Science Fiction
Date Published: July 1, 2018
Thanks to nanochips implanted in human brains, the world is at peace in 2055. But not everyone likes having their emotions controlled, or their religion suppressed.
Eighteen-year-old Raissa embarks upon a perilous mission to free the world, just days before the release of nanochip Version 7, which will broadcast every citizen's thoughts to the Collective.
The countdown has started, and Raissa must make choices that jeopardize the lives of billions, including the only boy she has ever loved.
Note: Some discussion of technology, some “techno-speak”; clean, no sex or swearing; some non-graphic violence, a tiny bit of graphic violence.
Interview
Is There a Message in Your Novel That You Want Readers to
Grasp?
This may not apply to all writers,
but it does to me: the minute I try to incorporate a message in my writing, it
comes out stilted. Humor is similar. If I try to make something funny, it never
is.
However, I do try to explore a theme. In Eden Chip, I examine love from different angles. What makes
two people fall in love? Is there such a thing as ‘love at first sight?’ What
will people risk for love?
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your
writing?
Writers are often asked, “Are you a
planner or a pantster?” Do you outline
your novel before writing it? Or do you write by the seat-of-your-pants?
I am the latter, but I wish I were
the former. I would love to develop a comprehensive
outline. Knowing the story’s plot would spare me hundreds, perhaps
thousands of tortured, wasted hours.
But I long ago reached the
conclusion that my brain does not work that way. If I try to write an outline,
it always sounds like a mediocre TV
drama. My destiny, alas, is to sit down and bang away.
How many books have you written and which is your favorite?
I have written four dystopian
novels.
- The Toucan Trilogy (Night of the Purple Moon, Colony East, and
Generation M.
- Eden Chip
They are very different. Eden Chip tilts more to science fiction, and the plot is complex
with lots of twists and turns. The Toucan Trilogy is about a life-and-death
family journey.
But I love all my characters. They
are proactive; they have flaws to
overcome, and they face incredibly
challenging obstacles.
If you had the chance to cast your main character from Hollywood today, who would you pick and why?
Unknown actors! Raissa in Eden Chip is 18 years old; Abby in
The Toucan Trilogy starts out as 13. Both are fearsome, strong protagonists who
have vulnerabilities.
When did you begin writing?
I
started writing haiku in college. Then longer poems. Out of college, I worked at jobs that gave me time to write poetry and
short stories. I was working on an offshore drilling rig (2 weeks on, 2
weeks off), and the rig’s lights attracted thousands of migrating birds. I
wrote about that for a magazine. I went on to write hundreds of magazine articles. Novels and screenplays came later.
How long did it take to complete your first book?
I wrote Night of the Purple Moon in
a few months. It took me a few more months to realize it wasn’t very good. After two years of rewriting—time
well spent—I delivered a high-quality finished product.
Did you have an author who inspired you to become a writer?
I love the imagination of Jules
Verne. I love the beautiful sentences of Lois Lowry and Scott O’Dell. I admire first-time author Norman Maclean who wrote the remarkable ‘A River Runs Through It’ when he was in his eighties.
What is your favorite part of the writing process?
The mad dash to the finish line is
a creative highlight. But I also love what happens after that: I connect with
readers around the world, and many of these relationships grow as my writing
career evolves.
Describe your latest book in 4 words.
A twisty, dystopian romp
Can you share a little bit about your current work or what is
in the future for your writing?
I’m taking a
third pass at a screenplay I first wrote ten years ago. PRESSURE DROP takes
place on the New Hampshire seacoast. An annual surfing contest is held at ‘The
Point,’ but only if the waves reach a
certain size. A big storm is approaching. Joe, who surfs, is a high school senior who plans to study meteorology
in college. His mom died of cancer two years earlier. She had always been a
buffer between Joe and his father, Elio, a lobsterman. Elio cannot let go of
his grief, and Joe refuses to face his. As the barometric pressure drops, a bigger
storm brews between father and son.
About the Author
Scott Cramer has optioned two screenplays, written for national magazines, and authored four novels: EDEN CHIP and the TOUCAN TRILOGY (Night of the Purple Moon, Colony East & Generation M). Scott and his wife reside outside Lowell, Massachusetts.
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