E. L. Noel has been writing for over thirteen years in both the historical and science fiction genres. She completed her education at the University of Southern Colorado, majoring in Criminal Sociology. To her amazement and joy, she has won various awards for her writing, including the 2001 EPPIE Award for Best Historical Novel, and was a finalist in the 2002 Clara Awards. Several of her articles, short stories and reviews have appeared in miscellaneous magazines, both on line and off. She lives on the Southern Oregon coast with her best friend and husband Mike. Questions and Answers Is there a book or story you wish you had written? Stephen King's Wizard and Glass. I love the way he did his characterizations, dialogue and continued on with his world building. Wonderful. Is writing your full time occupation, if not what is? It is now, though that wasn't always true. I've had a number of jobs ranging from bartender to bank teller, and most of them I really didn't mind too much, but writing is what I love to do. I think that's why most authors write, because very few ever strike it rich while mining for a writing career. Are you for or against e-books? I love ebooks! I've gotten used to them, and it's hard for me to read a print book now. You can adjust the font size, the backlight, and carry several books at a time wherever you go, not to mention saving countless trees. Conveniences aside, there are some truly unique, different stories available, ones that don't always fit with traditional print guidelines. Perhaps they were too long, or cross-genre, or simply weren't easily defined, and thus were hard to shelve. Marketing plays a much less significant role in the acceptance of manuscripts for electronic publication. That in turn widens the field for new ideas and works, which is good for both readers and writers. Instead of trying to write a book "like" another one that sold well, authors can write their own, using their own imagination and skill. There are some outstanding ebooks available, very creative, inventive works. Are you a music fan? If so, what? I grew up surrounded by musicians and music, and count myself very lucky for having had the opportunity. I love several different kinds of music, including instrumentals and acoustic music. Bluegrass is close to my heart, and always has been, although I also enjoy good classical occasionally. My parents played (mom a fiddle, dad a mandolin, both played guitar). It seems there was always a guitar picker or two around the place, and jam sessions occurred on a regular basis. My parents managed to make a living playing, but like so many others they never achieved fame or fortune. They made enough to get by, though, and that, to me, counts for a great deal. Why do you like SF/F/H? I like the anticipation of learning about another's created world, entering into it and soaking up the details of the culture, as well as the story. There is nothing like a good Science Fiction story to build images in the mind and bring to light new ideas, concepts, and thought provoking situations. I don't mind being scared once in a while, either, and so read horror occasionally, too, and a bit of fantasy. I loved Ursula K. LeGuin's Earthsea series. Do you prefer writing about the near future or the far distant future? I much prefer the far distant future. There is so much available and open to change with a larger time span, and if a story is set a few thousand years in the future, then an author is free of many of the constraints associated with the current time frame. Two thousand years in the future there's no way to project how we'll travel, where we'll go, what we'll find, and that leaves many things open to nothing but imagination. As a reader do you prefer Science Fiction, Fantasy or Horror? I read all three, but my favorite is sf. Space travel has always fascinated me, and I love stories involving ships, other planets, aliens, new cultures, and unusual characters. Do you enjoy collaborating? I haven't collaborated with anyone yet, but a friend and I are discussing it. She writes horror, and we are contemplating doing a sf/h together. I think I would really enjoy it, and would find playing off another writer's ideas and characters a challenge. I'm looking forward to giving it a try. Do You Always know a Story's Ending When You Begin Writing? I never know. I usually start with a fairly simple idea, then broaden it as I go and let the story unfold as I write it. I've found that if I plan too much, or outline, I lose interest in the story and find it hard to complete. I have one that I absolutely loved and tried to outline, but now can't seem to finish. The energy to write it disappeared with the creation of the outline. I've been working on it for two years, and haven't given up yet. Who knows, maybe some day. Why do you think SF gets a bad press? I think that often times a good, original idea is worked to death in the media, both in books and movies. When "Aliens" came out a long time ago, it set sort of a precedent, because it was both unique and very well done, but how many times have we now seen an alien implanted in and breaking free of a human host in the same way? It has become a standard, and I wonder if that's good for the genre, in general. It becomes very familiar and loses its power to delight, scare or entertain. I think that kind of over use in plot or character diminishes the genre in the eyes of readers and movie goers alike. What's the most memorable thing said in a review of your work? ... Truly five-star material Have you won any awards for your writing? I have been fortunate to either win or final in several competitions, though it was for a different genre. I also write historical fiction and have done well with it, winning an Eppie Award for Best Historical Novel, 2001. Actually, The L'arobi Frame is my first attempt at sf, and I hope I can do as well with it because I love writing Science Fiction. Many Thanks, Lynn! Relevant Links E.L. Noel Main Bibliography E.L. Noel's Web Site