Today we have Luke Beckstrand, here to answer a few questions in honor of the release Spark of Life, book one in the Axion series. Spark of Life is also our OHB Editors’ pick of September!
Welcome! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and what got you into writing?
For sure! I was homeschooled until I was thirteen, I served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Argentina, and since returning I’ve earned two degrees in Linguistics from Brigham Young University. Beyond that, I’m overall a huge fantasy nerd. I own battle-worthy metal weapons, chain and leather armor, and I sword fight in various capacities. All of that has definitely influenced my authorship career. I’ve been involved in writing from a very young age—ever since I was little I loved epic tales of brave knights fighting nefarious villains to save the world. By the time I was eighteen I had written 16 full-length novels, and I never slowed down. Writing is a part of my soul, and I know I would do it forever even if I never sold a single copy.
Are there any books that have really influenced you as a writer?
Major contributors to my writing have to include Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, everything by Brandon Sanderson, and Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. Tales of epicness with powerful themes, characters struggling both to understand themselves and their relationships while also battling to save the world, people trying to work together despite their flaws—these things are what makes storytelling beautiful to me.
What do you enjoy most about writing science fiction?
I love that the technology is the “magic-system” of the universe. I’ve written a lot of fantasy and I love writing about wizards and dragons, but in sci-fi we get to have blasters and ships instead. That has been a fun change for me, one that stretched me in new ways and certainly helped me grow as a writer. I also love the endless possibilities of a galaxy-spanning adventure—I can have whatever planets with whatever strange climates or cultures that I want, and as many weird or cool alien species as I can think of. That freedom has been a blast.
What inspired this book/series in particular?
I had a vision of two friends who both took the same hard, life-altering test. One of them studied like crazy and failed, and the other didn’t study at all and passed. That was my first inkling of this story. Those characters became Aria and Drake and led to their relationship. The vibes came from Star Wars. The science fantasy style story has always been one of my favorites, where we feel like it’s an epic fantasy but it’s in space, and my whole life I’ve wanted to write my own space opera. This book’s vibes were directly inspired by Star Wars, though I put in plenty of my personal inspiration to make the story its own. I’m hoping I hit a good middle ground where the universe feels both familiar and yet unique.
What is your favorite aspect of Aria Flade’s character?
Aria Flade is a linguist! She loves culture and language, and that is something I gave her from my own heart. Both my linguistics degrees definitely helped me with that, but beyond the skills themselves, I just love that Aria loves people so much. She loves learning about them and what is important to them. She’s fascinated with the life of the galaxy and just wants to study it. I feel like she brings such an innocent and uplifting perspective to the galaxy despite the challenges she faces during the story.
What is your favorite aspect of Alexander Drake’s character?
Drake’s charismatic competence is so much fun to write. He’s so self-assured and very good at what he does, yet his life is missing something, something he’s never been able to put his finger on, until he meets Aria. I love watching him dive into danger while also trying to protect those around him, all the while realizing that maybe there’s more to life than just having fun.
Want to know more about Spark of Life?
She only wanted to study the galaxy.
Instead, she may have to save it.
All her life, Aria Flade has dreamed of studying the galaxy’s people, cultures, and languages. But on a planet devoted entirely to science and mechanics, her passion has made her an outsider. Trapped by low aptitude scores and no prospects of leaving her world, Aria is resigned to a future she never wanted.
Until Alexander Drake returns.
The charismatic starship pilot Aria once knew in school arrives with a mystery only she can solve: a wall of ancient text written in a dead alien language no one ever bothered to study.
No one except Aria.
Desperate for a chance to escape, she agrees to help translate the writings, only to uncover clues to a powerful ancient treasure tied to a growing intergalactic war. Suddenly hunted across the stars by pirates, invading aliens, and ruthless enemies, Aria finds herself swept into a dangerous space-faring adventure that may hold the fate of the galaxy itself.
Preorder here: https://books2read.com/u/mY0yqY
Meet Luke Beckstrand:
Luke Beckstrand was born in California but raised most of his life in Utah. He loves the outdoors, dancing, sword fighting (all types: safe boffer fighting, HEMA, fencing, you name it) and writing. He had an absolute blast studying Linguistics at Brigham Young University and has a special place in his heart for languages and conlangs. While writing clean, YA Science Fiction and Fantasy is Luke’s passion and he loves working on his books, his family, friends, and God are what is most important to him.
You can find him on his website—where you can sign up for his newsletter—as well as Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube.
