Science Fiction for Thinkers

Michael Casher is an independent author whose six science fiction novels include The Evermore Trilogy. Each sci-fi thriller is part of his Science Fiction for Thinkers series, published by Lulu Press and sold Print-On-Demand at Lulu.com.

Mr. Casher is currently working on a seventh book under the pen name Jonco Bugos. This novel is experimental literary fiction.

Here, the author responds to some questions that he, in fact, asked himself.

Why wasn't there a photo of you on this bio page for almost a year?

I was hiding.

What is that supposed to mean?

It means I don't look like a science fiction writer so I used to stay hidden. I look like a farmer, which is just fine with me, but I'm not a farmer. Sometimes I look like a handyman from the 1950's. Quite often I look like the old guy who sells you cracked corn down at the feed store. Actually, I look like all three. At one time I figured, Who would want to read a sci-fi novel written by someone who looks like this? But I don't care about any of that superficial stuff anymore.

Where were you born?

Philipsburg Hospital, Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, USA.

What year were you born?

1951. Yes, there was electricity and television and even Kool-Aid.

Where do you live?

I currently live in Snow Shoe, Pennsylvania, in the United States. My hometown. I left town when I was 20 but returned when I was 49. (There is no accounting for taste or judgment). That was seven years ago. My, how time flies when you need to get a life.

What are your hobbies and interests?

Writing, reading, SETI @ home project, painting (fence posts, lawn furniture), bicycling (no serious stuff, I just jump on the Huffy and start peddling), target shooting (not so much paper targets as things that splinter and/or fall over when hit), tying yellow ribbons on the tails of stray cats.

When did you start writing science fiction novels?

In 2002. I needed a break from the service industry where I was constantly being downsized. The advent of Windows 95 also had a lot to do with the spiraling demise of my service industry career. I struggled a lot with DOS before Windows made its debut, barely keeping my head above water with green words and numbers on a black screen. Then along came Windows and chopped it off with a single stroke. Windows spawned multi-tasking which is a slick little service-industry term that was invented to mask the trendy practice of making employees do a lot more things each year for the same pay.

Why did you publish your own books?

So I could have control over their content, price and distribution. Another reason is so they would be published before the year 3000.

Do you write anything besides novels?

I write eight blogs and one monthly newsletter, mostly for therapy. I figured blogging would be a much better outlet for disappointment, frustration and rage than running naked through the back yard and screaming, "Why me? Why me?"

If you didn't pen your first novel until you were 50 years old, what were you doing before that?

Gathering data.

Would you publish your own novels again, given the choice between a traditional publishing house and a Print-On-Demand technology service such as Lulu?

Yeah, I'm all booked up. Unfortunately, most of my upcoming public appearances will be in local supermarkets and hardware stores as a customer.

What advice would you offer aspiring writers?

Go fishing instead.

This is the official website of independent science fiction author Michael Casher.

 Thank you for visiting.