Andrew D. Carlson is the author of Sue's Fingerprint and Sue's Vision, science fiction stories inspired by personal knowledge. Andrew is a scientist, which gives his books an interesting depth that other novels may not have. Sue's Fingerprint follows the story of a DHS agent named Ted Stevens as he hunts down "aliens..." And of course, there's Sue. Here's what Andrew had to say about writing science fiction, what inspires him and how chemistry factors into his creative writing!
Tell us about Sue's
Fingerprint.
Sue’s Fingerprint is a light science-fiction story of new people cloned from alien “goo”
that arrives on the planet. The sticky substance
is first discovered when extra animals begin appearing in zoo exhibits. And then new people appear, exact copies of
those that touched the substance. DHS
agent Ted Stevens is ordered to retrieve and contain Sue and the other “aliens.” While housed on an abandoned military base,
Sue receives a message--that was contained within the goo--and she escapes to
deliver it.
Sue’s Fingerprint is a story of personal discovery.
When they arrive, the clones have no prior memories or experiences. But they’re fast learners. They quickly gain new skills and new
knowledge about themselves and their surroundings, intellectually growing in
just a few months from small children to adults—a humorous process at
times. It is also a story of
acceptance. But to know exactly why,
you’ll have to read the book.
What inspired you
to start writing science-fiction?
I’m a scientist, so
sci-fi is a natural fit for me. I enjoy
telling stories (the fi), and the technical (the sci) flows easily onto the
page.
I see that you have
a BA in Chemistry. How does your expertise affect your writing?
In all of my
stories, I include scientific concepts or ideas. For example, in Sue’s Fingerprint, I write details about the chemical testing of
the Goo by the lab (“It sure isn’t from this planet.”) and I describe the use
of DNA fingerprinting--the “fingerprint” in Sue’s
Fingerprint.
What is your
favorite science fiction movie or television show - or both?
I gravitate (pun
intended) toward lighter, humorous, space-related stories such as The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, The Fifth Element, Ender’s Game, Zathura,
and the classics: Star Wars, Star Trek, starting with The Next
Generation and anything later, including the recent prequel movies. I’m sure I could list many more if given
enough time.
If you could offer any
advice to aspiring science-fiction authors, what would it be?
Find the plot
wherever you can and start writing. (The
plot for Sue’s Fingerprint came to me
in a dream I had about a possessed rat trying to scratch its way into a
house.) It’s sci-fi, so as long as you
can explain your “world” and your readers will buy into it, the sky, or rather,
the end of the universe is the limit.
Write what you like. The sci-fi
genre is so vast; there are many flavors to go around and millions of readers
out there.
Where can readers
connect with you online? Website, twitter, goodreads, etc?
About the Author
I’m a scientist and I write fiction.
I received a Bachelor of Arts degree in chemistry from St. Olaf College. I have worked in the biotech/pharmaceutical industry for over twenty years. I’ve authored two peer-reviewed journal articles and hold several patents. But now I’ve started my second career as an author of fiction for young adults and old adults (and everyone in-between).
My books are all based on science, sometimes loosely, other times solidly. Besides entertaining readers, I strive to teach some science as well, if only a little bit.
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