Joel D. Babbitt - Spaceships, Dinosaurs and Awesome Near-Future Tech

Whenever Joel D. Babbitt finds a spare moment he is either writing or thinking about writing. He has always enjoyed telling a good story and his latest book, Camallay, is - according to reader reviews - an excellent sci-fi story. As our Author of the Day, we chat with Babbit about why he wrote the book as a sci-fi, how he creates his characters and how his own experience in combat has shaped the action scenes in the book.

Please give us an introduction to what Camallay: An Infinite Worlds Novel is about.

At its heart, Camallay is an epic struggle of good against evil, of right and wrong in a society where might often makes right.  Into this backdrop step our heroes--a group of hardened corporate mercenaries whose job is to bring peace so that trade can flourish.  Making peace, however, usually involves breaking things and killing people, and Marik's Marauders will do what it takes to get the mission done.

What inspired you to write about corporate war?

In a galaxy ruled by a mysterious metallic race called the Master Race, and loosely administered by their ruthless henchmen the Solkin Overlords, the only real power that the lesser races have is trade, and even that is a dangerous sport in the lawless culture that prevails.  After all, what does it matter to the rulers of the galaxy if the lesser races squabble over their table scraps?

Why the sci-fi angle? Why not let it play out on earth?

Three things: spaceships, dinosaurs, and awesome near future tech!  Need I say more?

You have taught teambuilding and leadership. How has this background influenced your writing?

Twenty-eight years in the Army has taught me that the secret to leading any size organization is to lead that small group of soldiers or leaders who surround me.  So, it's only natural that I write to my strong suit; a small group of high-performing individuals who work together as a team to overcome great odds.

Did your experience in the U.S. Army make it easier to write the combat scenes?

Absolutely!  War has been my lifelong study, and I've served multiple times in combat theaters.  When I was a young officer, I studied the details of particular combats, actions, and battles.  Now, as a more senior officer, it's all about the campaign, the key actors, the geopolitical realities of the situation.  It's all about framing the situation.  That plays extremely well into writing action-adventure novels.

Tell us about your journey as an author – what made you decide to publish a novel?

I've always enjoyed both telling and hearing a good story, and I found that I had a huge number of stories within me bursting to be told.

Right from the start, the book contains a lot of tension, which escalates towards the end. How did you manage to let the reader feel that tension?

Most important is to let them feel the characters.  These are people who live, breath, and make choices in tough situations.  Right away you get a good feel for them, and you come to know them very well throughout the book, as you would a good friend.  You can't help but care what happens to them!

What process do you go through to create such well-developed characters?

Each character draws their salient traits from an amalgam of people I've served with over time.  Additionally, each character plays a role; the stalwart lieutenant, the seasoned leader, the wildcard, the clueless tag-along, etc.  Add to that their unique histories and backgrounds (which I do ahead of time), and you get in-depth, unique characters that live and breathe.

Besides writing, what other secret skills do you have?

I don't know if I'd call them secret, per se, but I've lived a rich life and have learned a lot of things.  I love gardening.  I'm an exceptional marksman.  I'm a leading authority on building military communications and networks, and have published some forty or so articles related to that.  I've served as a bishop in my church for several years, so I've dealt with a lot of the harsher realities of the human condition.  I'm married, with four children, so I know the joy of life.  I'm a colonel in the US Army, so I've spent my life dealing with the leadership and personal challenges that entails.  All of that and more I pour into my writing.

Do you have any interesting writing habits? What time of the day do you write? Do you have a favorite writing spot?

I travel a lot, and I don't usually eat dinner, so in the evenings in my hotel room are the best times to write.  Also, in the mornings during the summer when the kids sleep in and it's quiet.  Really, anytime that I'm alone I'm thinking of writing or I'm writing.  It's what I do, you know; writers write!

Do you plot out your story before you start writing?

Yes, always.  However, as all writers know, you have to find the sweet spot for detail.  Too much detail in your plotting and you'll find that you've bound yourself too tightly to take advantage of plot opportunities when they arise.  Too little detail and your book will wander.  With Camallay, and Lustrious after it, I nailed the sweet spot on my plotting.

Does your book have an underlying message? What do you hope your readers will take from it?

I hope they learn from the example of Colonel Alexander; his instinct for balancing careful consideration and decisive action.  I hope they feel the deep commitment that drives Captain Shannon Washington and Jim Ryker.  I hope they see the newness of a soldier's life through Soar's eyes.  This book is about experiencing the adventure, and coming away the better for it.

What are you working on right now?

The sequel, of course!  The second draft of Lustrious is complete, and my artist is just finishing up the artwork.  We're moving as a family (again) this summer, however, so it will likely come out early fall timeframe.

Where can our readers discover more of your work or interact with you?

www.authorjoel.com!  There you can learn about my fantasy trilogy (Paladin of a Hidden God), which is an immersive, yet action-filled, story as well.  Sign up for the newsletter, and you'll get the art previews and get notified of the (shhhhh) *secret* pre-launch review opportunity, as well as the formal launch date and any other discounts on my other books.  I literally send out two to three emails per year, maybe a couple more than that right before a book launch, and I don't share my author list, so sign up today!