Kyle Larson, Interviewed
This week I sat down with Kyle Larson, author of The Kelvin Voyages, to learn about what inspires him as a writer, all things Star Wars, and (of course) his cats.
TL;DR: Kyle’s a kickass sci-fi and fantasy author. If you like Dune or The Expanse, check out his self-published series, The Kelvin Voyages, a middle-grade tale of a young royal growing into the person he wants to be as he uncovers his family’s past.
Connect with Kyle
Get The Kelvin Voyages
Instagram
Bylines @ starwarsnewsnet.com & whattheforce.ca
Kyle – thanks for joining me! Tell me a bit about yourself? What’s inspired you over the years?
I grew up in Montana and always had a taste for things sci-fi and fantasy. I was raised on a healthy diet of Star Wars, Star Trek, and the Redwall novels (RIP Brian Jacques). Those were a gateway for me to other authors like J.R.R. Tolkien, Arthur C. Clarke, William Gibson, and Steven Erikson. I think I lean harder into the themes of fantasy but love the vastness of sci-fi’s backdrop in space.
What do you like to write about?
I like to write about people finding the best of themselves and the ones around them. My ongoing series, The Kelvin Voyages, involves the youngest member of a royal family finding himself as he grows up and discovering some truths about his very complicated family and path of deciding whether to take up their dynasty or reject it. How complicit has his family been in maintaining the corrupt status quo of the society around him? How does he use his privilege and position for positive change? I don’t think there will be an easy answer for him or any other character involved - I don’t even know what it is, at this point - and the joy for me has been exploring the questions which continue to pop-up. It’s a little bit Dune meets The Expanse, but I didn’t realize that until others pointed it out to me. I started the series a few years ago for my son, hoping to encourage him to read and it’s taken a whole new direction in watching the characters grow up and learn to be better while things get more complicated around them.
Ultimately, in whatever story I write, I want to honor the characters by allowing them to do what they believe would be the right thing. Whether that’s the villain doing something awful or the hero doing something heroic, I want them to walk their truth and/or help them find it along the way. I try to give everyone a chance to do their “right” thing and try to give as much hope to each of them as I can. When I started out writing, my stories and characters were very cynical and everything revolved around the characters reacting to death and destruction. Not everything in fiction has to be pleasant, but I’d prefer my characters are moving towards preventing death and destruction, rather than running towards it or constantly reacting to it with more [death and destruction].
Morality and truth can be heavy concepts to write about. What have been some of your biggest challenges or hurdles when it comes to writing?
Turning off the world around me and just writing. I can spend all day longing to get back to my computer or notebook but if I don’t do something to block out the noise of the world (doom scrolling the news cycle, social media, work anxieties) I’ll be lucky to get a few paragraphs out.
The inner critic is also a big hurdle. There are so many times when I feel like the words I’m putting down in my first draft are set in stone. The need to get it right the first time or face the consequences of hearing my inner critic screaming is something I surrender to frequently. And it’s so silly. No one has ever seen a first draft of mine and no one ever will, so silencing that little voice in my head is usually the next thing I check off my list of distractions.
What are your aspirations for your creative self?
I want my stories and characters to give people hope and escape. While not every aspect of my story has to be riding off on a unicorn into the sunset, I want people to cheer for the characters rather than fret for them – or mourn them. There is so much cynicism in the world and in western storytelling. I want my stories to defy that. I believe we need all the light in the world we can get right now, whether in our daily lives or in the stories we turn to for escape.
I would love to be able to write full time and work with a publisher someday, but getting the stories out right now is the most important thing for me. I’ve self-published through Amazon’s KDP program but I’m not sure if I’ll be doing that again. Amazon isn’t a company that currently aligns with my values, and I know it’s unavoidable to eventually sell books through them if you’re published, but I’d like to explore other options if I end up self-publishing again rather than just handing my books to Daddy Bezos.
[Rowan note: This is a very real concern I fret about pretty much all the time. Got suggestions on how to avoid publishing on Amazon? Email me.]
You’ve got a robust collection of works started. Do you have any works in progress you want to talk about?
I started writing a Halloween novella this fall as an exercise to encourage consistent writing sessions. Like I’ve read on your blog, I don’t think folks should beat themselves up if they can’t make it to the keyboard daily (or even weekly). But, I was starting to stress out that my writing sessions were becoming much further apart than they were closer together, so I decided to start free writing this novella using a writing prompt and doing it longhand as an experiment. Low and behold, it took over my life and I’m well over halfway complete with the first draft of a full novel. I don’t have many specifics, but it’s a love story that takes place during a terrible war. It’s about two people reclaiming their agency after they’ve been used as weapons for the two sides at war and learning about the magic that binds them, rather than pushes them apart. It’s also my first fantasy novel, so I’m having a delightful time with world building and designing magical systems. No title yet, which is always the hardest part for me.
Titles are always tough for me too, but that sounds like an engaging fantasy story. Can’t wait to see it! Any others?
The fourth novel in my middle-grade reader series, The Kelvin Voyages, is still in progress. Honestly, I struggled a lot to create during the initial stages of lockdown in the pandemic. Unfortunately, this novel suffered, and I’ve had a hard time coming back to it. I also changed the plot so many times and didn’t go in with a plan. The story really got lost along the way. I’m a mix of a plotter and a pants-er but I just found myself in banana town so many times with this story.
I don’t think you’re alone. A lot of creatives struggled – and continue to struggle – with the impacts CoVid has had on their work and ability to create. How are you feeling about the fourth book these days?
Fortunately, I have a clear outline now of certain beats and plot points I want to hit so when I come back to it, I’ll know what I need to do.
That’s great to hear. What can we look forward to from you in 2022?
My goal is to have a complete manuscript for my fantasy novel by the summer and start querying. I’ve never gone through the query process so it’s exciting and terrifying. I’m hoping to share sample chapters online, as well, to see how people respond to it. My partner Jenn is so wonderful and supportive, and she encouraged me to believe in my writing and shoot for getting it published. I know it’s daunting and there are so many fantastic writers out there for publishers to choose from, but I want to try.
Do you have a favorite piece you've written?
I think the book I’m most pleased with is The Lost Princess of Earth, the third book of The Kelvin Voyages. The story means a lot to me, finding out the truths we hold about others aren’t as simple as we think. It’s a book primarily dedicated to the villain of the first two and bringing her story into the light. Why did she do these things? Did she ever have a choice? And when she finds out she has a choice after the events of the first two books, what she does with it? She’s the sister of the protagonist but had a much different life than he did, and it was an opportunity for me to explore that, as well as the families central to the series. It’s available in eBook and physical format on Amazon. If you live in Portland, Oregon it should still be in circulation through the Portland Public Library.
I love all of this. Let’s jump into something that is both daunting and fascinating to me: Star Wars. I admittedly know very little about the series (I know, I know, shame on me) but you’re bylined at Star Wars News Net and What the Force?. Tell me more.
I’ve been writing for Star Wars News Net since 2014, focusing on covering comics and novels. When Disney purchased Lucasfilm in 2012, they reset the canon and made a rather controversial declaration all the novels and comics following would create a unified story across multiple platforms. While that hasn’t exactly been a perfectly executed strategy, it’s been interesting to have watched it from the beginning and follow where it is now. There is some great writing in the Star Wars literary and comic universe, so it’s been a privilege to experience it and speak with some of the creators.
I also contribute to What the Force?, a site and podcast which explore the mythical, symbolic, and subconscious themes in Star Wars. It’s one of my favorite podcasts and I had the good fortune of being asked to contribute by the founder and host, Marie-Claire Gould. Which reminds me, I’m still working on a piece for them which is long overdue.
Star Wars has been constant source of joy for me over the years. While I’m not thrilled about every direction it’s gone in (don’t get me started on The Rise of Skywalker), it’s continued to open so many doors for me in finding new ways to explore stories, characters, and mythology. I’m continually honored to contribute in a small way to the fandom that’s brought me so much.
What advice would you give to people who want to write for a site like Star Wars News Net?
If you have a great idea for an editorial or would like to contribute, reach out to the publisher of the site. He’s an incredibly generous and upbeat fan who wants everyone in the fandom to have a voice. If that sounds a little out of your comfort zone, I’ve seen lots of folks start Wordpress sites or Instagram pages where they write their own reviews of Star Wars films, shows, comics, and novels. We’ve had writers in the past come to us by way of that. There are a lot of trolls in the fandom, to be sure, but there are so many more people who will be willing to lift up your voice and encourage you if you’re coming from a place of mutual respect and enthusiasm.
I have to ask - favorite Star Wars character?
Obi-Wan Kenobi, hands down. He did the right thing, no matter the cost. He atoned for his mistakes through living, trying to do what he could to protect someone (Luke) who was an innocent casualty of those mistakes. By the end of his life, he lived as a pacifist and truly sacrificed himself for the greater good.
I could ask a billion questions about Star Wars because the story, universe, and world building are so vast, but I’ll spare us both from writing that novel together.
Instagram shows me that you have cats, so of course I must know about them.
They are amazing! Arthur, who’s seven, I began living with when I moved in with my wonderful partner, Jenn. He is one of the sweetest creatures I’ve ever known, very talkative and always trying to give kisses. He also loves a belly rub, which none of the cats I had growing up ever did. A truly old and beautiful soul.
Petey, five months, came to us through Jenn. She’s is a veterinary-technician so she often encounters stray or surrendered animals who’ve been injured and aren’t going to make it. When Petey came in she started sending me pictures and immediately we both knew he needed to come live with us. He had a broken pelvis but after his surgery is recovering well and we already have to shoo him off the counters when he’s looking for his next meal.
I hadn’t had any cats in years so it’s been such a joy getting Arthur and Petey in my life every day.
Adorable. When you aren't creating, what are you up to?
I’m an avid podcast listener, so I’m usually listening to one of those while I ride my bike or run. I try to make reading a big part of my day, and I’m constantly adding new authors or titles to my Goodreads list. The longer it gets the more motivated I am to get through it, though it’s pretty darn long right now so I better get my act together.
Yeah, my TBR pile is basically a whole bookshelf at this point. What else do you get up to?
Mental health maintenance is also a huge part of my life. Whether that’s giving myself some time to go for a run or walk, a little meditation in the morning, or just staring off into space for a few minutes, I’m learning more and more my mind just needs a break sometimes. I find the more I do that, the more I come back to my daily life and writing with gratitude and an organic, healthy intuition of what needs to happen in the moment. Rather than what I or others think I should be doing, I try to do what the moment demands for myself and those around me.
Mindfulness is such a good practice to be in. Anything else you'd like to share?
I’m probably going to butcher this quote and I don’t remember who said it, but it’s something like: “There will be dozens of people in your life who doubt you or count you out. You don’t need to be one of them.” I know it’s easier said than done to suggest ignoring that inner critic, but it’s something worth working towards. They’ll be there when you start editing and you can give them a big bear hug welcome back because you’ll need them then. But I relish the time spent alone in that first draft, where the story is as wonderful and limitless as I want it to be. I know I’ll have plenty of time to find what works and what doesn’t later.
I try to get out into the world and live life so when I sit back down in front of that lonely keyboard I’ll have something to pour into these characters. We’re writers and that’s great, but I often find the need to remind myself I’m a human being, first and foremost.
What a great reminder for creatives. Kyle, thanks again for joining me. It’s been great to learn more about you and your books. I’m looking forward to what you’ve got in store, especially your fantasy work!
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Want to Connect with Kyle?
Get The Kelvin Voyages
Instagram
Bylines @ starwarsnewsnet.com & whattheforce.ca
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