Meet and Greet Monday: PA Baines

Book Giveaway Drawing!

Read the details at the end of this post.

P.A.Baines is the author of Alpha Redemption, a Christian speculative fiction novel that asks the question: “If a man-made artificial intelligence became self-aware and developed a belief in God, would God recognize it as having a soul?”

Educated in Africa, he works as an analyst/programmer and is studying towards a degree in Creative Writing through the Open College of the Arts in England. He currently lives in a small corner of the Netherlands with his wife and two children and various wildlife.

BRC: How would you describe your book?

"Robinson Crusoe" meets "2001: A Space Odyssey", with soul.

I like to think of it as science fiction that can be read by people who don't normally read science fiction. Half the book takes place on a trip to Alpha Centauri, but the other half deals with Brett's life prior to the mission and with the events that made him the bitter loner he is at the start of the story. Brett makes a mistake and spends the rest of his life trying to come to terms with that mistake. It is only with Jay's help that he is able to deal with the tragic events of his life and, ultimately, find his way back to God.

BRC: What message do you hope it conveys?

That God is always in control of our lives no matter where we are, and that He will be there for us if we will just call out to Him, even if we run half way across the galaxy to get away from Him.

BRC: What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

I loved writing my two main characters, Brett and Jay, because they both struggle with issues of life and love and faith, and with what it means to be alive. I had terrific fun with the interactions between the two of them on the space ship. The astronaut (Brett) starts the journey as a grumpy loner being constantly pestered by the computer (Jay) who just wants to learn. Over time, Brett and Jay become buddies and go through the usual ups and downs of friendship. In the end, Jay is prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for Brett.

I also enjoyed the challenge of writing half the story in reverse. I wanted to emphasise the time-dilation effects of near light-speed travel and so wrote the two threads in opposite directions.

BRC: What did you dislike most about writing this book?

I knew exactly where the plot was heading at each chapter, and so I had very limited freedom with regard to where the story could go. Normally I like to give the plot some freedom, but I did not do that so much with Alpha Redemption.

BRC: What inspired you to become a writer?

I have always loved reading and the whole process of story-telling. When I became a Christian, I asked God for a ministry. Not long after that I discovered a story rattling around in my head and I set about writing it down. From that moment I was hooked and have been unable to stop since. I feel a definite calling to write and my aim now is to improve my abilities so that I can be as effective as possible.

BRC: Tell us about your writing process.

I commute by bicycle for about forty-five minutes each way and I use this time to listen to audiobooks. I find that the act of reading usually triggers my creative processes, and so I get many of my ideas during this time. Once I have an idea for a story, I think about it until I have a very broad outline in my head. In fact I only start to write once the story feels to me like a memory of an enjoyable movie. The details are hazy at this point, but my story has a rough shape. I then start writing.

I don't dump my ideas onto the page, as I have heard many people do. I tend to write more slowly and correct things as I go. By the time the story is down I am roughly at third of fourth draft level. I seldom have to perform a rewrite, but can concentrate on tweaking and polishing. I prefer writing this way because it allows me to find and correct a lot of problems as I go, thereby removing them as potential future distractions.

BRC: What are you working on now?

A humorous science-fiction epic called "Hanzet, the Universe, and Everything." It is about a group of people searching for a book containing the meaning of life. Along the way, it pokes gentle fun at "new atheists" and scientists who refuse to even consider the possibility that the universe may have been created. I started it about six years ago but never made it beyond the third chapter. I am now just past the halfway point.

BRC: What books do you enjoy reading?

I discovered love for reading through Stephen King, but I tend to read very little of his work these days. I love the Discworld series by Sir Terry Pratchett. I am currently reading Alastair Reynolds. Recent authors that I have enjoyed include Michael Palmer, Jonathan Safran Foer, Philip K. Dick, Carlos Ruiz Zafón, Audrey Niffenegger, and Cormac McCarthy.

BRC: Where can readers buy your book?

Amazon  

Barnes and Noble

Book Depository

Splashdown Books  

Note: Janalyn Voigt is
an Amazon Associate
and benefits when books
are purchased on Amazon.com
through links from
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BRC: Where can readers find you online?

http://www.pabaines.com/ (personal site)

http://newauthors.wordpress.com/  (joint blog with other aspiring authors)

Book Giveaway Drawing: To enter, leave a comment to this post and include your contact information. Entries without contact information will become ineligible. Entries will be accepted until this Thursday at midnight (Pacific Time/US). The winner will be announced on this blog on Friday. Detailed rules of giveaways on this blog are located in the footer.