who inspires you to write?
I don’t have a clue. I’ve always liked to write, and once computers came along and made it so easy, it’s hard not to write. So far as being inspired to write a particular story or novel, most anything that pops into my mind can do that. I have far more ideas for stories than I’ll ever be able to write about.
Which author inspires you?
Robert A. Heinlein
What do you find most rewarding about writing?
Holding the completed book in my hand.
Have you ever experienced writer’s block? And if so, how did you cure it?
I may get blocked with a particular story or novel, but, if so, I just start something else and go back to it later. I started one novel, Strange Valley, and I didn’t come back to it for ten years, until science advanced enough to give me an idea of how to continue it. It turned out to be one of my favorite books.
When is your next book due out, and what’s it about?
My next ebook will be out in a couple of months. It’s Galactic Frontiers, a novel of exploring the galaxy. I also have a couple of print novels coming out in November of this year: Bigfoot Crazy (one of the books in the Medics Wild series, also known as the Williard Brothers series) and the trade paperback version of Savage Survival. The first quarter of 2009 will see Warp Point in print.
Be sure to check out the works of Darrell Bain at
DarrellBain.com. I guarantee you’ll find something totally different, and you just might pick up a new favorite author. To get a taste of what I’m talking about, read
my review of Savage Survival.
