Heather’s Bookshelf: Author Interview with Konstantina P
Book Title: The Trial Show
Released: 03/22/22
Genre: SciFi/Speculative Fiction
Interview by Heather L. Barksdale
What inspired you to write “The Trial Show”?
Konstantina P: Mainly, I wanted to tell a story about the way people’s opinions and beliefs can be manipulated by a news article with no substantial evidence or research. “Turn off your TV and think” is basically what I want the readers to take away from the story.
More than that, I wanted to write an action story where the protagonists are not the usual type you find in this type of books. I hope the LGBTQ+ romance between the leader of the revolution and his second-in-command differentiates this story from others.
How did you come up with the names of your main characters?
Konstantina P: There was not a certain process to it. I think that, in the end, I went with what felt better suited to the character. “Parker,” for example, changed a couple of times before I settled to it.
Is there anything that you want readers to know about you, your writing process or your book?
Konstantina P: The Trial Show is the first book in the “Resistance” series. There are more stories to come in this universe, dealing with where each character is at after the end of “The Resistance Rises”. It comes after three years of hard work, while I was also doing a second PhD and holding a teaching position, so it kept me more than busy. It all paid off, though, and I am quite proud of it. It is my favourite amongst the stories I’ve written so far, because it includes comments about society and how it revolves around the media.
The story also comes with an award under its belt! It was an “Official Coronet Selection” at the “Queen Palm International Film Festival,” in the “Best Feature Script” category.
If "The Trial Show" was adapted into a movie, who would you like to see cast to play your lead characters?
Konstantina P: I kinda see Ana de Armas as Ava and Jonathan Groff as Trent. I never thought about the rest.
When you encounter writer’s block, what do you do to break yourself out of it?
Konstantina P: The best thing that works for me is to let the story rest and work on something else. I have found that the blocks come from stress, and they usually “unblock” themselves.
Are there any tips that you would like to share with other aspiring authors?
Konstantina P: Here is a link to a blog post I wrote on my blog regarding writing and story development. https://konstantinasays.wordpress.com/2017/03/29/on-writing-and-story-development/
What is your favorite genre, book, and/or author?
Konstantina P: I love high fantasy and science fiction. My favourite author is definitely J.R.R. Tolkien and, of course, his “Lord of the Rings” trilogy my favourite books. From the more contemporary authors, I love Leigh Bardugo and the Six of Crows duology.
What are you working on next?
Konstantina P: The story I’m working on at the moment is a historical fiction novel about a Native American tribe before first contact. And if everything goes according to schedule, “Resistance” book 2 is also in the works.
Learn More About the Author and The Trial Show:
https://www.facebook.com/konstantina88p
http://twitter.com/konstantina88p
http://instagram.com/konstantina88p/
Interested in checking out the book for yourself?
Find it for purchase here or Kindle Unlimited
Interested in submitting your book for review? Visit my review page for guidelines and submission requirements.
review