Author Interview with Virginia Soenksen

6/28/2019

Who are you?

I'm Virginia Soenksen. By day I'm an art historian and museum professional and by night the author of the Genetics Chronicles, including 'The Titan Strain' and 'The Osiris Contingency.' I'm a huge fan of sci-fi and fantasy and excited to be featured on this blog again.

Where do you live?

I live in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. I've lived all over, both within and without the United States, but there's something special about this place that resonates in my bones.

What’s your home life like?

This year, I became a homeowner of an 80-year-old cottage that was very neglected, so I've been slowly bringing it back to life. Even though it's small, there is still room for a library! The garden is going to be the biggest labor of love, but that will be an even slower process than fixing the house.

via GIPHY

What genre(s) to you like to write? To read?

Sci-fi and fantasy for both! I love the feeling of diving into another world, whether as a writer or reader. If a story offers escapism, I'm all in. Futuristic worlds and magical ones are always a huge draw because I'd like nothing better than a spaceship or the ability to do magic myself.

Why did you start writing?

I have always loved making up stories. They were left in my head for a while, and around middle school, I started writing them down. It took me a long time to become comfortable sharing my work with people, so publishing has been both an amazing and terrifying experience. I learned a lot from the publication of 'The Titan Strain,' and hopefully, the writing has only gotten better in my most recent book.

What do you do when you’re not writing?

I'm a huge fan of travel. I'm actually writing this right now from Kyoto, Japan, where I'll be for the next two months. Traveling internationally, especially to this amazing country, always revives and inspires me.

Where do you like to go when looking for a new book to read?

Independent bookstores! New Dominion Bookshop in Charlottesville, VA is my nearest favorite. I honestly can never walk past a bookstore and not enter, and if the staff are super knowledgable and obviously readers themselves, I will always leave with one of their recommendations.

At what point do you call it quits when reading a new book?

If I'm not invested in what happens to the characters in the first couple of chapters, I'll leave it and move on to something else. Reading is so personal, it's almost like dating. Just because I can't get through a book doesn't mean it's not good, it just means I'm not connecting with it.

Are you independently or traditionally published?

Traditionally published! Sunbury Press was great to work with, and I've really appreciated learning about this industry from experiences professionals.

How many books/stories have you published so far?

'The Osiris Contingency' is my second book, and there is a third book in the Genetics Chronicles in the revision stage. I'm currently writing a fantasy WIP as well, which I hope to finish this year.

What book/story are you currently promoting or working on?

'The Osiris Contingency', book two in the Genetics Chronicles.

What’s the elevator pitch?

Within London of the future, there are no limits to genetic engineering, and a war is brewing between altered humans, known as mods, and the genetically modified assassins of the sinister Agency.

Liane, an Agent gone rogue and on the run from her former masters, barely survived the last attack by the Agency. Still grappling with the truths she learned about the Titan Strain, Liane vows to destroy those who turned her into an inhuman killer. But that means outsmarting and outrunning her former Handler, who wants his Agent back at any cost.

With the Osiris Contingency threatening ruin for them all, Liane will find herself faced with an impossible choice between freedom and survival.

How long have you been working on it?

I wrote the first three books of the Genetics Chronicles in about a year and a half, and then revised and edited them for another two years before finding a home for them at Sunbury Press. It's been a long, but rewarding process.

When will it be available to buy? Where?

It's available now from Sunbury Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other booksellers.

How can readers find you?

What inspires you to keep writing?

"Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on."
Louis L'Amour

Anything you’d like to add?

Thanks so much for the invitation to interview, and I look forward to many more posts from Nicholas Adams Writes!

Virginia Soenksen's First Interview

Book Review: Titan Strain

Thank you, Virginia, for participating in My Laughably Inane Blog once again. I look forward to reading The Osiris Contingency and your other future works.

Welcome to the Laughably Inane Blog!