Author Interview: Lin Sten author of MINE

About your book: MINE

Selena Castillo publicly claims to be an extraterrestrial. Is it a joke, a delusion, a gimmick, or a reality?

Tony Sturgess must believe that Selena’s claim is only a publicity stunt, or that she is insane, as he falls in love with her, because he still struggles with the racism of his white-supremacist childhood; otherwise, he is certainly the right talent agent to exploit the gimmick, despite her radical environmentalism.
Professor Hal Bronson, on the other hand, is desperate to believe Selena’s claim after he is labeled a “crackpot” for hypothesizing that the SETI silence is due to a global technological catastrophe that every advancing civilization must face: she might be a witness.

But if Earth is to be saved, from whom and for whom will it be?

Through humor, romance, and suspense, Mine entertains while its human characters resolve a case of mistaken insanity.

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What do you think readers will find most notable about this book?

Lin Sten
Some readers will love the characters, some will enjoy the story, some will appreciate the environmentalism, some will like the cover art, some will be intrigued (or stymied) by the science, some will be glad there is not too much science and will skip it anyway since its consequences are clarified in layman's terms, some will appreciate the thought-provoking ideas. Whether any of these will be notable will depend on the reader.

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Have you acquired any good anecdotes surrounding this book? If so, could you share one?

Lin Sten
My anecdote is that I was very excited and had a revelation when a MINE reviewer began, "It's been a long time since I stayed up until 4 a.m. reading...(unless) you count last night." I immediately realized that authoring a book is worthwhile if even only one person (other than an acquaintance) in the whole world responds that way.

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Did researching and writing this book teach you anything or influence your thinking in any way?

Lin Sten
When I write, I experience each of my characters (and inanimate objects, too). If I could not do this, including taking on each of their points of view--good, bad, or indifferent--then my characters would be less realistic. When I experience those characters, I experience life in a new way, whether through good or evil, intelligence or stupidity, wisdom or ignorance, passion or reserve.

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What would you most like readers to tell others about this book?

Lin Sten
It would probably be rewarding for a reader to tell whatever they feel about MINE. Communication--whether reading, writing, listening, or telling--is the ultimate joy!

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Can you suggest one question readers might find interesting to discuss, concerning you, your writing in general, or this book?

Lin Sten
When I experience fiction, in a book or a movie, I often find myself wondering: "How would I react in those circumstances?" For MINE, a reader could imagine himself/herself to be any of the characters, or a citizen of Earth, and ask how he or she would react in any of the circumstances proposed within the story.

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How can readers help you promote this book?

Lin Sten
It will be promoted by anyone who is excited enough by what they read to mention their excitement to others.

About You: Lin Sten

I live on the Pacific Coast of the United States, where I enjoy surfing

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Why do you write?

Lin Sten
I do not choose it; it chooses me. I guess that is another way of saying that I cannot stop myself; furthermore, I love words and always have. To me words seem like magic.

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What is your greatest strength as a writer?

Lin Sten
I was a screenplay writer before I wrote my first novel. There I developed my story and dialogue skills.

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What quality do you most value in yourself?

Lin Sten
That I am enslaved to the Muse is what I value most in myself. When she calls, even if it be the middle of the night, I rise to do her bidding. I am honored to have been chosen.

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In addition to writing, what else are you passionate about?

Lin Sten
The sun, the rain, the ocean, the sand, the kelp, many stones, the fish, the sky, the moon, the stars; a brook in the forest; a leaf on a tree, and the tree's bark; the smell of cedar; a blade of grass; dogs, cats, elephants, and horses; crocodiles; the birds and the bees. A bee works its whole life to make one half-teaspoon of honey! Everything!

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What are you most proud of accomplishing so far in your life?

Lin Sten
If we limit this to tangible accomplishments, I would have to point to my science fiction novel, MINE, as being that of which I am most proud. On the other hand, my non fiction futuristic book, Souls, Slavery, and Survival in the Molenotech Age (Paragon House) will prove in time to be my most significant work; it is based on twenty years of research, and offers a significant read to anyone who wishes to explore the dark underside of the rock. Instead, MINE is fun.

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Is there any new or established author whom you feel deserves more attention, and what is it that strikes you about his or her work?

Lin Sten
I do not know that I would say any author deserves more attention, but that is probably due to my own ignorance. I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed Paulo Coelho's "The Witch of Portobello," but he is getting plenty of attention. So perhaps if more attention is the issue, then more readers would be the answer; I am told that J.K. Rowling had an impact on that! Perhaps others of us will have some impact too, if only a lesser one.

Intrigued by this interview? The check out Lin Sten on Goodreads or get his book at the following:
Amazon
Amazon UK
Barnes and Noble