Living in Dublin, Ireland, Eliza grew up reading science fiction classics and watching sci fi programs on TV, like Firefly {Nathan Fillian . . . swoon}. So it's no wonder she decided to write a story of her own. She tells us she gets great ideas from going to the cinema, listening to music, and watching documentaries. If there's a story in something, Eliza will find a way to tell it.
Eliza calls her work 'down-to-earth' science fiction . . very human stories told in outer space. Her debut story, Becoming Human, is testament to her down-to-earth style. The first book in the Exilon 5 Trilogy, Becoming Human
is Bill Taggart's story. The year is 2163. The Earth is over-crowded and Bill and his team are sent to populate exoplanet, Exilon 5. Only, it's already populated by its own species who are none too happy to see the Humans.We had a chat with Eliza recently --
Welcome, Eliza, and congratulations on your debut release, Becoming Human. Let's deviate from the usual 'where do you get your ideas', 'what inspired the story', 'why sci fi' questions. Our readers want to know about you as an author and and every day girl.
Small, cramped, organised. I’m surrounded by a laptop, several notebooks and my first stereo system that I bought in 1997. It still gives out great sound and despite the suggestions from my partner that I should upgrade, I can’t get rid of it. It’s a piece of history. I write in a small area in one of the rooms at the back of my house. It’s where I get the most peace and quiet. I had a much larger desk downstairs to the front of the house, but I get much more done up here. Even though I like it, I dream of having one of those large desks and a black leather chair I can swivel around in. Someday . . .
I can related to that. A writer will find any quiet corner available, wherever it is. A big desk with a black leather swivel chair sounds divine!
Tell us about your day. What is your daily writing routine like?
It’s entirely dependent on my day job. I only have the evenings and weekends to write so that’s when I do all of my writing related work. If I’m particularly busy in work, writing is the last thing on my mind when I go home. When it’s quiet, I can plan my week out to include my writing schedule. If I’m in full writing mode, I try to give myself a weekly word goal. There’s no point in planning day by day. I find planning over a week keeps me much more focused.
At the moment, I’m editing the second book in the Exilon 5 trilogy, ALTERED REALITY. I’m also spending a lot of time promoting BECOMING HUMAN, but that will have to change in the near future if I’m to keep on top of the second book.
Oh, yes. Promos. Very time consuming but also very important. What do you enjoy doing when you're not writing or promoting your work?
I’m a huge film fan. I find going the cinema very relaxing and I also get a few ideas for stories when I’m there. I’m a bit of a food glutton and I’m partial to a drop or two of wine! Restaurants and wine are my thing and I have a few friends who are only too happy to indulge with me. Apart from that, I like to read, sorry, love to read. Oh, and I attempt a bit of Zumba Fitness on the side. Not with wine though. Too messy . . .
Film, food, and fitness. I'm with you there! Although, Zumba with wine in a sippy cup might work ;-)
Thanks for stopping by for a chat and letting our readers know more about you. Now let's learn a little more about Becoming Human --
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In 2163, a polluted and overcrowded Earth forces humans to search for a new home. But the exoplanet they target, Exilon 5, is occupied. Having already begun a massive relocation programme, Bill Taggart is sent to monitor the Indigenes, the race that lives there. He is a man on the edge. He believes the Indigenes killed his wife, but he doesn’t know why. His surveillance focuses on the Indigene Stephen, who has risked his life to surface during the daytime.
Stephen has every reason to despise the humans and their attempts to colonise his planet. To protect his species from further harm, he must go against his very nature and become human. But one woman holds a secret that threatens Bill’s and Stephen’s plans, an untruth that could rip apart the lives of those on both worlds.
Central Council had instructed Stephen, along with two other Indigenes to find out more about the Surface Creatures. The group prepared in advance, agreeing that there had been no need for the artificial skin, instead settling for clothes that covered them from head to toe. They quickly learned that larger-numbered groups only encouraged fear and aggression amongst them.
While the Surface Creatures they met had been happy to talk, their level of involvement with them was entirely superficial. Stephen probed deeper, risking difficult, more personal questions each time. The answers were identical. Why do you want to know? What’s it to you? You’d do well to keep your nose out of my business, pal.
He knew they had to switch focus onto the Surface Creatures’ children in the hopes that suspicion and mistrust did not yet exist in their psyche. It had proven difficult to track them. Children were difficult to separate from their Surface Creatures. But the group’s luck had changed one night when they stumbled upon a group of seven youngsters, drinking and chatting noisily at the back of a disused replication terminal.
The boys had been curious about the three oddly-dressed strangers making their way towards them. Stephen, unfamiliar with their habits, hadn’t introduced himself before launching straight into a specific line of questioning. The children took an instant dislike to him and answered his questions sullenly, on occasion replying with another question. Stephen admitted later on that they’d struggled to keep control of the conversation. The innocent enquiries and retorts were bandied back and forth for a while until the Indigenes changed tack, asking questions that were more personal. While the boys wrongly presumed the Indigenes couldn’t hear their whispers, they had picked up every word.
‘Who the fuck are these losers?’
‘I know. I’m losing me buzz.’
‘I’m bored.’
‘C’mon, let’s show these clowns what dirt tastes like.’
‘Yeah!’
‘I wanna go home.’
‘Stay where you are Jason. Everybody’s stayin’ put.’
‘D’ya think they’re some kind o’ military?’
‘Dunno. They’re not wearing uniforms.’
‘Don’t wanna to get into no trouble.’
‘Don’t be an idiot Jason, do as I say.’
‘Seven against three.’
The children had rounded on them. The group heard of mob mentality but were surprised to witness it in ones so young. They continued to close in from all sides. The Indigenes were significantly taller than they were, but that hadn’t discouraged them.
‘Seven against three,’ they repeated, slurring their words.
They threw themselves at Stephen and the others, arms flailing and legs kicking, fuelled by a mixture of alcohol and stupidity. Before the boys’ punches could reach them, they had disappeared.
‘Where … where’d they go?’
They looked at each other in confusion, confirming with their eyes that each had seen the same thing.
‘What the fuck?’
‘It’s like them Shadow People I keep hearing ‘bout.’
‘Don’t be an idiot, that’s just legend – a story to scare the little kiddies so they don’t fall ‘sleep.’
‘No, I heard them people’s real. They hunt late at night and they eat kids and adults if they sleep. Sometimes they catch them out here.’
‘That doesn’t even make sense, Jason. We’re out here ev’ry night, and I ain’t seen no Shadow People.’
‘Well what’dya call them people just here then?’
‘Fucking losers.’
The group had travelled far enough away from the children but not so far that they hadn’t been able to hear their entire conversation. It was the first time Stephen had heard the term ‘Shadow People’ and knew that the hunters they were afraid of were quite real.
-- >> Eliza is giving away a digital copy of Becoming Human to the best comment or question today, so be sure to use the comments section below!
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Eliza Green writes down-to-earth science fiction that has stemmed from her life long obsession with science fiction stories. She has worked in many industries from fashion to sport to finance, but caught the writing bug several years ago and has now released her first novel, BECOMING HUMAN, part one of the Exilon 5 trilogy.
Since Eliza was young, she has always been a fan of science fiction television shows and films and is bringing that love to her new trilogy. She hopes to capture the imagination of readers who shy away from the genre with her new novel, set on Earth and Exilon 5.
She is currently working on ALTERED REALITY, book 2 in the Exilon 5 trilogy.
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Grab a copy of Becoming Human on Amazon for your Kindle. Available in March for other formats from Smashwords.
You can find Eliza online --
Eliza's Website – http://elizagreenbooks.com
Eliza on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/elizagreenbooks
Eliza on Twitter – https://twitter.com/elizagreenbooks
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