Author Spotlight: Leon Stevens
A look at other authors who have caught my interest
Hello everyone,
Today I’d like to introduce you to fellow author and Canadian, Leon Stevens. I met Leon through the wonderful group of creators at Indie Reads, and what caught my eye originally was the quality of his prose.
As I dug further into his blog, I learned that Leon was not only a talented story writer, but a poet and trained musician. I’d wager that he owes much of the quality of his prose to his background in songwriting and poetry.
I recently finished his sci-fi mystery, Euphrates Vanished, and found it quite enjoyable. It is the story of a trainee away mission, reminiscent of an episode of Star Trek, bundled with mystery and humor. If you like Lower Decks, than this is definitely for you!
In conversation, I found Leon personable and funny. I’ve been toying with the idea of doing some author interviews for a while now, so I figured why not start with him?
Here is my interview with author, Leon Stevens:
SD: What got you into writing?
LS: I started writing song lyrics and poetry to get me through a difficult time, then turned to my favorite genre and began to write short sci-fi stories.
SD: Are there particular themes or motifs that you find yourself coming back to time and again?
LS: With my poetry, environment and observations of the human condition are predominant. When I am writing science fiction I enjoy stories that have characters that make mistakes or have to rely on each other to get them out of a situation.
SD: How do you get started on a new project or writing session? Any rituals or routines?
LS: I usually start with an opening scene and just sit down and start writing. Then the hard part of deciding where the heck it is going.
SD: What's the most unusual thing you've researched for a writing piece?
LS: I don’t know if it is that unusual (although I had not been aware of it before), but I did have to research nano electrokinetic thrusters for my last book, A Matter of Sabotage, then since I don’t write hard sci-fi, present it in a way that made it enjoyable to read about.
SD: Editing. Love it or hate it?
LS: I find it fascinating seeing what errors I always make and what I think I wrote vs. what actually made it to the page.
SD: Have you ever surprised yourself with your own story twist or turn?
LS: Quite often because I tend to let the characters dictate the direction of the story.
SD: Describe your writing space.
LS: Messy.
SD: What attracts you to sci/fi?
LS: I’ve loved it ever since I was a kid. Space battles, aliens, survival stories. It’s all good.
SD: If you could ask one writer to read your work, who would it be?
LS: Unfortunately I’ll never have the chance to sit down with Kurt Vonnegut and see what he has to say about my stories.
SD: Who should read your work?
LS: My poetry is accessible to anyone because I don’t make it difficult to understand (no deep analysis required).
My sci-fi is not technical so if one likes character driven stories without excessive violence or a level of spice, my books will probably suit you.
SD: Any socials or sites you’d like to share?
LS: I blog about many topics from writing to music to politics, so my blog is: https://linesbyleon.com/blog-2/
My socials are:
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/linesbyleon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lines_by_leon
Thank you for taking the time to check out Leon Stevens’s work. Please let me know if you’d like more interviews with interesting authors on This Too!
In good faith and goodwill,
S.D. Miller