Robert W. Ross Q&A

What an exciting, if bittersweet moment for fans of Robert W. Ross’ thrilling near future sci-fi series, the Paradigm 2045 Trilogy! The finale is here and trust us when we say Omandi's Daemon is everything fans of the series could hope for... and more! What a ride!

IYKYK, but for the uninitiated, allow us a moment to share what makes this trilogy —or anything by Robert W. Ross— a must read! 

Ross is an award winning author whose writing is fresh, propulsive, and often humorous; and, while decidedly modern, bears the mark of influence of masters such as Heinlein and Farmer. While the epic length of each novel in the series allows for exceptional character development, the stories never flag, keeping readers—you, we hope—on the edge of their seats. 

If you’ve been here a minute, you know we love nothing more than to sit down with today’s best sci-fi authors in order dive a bit deeper into their process and what inspired these novels we love so much. We are grateful that Robert gave us his time in order to do just that! 

DSF: Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us today! The end of a series is such a big moment and we're really grateful to get chance to talk about it with you. Before we get into Omandi's Daemon, we wanted to ask a bit about the series as a whole. Paradigm 2045 depicts major themes of saving the world from an outside force while strife arises within humanity itself. Did any real-world events inspire you to write Trinity’s Children?

RWR: Great question, and my answer is actually informed by a bunch of reader/listener correspondence and reviews. The first book in the series, Trinity’s Children, came out August 25th, 2020. As I’m sure everyone remembers, 2020 was quite the dumpster fire of a year. We had social unrest, a pandemic, and it seemed America had gone into two separate corners based on whether they wore red- or blue-colored political jerseys.

I had folks contacting me from across the broadest spectrum of personal experiences— race, nationality, political perspective, you name it. Each of them saw something different in Trinity’s Children. One woman—I’ll call her KM—is a firefighter in the US, and she enjoyed the story so much she recommended it to her daughter. KM penned one of my favorite reviews entitled The Brown Girl Superhero We’ve All Been Waiting For, after her daughter came running into the living room while listening to the audio book and exclaimed, “Mom, Charlotte looks like me!” I’ve since reached out to KM; we’ve become electronic pen pals, and her daughter composed the theme music for one of my other books.

That’s just one example, but it illustrates what drove me to write Paradigm 2045 the way I did. I am a child of the 80s, and my father was a career Marine Corps officer. I lived the era of Stranger Things. We had no social media. We didn’t know every aspect of everyone’s lives. I learned to make friends quickly, and we didn’t much care what someone looked like or what their politics were. We worked together, whether that was building a fort, starting a kid-run mini-business, or getting into trouble. My mom can attest to this last part ad nauseam.

I had been seeing this growing adversarial nature both domestically and abroad. I didn’t like it. I also saw how social media algorithms indexed on conflict rather than harmony. I really hated that. I wanted to pen a story that showed a more optimistic view of humanity. I wanted to demonstrably show how the things that bind us together vastly outweigh the things that tend to tear us apart. I wanted to show humanity’s promise, which is why the second book in the series has that title.

Finally, I remember a number of emails commenting on how Trinity’s Children was so timely and asking how had I arranged for it to be published at such a perfect time. I found that so amusing. I am neither prescient nor one who writes message-forward novels. I think we have enough of that already. First and foremost, I write to entertain. If I do a good job there, then maybe, just maybe, I earn the right for some subtle messaging. Also, Trinity’s Children was over 200,000 words. It takes a fair bit of time to write, alpha test, edit, beta test, edit again, then produce an audiobook. In short, I had no clue about 2020 when I started writing Trinity’s Children. What goodness came from its timing has everything to do with providence and nothing to do with me.

DSF: Amazing. Thank you for sharing! No doubt your answer will resonate with a lot of our readers as we hear from so many who are seeking sci-fi with a more optimistic view of humanity and it's not always easy to find.

Okay, ready? Haha. We know this question is often really hard for authors, but who is your favorite character from the Paradigm 2045 series and why?

RWR: Oh, gosh.  Why not ask me which of my three kids is my favorite. Honestly, this will sound like a cop out, but I truly love them all. They speak to me, and I mean that literally. I know that sounds cracked in the head, but when I write, I hear them. I see them. I write down what they do, and it becomes the story. That said, if I’m forced to answer the question, then I’ll do so using the words of Dr. Damien Howard from Trinity’s Children as he took his leave from Captain Charlotte Omandi:

“I love all my children. All of you have bits of me in you, and I’m not just talking about your beautiful eyes. You have the best parts of me, and it is such a joy to see those parts reflected back without the darkness I’ve seen, endured, and made. James is my laughter, Karishma, my diligence, Misha, my righteous anger, Linnea, my empathy, Chao, my wise counsel, and Richard, my compassion.”

Howard patted her cheek, and she felt her own tears begin to fall as his voice caught in his throat. “But you Charlotte...in you I see my idealized self...all the things I could have been, but never was. I am so very, very proud of you.” 

So there you have it: Charlotte is my favorite, but don’t anyone tell the others.

DSF: We knew we were putting you on the spot with that! Well done! Paradigm 2045 is perfect for fans of The Expanse, Blade Runner, and Ready Player One. If you had to write a crossover novel between Paradigm 2045 and one of these titles, which would you choose and why?

RWR: My heart would say Bladerunner, but my head and author-sense would demand The Expanse. When I conceived of Paradigm, I wanted some of the gritty realism of The Expanse but also some of the handwavium you find in more futuristic sci-fi like Star Trek, Dune, and Star Wars. I would love to see James Branson lifting a pint with The Expanse’s Amos Burton, only to end up in an epic bar fight. Not with each other, of course, with them. You know, the “them” foolish enough to pick a fight with James and Amos.

DSF: Haha, yes! We'd love to see it! Your character Dr. Damien Howard left behind gifts of wealth, technology, and genetic superiority to his nine children. From all of Damien’s resources, which one would you choose to have for yourself and why?

RWR: Well, in terms of physical gifts, I would definitely want the TSS Bladerunner. I mean, who doesn’t want their own starship? A close second would be Howard’s underground lair. I always wanted an underground lair, but yeah, a starship would be cooler.

In terms of genetic gifts, I would want to be like Linnea Sorenson. She has heightened environmental senses, telepathy, and a few other surprises that I won’t give away here, but, yeah, if I could have the capabilities Book 3 Linnea is rocking, that would be awesome.

DSF: How did you research topics in genetic engineering and artificial intelligence to write Paradigm 2045? Do you have a specific background in these subjects?

RWR: The genetic engineering bit was really just a whole bunch of reading, which definitely impacted my writing speed. Even with all that research, I still screwed up a few things. Fortunately, one of my beta readers is a university professor who is well versed in the subject. He fixed several things related to telomeres and gene-dominant versus recessive alleles. With respect to artificial intelligence, I led a team of AI and data scientists for about five years. There’s nothing like being surrounded by super-geniuses to raise your game. A lot of what I learned during those years informed the Daemon within Paradigm 2045.

DSF: What is the most surprising thing you discovered while writing this series?

RWR: The short answer is Charlotte Omandi, and the varied listener reactions to her. I alluded to this in my answer to the first question. Charlotte has several immutable traits. She’s black. She’s Kenyan. She’s devoutly Catholic. I didn’t intend for her to be any of the three. My characters come to me as they are, and I’ve learned the hard way not to try and change them.

So, here’s the surprising thing. I was unprepared for how hungry people were for authentic, non-recycled, characters who felt representational. As a white dude who grew up in the United States, this certainly was a personal blind spot. Charlotte is the most obvious example, as evidenced by KM and her daughter’s reaction earlier. However, it didn’t end with Charlotte. I’ve had people write me about so many representational things, such as:

• Main character from Kenya rather than United States and who can rationalize faith with science
• Asian character in leadership position while also being a devoted father
• Beautiful Scandinavian character whose value and power has nothing to do with her physical attributes

To be clear, I did not go out of my way to create a representational story. Like I said before, these characters come to me as they are, and I don’t write message-forward novels. I try to write exciting sci-fi and fantasy romps that raise one’s heart rate while also offering thoughtful dialogue among interesting characters.

The fact that so many readers and listeners saw themselves in Paradigm 2045 was incredibly surprising, and even more gratifying.

DSF: July 16, 2045 holds much significance in Paradigm 2045, as that is the day the Armageddon clock is set to strike. Does July 16th hold significance in your own life, or did you pick that date randomly?

RWR: Neither actually.

The premise behind Paradigm 2045 is that spacefaring species exist within our galaxy. Those species have formed a Galactic Confederation that, among other things, watches for emerging sentient species throughout the galaxy and uses the splitting of the atom as evidence for that emergence. Over the centuries, this Confederation has determined that any species that does not develop Faster-Than-Light (FTL) travel within one hundred years after splitting the atom inevitably becomes warlike when they do. Given that, members of the Confederation provide any emerging species one hundred years to develop FTL. If they fail to do so, a pathogen is deployed that wipes out the dominant sentient species. Trinity was the code name for the United States first nuclear test. It took place on July 16, 1945. The events within Trinity’s Children take place just before humanity’s one hundred year grace period runs out. Cue dramatic music…dun…dun…dunnnnn!!

DSF: The third instalment to Paradigm 2045 , Omandi's Daemon, is the finale to this gripping, near-future sci-fi story. Are you able to disclose whether all loose ends will be tied, or will there be room for future spin-offs or extensions?

RWR: Yes and yes.

I wrote about this in one of the author’s notes that I include at the end of each of my books, but I’m a BIG believer in ending stories. I’ve been left high and dry too many times by unfinished series. I’m sure most folks reading this have had similar experiences. So, yes, Omandi's Daemon ties up all the loose ends related to the major arc within Paradigm 2045. However, it also does two other things. First, it tees up the next trilogy by creating a new conflict. Second, it explicitly interlocks the Paradigm 2045 characters with those of my fantasy series Sentinels of Creation. Sentinels is a contemporary fantasy series that concluded just two months ago with the publishing of the seventh and final book, A Final Sacrifice. 

I always loved crossovers as a kid, and I still love them as an adult.  I dropped some early hints in both series that such a crossover might occur and received so much positive feedback that I made it a firm reality in both A Final Sacrifice and Omandi's Daemon.

DSF: So exciting! Crossovers are great. What is your favorite part about writing within this genre, and do you see yourself breaking out of this subject to explore other types of stories?

RWR: I simply love the science side of science fiction. I also like the challenge inherent with balancing science with fiction. Too much science, and you have a text book. Too much fiction, and you have a fantasy. I was once fortunate enough to share a panel with the great Larry Niven. We talked about how handwavium was like salt—it makes almost any dish better when used properly, but an overabundance will ruin an otherwise perfectly prepared meal.

As for other genres, in my answer to the previous question, I mentioned Sentinels of Creation. It was my first published series and falls squarely in the fantasy genre. I have also written a paranormal romance. It’s called One Heart that Beats for Two.  It was probably the most difficult story I’ve ever written, not from a technical standpoint, but rather from an emotional one. Love and loss are often inextricably linked, and so it was with this book. I’ve received lots of correspondence asking me to write another in this genre. It’s not my intention to do so, but I’ve learned to never say never. 

DSF: Finally, every author’s favorite question: how did you get into writing, and why did you choose to become an author?

RWR: Ever since I can remember, I’ve had stories in my head. Five-year-old me played in his backyard living the adventures of Bobby Fantastic vs The Guy. When I grew old enough to write, I did so. Unfortunately, I wrote crap. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t crap technically, it was crap creatively. My writing vacillated between emotionlessness and pretentiousness, neither of which is what I was shooting for.

Bottom line, some authors—like some musicians and athletes—are born. They come out of the womb radiating greatness. I’m not one of those authors. I had to live a life, become a husband and father, raise a family, and experience both love and loss before I could write character-driven stories in Paradigm, Sentinels, and One Heart. I’ve been fortunate, and my stories have found their audience. Each series has become an Audible best seller, won awards, or both. That certainly would not have been true of anything written by twenty-five-year-old me.

I published my first novel in 2016 while still working in corporate America and continued living that double life for three more years. Finally, in 2019, I pushed all my metaphorical chips into the center and committed myself to writing full time.

Why?

Stories connect us, one with the other. It’s how we have formed and shared experiences since before the written word existed. I have all these interesting characters materializing and chattering in my head. They have things to say, teach, and share.  That’s why I write their stories. I write to give them a voice. Fortunately for me, I have the best creative partner and friend in the world, Nick Podehl, as my narrator. While I write to give these characters a voice, he actually does.

DSF: What a wonderful answer. Thank you. And yes to Nick! He is an incredible narrator and we've been so impressed by his work on your previous books. His performance really does make for an exceptional listening experience. We're really excited for our readers! Those who love print and those who enjoy audio are both in for a treat with Omandi's Daemon.

Thank you again for taking the time to talk with us today! We know it's a busy time for you; we really appreciate the chance to discuss your work in a little more depth and we know our readers will appreciate it too! 

As Omandi’s Daemon has been available in ebook format for a few weeks now, we know many fans of the series will have already devoured it! Audiobook lovers: now it’s your turn! We can't wait to hear how much you love both the story and Nick's killer performance. For those of you who are completely new to the series, we hope you’ll be inspired to go grab it and dive in. Do it now. This is not one to miss!