Author Interview, Excerpt & Giveaway - Stardust Dreams by S. B. Redstone

Stardust Dreams

by S. B. Redstone 

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BLURB: 

Lance Forrester is a dreamer. After a celebrated career as an astronaut and engineer, he and a friend build a secret spacecraft to seek their destinies in the stars. But his friend dies and Lance is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Desperate not to succumb to his fate, he convinces an acquaintance, ailing actress Sage Saint Claire, whom he hasn’t seen since high school, to join him on his quest to reach an advanced alien civilization which can heal them both. 

Unfortunately, true life is not a Hollywood movie, as much as Sage might want it to be, and problems abound. Mistakes in the past have turned Sage into a bitter old woman, and she turns out to be a less-than-perfect traveling companion which no amount of optimism, youth, or good health can cure. Can these two intrepid octogenarians-turned-immortals overcome the emotional scars of their pasts and achieve true happiness, or are they doomed to suffer for their mistakes, no matter how far from Earth they go?

 

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EXCERPT: 

I knew that the truth in my heart reflected in my old, weary eyes. “Yes, I do. Look, I’m no slick-talking salesman, as you can see. I’m just a scientist and engineer, but I truly believe there is a statistical probability of success. But even if I’m wrong, and our voyage ends up to be pointless, so what? Think of the fun you’ll have. Imagine the excitement and wonders of space travel that come before our long sleep.” 

 I paused to dramatize my resolve and let a burst of quixotic energy erupt from me. “Cherish the adventure!” 

It wasn’t her fears that I was battling against, but a lifetime of distrust. My confidence in a successful mission collapsed.  

“Of course, you have no reason to believe a word of what I’ve told you. You don’t really know me, except through my noted accomplishments. But I can’t disappoint you because I’m only offering friendship and hope.” I pushed my point harder.  

“Sure, we can die here on Earth. We can die in space. Or we can awaken on a remote and caring world that saves us! We are the captains of our fate, not the Grim Reaper—yet!”

 

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Talking with author S.B. Redstone!

What is your writing environment?

Not to make those of you who have to endure freezing cold nasty weather in the northern states and northern countries envious, but I live in south Florida most of the time. Long ago, I did write at a desk, when there were only typewriters and desktop computers. staring at a lifeless wall, but not after the invention of the laptop. I hated that. In Florida, with my laptop in front of me, I sit on the couch or a chair with a hassock, positioned so I am looking out at a lovely pond with exotic plants and white egrets, cranes, herons, and ducks. I prefer quiet classical music when I write. I do have a home in New York as well, without a lovely view, however, I am only there for short periods of time to be in my grown children and wonderful grandchildren. I can’t work messy, so I clean up my cookie crumbs, candy wrappers, and coffee cup as soon as I am done with them. With the advent of computers, I no longer have sheets of typing paper crumbed on the floor. My wife is very considerate and is generally a quiet person. I don’t mind being distracted as I always worked in noisy environments. It is easy for me to refocus.  

 Who is your perfect hero/heroine and why?

My characters have to be interesting. If I don’t tolerate boring characters, why should my readers have to endure them. Perfect characters have complex lives and great passions. Sometimes obsessions. I hate ordinary. Ordinary characters are on the television screens day and night. The only change in characters are the actors playing them. Perfect heroes or heroines are characters that seek their dreams and will go to any length to achieve them. Although overwhelmed with fears, they will not give up their quest. My “good” characters will seek love, personal growth, change the world for the better, and adventure. My “evil villains” have equally powerful passions and desires, but they don’t care whom the hurt or destroy to achieve their goals. The great characters in classical fiction had those qualities.    

 What authors have caught your interest lately and why?

I don’t read fiction often. Now that may be an unexpected answer for a writer, but I’m being honest. And there’s a good reason for this. As a retired person, when I’m not playing sports: golf, bowling, tennis, and fishing, I’m writing most of the day and night. When I’m not writing, I’m involved with many hours of marketing my books as I am doing now. There are just so many hours a day I can stare at words. My eyes tire. So, I’ll watch on television the news until I’m thoroughly annoyed, golf, science program, and a good movie. I watch one television show, A Person Of Interest, because my son is the assistant art director. With that said, I do read for information and technique from many fine authors. When I do read, for short periods of time, I love science and technology, and astronomy books. If I could have a second lifetime, I would be an astrophysicist and astronomer. Even an astronaut. 

What type of book have you always wanted to write?

So far in my writing career. I have written a horror novel. A mystery thriller. A romance with a science fiction backdrop. And I am working on a comedy in a social context. Still on my list, I would like to write a science fiction novel and a child’s story book with my son, the artist, doing the illustrations. That would be fun.

Top 3 things on your bucket list?

Visit an alien planet.

Play golf at St. Andrews
 

Have a hard covered book signing at Barnes and Noble.

How did you get the idea for this particular novel?

As you’ve now learned about me, as a dreamer, I have a love of science fiction and astronomy. As a senior citizen I learned that seniors love to read. It’s a big market. That had my mind switching from a mystery thriller type story to stories that would interest readers of all ages and seniors. I was a Star Trek fanatic and loved stories like Cocoon and Dune. With that said, I know people are intrigued with stories centered on love, immortality, adventure, and friendships. So, I combined all those ingredients and came up with Stardust Dreams. However, my conscious mind was certainly surprised with what my unconscious mind plotted. The heroine, Sage Saint Charles, is an elderly actress who has more regrets than a person should have. Knowledge of show business came from my wife who was a New York talent agent, her colleagues, and actresses I’ve known.

 

What is your favorite scene in your new release?

Stardust Dreams is an epic love story and adventure. Lance Forrester is a dreamer and after a celebrated career as an astronaut and engineer, he is about to take off in a secret spacecraft to seek his destiny in the stars. Not wishing to go alone, he hopes to convince a skeptical high school acquaintance, whom he has not seen in seventy years, to join him on his quest to seek an advanced alien civilization and immortality. Sage Saint Charles is in hospice care, days from death. As an actress, she lived a wild and notorious life in Hollywood before she became a social recluse. Lance sneaks into the medical facility and puts his heart and soul into trying to convince her to join him. It is so touching, heartfelt, and contentious I just love to read it for my own enjoyment. You want strange. Even though I know the ending, I’m still engrossed in their interaction.

What are you working on now and when can we expect it to be available?

I am working on a comic/tragedy fantasy about senior citizens in a magical fifty-five and over retirement community who have the opportunity to live life over again. The novel explores the lives of senior citizens: marriages, relationships, personal hardships, and grand parenting. Even as a therapist, I knew seniors had problems in life, but seniors really have problems in life! Most everyone has issues with life threatening illnesses, family troubles, financial troubles, marital problems, and depression. I could have written a work of non-fiction, but I chose fiction as the venue. This novel should be released sometime next year. 

What do you like to do when you are not writing?

Since childhood, through adolescence, into my mature years, I’ve had a life of passions. Everything I’ve done has only been done because of my passion. That’s been the problem for my writing. I loved being a school psychologist and clinical social worker in private practice. I loved doing large home improvement projects, building furniture, art, golf, tennis, bowling, fishing, and photography. I love shopping. If there’s an outlet mall you’ll find me there. How many shirts and shoes can a man own? Due to my passions, my main characters have great passions in their lives and that’s what makes my characters so outstanding.   

What is one interesting fact about you that readers don’t know?

Here’s a truth, the great majority of readers don’t know I even exist, which is my biggest problem in selling books. But, if I was an equal to James Patterson, Stephen King, or Agatha Christie, and my readers wanted to know me better, then I’d say that under my real name Steven B. Rosenstein LCSW, MS, I was a school psychologist and licensed clinical social worker in private practice. I wrote a psychology book about human nature and relationships, obliterating fictional psychology, Taming Your Inner & Outer Bullies: Confronting Life’s Stressors And Winning, published by New Horizon Press Books. As an expert in human nature and relationships, I’ve been able to create very real characters some of which have been based upon patients of mine.     
   

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AUTHOR Bio and Links: 

Steven Rosenstein, penname S. B. Redstone, had a career as a school psychologist and private practice Licensed Clinical Social Worker on Long Island. Always seeking the truths of human nature, he wrote a personal improvement book, Taming Your Inner & Outer Bullies: Confronting Life’s Stressors And Winning, published by New Horizon Press Books. He has written articles on human nature and relationships, given lectures, and appeared on radio shows. Always having a vivid imagination, he first became a successful writer of short stories. His mystery thriller, A Sinister Obsession, was published by Black Opal Books. As an expert in the field of human psychology, he has an exceptional ability to develop realistic and exciting characters in his novels. Many of my characters have been taken from his clinical experiences. Stardust Dreams is his first romance novel, although romantic relationships stand out in his other works. He is a member of the International Thriller Writers Org and Romance Writers of America. He resides with his wife in New York and Florida.

Social Media Sites:

http://sbredstoneauthor.com

https://twitter.com/sbredstone

https://www.facebook.com/steven.rosenstein1

https://www.linkedin.com/hp/?dnr=R9edkGJYR_ZoaLFGR9iocL3vQ3ZFzLg5XD3e&trk=nav_responsive_tab_home

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5336425.S_B_Redstone

https://plus.google.com/u/0/112531054226952285537/posts

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Buy Sites:

Amazon

Black Opal Books

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GIVEAWAY:

 

S. B. Redstone will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway