Stargun Messenger
by Darby Harn
Released: May 05, 2023
Genre: Science Fiction
Why this book and why now?
This book is about discovering and cherishing your identity. It’s a book that will be banned in libraries in my home state and elsewhere because it features two women in love on a journey of self discovery. This book is right for right now because it’s about the stories and the people that some are trying to erase.
What is a significant way your book has changed since either the first draft or the way you thought it would turn out when you first had the inspiration?
Oh, boy. It’s changed a lot – all the names have changed since the original draft. The story hasn’t really ever, it’s just (hopefully) a good one.
Would you and your main character(s) get along?
I think Idari and I would get on like a house on fire, though I’d probably not be able to keep up with her.
Do your character names have special significance or meaning?
Some do. A lot of the times the names come from trying to find a natural sound. A few in the story do carry real world origins. Bulsar, a planet in the story, is named after Farrokh Bulsara, better known as Freddie Mercury.
Aside from the obvious food and shelter, what 3 things would your main character want with them if they got stranded away from civilization, and why?
Idari won’t go anywhere without her blaster, her babyl (mead, basically), and CR-UX, her navigational AI, who she shares a cybernetic link with.
One of your main characters is planning a romantic night. Tell us about it. What do they do?
Idari’s skills romantically aren’t exactly as sharp as those she relies on as a Stargun Messenger. But Idari loves music, so she’d take Emera either to a show or listen to something new aboard the ship. They both love to dance, so there would be lots of that.
Publishing a book is a huge accomplishment and it’s time to party! Choose a celebratory beverage for one of your main characters to toast the release of your new book!
Idari would toast with the aforementioned babyl, which is a substitute in some cases for jet fuel. It immolates memory, which is her primary interest in it, and burns like crazy going down. It’s the drink du jour in her galaxy.
What song does your character put on to start your book launch party?
“Under Pressure” by Queen and David Bowie. It best describes Idari’s life.
