A Slice of Cake With... Richard Dee

This week I am delighted to have a slice of cake with Richard Dee. 

Richard is from Brixham in Devon. He was never a writer, at least not for ages. Life, a wife, three daughters and now three grandchildren have kept him busy.

He spent forty years in shipping, firstly at sea, then in Port Control and as a Thames River Pilot, with adventures to match anything he could imagine. When Richard retired, he just moved them out into space, changed some of the names and wrote them down.

Richard writes Science Fiction and Steampunk adventures, as well as chronicling the exploits of Andorra Pett, reluctant amateur detective. When he's not writing, he bakes bread and biscuits, cooks delicious meals and walks the Devon coast.

Richard's first novel Freefall was published in 2013, followed by Ribbonworld in 2015. September 2016 saw the publication of The Rocks of Aserol, a Steampunk adventure, and Flash Fiction, a collection of Short Stories. Myra, the prequel to Freefall was published in 2017, along with Andorra Pett and the Oort Cloud Café, a murder mystery set in space, the first of a series featuring Andorra Pett, an amateur detective. 

Sequels to most of them have either followed or are in production. Richard also contributed a story to the 1066 Turned Upside Down collection of alternative history stories. He's currently working on more prequels, sequels, and new projects. 

What kind of books do you write?

I write about the future, and occasionally about an alternative now. The thing is, we may explore space, boldly go etc. etc. but when we do, we’ll take all our vices with us. And there’s plenty of scope for adventure when you mix the wonders and perils of the Galaxy with human nature. Or alternatively, when you change one thing in the past and get to invent a new present.

Can you describe your writing why?

I’ve always seen stories in my head, like watching a film. At first, I ignored them, then as they became more insistent, I thought that by writing them down, it would make them go away. But all it did was just made room for more. I can rewind one as it unfolds or watch it in slow motion. All I have to do is write what I see. I can’t fast forward though, the end of the story (when it comes), is as much a surprise to me as I hope it will be to you.

Share with us your favourite passage from the book you enjoyed writing the most

Tricky without context, but here goes, an extract from Myra, where our hero, navy deserter Dave Travise, meets a new shipmate.

The events that had led me here still gave me sleepless nights, and whatever Rixon and his bunch got up to, it could hardly be worse.

Rixon was looking past me, over my shoulder at the doorway. I heard the swish as the curtains parted. 

“Well our engineer has chosen to join us,” he said. Again his tone was one of gently mocking affection, it seemed to be his default setting, but it was so warm and without obvious malice that it would be difficult to get upset at his comments.

“Hey, Myra, I thought that would get you away from the engine room, have you come to check out the new Nav?”

I turned, and even though I didn’t immediately realise it, it was then that I fell in love.

Tell us about your latest project

Life and Other Dreams has just been published. It’s the story of two men, here’s the blurb,

Rick lives here on Earth now, with Cath. His life is boring, writing adverts for cat food and exotic holidays. When he’s asleep, he dreams vividly.

In his dreams, he lives as Dan, spending his time with his wife Vanessa. They live six-hundred years in the future, half a galaxy away. They’re explorers, searching for valuable minerals on Ecias, an alien paradise.

Dan has no dreams about Rick’s life, he lives on Ecias, loves his life and Vanessa. 

When the two worlds overlap, Rick starts to question what is real. Events in his waking and sleeping lives are mirrored, similar people inhabit both and coincidences mount up. Then disaster strikes in each world at the same time. In his dreams, Dan is accused of a crime he didn’t commit. Meanwhile, after one coincidence too many, Cath thinks that Rick’s dreams are hiding an affair and leaves him.

Is Rick going crazy, or can he be living in two places, in two times, at once? If not, then which one of them is the reality? Will one life carry on when the other is on hold?

If the idea of dreams being real interests you,  Life and Other Dreams is available HERE.

What is your favourite cake?

I’m a cakeaholic, so I would have to say a large one! Cheesecake or Millionaire’s Shortbread, failing that, I like a rich fruit cake. Thank you for letting me guest on your blog, great questions!

You are so welcome, Richard - and great cake choices!

Connect with Richard at his website richarddeescifi.co.uk to see what he gets up to and you’ll find free short stories, regular features on writing, book reviews and guest appearances from other great authors. There’s even some cookery! Click the FREE STUFF tab or the PORTFOLIO tab to get all the details about his work and pick up a free short story.

Facebook at RichardDeeAuthor and Twitter at Richard Dee Sci-Fi, he can also be contacted on email.

Join me next week when I'll be having a slice of cake with Mark Roman.

If you would like to take part in A Slice of Cake With... please fill in the form found here. I'd be delighted to have you.

You can also support my writing endeavours and buy me tea & cake - it's what makes the world go round!

Claire Buss is a multi-genre author and poet, completely addicted to cake. Find all her books on Amazon. Join the discussion in her Facebook group Buss's Book Stop.