ABOUT THE AUTHOR...
Robert
Ipcar is a free lance Director of Photography with the International Cinematographer's Guild and former
Columnist/Contributing Editor for Film Crew Magazine.
During the 1970-80's, he was co-author and photographer for
Lothrop, Lee & Shepherd's Children's Book Series entitled What Can She Be which portrayed working women in
what was then considered unconventional careers—like anchor
person!
A native
of Maine (his mother, Dahlov Ipcar, is a celebrated artist and author of Dark Horn Blowing), he now resides
in Park Slope, Brooklyn where he lives with his wife Jane Landis,
daughters Katie & Jenna and a Spinone Italiano named Denali...
AUTHOR'S STATEMENT...
I've
always believed that to be a successful story teller, one
needs to have a good "yarn" in their system: a
highly visual tale, populated with believable characters; characters who struggle for a sense
of purpose—forced to hit the ground running
when unforeseen events overtake them. Just to be sure there's
never a dull moment, add a twist.
Author
Ray Bradbury states in Zen And The Art Of Writing that one must first determine what the main character wants
most in life, then throw at them their worst fear. Joseph
Conrad's portrait of a young man's excitement at the prospect
of navigating a lifeboat across an expanse of open sea while
his appalled older comrades contemplate their slim chance
of survival, provided the initial inspiration for The Twins Aboves. My personal challenge? Shift everyone's thinking 180 degrees by the end of the story. Since I'm no Joseph Conrad nor a Ray Bradbury,
my tale quickly diverged in a direction all its own before
it could be held up for comparison. Lucky for me you say?
I'm really pleased with the way my unique world turned out.
MY CHARACTERS...
Do
I skewer the men in my stories? Only when they deserve
it. While many of my men roll with the punches, then work up a head of steam, Children of Orion is blessed with women who are
strong willed and capable, as opposed to their modern day
media counterparts who are often reduced to spectators.
Since
childhood I've been surrounded by accomplished women from
my author mother on down to my musician wife and two wonderfully
talented, techno-savy younger daughters. My son, Matthew travels
the world in the company of a ciber-journalist wife, Michelle Goldberg, while
his older sister, Julie (a self-taught entrepreneur when it comes to bars and pubs) was recently hailed by Time Out Magazine as the "Beverage Tzar of Downtown Brooklyn".
Working
with the women of What Can She Be all the more prepared
me to appreciate the works of the late author, Marion Zimmer
Bradley, who will always remain my personal inspiration. Indeed
I have Marion Zimmer Bradley to thank for the most gracious
turndown I've ever received for a short story. Though she
was unable to fit my submission into an upcoming anthology,
she went to say that: "... You write very well."
A form letter? Perhaps... but do you know what that sounds
like to a mere mortal?
ADVICE...
It's
here that I must give credit to Julie Fallowfield &
Louise Quayle, former literary agents with McIntosh & Otis.
If nothing else remains of their advice, I'll always carry
this one simple truth: as an author, you've got to write
down all the detail that's in your head. It's obvious to
no one else but yourself if your imagination gets caught between
the lines.
MY FAVORITE SCI/FANTASY AUTHORS
Where do I begin....
Ray Bradbury: I still have my broken spine, dog eared, first edition paperback of Martian Chronicles. The second story, Ylla, altered my life forever. I encourage everyone to bathe in Bradbury's extraordinary imagery but be warned: pick a well lit setting for reading.... Did you forget to shut off the hot water faucet in the kitchen? What's growing in the lint trap down in the basement clothes dryer?
Marion Zimmer Bradley: Her Darkover Series can be read first to last or vice-versa; each title a self-contained tale of a deeply layered world populated with believable characters full of enough angst to make you throw your diary away. Bradley's Mists of Avalon should be required reading for every male who thought that Camelot's women had cotton balls for brains!
Jack McDivitt: From his 1999 novel, Ancient Shores to the entire Priscilla Hutchins series including Chindi, Omega, and Odyssey, you'll find characters who ride out to places you've only dare dream about. And not to forget Alex Benedict's pursuit of alien archeology in A Talent for War, Polaris and Seeker, just to name a few. However should you not have enough air in your backpack while poking into those open hatches on derelict space vessels...
C.J. Cherryh: Are you up to the task she'll set for you? The Morgaine Series beginning with the Gate of Ivrel are so well depicted that you'll be left sweaty and breathless at the end of each chapter. After each session, best send your armor out to Midas Muffler for repair.
George R.R. Martin: Who hasn't heard of Game of Thrones? If you survive the first hundred page onslaught of characters, genealogy; countless plots and subplots and counter-counter plots, you'll be hooked for life. Be warned, you have to shake the cobwebs off each time you put his books down. As we used to say back in Maine, he's a "page turner".
Contact
The Author
