Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing F.T. Lukens of The Star Host.
Hi F.T., thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book.
Hi, everyone. This is F.T. and I’m here to promote my debut young adult, science-fiction adventure, The Star Host. It features a bisexual main character, and a diverse cast of characters. The novel follows, Ren, as he is taken from his home, and it spans across his home planet, spaceships, and drifts.
Talk to us about your characters in this book. What makes them unique?
Ren and Asher are the two main characters in The Star Host. I think what makes Ren unique is that his bisexuality is made concrete within the first few pages of the book. He’s solid in that fact, and the reader is meeting him at a point in his life where he’s figured that part of himself out, but he’s still young and new to relationships. His story centers on his adventure and the choices he makes.
I think Asher is unique in that he’s not even introduced to the narrative until Ren is already into his adventure. Asher is an interesting character in that he pledged his loyalty to a military organization, the Phoenix Corps, at an early age, but he’s wavering in his faith. He’s not quite sure if he’s made the right choice. He acts as Ren’s guide, but he’s not certain of his own place in life either.
What was one of the most surprising things you learned in getting your book from start to publish?
The most surprising was the amount of behind the scenes work. Going in, I knew that I would be working with an editor and that the manuscript would go through several rounds of editing to make it the best possible. What I didn’t realize is that there would be several different people looking it over as well. I ended up working with three different editors who each performed a different function. And then there were several read-throughs and then proofs. I understand the need for it, but by the end there I was like “there’s more? Are you serious?” In the end though, I think the Interlude Press team really helped to make The Star Host the best it could possibly be. And I’m very proud of the end result.
Have you ever gone to a convention? If so, how was it? If not, do you think it’s something you’d like to do in the future?
I’ve attended several conventions but not as a writer, only as a regular guest. I love to take my kids, especially my daughter. She loves to cosplay, and I make her costumes. This past year, she attended the local comic convention as Honey Lemon from Big Hero Six. She’s also gone as Bubbles from Power Puff girls, Scarlet Witch, Harley Quinn, and Wonder Woman. I like to attend to meet with authors and talk. Even as a guest, it’s a great way to network.
This upcoming convention season, I will actually have a booth at a few conventions in my region. I’m very excited about it. I love interacting with folks and talking about my book. I think conventions are a great way to meet your fan base and introduce your work.
Would you like to be a full-time writer?
This is the dream. Right now, I work a full-time day job, and I have three kids so my writing time is relegated to late at night and on the weekends. I feel that if I could write as my full-time employment, I would definitely be able to produce more work. I’d have time to develop all the aspects of being writer, not just the novel part, but self-promotion, social media, etc. I have my fingers crossed that one day I’ll be able to be a writer full-time. Until then, I’m going to continue to squeeze in writing whenever I can.
Design the ultimate pizza.
I have two favorite pizza combinations. Green pepper and mushroom is my favorite veggie combo, and it’s my go-to when we order. My other favorite though is double bacon pizza. It’s so good.
Thank you so much for talking to us today. And I bet the readers will agree with me that the double bacon pizza sounds awesome :D
