Scott Pearson
Somewhere in the Minnesota Woods
USA
Good morning, Scott, and welcome to Vision and Verse, the site for Art and Authors and those who love them. Today is our thirteenth anniversary! Can you tell us a little about what you've written?
My big break was writing some Star Trek short stories and novellas for Simon & Schuster. My latest publication is The Sad Rains of Mars: New and Collected Stories, including nine stories previously anthologized plus three available only in this book. The title story, “The Sad Rains of Mars,” features a female Martian detective working with a human detective on a Mars colonized by the British Empire in the name of Queen Victoria.
I’m also working on a series of novellas and short stories with my friend William Leisner called Tales of the Weird World War. Sort of an alternate timeline sci-fi/horror mash-up about shape-shifting monsters taking human form and infiltrating society beginning in the late 1940s. Each volume jumps ahead about ten years, and we’re currently writing our novellas for the third volume, set in the 1960s.
And then there’s other various short stories in various anthologies with various themes!
What is your favorite genre to write?
Most of what I write falls under the umbrella of science fiction, but often with other genre elements mixed in, like mystery, horror, or military fiction. Beyond that, I dabble in mystery/crime, horror, urban fantasy, or whatever story grabs me.
Favorite food.
Pizza! And, yes, that includes Hawaiian style, deal with it!
Tea or coffee?
Tea, and lots of it. Mostly black. Brewed from loose leaf (he said, somewhat snobbishly).
Pizza or ice cream?
Well, I already listed pizza as my favorite food, but for a very long time two of my best friends were Ben & Jerry—but we hung out together far too much and they weren’t great for my health, so we don’t see each other as much anymore.
They are here with me. They say hello. They...miss you.
Wine or beer or soda or what?
Wine, though lately I’ve developed a taste for gin. Used to chug a lot of Coca-Cola, but we parted ways back when I said good-bye to Ben & Jerry, so now we only get together on special occasions.
Where would you like to visit?
London, though I’ve already visited there a few times. But I love it, my wife and I would live there if we could. For a place I haven’t been before . . . Middle-earth/New Zealand.
Favorite musical artist.
Minnesota’s own Bob Dylan.
Do you listen to music when you write?
Yes
What?
Symphonic soundtracks—no lyrics—targeted to the tone of the story. If I’m writing science fiction, maybe I’ve got Alien/Aliens or The Matrix playing. Horror might get The Omen and The X-Files. I find classic fifties soundtracks like Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The War of the Worlds, and When Worlds Collide are versatile, working nicely for sci-fi or mystery.
What makes you laugh?
The Derry Girls. The Marx brothers. Monty Python. This is Spinal Tap. Douglas Adams. The Far Side. Laurel & Hardy.My cat Ripley.
This is an Art and Author website, so I am obligated to ask:
Favorite work of art or sculpture.
This one has stumped me. I focus so much on books and films for my art that I think I neglect paintings and sculpture. Though the artist Maxfield Parrish comes to mind. I want to bring him back to life to do a new illustrated edition of The Lord of the Rings.
That works!
How old were you when you started writing?
To the best of my recollection, twelve or so. At least, that was around the time I started thinking I wanted to be a writer when I grew up.
Do you plan out your book with outlines and notecards?
Or just write?
I write a lot of short stories for which I don’t have a formal outline, but I usually have a general idea of beginning, middle, and end in my head before I start. But the longer the piece, the more notes I’ll jot down, and for novels I do chapter by chapter outlines. But I have been known to pants it from time to time.
Describe your perfect evening.
A lovely meal with a nice glass or two of wine and something special for dessert, shared with my wife or with friends, along with great music playing in the background, loud enough to hear easily but not too loud to discourage conversation. Either that or a night in our home theater watching a movie!
Where do you get your inspiration?
Everywhere, really. Where I grew up. Friends. The news. Other writers. Films. Overheard conversations between strangers. Or just the bizarre and odd thoughts that can spring into your head, apparently from nowhere.
What do you do when you get writer's block?
If I’m having trouble with one project, just shifting over to a different project is usually enough to get things flowing again. Recently, when I was having trouble writing on a self-publishing project, I shifted over to designing the cover for that book. I don’t think I often have general writer’s block; it’s usually a specific manuscript where I hit a wall and can’t find the way forward, so I just have to take my mind off it for a while until I can come back with a fresh perspective.
Best book you ever read.
I’m going to answer from a slightly different angle: My favorite book—by simply using the metric of which book have I reread the most—is The Lord of the Rings. By other metrics, would I also call it the best book? I don’t know!
Who is your favorite author?
As you might guess from my previous answer, I would have to say J.R.R. Tolkien. He’s certainly the author whose books take up the most shelf space in my library. But is he my fave just because he wrote my fave book? There are so many other contenders . . . my second fave book is Frankenstein.
Last book you read.I’ve finally started the Murderbot series by Martha Wells. I watched the Apple TV series when it first dropped and loved it, so I’ve been meaning to read the novellas but didn’t get around to them until now. I’ve read the first two so far, All Systems Red and Artificial Condition.
What would you do for a living if you weren’t a writer?
Well, I’m actually doing it. I make my living as an editor, not as a writer. Making a living as a bookstore owner would be my next choice. Or running a little movie theater where I could really curate the films.
I, too, wanted to open a little bookstore, with a coffee shop, maybe offering local art for sale and authors reading their books. We could do a Scott Pearson night and dress in Star Trek shirts. Hmm?
Who is the one person who has influenced your personal life the most, and why?
My wife Sandra. For much of my youth, I never imagined I’d be married or have a kid, but Sandra inspired me to both of those things!
If you could sit down and have a conversation with ONE person, living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be and why?
At the risk of becoming a bit of a broken record, I’m going to have to go with J.R.R. Tolkien. I could say, “Okay, what’s the deal with Tom Bombadil? I mean, really, who is that guy?”
What advice would you give someone who aspires to be a writer?
Take some classes! You don’t need a full degree, but I think the classroom environment or a good writers’ group is essential for a beginning writer. You need good feedback—and the ability to listen to that feedback—to really learn the craft and grow as a writer.
Do you have some links for us to follow you?
Bluesky: https://scottpearson.bsky.social/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smichaelpearson
Website: https://scott-pearson.com
Blog: https://scottmpearson.wordpress.com/
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