Title: The Line
Author: William L.J. Galaini
Pages: 290
Genre: Science Fiction
Blurb:
Suspended in the nothing between timelines, the station Janus is an unseen marvel: the greatest technological achievement in human innovation. From Janus, Gustavo and his hand-selected team of historians and engineers venture into the past and observe history, unseen and unnoticed.
But they are not alone.
Another traveler is shattering history. Unhindered by desires to remain scientific and uninvolved, the intruder’s technology is far advanced with methods more brutal and a present more terrifying than anything Gustavo and his team are prepared for. As they apply their intellects and skills towards solving the mystery of the ferocious interloper, they discover than they have its full attention.
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I was seven. I rewrote the ending of The Pit and the Pendulum on a typewriter I found in the attic. I loved the ‘clunk’ of that thing!
What makes you want to write?
It gets tiring just telling my stories to everyone. Honestly, I hate writing. I’m never more insecure and weak than when I’m writing. But I’ve got too much to explore and discuss that writing is the best venue.
Do you ever get writer's block and what do you do to get over it?
Not to completely jinx myself, but I’ve never had writer’s block. At least as I understand it. I’ve been in a bad mental state for a day or two, but that is usually due to external issues. I can get over them and get back to work, no worries.
The blank page scares me just like anyone else, but it doesn’t slow me much.
Do you have a special way of going about writing?
Music without lyrics and no one bugging me. That’s when it’s time to put rubber to road, but before that, most of my prewriting is done in a daydream while driving, showering, etc. The soundtrack to The Village is WONDERFUL to write to, by the way!
Do you have any works in progress?
Yep! I’m working on a series currently that involves historical figures in Dante’s Inferno. The setting is a merging of classical literature and steampunk, and I’m using historical icons as proxies to explore themes of personal reflection and ascension.
What are your hobbies?
Crying in the shower and video games! If only I could get a waterproof controller…
How did you choose the character names for The Line?
Good question. I imagined a family-line for each character, including back story and marriages what would lead them to a particular region. Then I would do research on said region. I have a Dutch-American from the Midwest named after his great-grandfather, for example. None of it comes up in the actual novel, but the texture without context still speaks. Sometimes I’ll name a character with thematic gravity in mind, such as my main character from The Line who is named “Mary,” but more often than not, I aim to make names feel grounded and genuine.
Who is your favourite character in The Line?
How nice of you to ask! Its name is Magus. I loved the character. Magus is basically a genetically engineered worm that serves as a computer processor. It is so brilliant that it can’t gauge the limitations of its own intelligence, but it is naïve and earnest. To avoid child-like clichés of A.I. Artificial Intelligence, I made sure Magus had robust vocabulary but explorative inquisitiveness as well.
Magus was my way of saying that being kind-natured and curious isn’t only prudent, but intelligent as well.
How did you get the idea for The Line?
I was in history class WAAAY back in tenth grade, and I was progressively getting angrier with humanity the more I learned. The Line is an expression of my anger. It’s a puerile expression of my impotent rage regarding the atrocities we are willing to either ignore or validate in our history.
What was your favourite part of writing The Line?
Realizing I would finish it, and that it would be GOOD. I was two thirds of the way in and re-reading it when I discovered that it actually made sense! Woo-hoo!
What are you currently reading?
Ben Hur. Seriously. I normally eat books like this in a week or two, but the tedious descriptions have reminded me how spoiled I am as a modern reader. When a novel spends a paragraph on a character’s sandals, you KNOW you are in for a slog of detail.
I haven’t tapped out just yet, though. Matter of pride. I’ve never seen the film, and I really want to, but I won’t view it until I’ve read the book. I don’t care how much Charlton Heston’s glistening biceps call to me!
What is your favourite book?
Oh god… EVIL. That is an evil question. Depending on the time of day, my answer will change. Honestly, a book called Blessed are the Dead is my favorite. But you can’t read it. I haven’t written it yet. Give me a few years.
Your question does give me a chance to reveal my reading habits, though. A lot can be gauged by a writer when you know what they read, and I won’t deny anyone that scrutiny. Here’s a brief list of books that hit me hard:
Moby Dick
I, Robot
Pillars of the Earth
Siddhartha
Henderson Rainking
King Solomon’s Mines
The Scarlet Pimpernel
The Foundation Series
I Am Legend
World Without Us
The Far Pavilions
As I Lay Dying
Who is your favourite author?
I tend to be a fan of books more so than specific authors, but there are some writers that their words just leap out at me. Conrad, Atwood, Faulkner, and Flannery O’Connor blow me out of the water consistently.
What is your favourite film?
Babe the Sheep Pig. Don’t judge! I LOVE that film. My friends mocked me for my adoration of it. Everyone was slathering over Braveheart but Babe was where it was at for me. Other favorites of mine include Apocalypto, Pan’s Labyrinth, The Bird Cage, and Minority Report.
What is your favourite TV show?
Arrested Development. A lot of my family doesn’t speak to each other anymore, and whenever I miss them, I watch this show. It is, without hyperbole, EXACTLY like my family. But charming.
Quick-fire questions:
Chocolate or ice cream? Chocolate, dark and bitter!
Paperback or ebook? Hardcover, you prole!
Dogs or cats? Either, but cats are a bit easier. I like having them purr on my chest when napping on the couch, and I don’t have to walk them at dawn.
Go out or stay in? Stay in, are you crazy? There are PEOPLE out there!
Summer or winter? Winter. More snuggles and fireplaces.
About the Author
William Galaini grew up in Pennsylvania and Florida. His mother gave him an early love of reading, especially when it came to the great classics of science fiction. He is also a history buff and fascinated by mythology and folklore. His various vocational pursuits include being a singer in a professional high school choir, manager of the call center at a luxury resort, U.S. Army medic, prison guard, and middle school English teacher. As such, he is perfectly suited to breech a solid metal door, humanely restrain the enemy within, and politely correct their grammar all while humming Handel’s Messiah and drinking a lovely cuppa tea.
He currently hangs his hat, rucksack, and tweed smoking jacket in Northern Virginia.
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