P.A. Vasey’s bestselling series ‘Trinity Trilogy’ has taken hold of readers hearts and souls, making it a must read this spring and summer. In the ‘Trinity Trilogy’ readers head set forth on an all out adventure that is full of high tech, drama and twists as humanity encounters an alien species for the very first time. Readers cannot get enough of this series as they blow through all three books and leave asking for more.
We recently we chatted with P.A. Vasey about his life, his work and what’s up next for this brilliant author.
With so many genres to write in, why did you decide to write in the Science Fiction genre?
I’ve always loved sci-fi and dreamed about being an author in this genre as long as I can remember. My reading favorites as a young boy included ‘old school’ legends such as Arthur C Clarke, Isaac Asimov and Frank Herbert and of course like many kids I queued around the block to watch Star Wars in 1977 [having read the novelisation first]. I snuck in to see many other great sci-fi movies in the seventies and loved TV sci-fi such as classic Star Trek and British shows like Dr Who, Blakes 7, and many more. I guess also that my background in science and medicine made sci-fi an obvious fit too … And whilst I do enjoy reading thrillers and mysteries too (Lee Child’s ‘Reacher’ series and anything by Harlan Coben springs to mind, particularly on vacations!) I always felt the pull to science fiction rather than those genres.
Talk to us a little about two of the main characters, Kate Morgan and Adam Benedict how did you develop them in your storyline and more importantly how did you come up with their personas as characters in your book?
Initially, the trilogy arc was going to be set in the 3rd person, until I realized that the story would be best told through one of the character’s eyes; experiencing the twists and turns with them as the story opens up. Of the two main characters, the story really had to be told through Kate Morgan’s experiences, given that Adam Benedict was (literally!) too close to the plot and none of the revelations would be possible if we knew everything he did. Being a medical practitioner, it was a ‘no-brainer’ to have Kate Morgan’s character a doctor, and it allowed me to use this background to good use. Writing as a female character was (and is) tricky for obvious reasons, and my wife certainly said that at times Kate appeared to react to situations just like a man would. So while I had to get more in touch with my ‘feminine’ side I still wanted Kate to be a strong individual, self-sufficient and ultimately able to ‘kick ass’. She had also experienced significant personal loss (the death of her daughter in the prologue of Trinity’s Legend) and I used this as the basis for her character development – particularly as Adam Benedict had also experienced significant loss himself (his wife). In essence, the character of Adam was easier to write because he was part-machine and I was able to blunt his emotions and reactions accordingly. That part of his persona was based on ‘Data’ from Star Trek – for example the lack of using ‘contractions’ in his speech mannerisms. He also had to be kind of ‘schizophrenic’ given that the alien Vu-Hak was inhabiting his machine body alongside him. Nevertheless, I still needed him to develop and find his humanity during the trilogy … and his relationship with Kate was very helpful there.
The cover design of your series wonderful, how did you come up with the cover design and what common theme did you want to project throughout all three books.
Thank you! I engaged a number of designers and got them to supply ideas based on certain story elements (e.g. ‘wormhole’, ‘man with green eyes’, ‘interstellar space’, ‘nuclear fire’ etc.). Then I decided which I liked the best and developed it in partnership with my chosen designer. I wanted the same theme and style to run through all three books, so once I had selected the designer for the first novel TRINITY’S LEGACY I got her to work on books two and three using the same style/visual components. I was very happy with the results and almost certainly will be asking her to work on the cover for the next book as well.
As a seasoned writer I am sure you have developed a strong fan base of readers, what can new readers of your work expect when they read a P.A. Vasey book?
I probably would call what I write ‘speculative fiction’ as it deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, time travel, parallel universes, fictional worlds, space exploration, and extraterrestrial life. I cover many of these concepts in the Trinity Trilogy, but I felt it important to also explore the philosophy and ethical aspects of scientific advances. I try not to be dogmatic or to write one-dimensional statements regarding things I don’t necessarily believe in, and attempt to present a balanced and accessible story and worldview. If readers come away thinking about the big issues I have alluded to – whether they agree with my interpretations or not – then great!
When you are not writing bestselling Science Fiction books what other passions do you have in life and are there any other books in the works?
I am a passionate cancer physician, and love my work which is very fulfilling. Writing takes up a lot of my spare time, but I also love cycling. I have a great bunch of like-minded friends and I try to ride 4-5 times per week, mostly before starting work in the early morning. Living in Brisbane is fabulous for this, given the climate and particularly the early sunny mornings in summertime. Every two years we try and travel to Europe to ride the iconic climbs of the Alpes and Pyrennees, although this year all our plans were significantly cut back due to a certain virus … However, this has provided more opportunity to start on my next novel, a standalone story about first contact, the emerging singularity of sentient artificial intelligence, and of course, the end of the world [again!]. I hope to have this finished by early 2022.
To find out more about P.A. Vasey and his book, head over to his website.