Ask the Author! (Please!)

[Jude Austin]

Thank you for opening this topic. I appreciate this opportunity to talk to and hear from the author of a book I enjoyed. So, taking you at your word to ask anything, I have two questions: 1) The book is written from Kalin/Kata's point of view. It's through his eyes and experiences that we learn everything. I get that Project Tau is very important... I'm just wondering why you chose to title the book after Tau and not Kata. Can you say anything about that, please? 2) Dennison. The guy had it coming to him. I would have been very disappointed if he hadn't met his end. But I also couldn't help feeling like he got off too easily with that quick death. Did you consider making his death more gruesome and then changed your mind, or are you just not into that kind of thing? What were your thoughts writing that scene?

Wishing you every success!

Hi Kenesha!

Thank you so much! Yes, it's fine to ask me anything about this book or the sequel(s) Ask me as many questions as you want, as often as you want This book, other books in the series, non-Projects-related stuff; it's all good

1. Yes, the book could easily have been titled "Project Kata" instead of "Project Tau." However, Tau is the reason the story kicks off. Tau is the reason Kalin breaks into GenTech, Tau is the source of Kalin's growth - he would never have cared about Project rights if he hadn't met Tau, and we know from the book that he actually wanted to get into Project training and development; essentially, the kinds of job that Dennison and Renfield did - and Tau is indirectly the reason Kalin is mutated in the first place. I could replace Kata with any other character I created, but if I take Tau out of the story, the story ceases to exist.

2. Well, Dennison does suffer a bit from Kata at the start of the book, so he doesn't get off entirely scot-free There's also the aspect that very few readers enjoy reading about torture, even Dennison's
All that's secondary, though: the real point of giving him a quick death was to illustrate the fundamental difference between him and Tau. Tau doesn't believe that torture is right, regardless of the circumstances. In spite of his treatment, in spite of everything he's suffered, he gives Dennison a merciful end and proves that humanity is more than just a legal status

[docfatima]

Hi... is this your first book? House did you start writing?

[Foluso Falaye]

I am really psyched that you were a reviewer on this platform before you wrote a book yourself. I feel like I'm on a similar path. I'm interested in knowing how long you took to write your book and how challenging it was.

[DragonLight877]

Hello Jude. I really love being able to speak with the authors who write such awesome books! My question is about the world you've created. I'm curious if there are other worlds of civilization besides the three main super power worlds? And if so, did you have a planet that you really liked, but never made it into the book? (Or books.)

Hi DragonLight! Thank you so much; that's so nice of you to say

There are six worlds with confirmed settlements in the books: Atthiras, Trandellia, Basarr, Akkhen, Sedna and Drangyui. People in the Project Tau universe never, ever settle on any world that requires technology to make it habitable - ie, worlds with drastically different gravity or temperature or atmospheres - just like they never, ever build/use robots or AI. The new worlds were seen as an opportunity to avoid repeating the same mistakes. Space stations are considered an acceptable compromise, though There are also settlements on moons (like grounded space stations) but only on the moons which are orbiting already-settled planets, making it easy to evacuate in an emergency. 

This is because, several centuries ago, the terrorist group known as the Hive attacked the settled worlds by hacking into the technology used to make those worlds habitable. The settlements on all technologically settled worlds, from Mercury through to Pluto, were wiped out, with most people who survived attempting to flee to Terra. Of course, Terra not being equipped to deal with such a tremendous influx of people with different languages and cultures...yeah, it didn't turn out well. Wars broke out over resources, and the human race came very close to extinction.

Out of our original solar system, one of the dwarf planets (Sedna) is still inhabited. This is because Sedna has a really crazy orbital pattern (it takes 11,408 years to orbit the Sun) and low population, making it useless as any kind of target. These are referred to as the Old Worlds. While people do occasionally come and go from Sedna - Chatton was born there, and Tau and Kata visit Sedna at the beginning of Homecoming - Terra has been a no-go area for the past five hundred years. There's been no recorded contact, and it's now considered a dead world.

In the New Worlds (the five I mentioned earlier) there are only really two power worlds: Trandellia and Akkhen (GenTech is a corporation, not a world ) Atthiras is big enough to be considered one, but it has no settlements. Neither Trandellia nor Akkhen could agree on who was to have it, so they both agreed that it would remain strictly neutral. This is why, although Akkhen has a field hospital and training camp on Atthiras, and Trandellia uses it for the Challenge, their respective planetary governments (High Command and Core Central) have no legal claim to Atthiras itself.

Of the remaining worlds, Basarr is about the size of our moon, and famous for SACAS (home of the Phi Mu Alpha fraternity who sent Kalin to GenTech). That's about all it's famous for; outside the college town, Basarr is a very poor, rough-and-ready place to live. 

Drangyui isn't much better; the atmosphere is slightly thin, but not fatally so, and it's a source of ore. Again, very rough; it's the kind of place where traders and bounty hunters go to get drunk. Home to a lot of mines and quarries. So far, this is the only world not to have been visited in the books, for the simple reason that there's very little there I might visit it in future books, but for now I'm concentrating on the two main ones: Akkhen and Atthiras. Trandellia's also going to make appearances, but not as many. After the events of Homecoming, it's very unlikely Kalin will want to go back there

As for which world I'm most looking forward to, that has to be Akkhen. Kalin visits it briefly during Homecoming, but it's not until Book 3 that it really gets to develop

Jude thank you so much for such a good response! I'm so excited to read the second book. I love hearing about Terra and what happened to the other planets. I really appreciate such a thorough response.

[Jude Austin]

Jude thank you so much for such a good response! I'm so excited to read the second book. I love hearing about Terra and what happened to the other planets. I really appreciate such a thorough response.

No problem The world-building and all the cultures of the different worlds (and different cultures in different areas of the different worlds) is one of the things I love most about being a sci-fi author I plan to include maps and illustrations of the various wildlife and trees mentioned throughout the series in my newsletter, for the curious

Hi... is this your first book? House did you start writing?

Hi docfatima!

Do you mean the first book I wrote, or the first book I published?

Either way, the answer's no The very first book I wrote (not counting a super-long Aliens fanfic I wrote between the ages of 11-14, which is known as "the York story") was called Danshi and dealt with a man being abducted onto a mission to a new planet and his struggles to survive that planet, its inhabitants, and return home. The abduction thing does make a bit more sense in context I finished that when I was 18, and wrote two sequels (Kheshen and Tluor). Project Tau was the fourth book I wrote, and I actually wrote it about 13-14 years ago.

In between then and now, I wrote a terrorist thriller called Tsunami, and two YA novels set in the same universe as the Projects books, but much, much earlier (I plan to develop that into a full-fledged series at some point as well). Finally, I wrote Homecoming, which is the sequel to Project Tau.

Out of that list, Tsunami was the first book I published. It's never been released as an ebook and is currently out of print, but I have plans to work on it for the future. It needs a lot of TLC, though. I think it's a good book in essentials, but I really didn't want to write it and it shows

As for how I started writing, I used to make little books out of wads of Post-It notes when I was very young, fill up notebooks with short stories. I had a really great teacher called Neil Escott who encouraged me a lot when I was a child. I sold my first story when I was 12 (it was a "Write the next installment in our serial" competition; I won, got my story printed and received a check for it ) and it went on from there!

I am really psyched that you were a reviewer on this platform before you wrote a book yourself. I feel like I'm on a similar path. I'm interested in knowing how long you took to write your book and how challenging it was.

Hi Folushour!
If I remember rightly (it was about 13 years ago when I wrote Project Tau, even though it was recently published) it took me about six months. Honestly, I don't find writing challenging unless it's non-fiction Or non-sci-fi/fantasy, so it was a lot of fun

[Marlaszw]

I feel like your book could be categorized as 'science fiction realism' even though that isn't a genre yet. It definitely had the feel of some of the magic realism books I have read, but with futuristic science instead of magic. I really enjoyed your writing style. I do wonder what made you decide to keep so many 21st century cultural elements in the book. Things like fraternity clubs, coke, a quote on the wall referring to WWII. Why would our culture be relevant. I have my own ideas about why you may have done this, but would like to hear what you have to say about it.

[Jude Austin]

I feel like your book could be categorized as 'science fiction realism' even though that isn't a genre yet. It definitely had the feel of some of the magic realism books I have read, but with futuristic science instead of magic. I really enjoyed your writing style. I do wonder what made you decide to keep so many 21st century cultural elements in the book. Things like fraternity clubs, coke, a quote on the wall referring to WWII. Why would our culture be relevant. I have my own ideas about why you may have done this, but would like to hear what you have to say about it.

Hi Marlaszw!

Thank you so much! Science fiction realism definitely should be a genre I always say that I write 'reality' in my books; none of my characters are amazing superheroes, they're just normal people thrust into very abnormal situations. They do normal people stuff

Anyway, to answer your question, there were actually two main reasons for it.

Firstly, because although human technology marches on, human nature remains more or less the same. I believe the classics will continue to exist, as we now have the means of preserving information that our ancestors lacked, thanks to computers and the internet.

It's like when Kalin quotes Silence of the Lambs at a confused Tau. This movie is entered into the Library of Congress (ie, "We're going to keep this movie and keep updating it onto new ways of viewing it, because it's so great that it shouldn't be allowed to disappear.") so it makes perfect sense that it would still be around and that he would have seen it. He may have seen it in amazing HD or through a new technique that lets him enter the movie world in VR, but he would have seen it. I did take the liberty of adding Aliens to the Library of Congress, though

Quotations would also still last. While WWII would be treated in the same vein as, say, the Peloponnesian War today, it would still be remembered, and classic poems and the like would still exist in cyberspace. In particular, the WWII poem in Mason's office is so famous that I think that would definitely be kept on the internet in perpetuity; the lessons are just as valid in 3391 as they are in 2020 Some of the terms used would be unfamiliar to him, but the underlying message is just as clear no matter who the poem talks about.

Secondly, it makes it easier for readers to connect with characters (in all genres) if there are familiar items. There's nothing that makes me think that fraternity clubs are going to disappear. Same goes for Coke (although Kalin's favorite drink turns out to be a soda called Nova in later books ) Going back to the movie example, by using Silence of the Lambs and Aliens, readers can get an idea of what kind of genre he likes and know him better as a character. When he tells Tau the stories of the movies, readers can understand right away instead of thinking, "Who's that character? What's a Zirptth-foo? What kind of movie are we even talking about?"

It's not really a case of "21st century culture exists in the 34th century." It's just "we preserved history thanks to the internet and computers, and that information is available for our descendants." Also, in terms of technology, the worlds of Project Tau are very low-key when it comes to such things, because of what happened on the Old Worlds

[raindropreader]

Hi Jude!
These questions does not have to do with your book but I thought it would be fun to ask anyway
1. What is your favorite genre to read and who is your favorite author?
2. What do you like doing in your free time (besides writing, if that's something you do in your free time:-)?
3. What kind of movies do you like?
4. What country would you travel to if you could pick any?

Hi Thea Frederick!

Sure, ask me anything!

1. Favorite authors and genres...ooh, too many to count. I like some of Angela Brazil's stories though; I'm a sucker for social history, even school stories Also, Rick Riordan - I grew up on Greek myths as a kid, so reading his series is like coming home for me - and Evadne Price, who wrote the Jane books. Terry Pratchett, Bernard Cornwell, the list goes on and on!

2. Most of my free time is taken up with writing (I love it, so I don't mind ) Beyond that, I'm a gamer - I love my VR headset - and recently began developing my own games. My cunning plan is that, if enough people like the games, they might check out the books they're based on as well I also like hula dancing. I used to do a lot of art, but recently I don't have a great deal of time.

3. I'll basically watch anything, providing it entertains me. This is why my shelf currently has titles like Gladiator and Silence of the Lambs sharing space with Ratatouille I like horror/action if it's well-written (Terminator, Aliens etc) I really don't like romantic movies, although some romantic comedies are fine. I also love historical movies, providing they go back far enough I'll watch just about any genre if you put the word historical in front of it I'm not a fan of zombies though. I don't know why; there's just something about zombies that bores me.

I'll watch sci-fi, but I like it to be relatable, which is part of the reason why references to things like Star Wars make appearances in Project Tau. After all, the movies Kalin references are on the list of Movies to be Preserved by the Library of Congress (well, the first Alien movie is, and in the centuries between now and when the book takes place, I decided someone would add the second) so it's very likely people in the future will keep watching them. They'll see them in amazing HD and possibly VR TV, but they'll see them

I also love silent movies of any genre. My all-time favorite silent movie has to be the comedy, "Safety Last."

4. I'd like to go to China (specifically, Kunming) My former roommate was from there and she showed me some pictures. It looks absolutely gorgeous! Failing that, I'd like to go to Jordan - I love deserts, and I've never been to that part of the world - or Lebanon, both for the country and the food. I'll have to pass on the wines, since I'm a teetotaler, but I really love Lebanese food

Oooooh you have a VR set!!! What VR games do you play?? And what coding language are you using for your game you are creating??? That is so awesome

[Jude Austin]

Oooooh you have a VR set!!! What VR games do you play?? And what coding language are you using for your game you are creating??? That is so awesome

I do! I have an HTC Vive which serves as my escape
Games: Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin, Fallout 4, Ocean Rift, Windlands, Holodance, Holoball and Tilt Brush

Coding language...at the moment, it's Ruby. I'm building it in RPG Maker with a custom interface, as this is the easiest tool to use for storytelling.
I really wanted to write it in the design of the old Sierra/LucasArts adventure games, but I'm not sure if they'd be popular. Also, while I'm not too bad at drawing backgrounds, I really suck at characters and suck even more at animating And animators are expensive

[docfatima]

Thank you for such awesome and detail response. Shows your dedication towards your readers and also how you love writing.

[Kachi_Ejiogu+_]

Hi Jude,

It is so cool to actually read your piece. Your book reminded me of a variety of things from history and from movies. The use of cloning made me think of the film The Blindspot. The way in which the clones were treated made me think of the conditions that the enslaved Africans endured during the period of slavery and slave trade. My question is what made you think in the direction?

Great piece it was.

[Kenesha Latoya Fowler]

Thank you for opening this topic. I appreciate this opportunity to talk to and hear from the author of a book I enjoyed. So, taking you at your word to ask anything, I have two questions: 1) The book is written from Kalin/Kata's point of view. It's through his eyes and experiences that we learn everything. I get that Project Tau is very important... I'm just wondering why you chose to title the book after Tau and not Kata. Can you say anything about that, please? 2) Dennison. The guy had it coming to him. I would have been very disappointed if he hadn't met his end. But I also couldn't help feeling like he got off too easily with that quick death. Did you consider making his death more gruesome and then changed your mind, or are you just not into that kind of thing? What were your thoughts writing that scene?

Wishing you every success!

Hi Kenesha!

Thank you so much! Yes, it's fine to ask me anything about this book or the sequel(s) Ask me as many questions as you want, as often as you want This book, other books in the series, non-Projects-related stuff; it's all good

1. Yes, the book could easily have been titled "Project Kata" instead of "Project Tau." However, Tau is the reason the story kicks off. Tau is the reason Kalin breaks into GenTech, Tau is the source of Kalin's growth - he would never have cared about Project rights if he hadn't met Tau, and we know from the book that he actually wanted to get into Project training and development; essentially, the kinds of job that Dennison and Renfield did - and Tau is indirectly the reason Kalin is mutated in the first place. I could replace Kata with any other character I created, but if I take Tau out of the story, the story ceases to exist.

2. Well, Dennison does suffer a bit from Kata at the start of the book, so he doesn't get off entirely scot-free There's also the aspect that very few readers enjoy reading about torture, even Dennison's
All that's secondary, though: the real point of giving him a quick death was to illustrate the fundamental difference between him and Tau. Tau doesn't believe that torture is right, regardless of the circumstances. In spite of his treatment, in spite of everything he's suffered, he gives Dennison a merciful end and proves that humanity is more than just a legal status

Hi again, Jude,

Thanks for replying. I get it now. And that bit about Tau? Now that is good characterization! The way you are able to explain his thoughts and actions... I struggle with this aspect of writing, so I'm always appreciative when I see other writers do it well.

Anyway, thanks again. I'm looking forward to reading the next book. As we say here in France, bonne continuation!

[Jude Austin]

Hi Jude,

It is so cool to actually read your piece. Your book reminded me of a variety of things from history and from movies. The use of cloning made me think of the film The Blindspot. The way in which the clones were treated made me think of the conditions that the enslaved Africans endured during the period of slavery and slave trade. My question is what made you think in the direction?

Great piece it was.

Hi Kachi_Ejiogu!

Thank you so much

It kind of built up in a number of ways. Firstly, clones created in a lab would naturally have no ID, so they would have no citizenship. Even if they did, I can see problems arising in trying to figure out which citizenship: if the donor was German, the scientist who actually performed the cloning American, and the lab on Italian soil, is the clone German (because the DNA came from a German donor) or American (because the actual creator was American) or Italian (because he/she was created in an Italian-owned facility?)

With that in mind, they wouldn't exist in any system. Granted, they could become nationalized citizens, but - as Renfield points out - spending so much money and time on creating a clone just to say goodbye would be considered a serious waste of resources.

On the other hand, slavery is illegal throughout the world of the books. Indentured servitude to pay for a crime happens, and some unscrupulous quarries and mines won't look too hard at the paperwork, but the idea of breeding a slave race is repugnant. This is why human clones referred to as "Projects;" it's so the scientists don't have to use the word 'human' in connection with them in any way, shape or form. It's also why they're classified as livestock; so they can be used, abused, trained, experimented on, bought and sold without any crisis of conscience, just like buying cattle. Taking it to its darkest conclusion, the sexual assault Tau suffers isn't considered rape under the law, but bestiality.

As we say here in France, bonne continuation!

Hi again!
Merci beaucoup! J'espere que vous aimerez le prochain livre (Okay, sorry; my French is very rusty as it's a long time since I had to use it I'm not sure what I actually said, but what I wanted to say was that I hope you enjoy the next book )

[raindropreader]

Oooooh you have a VR set!!! What VR games do you play?? And what coding language are you using for your game you are creating??? That is so awesome

I just googled the HTC Vive and I am amazed that you have one!! oceanrift looks so incredible.

I will look into RPG Maker. I have very little coding knowledge but I’m going to try watching a ton of tutorials on YouTube lol
I do! I have an HTC Vive which serves as my escape
Games: Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin, Fallout 4, Ocean Rift, Windlands, Holodance, Holoball and Tilt Brush

Coding language...at the moment, it's Ruby. I'm building it in RPG Maker with a custom interface, as this is the easiest tool to use for storytelling.
I really wanted to write it in the design of the old Sierra/LucasArts adventure games, but I'm not sure if they'd be popular. Also, while I'm not too bad at drawing backgrounds, I really suck at characters and suck even more at animating And animators are expensive

[raindropreader]

Hello Jude! First of all i want to say, that as a doctor, the mere idea of a book about clones turns me into a child on christmas eve. That being said. What do you think that is more likely to happen first, a scenario the likes of your book where humans take a hold of genetic ingenierie to create a supply of servants (not to say slaves), or another where something too similar (and at the same time completely different) like artificial intelligence takes place for the same purpose.
Granted, probably neither is going to happen within our life spawn. Alas, entertaining to think about

Damis, I know this question was for Jude and not me but I had to tell you I absolutely love this question. I read a ton of dystopia so I think about this often... I’m inclined to think that AI would use humans as slaves before the cloning and using clones as slaves essentially. But then... we can’t truly know I guess. However with the speed of our tech not progressing as fast as one would think I have to go with AI.