Author Interview – S.J. Lee

 Exclusive Q/A session with the Author of my favourite Sci-fi Book, S.J. Lee

Hello and Welcome everyone! 

Today, Get to know the mind behind my recent favorite sci-fi, S.J.Lee in my latest Author Spotlight. Join us as we shine a spotlight on the brilliant mind behind "Of Friction".

1. Tell us about yourself.

Hello! I’m an Asian-American indie author writing speculative fiction. When I’m not working on my Altered Earth series, I’m usually at my full-time job as a security specialist, gaming, or hanging out with my spouse and dog. My current career has brought me all over the world and I am fortunate to have worked and lived in Iraq, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, Guyana, India, and several cities in the United States.

2. What drew you to become a writer, and how did your journey begin?

I’ve always had stories in my head since I was a kid, but these particular characters have kept me company for the past 15+ years. I never intended to share them, and I never made serious attempts to record them, but after a few external circumstances, I wrote my first ever screenplay draft in March 2023. By April 2023, I decided a screenplay wasn’t satisfying enough for me and I finished the first novel draft of Book 1, Of Friction.

3. How do you balance writing with your personal life or other commitments?

Balance? What’s that? Kidding.

I’m grateful to have a loving and supportive partner who keeps me as balanced as I can be. I’m a hyper-fixator so when I get home from work, I go into tunnel-vision mode and force myself to work on the series. Some people may call it discipline, I call it pure stubbornness. I know myself and I tend to lose interest in hobbies and projects after three years. I’m determined to finish, and will finish, this trilogy. 

If you’re looking for examples in maintaining balance, look elsewhere. The only reason I’m currently alive is because I have an amazing support person who keeps me accountable and grounds me in what matters.

And therapy.

4. Do you prefer traditional publishing or self-publishing, and why?

When I read, I lean toward traditionally-published books, but that’s also because I only joined the writing and book community at the beginning of 2024 when I self-published my debut novel. I have read a lot more indie and self-published books since then.

As an author, I never considered querying or the traditional publishing route, because I love having control of the entire process and timeline. Plus, I’m impatient.

5. What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced in the publishing process?

As an indie and self-published author, the biggest challenge is marketing. Marketing is completely different than writing and requires just as much time and effort (if not more). As an introvert and very private person, trying to sell myself and my story? Very difficult.

Another challenge is being vulnerable to criticism. Everyone has their own tastes and opinions, and though many are nice about it, some are more pointed and louder.

6. Which character do you relate to the most, and why?

I think I relate the most to Book 1’s main character, Sam. (Shocking.) We both have extremely stunted emotions and inabilities to show them, but I think that’s where the similarities end. There’s a piece of me in each of the core group of characters.

7. Did you experience any writer’s block while working on this book, and how did you overcome it?

The 15+ years of story in my head was actually more angsty scenes than actual plot, and I had to come up with this entire world to bring it all together. Frankly, Of Friction was written just to get to the last scenes and prepare for Of Abrasion and Book 3.  So there was a LOT of writer’s block (especially in the soggy middles).

How did I overcome it? Pure. Stubbornness. And long walks and exercise. It would literally jog my thoughts.

8. Are you working on any new projects? Can you share anything about what’s next?

I consider the Altered Earth series one large project. Book 1, Of Friction, was published in February 2024, and Book 2, Of Abrasion, is currently with my first round of editors and is projected for release in Spring 2025. Book 3 will be released in 2026. I am only working on this trilogy until it is completed.

The entire trilogy series will explore humanity and its dynamics in relationships, war, friendship, and more. It is also the kind of representation (strong women, normalized LGBTQ+, diversity, etc.) and character focus I’ve always wanted to see in the traditionally conservative subgenre of military science fiction.

9. If you could adapt Of Friction into another medium (film, TV, etc.), what would you choose?

Television. I would love to see the characters, world, and politics develop in a series format.

10. What genres or topics are you interested in exploring beyond Of Friction?

Of Friction explored identity, trauma, and perspective. Its world was influenced by history (manifest destiny), current events (illegal settling), and various topics of terrorism and geopolitics from my graduate studies. In the next two books, the following topics will also be explored: coping mechanisms, resilience (and its limits), political division, corruption, indoctrination, morality, and so much more emphasis on perspective. Basically, humanity in the worst situations, its good, bad, and ugly.