Hi from the Readers’ Club with another in-depth look at one of our recommended titles and its author.
This time – Marjory Kaptanoglu and Invader

“Fans of sci-fi mysteries and strong female characters should snap up this psychological page-turner.” Publishers Weekly

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Meet Marjory Kaptanoglu: I grew up in a beautiful coastal town in eastern USA, which gave me an enduring love of the sea. I now live on the opposite coast, in San Francisco, California. My first career was as a software engineer, and I was lucky enough to work on one of the earliest Macintosh systems. But I always wanted to write, and after having kids, I decided to give it a try. I wrote screenplays for a number of years, and got some short films produced, but the goal of a feature film escaped me. Wanting to write something that had a greater chance of reaching audiences, I switched to novels in 2017. Very happy I did! Outside of writing, I spend as much time as possible with my husband, three adult sons, grand dog, and grand cat.

What was the inspiration for Invader? If I told you it would spoil the surprise. Let’s just say, I love sci-fi concepts and this was an approach to one that I hadn’t seen done before.

What’s the underlying theme that the book deals with? Free will, mercy, and redemption are common themes in my work, and Invader is no exception.

What do you hope readers will take from the book? Most importantly, I hope my book delivers a highly entertaining and surprising read. On a deeper level, I hope Invader delivers an underlying message of kindness, tolerance, and forgiveness that remains with readers long afterwards..

What are you working on next? I just finished a fantasy trilogy and now plan to dive into a new sci-fi thriller series with a different take on time travel.

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Now, we always try to end our look at an author by asking them to take part in a modified version of the famous Proust Questionnaire that James Lipton would use at the end of the ‘Actor’s Studio” interviews… 
So Marjory, if you are willing: 

What is your favourite word? Dodgy. It makes me laugh and evokes images of classic British mystery stories, which I love.

What is your least favourite word? This year, it’s COVID.

What is the best book you have ever read? There are so, so many that I love. Let me instead pick one of my favorites in my own genre that has been on my mind lately: 1984 by George Orwell.

What is the worst – and if you don’t have a worst, then the worst book to film adaptation? I would rather hang upside down off the edge of the Grand Canyon than re-read Ulysses by James Joyce.

What sound or noise do you love? The rhythmic sound of waves hitting the shore.

What sound or noise do you hate? The sound of any animal, human or non-human, in distress.

What is your favourite smell in the world? The briny low-tide scent of seaweed, shells, and old lobster pots washed up on the shore. Some people hate that smell, but it instantly takes me back to my childhood and the comfort of home and family.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? I would’ve loved to be a musician, but I’m basically tone deaf. I still would like to take up playing the piano again. I suppose this doesn’t qualify as a profession though, since no one would ever pay me a dime for it.

What profession would you not like to do? Steelworker. The idea of dangling off a bridge or the side of a skyscraper terrifies me.

If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates? You can write all you like, but you don’t need to market anymore.

Thanks Marjory – and I for one agree totally about Mr Joyce’s book!!

To see more about Marjory and her books – click this link

 

That’s all from us for now.
Take good care, stay safe and well, (and well-read),
From Jaz and the Leschenault Press Team