Rich Feitelberg
Boston area, Massachusetts
USA
Good morning, Rich, and welcome to Vision and Verse, a special site
for authors and artists and those who love them. What have you
written?
Fantasy novels, poetry, short stories, superhero novellas and some non-
fiction: writer guides and comic book history.
Fantasy
Favorite food.
Depends. If I haven’t had it in a while, then
that’s it.
Tea or coffee?
Neither
Pizza or ice cream?
Both
Wine or beer or soda or what?
Soda
Where would you like to visit?
Europe
Go! Go now while they still let in.
Favorite musical artist.
Hard to say, I like so many: Beatles,
Eagles, Billy Joel, ABBA, to name a few.
Do you listen to music when you write?
No.
Robin Williams.
Favorite work of art or sculpture.
Escher
I love M.C. Escher! (Readers: Fantastic Dutch printmaker and artist.
More info on M.C. Escher in the Archives at the bottom of the page, July 16, 2014, of Vision and Verse.
How old were you when you started
writing?
19; poetry in college.
Everything before that isn’t worth
discussing.
I plan but not with notecards or
outlines.
Describe your perfect evening.
Depends on my mood. Often it is watching
TV with my wife unwinding. But I have an
idea, then it can be work on it until I reach a
stopping point.
Where do you get your ideas?
Life. Things I see or read or experience.
Conversations with others. I never know
what I’ll get an idea.
What do you do when you get writer's block?
When I had writer’s block I had to take time to recharge, but reading
and journaling.
Who is your favorite author?
Again, there are so many. Tolkien,
Bradbury, Kurtz, Homer, Dickens,
and the poets: Frost, Wordsworth,
Whitman, Housman, Pound.
Best book you ever read.
Homer Price, a collection of children’s stories.
Last book you read.
Aesop’s Fables; I’m catching up on the
classics.
weren’t a writer?
Starve. Before writing creatively, I
wrote technical material.
Who is the one person who has
influenced your personal life the most
and why?
My parents. They raised me and gave
me my moral compass.
living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be and why?
I would very much like to speak with JRR Tolkien as a writer to get
his perspectives on the fantasy genre.
Love this photo of you!
You have that Star Trek William T. Riker look going on.
What advice would you give someone who aspires to be a writer?
Read a lot. And write a lot. Start with a journal and free write to get
used the discipline required.
Links to social media and books are available there.
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VISION AND VERSE DISCLAIMER
Note:
Vision and Verse does not store any personal information, such as email addresses or home addresses. We do not give any information to third parties. And cookies? We eat cookies.
VISION AND VERSE DISCLAIMER
Note:
Vision and Verse does not store any personal information, such as email addresses or home addresses. We do not give any information to third parties. And cookies? We eat cookies.
Chapter One
Transportation Gridlock
“Attention, please: Public transportation is presently shut down due to a minor snafu in the citywide driverless vehicle system,” blared the governmental artificial intelligence program announcer over the public address system. “We ask for your patience as we work to resume normal operations.”
“Wonderful. Just wonderful,” announced Emma Fortunato to no one in particular as she sat down on the steps of the building. “Traffic’s at a standstill and I need to get across town to the Conference Center now. Like right now.”
“Oh, no, Em, what are you going to do?” asked Earthfleet Leadership classmate Abby Sweetwater.
“I don’t know yet.” Emma rubbed her forehead. “I need to present my suggestions for manning the remaining EarthFleet ships with staff in order to avert the crisis in the Ulysses Quadrant. Entire crews have disappeared from spaceships in this quadrant, leaving twelve of our ships floating empty in space.”
“Yeah, I know,” said Abby, flicking her hair. “That’s all my dad’s been talking about is your great plan. He’s so excited. Who else is near the Conference Center who could step in and take your place at the conference?”
“Nobody can take her place,” answered Tyler Lomond, walking up to join the conversation.
“Hi, Tyler,” giggled Abby. “What are you doing here so early?”
“I’m here to take the Science Officer exam.” Tyler turned to Emma.
“Mr. Fortunato,” nodded Tyler, giving her the formal class greeting. “It’s good to see you outside the training room. Is all well with our shining star?”
Emma looked at him quizzically.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I’m in your Leadership Forum. Tyler Lomond.”
“You are? Where?”
“I sit in the last row in the back,” he laughed, “as close to the exit as I can get.”
“Hello, Mr. Lomond. I swear I’ve never seen you before. I’m pretty sure I’d remember you.”
“I get there late every day,” he blushed. “And leave early.”
“Well, maybe that’s why I’ve never seen you. Tyler, as much as I would like to, I can’t stop and chat. I need to be at the Conference Center in ten minutes to present my ideas for staffing as the EarthFleet ships.”
“Yes, the ones floating crewless in the quadrant. That’s all everybody’s talking about.”
“Yes, and as you can see, traffic is a standstill. Nothing is moving. This is really important. I need to figure out what to do next.”
“I can get you there is seven minutes,” he says as he points to his motorcycle.
“Let’s go, Mr. Lomond.”
Tyler handed Emma his helmet. He helped her get on the back of the motorcycle.
“Have you ever been on a Speed Cycle before?”
“No. But I’m desperate,” said Emma.
“Well, you’re in for a treat. Hold on tight.”
He zoomed in and out of traffic, zigzagging through lanes of stopped vehicles as Emma clutched on tightly behind him. Arriving at the Conference Center in seven minutes as promised, Emma hopped off and removed Tyler’s borrowed helmet.
“Thank you. Oh, I must look like hell.” She ran her fingers through her long, wavy, chestnut brown hair.
“No. You look beautiful. Now get in there and knock them dead, Captain. Go,” Tyler smiled and pointed.
“Thank you again, Tyler.”
“My pleasure, Emma.”
Tyler watched her run into the Conference Center. He glanced at his watch. He put on his helmet, raced back to the Earthfleet Certification Building, and ran into the building.
“Tyler Lomond, here to take the Science Officer Certification Exam.” He pulled out his identification and pre-authorized exam fee receipt. “All my paperwork is in order.”
“Sorry, Mr. Lomond,” said the monitor at the door Cadet Monitor Jason Wazelle. “The exam procedure has begun. You are three minutes late.”
“Oh, come on, Mr. Wazelle. I can see through the window they haven’t started yet. Let me in.”
“No can do,” said Wazelle with a smirk as he tapped his watch face. “You should learn to be on time, Lomond.”
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