Author Interview with J. Gabriel Gates

 

I am thrilled to have J. Gabriel Gates here for an interview today! I recently read his newest novel Blood Zero Sky (my Review), and it was amazing. He's a great author, and I loved his answers to all my questions. But he'd be a great author even if I hated his answers :)

 

Click the links to find my reviews for J's other books.

Dark Territory

The Sleepwalkers

 

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Q. As you may have noticed from my review, I really loved Blood Zero Sky. What inspired the world and characters in this book?

A. Thanks, I’m really glad you enjoyed it.  I wrote the original draft of the book back in 2005, and basically I wrote it because I was looking around at some of the things that were happening politically and sociologically and I found them pretty concerning and infuriating, so I wanted to write a book to show where the path we were on might lead.  As for the characters, they came from different sparks of inspiration.  The rebel leader, Ethan, came from reading books about the founding fathers and the American Revolutionary War.  May was partly inspired by a book I read called Stone Butch Blues by a wonderful writer named Leslie Feinberg.  The protagonist of that story is a gay woman trying to make her way in a very hostile environment—as a factory worker in the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s.  When I thought about it, there were some major parallels with May’s situation, as a strong, gay female protagonist trying to fake her way through a world that is hostile to her most authentic self.

 

Q. How do you feel about the comparisons made between your novel and George Orwell's 1984?

A. Well, I’m flattered by them.  It’s always nice to be compared to a classic.  I think when you do dystopian fiction really well, it really infiltrates a reader’s mind and even the lexicon of a society.  When people talk about the government overreaching its bounds and watching you in creepy ways—like the recent case where a federal court ruled the government can use your cellphone records to track your movements without a warrant, for example—people still shake their heads and say: “big brother.”  It creates a short-hand so that people can express their feelings about what’s happening around them.  I’d love it if next time the government funds some 0% loan allowing a too-big-to-fail company to gobble up one of its competitors, or when private military contractors start flying drones over U.S. airspace to spy on Americans, people would say: Here it is again, Blood Zero Sky.  Books like mine and 1984 create a shared experience that people can draw from to comment on the world around them, and that’s very important, especially in our age of partisan corporate media and vitriolic, polarizing discourse.

 

Q. What would you say to people that might say the underlying idea in Blood Zero Sky is too far-fetched or a complete impossibility in our own world?

A. I would suggest that they haven’t been paying attention.    Look at the Citizens United supreme court decision, opening the floodgates to allow corporate interests to buy elections.  Look at the political pressure to privatize every corner of the government, from charter schools, to the correctional corporations that run our prisons, to military contractors that continue to take on increasingly large roles in our national defense.  Look at the bailout of the banks, where hundreds of billions of dollars in taxpayer money was given away, with very few conditions, to the same crooked banks that sold bad mortgages to homeowners, packaged them as investments, sold them to individual pension funds, retirement accounts, college funds, etc. as grade A investments, then bet against them, wiping out the life’s savings of millions of people, while they themselves walked away with millions in bonuses—and none of them went to jail, because all the regulators are former buddies of theirs from Goldman Sachs.  Only 6 companies control 90% of the media in the U.S., down 40% since 1990.  I could go on and on, but those who refuse to see the problem will still refuse to see it.

Q. In Blood Zero Sky there are individuals within The Company that could be considered the villains of the novel, but I found The Company's all-powerful grasp on every inch of the people's lives to be sinister on another level. Was it more difficult to characterize The Company as the nemesis of humanity as opposed to a specific person?

 A. I’m glad you picked up on that.  The villain in this book, really, is the corporate system.  Inside a corporation, individual morality fades a bit.  People can do something bad and say “my boss told me to do it.”  Or the boss can say: “I was just doing everything I could to make money within the law. (Of course, corporations now write our laws…) It’s my duty to the shareholders.” The premise is that corporations are basically engines of greed, designed to do one thing: make money.  Now, don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with that.  Corporations are useful, and greed is useful, too—it leads to productivity.  The problem is that we’ve allowed these mindless engines of greed to control our government and write our laws.  That’s the problem.  Sharks are insatiable carnivores, too, and they’re beautiful creatures—you just wouldn’t hire one to be the lifeguard at a kiddie pool.  In the same way, corporations should not run our government. 

Q. I really liked May Fields as the main character and found her to be very relateable. Were you concerned that readers would have a hard time connecting with a lesbian MC? How important was it to you that she stay true to how you originally pictured her?

 A. It’s great that you liked her; not all reviewers have.  She’s a very unapologetic character; she’s strong, sometimes mean, and often confused as she tries to sort out the truth of the world around her.  She has this “I don’t give a damn if you like me or not” attitude, and I guess I share her attitude when it comes to readers liking her character.  I hope people will like her.  I like her. And I was genuinely surprised that some reviewers didn’t relate to her very well. But if you’re writing well, characters really take on their own being.  I couldn’t change the way May is any more than I could train my dog to meow. 

Although she is a lesbian, I don’t see sexual preference as her defining trait— or any other person’s defining trait, for that matter.  She’s just a human being trying to understand the world and her place it in.  The choice of whether or not to make the effort to understand May falls to the reader; she’s too proud to go begging for their adoration.  You just have to either accept her, or not.

 

Q. Is this the last we will see of the world in Blood Zero Sky?

 A. It probably is.  I have another idea for a sci-fi story that could be set in the same world as Blood Zero Sky, but a few decades later.  It’s possible that I may set it there—but it’s also possible that I might not.  Either way, I think May’s tale is finished.

Q. I'm always curious to know how writers do their writing thing.  Do you have a favorite place to do your writing? When are you most productive?

 I’m normally sitting on the couch in my living room.  I live on an old decommissioned golf course, so there are sliding doors right next to me that open out onto a pretty meadow with willow trees and a brook, with ducks and squirrels and woodchucks running around.  It’s a pretty peaceful way to work.

 I normally get up, have my breakfast, walk my dog, pour my coffee and write in the morning.  Then, I have lunch and do an afternoon session.  In between, I try to take care of the other requisite tasks of being an author, social media, correspondence, etc.  It’s a pretty darn good life! 

Q. Aside from writing really cool books, what do you enjoy doing?

A. I’m pretty active.  I like to go for runs, lift weights and go mountain biking.  I spend a lot of time with my family.  My dad and my grandparents live fairly nearby, so I spend a lot of time with them .  I’m pretty into the simple life—give me a nice run under a blue sky, some pizza and a glass of wine, some good conversation, a good book, and church on Sunday, and I’m a happy man.

 

J, thanks so much for your thoughtful answers. I hope eveyrone enjoys Blood Zero Sky as much as I did. I know I've already referenced it once or twice in regards to government :)

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About J. Gabriel Gates:

Author J. Gabriel Gates is a native of Marshall, Michigan. The son of an English teacher, his passion for the written word began at a young age. During college, another passion – for performing – led him to get his B.A. degree in theater from Florida State University.

During his years in Los Angeles, he appeared in a dozen national TV commercials and penned several screenplays while laying the groundwork for his career as a novelist.

His novels include the YA fantasy books "Dark Territory: The Tracks, book 1," "Ghost Crown: The Tracks, Book 2," and horror novel "The Sleepwalkers." His dystopian sci-fi epic "Blood Zero Sky" is slated for release in October, 2012. (All are published by HCI Books.)

He currently lives in Southeast Michigan.

You can connect with J via his website, Twitter and Goodreads.



Blood Zero Sky will be available October 1, 2012 and is available for pre-order on Amazon.





Review: Blood Zero Sky by J. Gabriel Gates

Synopsis:
Unprofitables are banished to work camps to pay off their credit. Other tie-men and women look on apathetically. "Fair is fair. Everyone knows you shouldn't use more credit than you are worth to the Company. "They turn their attention to the next repackaged but highly coveted N-Corp product on the market, creatively advertised on the imager screens that adorn virtually every available flat surface. All the while, their mandatory cross-implants and wrist-worn "ICs" keep them focused on the endless cycle of work and consumption to which they are enslaved.

May Fields the CEO's daughter would like to believe she is above all that. Head of N-Corp's marketing team, the young woman who has almost everything anyone could want spends her days dreaming up ingenious ways to make workers buy more of what they already have and don't need. Even before May discovers that the Company is headed for its first loss in thirty years, she is feeling the stirrings of dissatisfaction with the system that has given her everything she's ever wanted . . . except the freedom to be herself.

When she is kidnapped by a member of the Protectorate a secret order dating back to the American Revolution May is suddenly faced with the frightening truth of what the Company's greed has done to our most basic human rights. Will she embrace who she is and join the battle to restore America's democratic freedom, or put her blinders back on and return to her safe and passionless life?

More prediction than fiction, "Blood Zero Sky "is a riveting, nonstop, and suspenseful gaze into the looking glass, destined to rise with the zeitgeist of our times to become the anthem of a generation.

Publication Date: October 1, 2012
Genre: Dystopia, Sci-Fi, Young Adult
Source: Thanks to the author, Mr. Gates, for providing me with a review copy!

Review:
I hate to admit that I was a bit turned off by the cover of this book, but on the flip side I'm pleased to say that Blood Zero Sky is amazing. Period.  I'm sure I won't be the only one to compare it to George Orwell's 1984 because it shares a lot of those same themes of totalitarianism, psychological control through filtering information and propaganda and an overall sense of helplessness at the all-consuming reach of, in this book, The Company.

What is awesome about this book is that no matter how many comparisons can be made to 1984 it stands completely on its own merit.  The cautionary tale it tells is all the more frightening because the technology we have today isn't far off from that used in the book. And it's not too big a stretch to picture a large powerful entity sneaking its way into monopolizing every industry in the country. It's totally believable.

And I haven't even mentioned the characters yet :) May Fields is the MC, but she's not your typical girl.  The CEO of The Company is her dad, and she's living the high life compared to a lot of people.  She's got everything she could want, but she still feels as if something is missing in her life. May is a strong female character and the fact that she's gay isn't what defines her, nor is it what the book is about.  She does have to hide the fact that she's a lesbian because that doesn't line up with The Company's religious policies. The whole Company controlled religion was another factor that added to the feeling of power un-checked when it comes to how the people live their lives.

I thought this was a great book for a variety of reasons. It definitely makes you think and speaks to a lot of things that are currently going on in our world today. It's also just a plain good read!

Review: Dark Territory by J. Gabriel Gates And Charlene Keel

Synopsis:
In the quaint town of Middleburg, an abandoned train yard and old railroad tracks form the dividing line between two rival gangs—the posh, preppie Toppers and the working-class Flatliners. When Raphael, the leader of the Flatliners, falls in love with Aimee, a Topper girl, the rival gangs prepare to do battle . . . but not with guns and knives. Their martial arts training dictates a strict code of honor, which all of the gang members adhere to. The only hope for peace between the rival gangs lies within the giant X formed where the railroad tracks cross. The awesome power contained in the X sends the Flatliners and the Toppers on a mystical quest to fight against malevolent forces that threaten the existence of Middleburg—and maybe the world.



Review:
After getting this book and reading the write-up on the back, I was kind of skeptical about the idea of martial arts playing a large part within the story. On the other hand, I was also really interested because I don't think I've read much, if anything, like it before.

From the first few pages I was intrigued by the mystery behind the tracks in the town of Middleburg, and I was drawn into the rivalry between the Toppers and the Flatliners. The extreme hatred between the two groups is intense. It's also why the two main characters, Aimee and Raphael, can't be together. Sort of a Romeo and Juliet kind of thing.

I noticed throughout the story that it presents a positive message about being kind to others, treating them fairly, and doing what's right. That was another way that martial arts tied into the plot very seamlessly. It also shows through the characters' choices and attitudes that even if you come from less than perfect circumstances, you can choose to rise above.

There were a lot of fight scenes involving martial arts. I thought they were believable and easy to read. The use of martial arts and its principles is how the characters tap into their supernatural abilities, and they all have their strengths and weaknesses.

I look forward to seeing what happens with all of the characters in the next book, especially Ignacio. He turned out to be one of my favorites. Cool and confident mixed with bumbling and shy. I was pleasantly surprised by Dark Territory, and I'm looking forward to reading what happens in book two!

Publication Date: July 01, 2011
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Paranormal
Source: HCI Teens

Teaser Tuesday: Dark Territory by J. Gabriel Gates and Charlene Keel

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along!

I hate to tell you this, Maggie had often thought of saying to her mother, but he's not coming back to Crazyville - not ever. And you know what? I don't blame him one bit.

-Page 210 of Dark Territory by J. Gabriel Gates and Charlene Keel

Review: The Sleepwalkers by J. Gabriel Gates

Synopsis:
Privileged and popular Caleb Mason is celebrating his high school graduation when he receives a mysterious, disturbing letter from his long-lost childhood playmate, Christine. Caleb and his jokester friend Bean decide to travel to his tiny hometown of Hudsonville, Florida, to find her. Upon arrival, they discover the town has taken a horrifying turn for the worse. Caleb's childhood home is abandoned and his father has disappeared. Children are going missing. The old insane asylum has reopened, and Christine is locked inside. Her mother, a witch, is consumed with madness, and Christine's long-dead twin sister whispers clues to Caleb through the static of an A.M. radio.

The terrifying prophesies of the spirits are coming to pass. Sixteen clocks are ticking; sixty-six murdered souls will bring about the end of the world. As Caleb peels back layer after layer of mystery, he uncovers a truth more horrible than anything he had imagined, a truth that could only be uttered by the lips of the dead.

Review:
Before even opening The Sleepwalkers I was mildly unsettled just from the art on the cover. It's very dreamlike and creepy. I think it's a good indicator of what you will be getting once you actually start reading it.

Definitely read this book at night when everyone else is asleep if you really like being scared. If you are slightly more chicken, like me, you may want to make it a daytime read. That being said, my prime reading time is late at night and I was jumping at every little noise.

I was drawn into the story from the very first page. Caleb drags his friend Bean with him as a reluctant detective to help him discover the answer to a few questions from his past. As they go further into the mystery behind the Dream Center, Bean gives voice to what I'm thinking the whole time. Basically for them to get the heck outta there, but of course they don't. There was one scene in particular that had me reading faster and faster as if that would help Caleb and Bean out of their situation any quicker. I had to close the cover of my Nook, turn on some extra lights and the TV just to break the tension.

Even though I am a big baby about being scared I really enjoyed reading this book. I like that the author puts Sleepwalkers firmly in the horror genre, which I haven't seen alot of in YA fiction. He's an author I'll definitely be reading more of.

You can visit the author's website here: http://www.jgabrielgates.com/

Publication Date: October 3, 2011
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Horror
Source: I received this book from Netgalley.