Paul, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. Let’s discuss your book first, and then dive into the interview.

Book title: The 5 Moons of Tiiana

Genre: Science Fiction

Buy links: Amazon, my website (www.5moons.com)

Publisher: Sphere Publishing, LLC

Cover artist: .R. Bale

Length: 159,007

Heat rating: PG13

Blurb:

The 5 Moons of Tiiana is a science fiction narration on a soldier caught in the middle of an interstellar war, faced with rescuing the princess he loves, and solving a 2000 year-old mystery that just might yield the secret to bringing peace to both sides of the galaxy.

What are your main characters’ names? Occupations? Ages?

Rez Cantor / Captain of the Shadow Guard / 36 yrs

Leanna / Princess of Melela / 16 yrs

Philip Golan / scientist / 38 yrs

Oolat / Solula / age unknown

Ahska / Motula / age unknown

Interview with Paul T Harry

How did you get your start in the industry?

I first got into writing about forty years ago. I had read a story in the historical book that so intrigued me I felt the story need to be fictionalized and expounded upon. That was my first foray into writing a novel. Needless to say, that was way before the web and way before self-publishing and when I finished the book I couldn’t get anybody to read it. That was extremely disheartening and did little to soothe my ego.

Sometime later I was reading the Sunday paper and the little news blurbs they use for filler. One of the blurbs was a short article on the EPA investigating something or other and shortly below that was an article about Arnold Schwarzenegger starting to film Terminator two. It was then that an idea struck, and I began to wonder what would happen if the world’s ecological systems collapsed and someone, say from the future had to return to the past to save the world. I was really taken by that concept but I knew a story wouldn’t do it justice.

Now my background in high school and college was theater. In fact, I had written a rock opera in college with two other friends, and we obtained some moderate success with it, but I had never written a screenplay before. So I got a book by an author by the name of Sid Fields on screenwriting, and I went to the University library, and I began looking at screenplays and how they were formatted. Taking that knowledge I wrote my first screenplay and I entered it into the Nevada screenwriting competition. To my surprise I took third place and suddenly doors began open. It was so much easier to have Hollywood open to looking at my material than a book publisher. So for the next 30 years I spend most my time writing screenplays.

Now fast-forward to the present. Everybody and their brother wants to write the next hit movie; the field is cramped with screenwriters and the competition is stiff. And, to make matters worse, Hollywood now is less willing to take a chance on an unknown—so what’s a writer to do? Well for me, the answer was simple. Get back what you do best—write a killer story and use today’s technology to put it out to the public. So that’s what I did.

What is the most important thing you do for your career now, as compared to when you first started writing?

As I stated earlier, when I started writing, computers were comprised of a small six-inch screens with green lettering. There was no Word or WordPerfect, and the Internet was a fledgling baby. Now today, we have a world filled with Internet connections, social media, and the means to advertise to millions. So for me, it’s learning how to master all these new social happenings like Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and Pinterest.

What websites do you visit daily?

Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, KDP, CNN are just a few.

If you could change something about your first book, what would it be?

The opening. I was never satisfied with the way my first book opened. But ironically, thirty years later I ran across something that gave me a technological inspiration, and I’m thinking of revisiting that story and making a few changes. We’ll see if it works.

What do you enjoy most about life?

Figuring out why we do it. Why do we come here? And what are we supposed to learn? I believe that there’s a reason for everything. For me, just getting up each morning and counting my blessings is enough. I have a terrific family and a decent life. Sometimes that’s all you need.

If you could give the younger version of yourself advice what would it be?

Don’t smoke the pot, stupid. It’s a waste of time.

Do you have a muse? Describe this person, please.

I can’t say that I have a muse per se, but I did have a very good friend who passed away from cancer several years past. He was my sounding board. I could runs ideas passed him, get his feedback, and he wasn’t afraid to give me the truth whether I liked it or not. I miss him.

What does “balance” mean to you as a writer?

When I find it I’ll let you know.

Do things your family or friends do ever end up in a book?

Not really.

What are some jobs you’ve done before (or while) you were a writer?

I grew up in Las Vegas. I spent many years there as a craps and blackjack dealer in a number of major casinos. The stories I could tell would probably curl your hair, but that’s another tale.

Which of your books would you recommend to someone who doesn’t normally read your genre, and why?

I would recommend this one: The 5 moons of Tiiana.

For this story, I did something that I’ve never done before. I wrote it in first person. I did this for several reasons. First, I wanted to emulate one of my favorite authors, Edgar Rice Burroughs. He was the author of Tarzan, and more importantly, John Carter of Mars. His John Carter series was written in first person, and surprisingly, I found it easier to voice my main character in the same way.

I think writing in first person allows the story to flow. It enables the reader to have a personal attachment to the main character as he forgoes the trials and tribulations of his journey. It also allows the reader to learn or discover the story at the time as the main character. I just find it more personal, and I’ve already had a number of readers who normally don’t read science fiction take a chance—to their surprise they’ve enjoyed the story.

Additionally, I’m not an overly abstruse writer. I like to follow everything I learned as a screenwriter. Grab your audience as quickly as possible and hold on to them. I believe this book is a good example of that. I think it grabs you in the first few pages and doesn’t let go—at least I hope so.

What kind of books do you read when taking a break from your own writing?

The books I read are little out there—not exactly your standard fare. I am intensely curious about what our fate is, where we go after here, and the expansion of our lives within the universe. One of my most recent reads was: journey of Souls: Case Studies of Life between Lives by Dr. Michael Newton. You know the old adage, “truth is stranger than fiction.” Read this and you will know why.

What do you think is the future of e-publishing?

I think e-publishing is awesome. I think it opens up a world of incredible possibilities for many many people. Never before have we been given the opportunity to put our thoughts, dreams, and desires out to the general public with such ease. I would equate it with the advent of the printing press, and a revolution in the making.

What was the proudest moment of your life so far?

I could say it was the birth of my children or getting married, (they were great), but honestly, it was the standing ovations I got for the rock opera I co-wrote and produced while in college.

Imagine you get to go on a dream vacation, but you have only one hour to pack and leave, and it starts as soon as you finish this interview. What will you take with you and where will you go?

I would take my wife and daughter to Hawaii with only the clothes on our backs. Anything you need to be bought there and it’s only the memories that mean anything anyway.

What is your favorite holiday and why?

Christmas, seeing my daughter go nuts says it all.

What good book have you read recently?

Destiny of Souls: New Case Studies of Life between Lives by Dr. Michael Newton.

Where were you at midnight, on December 31st when the new century started?

I quit my job at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and went to the Eagles concert at the Mandalay Bay.

What do you like to do when you’re bored?

I’m not sure with the PG rating is on the site, so let’s just say I sleep.

If you were a color, what color would you be?

Red, maybe blue.

Please Fill in the Blanks

I love pizza with spicy stuff.

I’m always ready for (see the bored question).

When I’m alone, I try to get things done.

You’d never be able to tell, but I goof off a lot.

If I had a halo it would be tarnished.

If I could sell a million books I’d quit my stupid job.

I can never stop because it feels too good.

Find Me Here

Website: http://www.5moons.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/RezCantor