Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher Ruocchio.
Hi Christopher, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I am a science fiction writer, born and living in North Carolina. Like a lot of science fiction writers, I started reading young and decided I wanted to be a writer when I was about 8 years old. I went to school to become a technical writer, but managed to get into an internship with a sci-fi publisher, Baen Books, based here in North Carolina. That was in 2015.
In 2016, I sold my first novel, a science fantasy adventure called EMPIRE OF SILENCE, to a competitor. That first book was released in 2018, and since then I have written 6 novels, 3 novellas, and nearly two dozen pieces of short fiction. My work has been twice nominated for the Dragon Award for Best Science Fiction Novel and has been published in 7 languages.
But what has any of this to do with Utah?
Well, in science fiction and fantasy circles, Utah has a reputation for producing an unusual number of writers. Much of this is credited to BYU’s fantasy writing program, started by the late Dave Wolverton and continued by Brandon Sanderson, who teaches his course there.
I know that’s not the whole story, but the fact remains that Utah has as strong a community of science fiction and fantasy writers as I’ve ever seen, and I’ve fallen into their orbit despite my living on the East Coast. I’ve been out to Salt Lake City and Provo many, many times now–for conferences, fan conventions, and writers’ workshops. I’m very much a stranger to your state, but my Utahn friends have done their best to make it something of a second home–though I’ve only ever been a visitor.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Far from it. Making a career as a writer is never easy. From the start, there was the obstacle of simple rejection. I was turned down by about 50 literary agencies before one took me on. That’s a completely normal aspect of trying to become a traditionally published (as opposed to self-published) author.
Paper shortages during the pandemic forced my publisher to split my fourth novel into two volumes, KINGDOMS OF DEATH and ASHES OF MAN, which not only made more work for me but caused more than one of my foreign presses to drop the series (they didn’t want to handle the added complications), which has cost me revenue. Delays on the part of my editors have slowed my publication schedule down, costing me months and delaying my readers’ access to my new releases.
Most of all, a breakdown of my working relationship with my original publisher in 2022 nearly ended my series prematurely, which would have been devastating. Fortunately, another publisher was interested in picking up the final two volumes of the series, and now I’m set to finish the final volume this year.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a science fiction novelist. Except for one short story for Marvel Comics (I wrote Thor briefly a couple of years back), all my work has been set in a science fiction/space opera series called THE SUN EATER, which is a galaxy-spanning epic adventure set in a Roman-inspired galactic empire far into our future. I’ve been working on this series in some form or other ever since I was a child, and intend to continue working on it my entire life.
Of all the books in the series, I am most proud of the most recent novel, DISQUIET GODS (which will be released in April 2024). Early reactions almost unanimously say it’s the best one yet, but it was also the hardest to produce and took the longest to write, and as an artist, it’s nice to learn one can still set a new personal best, even so far into a project.
As for what sets me apart…I have the distinction at the moment of being one of the very few people producing so large a series. There are seven books, each approximately a quarter of a million words long. By the time I’m finished, Sun Eater will be more than two million words of story. That story is also entirely told in first person, which is fairly unusual for a story of this size.
My main character, Hadrian, tells the entire story himself, and while the unreliable narrator is by no means a new invention, for a series this size to rely entirely on the subjective perspective of one character is relatively unusual.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you.
I don’t believe in luck. I am Catholic, and believe that I have been blessed to have made it so far, but I think part of what I have been blessed with is a certain determination, and a desire to write. A lot of people want to write, I think what sets writers apart from people who want to write is simply that writers do it. In my case, I wake up very early every day and get started. I write before I do anything else, and often instead of doing anything else.
It used to be my hobby, and writing is still fun and exciting for me–even when it makes me miserable. I would rather write than do just about anything else, and I think it’s this sense that’s helped me make a lot of what people might call “my own luck” series has enjoyed a giant spike in popularity, and while it’s tempting to think that was the consequence of certain well-placed reviewers getting excited about the books, the reality is that I’ve been working to promote my books for years, and that efforts is just starting to pay off.
I’m not saying success was inevitable, but you can put your thumb on the scales by your effwithts.
Contact Info:
- Website: sollanempire.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theruocchio
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/SunEaterBooks
Image Credits
Paul Ruocchio, Sam Weber, James L. Cook, Kieran Yanner, and Taran Fiddler
