Scott T. Miller
Author Interview - Scott T. Miller
Author of The Below
Humankind rose from the carcass of a dead world. Lifetimes later, billions of people live in superstructures constructed atop the only habitable lands left, the Hawaiian Islands. Kilohana “Kilo” Ressler lives in Hawaii City (known to the people as Big City) along with his illegal Digital Psychological Manifestation (DPM), EO, a pseudo-twin only perceptible to the host, designed during the rebuilding years to provide companionship in a world of horrors.
Kilo has managed to keep EO a secret for most of his life, but when his skills are required for a diplomatic mission in Kaua’i City, Kilo and EO find themselves embroiled in a conspiracy that threatens to expose EO’s existence and endanger the fragile balance of power between the island cities. The only place left for answers is in the depths of the superstructure, the Below. As the walls close in, Kilo must undertake the impossible task of protecting his friend, facing his past, and holding a crumbling city together.
Author Interview - Scott T. Miller
Author I draw inspiration from:
Phillip K. Dick, Richard K. Morgan, and so many more. The Man in the High Castle is my favorite story of all time and Altered Carbon has had such a profound impact on my writing. I can't recommend either books enough if you are looking for some classic sci-fi!
Author Interview - Scott T. Miller | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book:
The best of the best for me is reading in my living room on a stormy day with some hot coffee and Twenty One Pilots instrumental on in the background. :)
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with:
I would want to stuck in an elevator with Snowball from Animal Farm. I'd love to talk about his experiences and discuss how the farm's revolution unfolded. "Snowball, do you still believe what you believed? What would you have done differently? What about the next farm?" Also, I would make sure he is careful to stay away from ice axes!
Author Interview - Scott T. Miller | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:
The moment that changed me was when I realized I could explore stories that I had always wanted to read. The realization that I didn't need to wait for someone else to tell the amazing stories I craved transformed my perspective. From that moment, I needed to tell these stories for myself and anyone else out there that was waiting to read them.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook:
Paperback. It's the most comfortable to hold and not for nothing it's often the cheapest! I like audiobooks, but can fall into the trap of losing focus, especially if I'm doing something else. eBooks are probably my least favorite as they feel difficult to read and take away the experience of holding a book in your hand. However, anyway you slice it, if you're reading, you're probably doing something right!
The last book I read:
Eye in the Sky by Phillip K. Dick. It's a mind-bending story that took me places I didn't expect. Although I wouldn't say it's top 3 PKD, if you love science fiction it's worth a read.
Author Interview - Scott T. Miller | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer:
I use a pen and paper to take notes when I'm reading non-fiction and writing for academic publication. However, I've discovered my handwriting is often completely illegible so I stick with a computer for any substantive writing! Although, I wish I was cool enough to write on a typewriter.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with:
Pantalaimon from His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman. I absolutely love the world of His Dark Materials and wish I could have my own dæmon, but otherwise I think I would be best friends with Pantalaimon. I suppose this means I would be best friends with Lara's "soul," but I'm not trying to think too hard about it! Pantalaimon is such a caring and loyal friend in animal form. I'm not sure what more I could ask for! I will also say the dæmons in His Dark Materials served as an early inspiration for Digital Psychological Manifestations (DPMs) in my novel, The Below. :)
Author Interview - Scott T. Miller | Book Character I’d be Best Friends With
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a:
Well, I currently work as a school administrator and previously worked as a school counselor. So, I would say I am already lucky enough to work in two professional I absolutely love: Education and literature. In another life, I think it would be fun to be a historian or political scientist.
Favorite decade in fashion history:
1920s and 1930s. I wouldn't want to live in that era---due to the less than ideal geo-political and domestic circumstances---but I think wearing hats should make a comeback!
Place I’d most like to travel:
Japan! I would love to travel to Japan and experience the mix of culture, scenery, and history. I lived in Hawaii for several years and discovered the islands had a strong connection with Eastern cultures and met so many wonderful people who had lived in Japan. I quickly found myself craving to travel to Japan and looking forward to experiencing it for myself!
My signature drink:
Apple juice. I don't know why, but I LOVE apple juice.
Favorite artist:
BTS. You can't go wrong with K-Pop.
Number one on my bucket list:
I have always wanted to hike Trolltunga in Norway. Hopefully someday I can make it happen!
Anything else you'd like to add:
The story behind The Below:
In 2020, I moved to Hawaii at the height of the Pandemic to begin my Ph.D. journey at the University of Hawaiʻi. I quickly realized Hawaiʻi wasn’t like anywhere else I’d ever been; the culture, the food, the topography opened my mind to how different life could be. I’d been writing fiction after I left politics in 2016 and felt drawn to creating worlds that could say something burning inside me. After a few blind steps into writing with a screenplay and what could barely pass as a novel, I finally started to form the idea for what would become The Below. It was as if so many facets of my life congealed together to provide foundation for a story I didn’t know I needed to write.
So, I started. At my desk looking out the window through the island foliage, nestled in the hills above Punchbowl, just outside Honolulu, I wrote the first words of my story. Some say writing is who you are, it's a compulsion, but it was challenging. Like many writers, the story flourished in my mind as I laid my head down every night, but translating the story and the world I was building to paper took effort, time, and patience. I wrote for two years, all the while finishing my dissertation, and hoping I could create something special with the story unfolding before me.
When I typed the final period, I found myself with a cyberpunk noir, set in a futuristic Hawaii, blending architectural megalomanism and characters I could feel in my soul. Now, with my story published, it’s odd to think of the inception of The Below, the infinite moments that led to a story I promised myself I would share with anyone who, like me, crave exploring the endless bounds of dystopia. But, every moment of anguish, excitement, uncertainty, and strife was worth it as I feel the immense joy of sharing with you, unbeknownst reader, my story, The Below.
Find more from the author:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100012484869863
https://www.instagram.com/authorscotttmiller/
TikTok: @authorscotttmiller
Wesbite: authorscotttmiller.com
Publisher's Website: https://mascotbooks.com/product/the-below/
About Scott T. Miller:
Scott T. Miller
Scott T. Miller is an author, researcher, and educator. He comes from a long line of teachers and didn’t stand much of a chance of doing anything but working in education. He received his PhD in Global and International Education from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and his MEd in counseling from Northern Arizona University. Scott grew up in San Diego and has lived in South Dakota, Arizona, California, and Hawaiʻi. He recently moved from Oahu back to California with his wife, Bell, and dogs Hiro and Pebble. Scott adores science fiction and, at every opportunity, is writing, reading, and watching science fiction stories. Scott has authored several academic works on identity, globalism, and socio-political stratification. The themes and theories explored in his publications have influenced his fiction as he’s worked to craft relevant and immersive stories that speak to the heart of societal and human experiences. Scott has a deep reverence for dystopian stories that explore the outer reaches of human capabilities and dysfunction and has been influenced by the immense wake of authors such as Phillip K. Dick and Richard K. Morgan.
