Got quite a bit of caving done recently. Some were trips I led, but one really fun one was my leadership revalidation where we got to play in the bits of Wookey Hole that the tourists don't usually get in. We also tried out their adventure caving route to give advice on its suitability for running training courses.

Anywho, on with the rest of the post. In my interview today, I am talking to John Wilker, author of the Space Rogues series.

What draws you to writing science fiction?
I've always been a dreamer and optimist. Around my middle school years, I swore I wanted to freeze myself at 40 so I could be woken up in a glorious future of peace and prosperity for all. When I turned 40 I told no one of that plan :D
I think science fiction, even the darker stuff, is optimistic, even that post-apocalypse stuff. The general feeling seems to always be, to quote Ian Malcolm, "Life, uh, life finds a way." :) I think that's important.

When did you decide to become a writer?
I don't know that was a particular finger snapping moment, but in 3rd grade I entered a Young Authors contest and won. I got to meet a famous author (who I can't recall now, but my mom was thrilled), I got a neat gold seal sticker to put on my one and only print edition (this was the 80s). I've always found a way to imbue creativity into my writing, whether it is a work email, a Facebook post, etc.
In 2016 I entered (for the 10th time) NaNoWriMo and just by luck my November was light and I kept up the pace until I hit a point where not finishing would be silly. That was the birth of my current status as "Writer".

For your own reading, do you prefer ebooks or traditional books?
Ebook. I LOVE paper books, but they're heavy. I've moved enough in my life and had to move countless boxes of books, that I just don't want to any more.
There's also a bit of an environmental issue for me. We need trees making oxygen, not mass market paperbacks.
I'm torn, too. For comfort reading I don't think anything beats paper. However, when I'm out and about, particularly on expedition, I don't want the weight of actual books. As I'd have my 'phone anyway, the Kindle app works great.

Tell us a little about the series.
When I finished the first book, I couldn't wait to tell more stories about the crew of the Ghost. They entertained me to no end, and I hoped that they'd entertain others. I immediately had an idea for book 2 and have already started book 3.

What are your thoughts on writing a book series?
I don't have a strong opinion other than I enjoy reading series. Mostly because I know the characters. If I move from book one, to book two, I want as much as I can get about the characters. Several of my favorite series are at or past ten books. Each book to me is an episode of the TV series the books form in my head. I can't get enough.
That said, I don't shy away from one-off books. There are plenty of books that are excellent and go no further than the one book. I'm ok with that.
Good luck with book 3 and thank you for taking the time to talk to me.