Interview with Stefan Vucak

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Posted 2018-06-27 by Cecelia Hopkins ⇒ follow

Stefan Vucak is an Australian "independent author" who has won "2002 EPPIE finalist" and "2011 Readers' Favorite silver medal award". Stefan's books include:

• Fulfillment (2017) – speculative science fiction/fantasy short stories
• Legitimate Power (2016) – an ancient computing device clashes with modern politics
• Proportional Response (2014) - a novel of international intrigue
• Strike for Honor (2012) – also a political thriller
• Cry of Eagles (2010) – international thriller
• All the Evils (2011) – a Vatican based thriller
• Towers of Darkness (2011) – an archaeological discovery reveals the murky world of academia
• In the Shadow of Death (2003) - Shadow Gods Saga Book 1
• Against the Gods of Shadow (2002) - Shadow Gods Saga Book 2
• A Whisper from Shadow (2003) - Shadow Gods Saga Book 3
• Shadow Masters (2011) - Shadow Gods Saga Book 4
• Immortal in Shadow (2005) – Shadow Gods Saga Book 5
• With Shadow and Thunder (2001) - Shadow Gods Saga Book 6
• Through the Valley of Shadow (2001) - Shadow Gods Saga Book 7
• Guardians of Shadow (2013) – Shadow Gods Saga Book 8
•Non-fiction: Writing Tips for Authors (2014)

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with Stefan and discuss his works, including the novel he is currently working on, called Lifeliners. Stefan's answers were very interesting.

Cecelia: Where are you from?

Stefan: I was born in Croatia and all set to live out my life in that beautiful country, when my parents decided to seek a better life in Australia. Life in Melbourne was initially somewhat difficult, not knowing the language, customs and culture. However, being a young teenager then, I blended in quickly and adopted Australia as my home. I have visited my relatives in Croatia on several occasions, and I value my heritage, but I consider myself an Aussie, and would never contemplate living anywhere else.

Cecelia: How did your writing develop such an international flavour?

Stefan: When I set out to start writing contemporary political drama/thrillers, I did not choose an international setting for each book. The settings evolved naturally as a result of the story's plot, which demanded a certain international locale. For example, in Cry of Eagles Israel's Mossad sabotaged a US refinery and planted evidence that Iran carried out the attack. Mossad anticipated that the US would retaliate against Iran's nuclear installations, which Israel sees as a major threat. Having this story outline, the international locations automatically fell into place.

I used the same process for my other novels. However, with Proportional Response where elements within China's government set off a tsunami in the La Palma's Cumbre Vieja volcano which would have devastated the US eastern seaboard, research into China's culture and politics the book required gave me a fascinating insight into that country.

Cecelia: Have you ever been involved in Australian "Fandom"? For example: Star Trek, Dr. Who, Comic-Con, Sherlock Holmes Association etc…

Stefan: Some time ago, I was a member of the Melbourne Science Fiction Club, but that lapsed as work commitments limited my time. Although I enjoy Star Trek and the original Dr. Who series, I am not a staunch fan to be involved in a club that focuses on these productions.

Cecelia: Do you believe there is something uniquely Australian about your writing, despite the international and galactic settings?

Stefan: To date, my contemporary novels have been deliberately set in the United States as a marketing and promotional strategy. With Lifeliners, I chose Melbourne as the background in the belief that readers will accept this location if they find my book is supported by a good story.

Cecelia: I am excited that your upcoming novel Lifeliners is set in Australia! Tell us a bit about this book.

Stefan: Lifeliners are ordinary people…almost. They can draw energy from another person, they live longer and are smarter. Scientists claim that Western high-pressure living and growing sterility in developed countries has triggered the rise of lifeliners, and homo sapiens will replaced by homo renata within ten generations. Lifeliners is a revealing look at human nature and the brittle veneer of civilization used to cloak man's savagery.

Cecelia: When do you expect the book to be released?

Stefan: I anticipate releasing Lifeliners in August this year, but I have to finish writing the thing first!

Cecelia: Did you find the Melbourne setting less exotic than overseas, and do you expect this to make marketing more challenging?

Stefan: Melbourne is an exciting city that has character and very diverse settings that rival many international cities. I like to think this will interest readers, and hopefully tempt them to find out more about Australia in general.

Cecelia: Where can Australian readers order your books?

Stefan: All my books can be purchased from Amazon, Smashwords, CreateSpace, and Draft2Digital. They are also available for download on tablets and smartphone readers.

I did an internet search and found that Stefan's books could also be purchased on vucak&mediatype=BOOKS Angus and Robertson online ; Dymocks online and vucak&search=Find book Book Depository .