Interview with Daniel Ellrick, Author of Mars Colony Rescue

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write this book?

Let’s start with the series title, Interstellar Refugees. I grew up reading Robert Heinlein and Isaac Asimov while following the Apollo launches in the news. So, “Interstellar” points to my lifelong fascination with space travel, real and fictional. I paired that with “Refugees” because of my heart for people who are suffering, and especially for those who’ve been forced out of their homes. In a sense, Interstellar Refugees is a marriage of my heart and my head. Books one through three tell the story of an arkship bringing 480,000 alien refugees from the TRAPPIST-1 star system to Earth and the Japanese woman they chose as their ambassador.

The Interstellar Refugees Omnibus, which brings those books together in one volume, earned a five-star Readers’ Favorite review. Mars Colony Rescue was inspired by the desire of readers for more about their favorite characters, especially Chinese taikonaut Limei and her sentient AI cowboy boyfriend, Cirrus. So, Limei steps into the lead role in Mars Colony Rescue and leads a team of aliens, sentient AIs, and humans to rescue the Mars colonies.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of your book, what would they be?

Limei (human): “Die with a Smile” by Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars
Cirrus (sentient AI): “Cowboy Take Me Away” by The Chicks
Dr. Hippy (alien): “Makeba” by Jain
Victoria “Mercenary Mercer” (human): “Quark’s Song” from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Kehlani (sentient android): “Shining Star” by Earth, Wind & Fire
Addy (sentient AI): “Welcome to New York” by Taylor Swift

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

Science fiction. Yes, it’s what I write.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Translation State by Ann Leckie
Floating Hotel by Grace Curtis
System Collapse by Martha Wells
The Martian Contingency (The Lady Astronaut Series, Book 4) by Mary Robinette Kowal

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

That’s a tough question. I had so much fun writing Mars Colony Rescue, but here are two max-fun scenes (spoiler alert): 1. When Limei runs the hilarious safety tutorial after she gets her brain implants for the virtual reality visor. 2. Jack’s massive confusion when someone released him from the storeroom Victoria had locked him in and told him she’d left him in charge of Candor City.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

Is it quirky to move from place to place when I get stuck? I think it’s perfectly normal to tour a half-dozen coffee shops looking for a spot that inspires a scene, right?