The Prometheus Saga Author Interview: On Both Sides by Bria Burton
Today, I'm the one being interviewed. It's very fitting for President's Day as my short story takes place during the American Revolution.
Our featured author today is Bria Burton, author of "On Both Sides", a short story in The Prometheus Saga. "On Both Sides" is available for FREE on Kindle today, 2/16 - 2/20, so be sure to download your copy!
Welcome, Bria. Tell us, what inspired you to launch / join the Alvarium Experiment?
At the FWA Conference in 2014, Charles and Ken approached me about the idea, and I absolutely loved it. The author collaboration, the story premise, and the new way of reaching readership really drew me in. Not to mention I love science fiction.
What are some of the benefits and challenges of writing “into” an existing framework for Prometheus as a character? How did that shape your creative process for your story? Is it different from your usual writing process?
For me, this story began with Point of View. Typically, I begin with a plot idea or a character, but I wanted to know where I would be coming from in the framework given. According to the guidelines, no one was to write in Prometheus’s first person perspective, but limited third POV was permitted. The reason: there would be too many discrepancies in the stories regarding the character. I wanted to focus on an outside character observing Prometheus, and so my story is told from that outsider’s perspective (two, in fact). The difficulty was making sure I didn’t step out of the parameters. The benefit was that the parameters allowed for a great deal of creativity and freedom.
Tell me more about your other work(s).
I have several speculative fiction pieces published. Most recently, “In Line at the DMYV,” science fiction, appeared in the Welcome to the Future anthology. “The Darkness Below,” science fiction, appeared in The Colored Lens Autumn 2014 issue. Also in 2014, “Switching,” fantasy, aired on the Dunesteef Audio Fiction Magazine and “Ligeia,” science fiction, aired on the Journey Into… podcast. Both of these podcasts use voice actors, sound effects and music, and the episodes are free, so that was really fun to hear my stories in that medium. “The Mute Girl,” fantasy, appeared in eFantasy (now New Realm) in 2013. My epic fantasy manuscript, Livinity, won a First Place RPLA in 2011.
Tell me more about your short story in The Prometheus Saga. Why did you pick that episode in history?
Here’s the story description: When a mysterious woman vanishes during the American Revolution, young Robby Freeman searches for answers from a cryptic sharpshooter who deserted Washington’s Continental Army. I chose the American Revolution because American History has always been one of my favorite subjects. The opportunity to select any period in history was daunting at first—so many choices!—but as soon as it occurred to me, I knew I wanted to write about that time period.
What are your writing plans for 2015? What does the new year hold in store for you?
I’m waiting on a beta reader to give me feedback for Book One of Livinity. Once I receive notes and do some more editing, I’ll be following the traditional publishing route of submissions to agents/publishers. That can be a long process of waiting and resubmitting. I’d like to get several more short stories written this year and continue submitting to literary magazines. Like I do every year, I plan to attend the Florida Writers Conference in October.
Bria Burton's short stories have appeared in anthologies such as Welcome to the Future and speculative fiction magazines such as The Colored Lens. Her novella, Little Angel Helper, was written for her sisters, one of whom has special needs like a character in the story. She also has a collection of family-friendly pet stories called Lance & Ringo Tails. Her epic fantasy manuscript, Livinity, won First Place in the RPLA Unpublished Fantasy Novel category in 2011.
At St. Pete Running Company, she works as a blogger and customer service manager. Find out more about her upcoming and past publications by visiting www.briaburton.com.
ABOUT THE PROMETHEUS SAGA
The Prometheus Saga is the premier project of the Alvarium Experiment, a consortium of accomplished and award-winning authors.
The Saga spans the range of the existence of Homo sapiens. The stories do not need to be read in any particular order; each story is an entry point into the overall story.
The Prometheus Saga stories & authors are:
“The Pisces Affair” by Daco Auffenorde. CIA operative Jordan Jakes meets Prometheus when the Secretary of State becomes the target of a terrorist attack at a head-of-state dinner in Dubai. Visit Daco at www.authordaco.com.
“On Both Sides” by Bria Burton. When a mysterious woman vanishes during the American Revolution, young Robby Freeman searches for answers from a cryptic sharpshooter who deserted Washington’s Continental Army. Visit Bria at www.briaburton.com.
“Ever After” by M.J. Carlson. Two mysterious women convey the same Cinderella story to Giambattista Basile in 1594 and Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm in 1811. How different cultures retell this story reveals humanity’s soul to those who listen. Visit M.J. at www.mjcarlson.com.
“The Blurred Man” by Bard Constantine. FBI agent Dylan Plumm's investigation of a mill explosion puts her on the trail of the Blurred Man, a mysterious individual who may have been on Earth for centuries. Visit Bard at www.bardwritesbooks.com.
“Crystal Night” by Charles A. Cornell. Berlin, 1938. On the eve of one of history’s darkest moments, a Swedish bartender working in Nazi Germany accidentally uncovers a woman’s hidden past. Can he avoid becoming an accomplice as the Holocaust accelerates? Visit Charles at www.charlesacornell.com.
“Marathon” by Doug Dandridge. Prometheus, posing as a citizen of Athens, participates in the battle of Marathon alongside the playwright Aeschylus. Visit Doug at www.dougdandridge.net.
“The Strange Case of Lord Byron’s Lover” by Parker Francis. Writing in her journal, Mary Shelley recounts a series of perplexing events during her visit with Lord Byron—a visit that resulted in the creation of her famous Frankenstein novel, but also uncovered a remarkable mystery. Visit Parker at www.parkerfrancis.com.
“Strangers on a Plane” by Kay Kendall. In 1969 during a flight across North America, a young mother traveling with her infant meets an elderly woman who displays unusual powers. But when a catastrophe threatens, are those powers strong enough to avert disaster? This short story folds into Kay’s mystery series featuring the young woman, amateur sleuth Austin Starr. Visit Kay at www.kaykendallauthor.com.
“East of the Sun” by Jade Kerrion. Through a mysterious map depicting far-flung lands, a Chinese sailor in 1424 and a Portuguese cartographer in 1519 share a vision of an Earth far greater than the reality they know. Visit Jade at www.jadekerrion.com.
“Manteo” by Elle Andrews Patt. In 1587, Croatan native Manteo returns from London to Roanoke Island, Virginia. Can he reconcile his strong loyalty to the untamed land and people of his home with his desire for the benefits the colonizing English bring with them before one of them destroys the other? Visit Elle at www.elleandrewspatt.com.
“First World War” by Ken Pelham. 40,000 BC: As the last remaining species of hominid, Homo sapiens and Homo neanderthalensis, fight a desperate battle for ownership of the future, the outcasts of both sides find themselves caught in middle. Visit Ken at www.kenpelham.com.
“Lilith” by Antonio Simon, Jr. In this retelling of the Adam & Eve story, a hermit’s life is turned upside-down by the arrival of a mysterious woman in his camp. As the story of their portentous meeting carries forward through the millennia, only time will tell if Lilith is a heroine, a victim, or a monster. Visit Antonio at www.DarkwaterSyndicate.com.
“Fifteen Dollars’ Guilt” by Antonio Simon, Jr. 1881: After a close brush with death in a steamship disaster, Prometheus encounters another survivor who gripes about how aimless his life has become. Prometheus helps him find his calling, inadvertently setting in motion the assassination of President Garfield. Visit Antonio at www.DarkwaterSyndicate.com.
Visit the website to view all of the stories: The Prometheus Saga
AUTHOR BRIA BURTON
Our featured author today is Bria Burton, author of "On Both Sides", a short story in The Prometheus Saga. "On Both Sides" is available for FREE on Kindle today, 2/16 - 2/20, so be sure to download your copy!
Welcome, Bria. Tell us, what inspired you to launch / join the Alvarium Experiment?
At the FWA Conference in 2014, Charles and Ken approached me about the idea, and I absolutely loved it. The author collaboration, the story premise, and the new way of reaching readership really drew me in. Not to mention I love science fiction.
What are some of the benefits and challenges of writing “into” an existing framework for Prometheus as a character? How did that shape your creative process for your story? Is it different from your usual writing process?
For me, this story began with Point of View. Typically, I begin with a plot idea or a character, but I wanted to know where I would be coming from in the framework given. According to the guidelines, no one was to write in Prometheus’s first person perspective, but limited third POV was permitted. The reason: there would be too many discrepancies in the stories regarding the character. I wanted to focus on an outside character observing Prometheus, and so my story is told from that outsider’s perspective (two, in fact). The difficulty was making sure I didn’t step out of the parameters. The benefit was that the parameters allowed for a great deal of creativity and freedom.
Tell me more about your other work(s).
I have several speculative fiction pieces published. Most recently, “In Line at the DMYV,” science fiction, appeared in the Welcome to the Future anthology. “The Darkness Below,” science fiction, appeared in The Colored Lens Autumn 2014 issue. Also in 2014, “Switching,” fantasy, aired on the Dunesteef Audio Fiction Magazine and “Ligeia,” science fiction, aired on the Journey Into… podcast. Both of these podcasts use voice actors, sound effects and music, and the episodes are free, so that was really fun to hear my stories in that medium. “The Mute Girl,” fantasy, appeared in eFantasy (now New Realm) in 2013. My epic fantasy manuscript, Livinity, won a First Place RPLA in 2011.
Here’s the story description: When a mysterious woman vanishes during the American Revolution, young Robby Freeman searches for answers from a cryptic sharpshooter who deserted Washington’s Continental Army. I chose the American Revolution because American History has always been one of my favorite subjects. The opportunity to select any period in history was daunting at first—so many choices!—but as soon as it occurred to me, I knew I wanted to write about that time period.
What are your writing plans for 2015? What does the new year hold in store for you?
I’m waiting on a beta reader to give me feedback for Book One of Livinity. Once I receive notes and do some more editing, I’ll be following the traditional publishing route of submissions to agents/publishers. That can be a long process of waiting and resubmitting. I’d like to get several more short stories written this year and continue submitting to literary magazines. Like I do every year, I plan to attend the Florida Writers Conference in October.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bria Burton's short stories have appeared in anthologies such as Welcome to the Future and speculative fiction magazines such as The Colored Lens. Her novella, Little Angel Helper, was written for her sisters, one of whom has special needs like a character in the story. She also has a collection of family-friendly pet stories called Lance & Ringo Tails. Her epic fantasy manuscript, Livinity, won First Place in the RPLA Unpublished Fantasy Novel category in 2011.At St. Pete Running Company, she works as a blogger and customer service manager. Find out more about her upcoming and past publications by visiting www.briaburton.com.
ABOUT THE PROMETHEUS SAGA
The Prometheus Saga is the premier project of the Alvarium Experiment, a consortium of accomplished and award-winning authors.The Saga spans the range of the existence of Homo sapiens. The stories do not need to be read in any particular order; each story is an entry point into the overall story.
The Prometheus Saga stories & authors are:
“The Pisces Affair” by Daco Auffenorde. CIA operative Jordan Jakes meets Prometheus when the Secretary of State becomes the target of a terrorist attack at a head-of-state dinner in Dubai. Visit Daco at www.authordaco.com.
“On Both Sides” by Bria Burton. When a mysterious woman vanishes during the American Revolution, young Robby Freeman searches for answers from a cryptic sharpshooter who deserted Washington’s Continental Army. Visit Bria at www.briaburton.com.
“Ever After” by M.J. Carlson. Two mysterious women convey the same Cinderella story to Giambattista Basile in 1594 and Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm in 1811. How different cultures retell this story reveals humanity’s soul to those who listen. Visit M.J. at www.mjcarlson.com.
“The Blurred Man” by Bard Constantine. FBI agent Dylan Plumm's investigation of a mill explosion puts her on the trail of the Blurred Man, a mysterious individual who may have been on Earth for centuries. Visit Bard at www.bardwritesbooks.com.
“Crystal Night” by Charles A. Cornell. Berlin, 1938. On the eve of one of history’s darkest moments, a Swedish bartender working in Nazi Germany accidentally uncovers a woman’s hidden past. Can he avoid becoming an accomplice as the Holocaust accelerates? Visit Charles at www.charlesacornell.com.
“Marathon” by Doug Dandridge. Prometheus, posing as a citizen of Athens, participates in the battle of Marathon alongside the playwright Aeschylus. Visit Doug at www.dougdandridge.net.
“The Strange Case of Lord Byron’s Lover” by Parker Francis. Writing in her journal, Mary Shelley recounts a series of perplexing events during her visit with Lord Byron—a visit that resulted in the creation of her famous Frankenstein novel, but also uncovered a remarkable mystery. Visit Parker at www.parkerfrancis.com.
“Strangers on a Plane” by Kay Kendall. In 1969 during a flight across North America, a young mother traveling with her infant meets an elderly woman who displays unusual powers. But when a catastrophe threatens, are those powers strong enough to avert disaster? This short story folds into Kay’s mystery series featuring the young woman, amateur sleuth Austin Starr. Visit Kay at www.kaykendallauthor.com.
“East of the Sun” by Jade Kerrion. Through a mysterious map depicting far-flung lands, a Chinese sailor in 1424 and a Portuguese cartographer in 1519 share a vision of an Earth far greater than the reality they know. Visit Jade at www.jadekerrion.com.
“Manteo” by Elle Andrews Patt. In 1587, Croatan native Manteo returns from London to Roanoke Island, Virginia. Can he reconcile his strong loyalty to the untamed land and people of his home with his desire for the benefits the colonizing English bring with them before one of them destroys the other? Visit Elle at www.elleandrewspatt.com.
“First World War” by Ken Pelham. 40,000 BC: As the last remaining species of hominid, Homo sapiens and Homo neanderthalensis, fight a desperate battle for ownership of the future, the outcasts of both sides find themselves caught in middle. Visit Ken at www.kenpelham.com.
“Lilith” by Antonio Simon, Jr. In this retelling of the Adam & Eve story, a hermit’s life is turned upside-down by the arrival of a mysterious woman in his camp. As the story of their portentous meeting carries forward through the millennia, only time will tell if Lilith is a heroine, a victim, or a monster. Visit Antonio at www.DarkwaterSyndicate.com.
“Fifteen Dollars’ Guilt” by Antonio Simon, Jr. 1881: After a close brush with death in a steamship disaster, Prometheus encounters another survivor who gripes about how aimless his life has become. Prometheus helps him find his calling, inadvertently setting in motion the assassination of President Garfield. Visit Antonio at www.DarkwaterSyndicate.com.
Visit the website to view all of the stories: The Prometheus Saga
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