Milpitas resident Charlene Jens has published her first novel. Titled “The Quest for Intergalactic Peace,” it is a futuristic sci-fi/fantasy adventure that promises to transport readers to distant worlds. The Beat caught up with Jens this week for a one-on-one interview…
What inspired you to write “The Quest for Intergalactic Peace”?
Charlene Jens: I have always loved writing. As a teenager, I looked forward to writing essays and anything that would require the use of my imagination. Who we become as human beings, has a lot to do with our environment and who we surround ourselves with, because as people, we are affected by the influence of others.These things have inspired me to want to write this story; as well as the fact that there is so much of space that we cannot explore , because it is beyond our reach. I grew up watching Star Trek reruns and Battlestar Galactica. Using my imagination to write a story about space is fun for me.
How long did it take you to write the novel?
CJ: Several years. I am a working single mom, and don’t always have a lot of time for things outside of working, taking care of my son, and running our home.
Please describe your writing process.
CJ: I like to write in a 5-subject notebook and then type it afterwards. I write the day of the week and date in the margins at the beginning of each session, so I can see when my last writing session was and how much was written. At the end of each session, I will write a brief outline of what I want to happen in the next scene. This makes it easier for me to pick up where I left off at my next writing session.
Another thing I like to do is to write out character sheets. I write the character’s name, species, food/substance source, what planet they are from, as well as any actions they have completed. I also keep a list of alien technology that has been created and how it is used.
How about the publishing process?
CJ: After several years of submitting query letters to literary agents with no luck, I decided to self-publish. My novel is published through Rose Dog Publishing, a subsidiary of Dorrance Publishing.
How would you describe your writing to readers?
CJ: The tone is bold, visionary, imaginative, and mildly humorous.
Admarcio is the main villain in my story. He wants to create a new universe, and transform humans into his species.
Arlone is a wildly eccentric human. He has an alien spell upon him that causes him to seem weird to other humans.
The style is lighthearted, sci-fi/fantasy. I look at good versus bad within humanity, and the difficulty of accepting others who are different. The main takeaway is: who people become is greatly affected by the environment, and the influence of others.
I like to create a vacation of the mind for my readers through my stories by providing vivid, detailed descriptions of each planet, and species; as well as how each species interacts with others.
Are there more books coming?
CJ: “The Quest for Intergalactic Peace” is book one in a four-book series that I am writing titled, “The Beyond Human Limitations Series.” I am currently working on Book Two in the series. It is titled, “A Strange Society Under Amerzian Rule.”
What kind of feedback have you been getting? What are your goals for the book?
I haven’t received feedback as of yet. I hope to be able to adapt my novel into a screenplay in the near future.
Check out “The Quest for Intergalactic Peace” here!
