Author Interview - John Wilker

1.       What inspired the world, characters, or core concepts of your story? Was it a particular event, piece of media, or a speculative scientific idea?

There wasn’t a single ‘thing’ but lots of various things. I’ve always loved the misfits in space trope. Farscape, Killjoys, Dark Matter, GOTG, etc. I can re-watch those shows/movies over and over. Omega Force, though it leans a bit more military is a series I really enjoy that captures the trope so well! Likewise the Expanse for a more mainstream example.

For me, seeing folks eventually mesh into a team is just so rewarding.

2.       How did you approach the creation of your main characters? Were they modeled after real-life figures, or did they evolve organically as you explored the world of your story?

I tend to take a lot of things and smash them together. Jackson is part Han Solo, John Crichton and part organic “dude” 😊 if that makes sense. I also really enjoy framing my male main characters as not quite up to the task. They’re not idiots or inept by any stretch. But they’re surrounded by far more competent people. It’s a fun way to tweak the typical male centered SF stuff we’re all so used to seeing. I fill my stories with ensemble casts of competent folks keeping their leader from pressing the wrong button 😊

3.       Science fiction often delves into questions of ethics, technology, and humanity. What central theme or moral question does your story grapple with, and why did you feel it was essential to explore?

I’ve never (at least consciously) been an author that does themes. I like to explore human isses for sure; I’ve had differently abled characters. I’ve explored people dealing with different political views. Coming of age and found family, etc.

All without specifically sitting down to plan around a theme. When readers tell me they took something from the story, I smile. I’d rather the reader take what they want/need vs. try to force what I want them to take away on to them.

4.       How did you approach the integration of futuristic technology or scientific concepts in your story? Did you base them on existing theories or let your imagination run wild?

As a reader hard scifi tends to bore me, so my writing is very…. VERY not hard scifi. FTL flight just works. FTL comms just work etc.

I do try to layer in rules (In Grand Human Empire, wormholes are straight lines and comms don’t work inside. Ships drop out, catch up on messages, then hop back into a new wormhole.

In Space Rogues, folks have wristcomms which are like a bracer with a screen. They’re customizable and act like the owners iPhone. They integrate with armor, they manage payments, comms, all that. No wristcomm, no comms.

In Grand Human Empire I took the idea of the handsets they used in the Expanse (and played with some pop culture making them gPhones after “the two biggest tech companies from hundreds of years ago merged”) giving everyone something they carried around as a general multi function piece of technology.

5.       The sci-fi genre provides a canvas to depict diverse cultures, species, and worlds. How have you incorporated representation and diversity in your work, and why do you think it's vital for the future of science fiction?

I went into my Grand Human Empire series with the explicit intention of centering the stories on a diverse cast. Jax is bisexual. Naomi is of Japanese descent. The minor characters of Kelso station represent varied nations (now sectors in the empire) of Earth from African and Middle Eastern to Scandinavian.

I’ve also tried to make sure to have characters with different abilities. Amputees, folks in wheel chairs, etc.

While I came up in the pretty standard White guy action hero trope, I didn’t want to blindly contribute more to that. My main characters do tend toward while males because well, that’s me, and I can write from a place of lived experience. I’m not yet comfortable writing someone else’s experience as the main focal point. 

Maybe one day. In the meantime though, I’ll populate my worlds with as diverse a cast as I possibly can.

6.       Every author has a unique writing process. Can you share a bit about yours? How do you manage world-building, plot progression, and character dynamics in such a complex genre?

I like to build as I go (which explains why as a kid, my model building looked so… meh, LOL). I create the world as I explore it. I do my best to add to the story bible as I go. I keep a Notion database for each series and link events and worlds and characters as much as possible so I can go back and see what color someone’s eyes were in book 2 when I’m writing book 8. It’s not fool proof but I do my best 😊

I’ve slowly been migrating from pantser to … shortster? Coulottester? I’m not building out massive outlines, but I plot out major points and arcs so that I have some general moving targets.

I enjoyed Pantsing in the early days, but would struggle sometimes to move to the next scene having to work out a plot wrinkle I found myself in, etc. A major part of my process now is to get my ideas at least semi clear, so when it’s time to write, I can write. 

7.       What's next for you after SPSFC? Are there any upcoming projects you can share with us?

I’m nearly done with the 2nd book in the Rogue Enterprises  series (the spin-off of Space Rogues) revisions. Aiming for a February/March 2024 release.

I’ve begun outlining the next Grand Human Empire book as well. I’ll get started writing it shortly and am hoping for a June-July 2024 release.

Maybe we’ll see a third book. Who knows. My Expedition Inc. series needs a 3rd book.