Elizabeth Lang..Author
I have thus the pleasure to bring back to Center Stage Elizabeth Lang author of The Rebels now out courtesy IFWG publishing.“Perhaps it was a flaw of being human, that irrational hope that made them all believe that the impossible was possible simply because it hadn’t happened yet.” These words within the very first chapter of THE REBELS underlined for me the whole essence of this novel. I had planned on just flipping through the pages and as usual Elizabeth grabbed me from the very first words and the adrenalin shot through my being. Not very used to reading such powerful novels from a fellow female. I guess she redefined chick-lit and took it to a different level.
1.First things first, would like to congratulate you on the sequel to your book. The Rebels is out and I trust making the right impact. You became a finalist with the first even though you had not planned it as a romantic novel, what is your expectation with this?
Thank you, Biola. I'm very excited about this book. The Empire series has always been a labor of love for me and I'm very invested in these characters, even Sester. I'm sure some people will want to call this a romance, but it isn't really and was never intended to be. It's a science fiction adventure with some elements of romance.
2.Sequels are sometimes viewed with trepidation by publishers, how was this received by IFWG?
The Rebels
I'm very grateful to IFWG. They've always been very supportive and from the beginning they seemed to be committed to the whole series.
3.The cover and blurb of this story indicates it is a real adventure for our human scientist Stannis and Kali, what themes are you exploring this time?
The Rebels is more of an action-adventure than the last book. It was always my intention to explore how people react to dire situations, the decisions they make and the compromises they're willing to accept or not accept. The Empire explored that theme from the perspective of the people who rule the Empire. The Rebels explores the same theme from the view of people who are rebelling against it.
4.Is the book the concluding part or we are to expect more?
coming soon
There is a final book of the series, making this a trilogy, called The Andromedans, which I am currently writing.
5. Your earlier book also explored an interesting aspect..(telepathy) or mind games as others would like to call it. Would you subscribe to using mind games to change or influence people and events?
It's hard to say whether I subscribe to it or not. I think mind games are a part of our society, even if we don't have telepathy or psychostrategists. Advertising manipulates people by appealing to our primitive and baser instincts. Politicians, actors and leaders can be masters of manipulating people with mind games. It appears to be a fad on television now to have people who are able to 'read' others and manipulate them using that information, though I created the character of Sester long before it became popular in the media
6. Share your thoughts about why you wrote the sequel There are so many platforms to publish these days. What would you choose for your next novel? For me, The Empire, The Rebels and The Andromedans, are really one story published in different parts and from the start, I had all three in mind. I still believe there is a place for traditional publishing and that there is value in it, though perhaps not in the form it is currently. For myself, I have no problems self-publishing and have done so for a set of short stories, but I prefer going with a publisher for my longer novels. I like the support of having people behind me who are willing to work on my behalf because they believe in me as an author.
7 There is a fashion to change publishers at random or sometimes for reasons of commerce, I see that The Rebels is still published by IFWG, will that mean that barring a few human hiccups, they are satisfying you?
These days, especially with the rash of newer authors entering the market, there is a tendency to change publishers the same way they change clothes. There is no loyalty. I think that for me, because I have been exposed to people who have been in the industry a long time, I believe in the relationship between an author and a publisher, that's why I will continue to be with IFWG. IFWG is a small publisher with limited resources, especially in terms of sales and marketing, like most indie publishers. But they are enthusiastic, they try hard and they are committed to growing. I knew what I was signing up for when I went with IFWG for The Empire. There are many things I don't expect from them because they just don't have the resources, but I do have the expectation that as they grow, they will improve and add to their services and they haven't disappointed me yet. I guess, as with all things, as long as we don't have unrealistic expectations of each other, and we meet the expectations we do have, then I will continue to give them first refusal for my books. Of course, if one of the big 6 come knocking on my door, I won't say no... :)
8. Your first book, earned a finalist place as a romance even though you had not planned it as a romance, what shall we expect of the relationship between Kali and Stannis? It's hard to reveal too much without giving spoilers, but I can guarantee that their relationship will grow and deepen, though not quite in the way people expect. Kali has more of an active role and we learn a lot more about her background and motivations.
9. The Rebels has the look and feel of a movie, do you see it one day on the silverscreen? I would be thrilled if it did make it to the screen one day.
10. You have made fantasy, science and adventure into one heady mix of excitement, what next is in store for your growing readers? Depending on how well the Empire series does once the entire trilogy is released, there is a possibility of a second trilogy which explores the backstory of three of the main characters. There is a deep mystery that weaves three of them together which I have only hinted at in the Empire series.
11. Who will you recommend this book to? Is it age specific? While this is meant as an adult book, there isn't anything ratings-wise which restricts it to adult reading
12. Please give links from where we can buy your books? Amazon:http://www.amazon.com/The-Rebels-Empire-ebook/dp/B008MM2510
Kobo:http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/The-Rebels/book-K4inAUHUI0m8KYiUPbFyOQ/page1.html?s=yyZXgUH1eECRxCNcBwrH2w&r=1
Thanks for coming on Center Stage Thanks for the interview.
