Thursday 23 October 2014

S.S.Segran, author of "Aegis Rising"

Today I'd like welcome S.S.Segran, author of  "Aegis Rising" to the Thursday interview. Before we get started, a quick intro!

S.S.Segran is the author of Aegis Rising, an award-winning, action-adventure sci-fi novel for young adults. In crafting the premise for the series, she drew from the inspiring imagery of the Pacific Northwest and her abiding love for adventure, science fiction and mystery stories. She enjoys drawing, horseback riding and is an ardent fan of parkour and skydiving, having experienced her first jump in the skies of Nevada in the summer of 2014. She plans to study Cognitive Science while continuing to write the Aegis Series. S.S.Segran is also the founder of Aegis League (www.aegisleague.org), a non-profit organization whose goal is to support youths living in places and conditions that deny them opportunities to grow. The mission of the organization is to provide life-skills training and micro-loan funding to help these youths launch small businesses in the communities where they reside. A portion of sales from her books is donated to this cause.


OK - HERE WE GO !!  



No.1 Would you break the law to save a loved one? .. why?

Absolutely, assuming by saving, you mean saving the life of a loved one. I think laws are meant to protect and safeguard the well-being of society. If it comes in the way of saving a life, than that law has failed to serve its purpose and I would go all out to save that life. 

No.2 What is the difference between being alive and truly living?

One is a state of being (existing), the other is an experience, a journey. In the material world both rocks and plants exist, but when we contrast their states of existence, we see that the rock merely exists and the plant is living. Imagine that metaphor projected into the life of a human being. One can exist or one can be living. 

No.3 What motivates you to write?

I love creating unique worlds, environments and characters and then invite readers to leave their daily routines for an adventure, an experience, a journey where they can get lost for a period of time, exploring, discovering, experiencing this imaginary world and return invigorated

No.4 Why do humans want children?

At the basic physical level, it is an evolutionary need for the survival of the species but at a higher human/spiritual level, it is what I call the biggest mystery in the universe i.e. love (the same force that binds elements together at the smallest of scales and the bodies that fill up the celestial sky.That and the innate longing to leave a legacy.

No.5 What was the biggest challenge in creating your book "Aegis Rising" ?

One word: Time. I was in grade eight when I started writing Aegis Rising. I wish I could have completed the book sooner, but it took me three years through school, tons of homework, extra-curricular activities, chores etc. to get it published. But I have come to appreciate the ‘slow-cooking’ process that the novel went through as it allowed me to grow as a writer. Now that I have acquired the various tools that a writer needs, I am grateful for the time that I took to learn them, as they have become very useful in the crafting of my second book, Aegis Incursion, which I am happy to say will be released at the end of November after about 4 months of writing. 

No.6 What is the most important thing you have learned in life so far?

The irreplaceable treasure knows as family and friends. I couldn’t possibly be where I am without their support and encouragement. In the universe of writing, I learnt that your work as a writer is not done when the book is published. The other half and equally important part of the publishing equation is marketing and publicity, which I am slowly beginning to accept and act on. It forces me to step outside my comfort zone and learn new things

No.7 How did you come up with the title "Aegis Rising" ?

‘Aegis’ is the shield used by Zeus, and in this series it is used to symbolize the five teen protagonists who are called to protect the planet as foretold in the prophecy of an advanced race of people who fled their island-home twenty five hundred year ago. I used ‘Rising’ to indicate the beginning of a journey that the five teens take when they finally accept their roles after much hesitation.

No.8 How do you handle personal criticism?

I am teaching myself to see these as ‘gifts’ both in terms of the learning and growing opportunities they present and the sometimes useful information they contain, which usually gets lost because of the unpalatable mode of expression that the messenger may choose to employ. It’s about learning to value the light within the lamp and not the lamp itself. 

No.9 Why should people read your book?

Because I think it is fun! J When I started writing this book, the question I asked myself is, what kind of adventure would I like to be a part of, if I were to be lost in a forest with four of my best friends. Aegis Rising was born out of that. As one reader put it, "Aegis Rising is a unique and compelling novel that combines the youthful camaraderie of the Percy Jackson series with the relentless action of Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt adventures and weaves it through a dystopian backdrop of the Hunger Games trilogy."

No.10 Why is there something rather than nothing?

That is a very deep question!  My simple answer is Love. Not simply in the limited form that we are.





Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions & the best of luck with your new book! 
Check out S.S.Segran's book "Aegis Rising" on





Over a remote northern forest, a small plane carrying five teenage friends flies into a freak storm. Struck by lightning, the aircraft crashes and the passengers find themselves cast into a life-changing adventure.

In a hidden valley, a mysterious people gaze at the stormy sky as a glowing object with fiery wings disappears behind a mountain ridge. The astonishing sight reignites an ancient prophecy foretelling the arrival of five chosen ones destined to become bearers of light against a dark storm gathering on humanity's horizon.

In a distant city, a secretive organization led by a shadowy figure initiates a sequence of cataclysmic events designed to wreak havoc across the planet, beginning with a remote mining site in a northern Canada.

As the three worlds collide, unlikely heroes arise. Armed with powers entrusted to them by the ancient prophecy and the resilience of their life-long bond, the five teens take a stand against a malevolent foe.




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