Yesterday, I shared my impressions of “Mannigan: A Speck of Light” by L. Ross Coulter. If you missed it, you can check out that post here. I am delighted to share the conversation I had with the author, where we discussed his novel, writing habits, and a bit of his personal life.

Interview

About “Mannigan: A Speck of Light”

Renae: Tell me a little bit about your book.

L. Ross Coulter: In the imaginings of a world rebuilt after the near total destruction of the earth, my book is a world building dystopian adventure set in a future in which humanity’s survivors have been united under the banner of a new order of global government, the Vitruvians. Building massive cities built to withstand the inhospitable environment of the planet, the Vitruvians provide safety to all who follow them and under their wing civilization has grown once more. But beneath the surface of the new utopia is a darker side to the dream.

Following the story of one of the city’s less fortunate inhabitants Will Manning, the truth of what has been done to allow society to flourish is revealed. And it is less than good. On death’s door with nothing left in his life but anger and rage, when he is given the option to join a group of cult-like rebels and exact revenge it is an easy choice. Yet as he begins to explore the world beyond what he has known, it slowly becomes apparent that what he thought was justice is not so black and white.

Renae: What inspired you to write “Mannigan: A Speck of Light”?

L. Ross Coulter: When I was in my early teens I invented and drew a character I named ‘Mannigan’. He was a vigilante who exacted revenge upon rich elites who through dubious business and shady dealings caused suffering on the poor. As I aged (and believe me I have aged!) I, as I think most do, came to mature from my youthful and idealistic view that the world and its inhabitants can be boiled down to good guys and bad guys, so when I had the opportunity in my life to write a book it was there that I wanted to start. My book is at times unpleasant and violent, but I wrote it in essence to my younger self and to any who thought or think like I did. And in an attempt to share what I have come to learn, the underlying message of the story which I set out to tell was that vengeance will ultimately fail, and that the solution to the injustices of life is simply love.

Renae: What were your world-building inspirations for your novel?

L. Ross Coulter: I am a builder and engineer by trade, so once I had decided to create a new world from scratch the development of what it looked like and how it functioned were as rational as possible based. I did extensive research into what earth would be like after an extinction level event such as happens in the book and adapted accordingly. The physical necessities of life such as food, energy, raw materials and safety, and all the emotional and spiritual necessities (there’s a philosophical conversation to be had there I know) taken into consideration, the city of Zeno and the surrounding wastelands in which the story takes place kind of built itself.

Renae: Your protagonist, Will, grew up in a time period of great upheaval. How does this influence his arc?

L. Ross Coulter: Broadly speaking, every second generation will live through a time period of great societal upheaval. And, again, broadly speaking, every individual person within their own lives will live through several periods of great personal upheaval. In the story however, the protagonist, Will, is living through both. This has a profound effect on him and his decisions, leading him to essentially giving up on life and with no peace in him at all to turn to, all he wants is to burn it all down. Of course this is not the answer or the right thing to do, but it is where I believe many people have been or will be in their lives, and in understanding that it is there that we can begin to try to help.

Renae: How would you describe the tone or atmosphere of your novel?

L. Ross Coulter: ‘Frantic’ maybe? Whether or not I actually achieved it is a different story, but I tried! Keeping the pacing as quick as I could, in addition to forming certain sentences in the non-standard form to keep flow, I wrote the book predominantly in the present tense to emphasize the urgency and importance that all that is our reality is all happening now. 

About Reading

Renae: When you aren’t writing, what are you reading? What are your favorite genres?

L. Ross Coulter: My favorite genre is Science fiction fantasy with a philosophical or allegorical bent.

Renae: What are you currently reading?

L. Ross Coulter: It is totally random but very good, I’m currently reading ‘The Way of a Pilgrim’, which was written in Russia by an unknown author in the late 1800’s and translated to English in the 1930’s. 

Renae: Are there any books you have read lately that have stuck in your mind long after you finished the book?

L. Ross Coulter: Flatland. I will not try to explain it or even say a good thing about it. But if you have not read it please do. It is truly a one of a kind.

Renae: What is the book that you keep returning to, whether for comfort or inspiration?

L. Ross Coulter: Call me weird or tacky or whatever you will, but of all the books ever written, for me the Bible is by far the best. I do not know what you or your reader’s beliefs are, and do not intend to impose mine on anyone, but even objectively as a collection of writings, written with such cohesiveness over such an expanse of time and providing so much insight and having so much of an impact on humanity, I do not believe there is anything else close to such a fascinating work.

Renae: Is there an author who has influenced your work or inspired you to write?

L. Ross Coulter: Isaac Asimov. I grew up reading his books. Through his imagination I explored strange places, worlds, and galaxies that do not exist. Yet through his writing, to me, they did. And so realizing the immense gift a writer can share with the world with nothing but simple language, I have always had great respect for those who write.

About writing

Renae: Have you always wanted to be a writer? How long have you been writing?

L. Ross Coulter: I definitely never even considered writing up until my early thirties but from the earliest age I have always loved making things and building things. Doing it for a living and as much as I could do in my own home, time and money and physics were always a constant limitation to what I could create. So when the idea dawned on me that a world could be built with words in imaginations I had to give it a try. 

Renae: Do you have any routines or rituals that get you into writing mode? If so, can you share them?

L. Ross Coulter: I really wished I did. For me every day is a new day and depending on how the weather, news, feelings, lighting, couch, cat, etc. is that day affects how I write. The only thing I suppose I do is listen to music. Trip hop mixes that are several hours long help me produce my general intent and six hour plus Hans Zimmer playlists maybe to help with the more heartfelt scenes. For editing and fine tuning I can only work in complete silence.

Renae: Would you consider yourself a plotter, pantser, or a little bit of both?

L. Ross Coulter: I am most definitely a little bit of both. On the surface I would probably consider myself a plotter, but once I immerse myself in the world of the stories that I build, I find that any efforts I had on working to a good plan goes out the window. Once characters begin existing and interacting within the world that they live in, the story tends to plot a course for itself.

Renae: How do you balance family and work with writing?

L. Ross Coulter: I have learned from bitter experience that family is by far the more valuable of the three. So getting the balance right, for me, comes down to one thing. If I am able to work and write and still live in the present, giving my family the attention and love that they deserve, then I have balanced it right. Any less than that, and it needs to be fixed.

Renae: If you could co-write a book with any author (living or dead), who would it be and what would you write?

L. Ross Coulter: C.S. Lewis. His wonderful imagination, colorful language, and depth of thought for me makes him one of the greatest writers of all time.

About you

Renae: When you aren’t writing, what are you up to?

L. Ross Coulter: When I’m not writing, I’m either working or spending as much time as I can with my wife and daughter.

Renae: Can you share any hobbies or interests that you are passionate about?

L. Ross Coulter: I love to build. Whether a shed or a house, or even a small statue or ornament, if I ever won the lottery I would probably blow it all on building things from scratch or refurbishing/renovating things made in the past.

Renae: Is there a favorite place to visit that provides inspiration or allows you to recharge creatively?

L. Ross Coulter: I live in the countryside in Ireland and am lucky enough to be surrounded by beautiful scenery. I try and get out into the woods or along the rivers as much as I can to clear my head.

Renae: Where can my readers find you online?

L. Ross Coulter: Other than Goodreads I am one of those people who does not really inhabit the internet (there are dozens of us!). I have no doubt that it is probably detrimental to my ambitions as a writer but it helps me stay an introvert.

Renae: Finally, do you have any new projects on the horizon that you can discuss with us?

L. Ross Coulter: Yes. I’ve actually just released a new book titled ‘City of Mann’ that has been published by the Irish publishing house, Shanway Press, in Belfast. An allegorical fantasy, it is the story of a planet inhabited by Sentient Cities that takes an absurd, philosophical and humorous dive into the existential questions of life, with the aim of bringing the hope of the divine into the light of day. 

It is available on Amazon, B&N, Kobo and the Shanway Press website and will be available in select bookshops across the UK by the end of the year.

Thank you to L. Ross Coulter, your insights and experiences were incredibly valuable, and I truly appreciate your willingness to share them with us!