My new story, Sitala, has just been published in the UnCommon Minds anthology. To celebrate, I’m interviewing some of the authors about their stories.
Today, I’m talking to J.D. Harpley about Inamorata.
What attracted you to the UnCommon Minds project?
The anothology hosts are fantastic, as is the UnCommon community, and the stories! It’s a lot to get excited about ^_^
What was the inspiration for the uncommon mind in your story?
Partially, the novella I was writing at the time, and partially a really cool album that had just released (Celldweller – End of an Empire)
What are you most proud of about the story?
One of the underlying themes is about true beauty, what it means to be beautiful, and accepting what you are, as you are. I wish more people could believe that they’re perfect in their imperfections, and that it’s wonderful.
If you could merge someone else’s mind with your own, who would you choose and why?
I wouldn’t! Upstairs is my personal space, but if I had to pick, probably a stranger from far away who speaks another language, so we could teach each other about our cultures and seamlessly learn another language in an instant.
What uncommon mind would you like to meet?
Galileo, fo sho.
What’s the setting for your story?
Future Dystopian Retro Cyberpunk San Francisco.
Are there any authors that influenced your story or your writing in general?
I have to call out Josh Viola; he inspires me to work hard. As for the story, it was mainly inspired by music, and my new work coming out in late January.
Any plans to revisit the world of your story?
YES! Spoiler alert, one of the characters from this story has a cameo in the book launching late January, and will play a big role in the third installment.
Which actor would you like to see playing your main character and why?
Zoe Saldana. She’d need to shrink a few inches and gain 10 lbs though.
What do you think the title of the next UnCommon anthology should be?
Gifts… it could range from strange birthday presents, to having a 6th sense of premonitions, or talking to animals. UnCommon Gifts leaves a lot of space for variety and creativity :p
What’s uncommon about you or your mind?
Like a bad IKEA bookshelf, some of the screws were missing, but you got two extra planks. I don’t know what that means.
In seriousness I suppose my general disregard of feelings like embarrassment, or being uncomfortable. I recognize my discomfort and say “f*** you, I’m going to do it anyway.” Sometimes that’s not the best choice, but I’m not sorry for the life I’ve lived.
What’s was the most difficult obstacle to overcome with the story?
Knowing when to stop tweaking it. Even now (especially now) I see changes I want to make. But much like my message, it’s perfect in its imperfections… must leave it alone.
Once readers have read your story, which of your books/stories should they read next?
The Verge of Desolation series, starting with The Mill. Second is Revolt (releasing January 20th 2017), and this story is the bit that occurs right at the end of Revolt, essentially being the prequel to the third (yet unnamed) and final book in the series.
Where can readers find you online?
Facebook: Facebook.com/theastralscribe
A big thank you to J.D. Harpley for taking the time to answer my questions. CLICK HERE to get your copy of UnCommon Minds from Amazon today.
Enter into the hidden world of the mind, where the laws of nature don’t apply and nothing is as it seems.
Straight from the minds of 20 UnCommon Authors come tales of tragedy, triumph, and bittersweet gratitude. You’ll find augmented realities and mental persuasion that force you to question everything. Stories of military suspense, psychological horror, dream walkers, and psychic mediums await their turn to crawl into your head.
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[UnCommon Minds Q&A: J.D. Harpley by Philip Harris first appeared on Solitary Mindset on 22nd January 2017]