Official Interview: Joel R. Dennstedt

[kandscreeley]

Today's Chat with Sarah features Joel R. Dennstedt, author of I, Robot Soldier.

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1. How did you get your start writing?

I became aware at 8 years old that I wanted to write. I would rise much earlier than my parents and brothers and write stories at the big table in the den. I wrote about a bug with the head of Alfred Hitchcock and a war between the Conumists and Decromats [sic]. I created a comic book about a bear lost on the moon. Although life intervened—as it always does—writing became the magnetic center around which I revolved. At sixty-three, I finally published my first novel.

2. Who's been most influential in your writing?

Since I explore multiple genres, a variety of influences come to mind. My writing humor comes mainly from James Thurber; my literary fiction is inspired and informed by William Golding, Henry James, and John Le Carré; my science fiction is inspired by all the greats from the Golden Age in which I lived: Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clark, Ray Bradbury, Philip K. Dick, Robert Heinlein, Andre Norton, and the large host of others writing SF in the '50s and '60s.

3. Let's discuss your book I, Robot Soldier. How did you come up with the idea of a robot protecting the last human survivor?

I didn't, exactly. The idea of a robot awakening to the aftermath of war came first as a short story written decades earlier. I wanted to explore that theme further and just began writing. Within a few paragraphs, Amy made her appearance. Believe me, she surprised and captivated me from the start. At that point, the book wrote itself.

4. How did you write from the perspective of a robot viewing the world as, I assume, you're human?

I may be human, but I suspect not fully. Whether my German ancestry has stifled my emotional expressiveness or I exist somewhere on the autistic spectrum (something supported by observation), I watch the world from a place of significant internal isolation. The world has always befuddled me: people with their odd beliefs and behaviors, most of all. It's easier for me to consider everything from an outsider's point of view.

5. Amy, the human survivor the robot is protecting, is a child. Was it difficult to write someone so young?

It would have been difficult if I had created Amy. It's important to understand that Amy just appeared suddenly. I was taken entirely by surprise. She wasn't planned. I was also surprised by how she commandeered center stage. Other writers will understand this character usurpation of an author's original intent. They will also understand why it's best to let them be.

6. How realistic do you think the post-apocalyptic world you imagined is?

I don't know. It's at least as credible as our world, which I don't find realistic at all.

7. What did you find most difficult as far as the writing process? What did you enjoy most?

I suppose the greatest difficulty came when I felt locked into a plotline that refused to follow my intentions. Therefore, the greatest enjoyment came from letting go and letting One Shot and Amy decide their own actions and meanings. However, to be perfectly candid, the greatest enjoyment was from having done the writing. I don't find the creative process particularly pleasurable, only the results. I prefer polishing and editing my previously created work.

8. What's next for you? Are there any books in the works?

I'm working on the second book in my Robot Trilogy: I, Robot Alien. It will be completed in mid-2025. A third book is planned. However, I've had so many requests for a sequel to I, Robot Soldier—with Amy grown up—I may have to consider a fourth installment. Maybe then I can polish and edit the literary novel that took me 8 years to write.

I like to end with fun questions.

9. In the book, Amy has an obsession with cats. So, are you a cat or dog person?

Yeah, that. Growing up, I was a cat person. I was terrified of dogs. I knew a lot of wise cats who taught and consoled me during my childhood. (So far, each of my published novels has a cat as a significant character.) Then, at 40, my brother's yellow lab took me under her wing and showed me what a dog can be. I've been a dog person ever since, especially enamored with German Shepherds, who used to scare me to death.

10. What does your writing environment look like?

Just a couch and a laptop. Since 2019, I've been a full-time caregiver for my brother, who is entirely bedridden from strokes suffered while we were traveling the world. I'm an early riser, getting up around 4 am to read and write—pretty much like those childhood days in the den.

11. What's your favorite holiday and why?

I want to say Thanksgiving because that seems more selfless. Alas, Christmas holds all the magic, even if I must create most of it myself.

12. Would you rather live in a tiny house with an endless supply of money or a big house with no money?

My brother and I traveled the world for seven and a half years with everything we owned in our backpacks and duffels. There's no way you can beat that. Simple is best. Given your two options, I'll take the tiny house and find a way to disperse most of the money.

[Joanna Perry]

It's nice to read an interview with the author of the very enjoyable book I just finished reading. One Shot is a wonderful creation; he and Amy are a great pair. I can see the relation between Joel's travels with his brother where they carried very little, and OS and Amy's journey with nothing but the basics. Nice interview.