Interview with Stella Atrium, Author of Tribal Logic (The Tribal Wars Book 4)

10 Apr 2024

What’s the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Tribal Logic (The Tribal Wars Book 4)?

Tribal Logic is Book 4 of a series, so the original inspiration has been satisfied in the first trilogy. With this story, we look at the tribal neighbors for how their lives are different from favorite characters, and how the differences are a threat to stability in the duchy. Jesse Hartley jumps back to Dolvia in the galaxy’s Westend to reconnect with her father General Hartley. Meanwhile, Hershel Henry takes on a mission to rescue abandoned conscripts in the asteroid belt.

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

For decades I read history and philosophy. Maybe I was trying to find that one mystery that made my life more interesting. I did find lots of research on unusual natural events and examples of how individuals respond to pressure. Reading is its own reward. For example, I often take inspiration for moments of magic from found-in-nature artifacts. I discovered a “mermaid’s purse” which is a folded seaweed frond where a shark places a fetus for additional incubation. For the sci-fi story, I was able to turn that artifact into a magic talisman. Characters who carry one can communicate with each other through a hole drilled into the dead sea serpent’s head.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

I was a great reader of pulp fiction as a young person. Now I sort of stick with history and especially personalities that impact a nation. I’m on chapter two of Brett Baier’s biography of President Grant after the Civil War. How the veterans and suffering people in the South recovered or acted on old prejudices fascinates me and provides fodder for how my characters may act.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

In Tribal Logic we meet more characters who have spiritual talents such as a young healer named Opin who helps Jesse Hartley when she gets injured. I researched how healing powers can work in our world and stumbled upon the old traditions in the Middle East and India. Integrating some features into the skills of Opin kept to my principle of found-in-nature magic. The research also opened a whole fresh world of adventure for me. I enjoyed infusing Opin with some insights far beyond her age or position.

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

I read my own books for pleasure. Is that too odd for words?

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

To write well, one must get up early, make a pot of coffee, and turn on the computer.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

Tribal Logic has humor, action-adventure, and a love story that is resolved in the next book Utcan’s Talisman. There’s a pantheon of characters, but reviewers have said that the story is easy to follow with high adventure and strong twists. The memorable characters drive the story, especially the women.

Stella Atrium is the author of the new book Tribal Logic (The Tribal Wars Book 4)

Connect with Stella Atrium