Watch The Furlites of Aroriel:
Get to know writer Marie J.S. Phillips:
1. What is your novel about?
This first book in a three book trilogy covers the adventures of the Furlitian Clan Darius before and during the first Furlitian interstellar flight, captained by Commander Geupetus. In family saga style, it follows their suddenly disrupted home life, to the errant flight and encounter with an alien species, humans, and in the end, reveals an important little snippet of Earth life that in the second book blossoms into a great gift(telepathic Felakoons) for Furlitekind, which some do not appreciate right away on their homeworld. In the third book, these creatures prove to be an integral part of how the family solves the problem the Universe dumps on them in Book III:Eyes In The Dark.(in progress) But these treasures do not appear until Book Two: Earth-bred, Matissia-born.(published in 2014)
2. Why should this novel be read by people?
We humans tend to be very egocentric, to the point that we assume any alien life must be humanoid, built like us with only superficial differences. I believe the Furlites and their world sheds light on the possibilities of life evolving and succeeding without any primate ancestry, a what if dinosaurian type life on another world never went extinct. Through their eyes I wish to help humanity look at the big picture and perhaps see itself from outside our egocentric view and maybe learn a thing or two.
3. How would you describe this novel in two words?
Family adventure
4. What movie have you seen the most in your life?
ET: The extra terrestrial
5. How long have you been working on this novel?
For over 3 decades, since I put the rough draft on paper in late 1979, and the first draft I laid down in 1981. The finished copy was published in 2012.
6. Do you have an all-time favorite novel?
I have several, but one of my favorites, is Far-Seer by Robert Sawyer.
7. What motivated you to write this novel?
Long weird tale, but the Furlites began as fantasy artwork, then appeared in a short illustrated story in a college class in 1976. I have been writing since I learned how to do so at about 5 years old. The impending completion of the third book in this series is still a project in my life.
8. What artist would you love to have dinner with?
Magritte
9. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
I love cats, particuularly Maine Coon cats. I also love trees, horses and horseback riding, animals in general, gardening, earth sciences, swimming, and all of these influence my writing in some manner.
10. What influenced you to enter the Novel Festival?
I was invited, and the books need the exposure.
11. Any advice or tips you’d like to pass on to other writers?
Never give up. Keep writing and persevere. And once you get that story down, proof read, edit, then edit some more, and proof read, edit, repeat, until you finally have that polished manuscript, even if it does take decades.
Submit your Novel to the Festival. Three ways to submit:https://novelwritingfestival.com/
Novel Writing Festival 