At one of my book signings, a gentleman boldly challenged my credentials in those exact words. Although this was a first for me, I was fully prepared to answer the question.
I took a deep breath and calmly explained that I had been reading science fiction since I was old enough to read. Even then I was a voracious reader: I devoured everything put before me--including the dictionary and the encyclopedia!
But for as long as I can remember, I've been entranced by scifi in all media: television, movies, books, comic books, artwork. When my family got our first TV set, I began watching reruns of old Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon serials. I loved movies such as Forbidden Planet and The Day the Earth Stood Still. I was glued to Rocky Jones: Space Ranger, Tom Corbett: Space Cadet, Captain Midnight, Commando Cody, Superman, etc. As I got older I became an avid fan of The Twilight Zone, Science Fiction Theater, and One Step Beyond.
Inevitably, I became one of Star Trek's original fans; I was hooked even before the first episode aired! To this day I'm proud to be a Trekker/Trekkie ( whatever you like!) But I'm also a huge fan of Babylon 5, Farscape, Star Wars, Alien Nation, Batman, Spiderman, etc.
Please don't assume that all I've ever done is watch TV. I also read all the science fiction books and stories I could get my hands on, from Isaac Asimov to Zenna Henderson. Back in the 60s and 70s, I was privileged to meet and learn from such scifi greats as Asimov, Hal Clement ( Harry Stubbs ), Ben Bova, Larry Niven, and Anne McCaffrey.
In fact, after meeting many famous authors and discovering that they were real people, I got up enough courage to start writing my own science fiction. I'd been writing other types of stories since the age of eleven. All my life I'd been anticipating our expansion into outer space, exploring the solar system, and colonizing Mars, and I really enjoyed fantasizing about what those experiences would be like.
So, eventually, I produced a rough draft of my novel Judgment on Tartarus, which I would continue to work on for many years until it became my first published novel. That soon led to two more books which completed the Tartarus Trilogy, then on to the space opera Galaxy Rand.
Apparently, my answers satisfied the gentleman who had challenged my qualifications to write scifi.
They also encouraged me to pursue publication of my fifth science fiction novel: a sequel to my Tartarus Trilogy. So don't be afraid to challenge yourself, and don't let others discourage your pursuits.
Keep on reading and for heaven's sake don't quit writing!
MRTighe
