Veronica Roth interview about her fantasy science fiction novel “Chosen Ones” (John Joseph Adams, 2020)

Veronica Roth interview about her fantasy science fiction novel “Chosen Ones”

Check the book out here https://amzn.to/2y32eKh

Interview Timeline

Veronica Roth is well known for her successful Divergent series of books which were also put on screen. She recently wrote a fantasy science fiction novel “Chosen Ones” and she spoke to me about that book and her approach to writing.

0:31 – Veronica talks about why she wrote Chosen Ones.

2:05 – Veronica talks about the setting and plot of Chosen Ones.

3:26 – Veronica talks about the book being set in Chicago.

4:09 – Veronica talks about researching PTSD and Chicago as a setting.

6:54 – Veronica talks about how the book became more government conspiracy focused than it started out.

7:59 – Veronica talks about what inspired the feel of the book.

9:36 – Veronica talks about what inspires her. She reads a lot of science fiction and fantasy.

11:55 – Veronica talks about how her interest in stories about younger people.

13:00 – Veronica talks about what the soundtrack of the book might be.

15:19 – Veronica talks about how she works on drafts of her novel and how she deals with editorial comments.

18:18 – Veronica talks about how her approach to writing has changed over time.

19:35 – Veronica talks about how her first novel was rejected.

21:36 – Veronica talks about jobs she had before becoming a writer.

22:48 – Veronica talks about changes she made for Chosen Ones.

24:25 – Veronica talks about the changes she made to the book as she wrote it.

26:37 – Veronica talks about how she changed a character in the book.

29:20 – Veronica talks about social concerns the book touches on.

30:50 – Veronica talks about the magic system in the book.

31:45 – Veronica talks about her love for Harry Potter.

32:25 – Veronica talk about completing the book.

33:58 – Veronica talks about the pressure of matching the Divergent series and YA movies.

35:23 – Veronica talks about writing to cinematic needs.

38:07 – Veronica can be found at veronicarothbooks.com and on instagram @vrothbooks.

Links of interest

https://amzn.to/2y32eKh

https://veronicarothbooks.com/

https://www.instagram.com/vrothbooks/?hl=en

Contact Information

For more “Full Contact Nerd” please follow me at crisalvarez.com, on Facebook at CrisAlvarezFCN, on youtube at Cris Alvarez on twitter @CrisAlvarezFCN, on Instagram @crisalvarezscifi, and on Apple / Stitcher / Spotify for the podcast

Guests: Veronica Roth

Host: Cris Alvarez

Tags: science fiction, fantasy, divergent, chosen ones, fiction, heroes, Harry Potter, Dune, magic, space race, MK Ultra, art noveau, Dune, Lord of the Rings, Animorphs, Buffy, Matrix, novel, editor, agent, drafts, writing, Divergent, young adult

Check the book out here https://amzn.to/2y32eKh

Italian science fiction studies book – “Italian Science Fiction: The Other in Literature and Film” (Palgrave Macmillan, 2019) – Simone Brioni interview

Check the book out here https://amzn.to/2yda3MY

Dr. Simone Brioni is a professor of Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature. He’s written and taught on the subject of migration and Italian colonialism. He recently co-authored a book with Daniele Comberiati about Italian science fiction  and how those works reflect and comment on Italian culture.

0:43 – Simone talks about how he got into writing on science fiction and on Italian science fiction. He saw science fiction not as predictive but rather a reflection of reality.

2:49 – Simone talks about how the book is laid out chronologically.

4:42 – We discuss the theme of travel in Italian science fiction. Simone talks extensively on I Am Legend and the themes of fascism in the story.

12:38 – Simone talks about fascism’s fascination for the future and science fiction.

14:37 – Simone talks about the major periods of Italian science fiction.

18:07 – We talk about monsters in Italian science fiction.

21:07 – Simone talks about Itlaian science fiction that embraces liberal ideas.

23:51 – We discuss science fiction productions that were done in Italy.

28:11 – Simone talks about Italian tv and film sci-fi production.

32:18 – Simone talks about how he did his research on Italian sci-fi and the books he found.

35:44 – Simone talks about how he found Italian sci-fi shows and movies.

37:53 – Simone talks about how such major social themes are discussed in Italian science fiction. He also talks about how the Romani have a major part in Italian science fiction. He also touches on translation issues.

43:00 – Simone talks about time machines and robots in Italian sci-fi.

44:54 – Simone hopes to influence English speakers in understanding the importane of Italian science fiction in global science fiction.

47:00 – Simone talks about why Italian sci-fi didn’t become familiar to English speakers.

51:08 – Simone can be found on twitter @SimoneBrioni and has a webpage at Stonybrook University.

Links of interest

https://amzn.to/2yda3MY

https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9783030193256

https://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/cscl/people/simone%20brioni.html

https://twitter.com/simonebrioni

For more “Full Contact Nerd” please follow me at crisalvarez.com, on Facebook at CrisAlvarezFCN, on youtube at Cris Alvarez on twitter @CrisAlvarezFCN, on Instagram @crisalvarezscifi, and on Apple / Stitcher / Spotify for the podcast

Guests: Simone Brioni

Host: Cris Alvarez

Tags: science fiction, Berlusconi, Italy, James ballard, mediascape, national identity, panopticon, philip k. dick, dystopic, i am legend, fascism, zombie, colonialism, horror, alternative history, neofascist, mussolini, world war two, WWII, afrofuturism, dystopic, Nirvana, Space 1999, Barbarella, Dune, Primo Levi, Italo Calvino, alternative realities, Planet of Vampires, Alien, They Will Leave, concentration camps, Roma, Rome, Luce D’Eramo

Check the book out here https://amzn.to/2yda3MY

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