Title: STATION FOSAAN
Author: Dee Garretson
Pub. Date: February 14, 2017
Publisher: Month9Books
Format: Paperback, eBook
Pages: 300
Scientists and their families stationed on the remote planet of Fosaan were promised a tropical vacation-like experience. But Fosaan, devastated from an apocalyptic event nearly three-hundred years ago, is full of lethal predators and dangerous terrain.
Earthers are forbidden to go beyond the safety zone of their settlement and must not engage the remaining reclusive Fosaanians, native to the planet. Sixteen-year-old Quinn Neen is about to do both of those things.
During an unsanctioned exploration of the planet, Quinn discovers a beautiful Fosaanian girl named Mira stealing food from his family’s living unit. But before he can convince her to show him around, scientists are taken captive, leaving Quinn and the other young Earthers at the mercy of space raiders.
Quinn must go from renegade to leader and convince Mira to become an ally in a fight against an enemy whose very existence threatens their lives and the future of Earthers stuck on Fosaan and at home.
STATION FOSAAN is THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND meets STAR TREK: THE WRATH OF KHAN.
~AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Dee Garretson
1. What gave you the inspiration for the storyline?
I’ve been a science fiction fan ever since I read A WRINKLE IN TIME in 4th grade and watched reruns of STAR TREK every day after school. I really, really wanted to be Lieutenant Uhura and wear those great boots. On a more serious note, I’m interested in the question of how humans will move out into space and onto other planets. STATION FOSAAN is how I explored one possible answer to that question.
2. Are there any hidden themes in the book you hope readers will discover?
I hope readers will see that behind the Romeo and Juliet romance element, there are some aspects to ponder about some questions that face every society. I studied international relations in college and one question that we constantly debated was who decides what kind of political system is best, and who writes the histories we are taught. I think the quote, “History is written by the victors,” is important to remember in how we view the world. I took all that into account when I was writing this story. A few agents tell me that teens weren’t interested in politics and so this story wouldn’t appeal to them, which I knew was not true. I’m so happy the book is out now for readers who are interested in those bigger questions.
3. Are any of the characters based on real people?
My early books had some characters based on real people but I no longer do that because it bogs me down too much. I don’t want unnecessary bits of a real person’s personality intruding on the character. I do use individual traits and mannerisms of real people but I put them on characters who are so different, I don’t think the actual people would be able to recognize what I’ve done.
My early books had some characters based on real people but I no longer do that because it bogs me down too much. I don’t want unnecessary bits of a real person’s personality intruding on the character. I do use individual traits and mannerisms of real people but I put them on characters who are so different, I don’t think the actual people would be able to recognize what I’ve done.
4. Who has influenced you most as a writer?
It’s tough to narrow it down but there are two who were major influences. One is Mary Stewart with her Merlin Trilogy. I love those books for many reasons, but as a writer, I learned from them how important it is to incorporate all the senses into world-building. She makes the reader feel like they are inside the story, and I aspire to do the same with mine.
The second is Stephan King. Though I am not a horror fan, I read many of his books to try to learn his techniques. One element I took away from his writing is that he often ends his chapters with a question unanswered, not just the big overall what happens in the end question, but smaller questions about what happens next with a particular character. It’s a technique that makes a reader keep turning the pages.
5. If you could have any three literary characters over to your place for game night, who would you invite, what would you play, what would you serve and why?
I love wry, witty characters who can see the absurdities of life, so those are the kind I’d choose, because game nights are always more fun with lots of good conversation mixed in. The first would be John Yossarian from Catch-22. He’s a brilliant character who can take the darkest situations and put his own spin on them. Catch-22 is such a brilliant book and it’s mainly because of Yossarian. For the second, I’d choose Professor McGonagall from Harry Potter. She is so sharp, I’m sure she’d make an excellent opponent and she’d get along well with Yossarian too. For some younger blood, I’d add Sarah Rees Brennan’s Kami Glass from The Lynburn Legacy. That character delighted me from the
very first page. She could hold her own with any other fictional characters in a test of wits.
very first page. She could hold her own with any other fictional characters in a test of wits.
We’d play Clue because that’s my favorite game. It’s a tradition in my extended family to play it at holidays, and each younger member of the family can’t wait until they are allowed to play, first with a partner and then finally on their own.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Dee Garretson writes for many different age groups, from chapter books to middle grade to young adult to adult fiction. She lives in Ohio with her family, and in true writer fashion, has cat companions who oversee her daily word count. When she’s not writing, she loves to travel, watch old movies, and attempt various kinds of drawing, painting and other artistic pursuits.
Giveaway Details:
(1) winner will receive a Perfectly Posh, Posh To Meet You Set ($20 value), US Only.
(20) winners will receive a Fosaanian-inspired bracelet or key chain (winner’s choice), US Only.
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