Odd Inspiration: Babies, Tablets and a Dystopian Novel
By: Shari Lopatin
Some of the best ideas that spark a book snatch your mind at the most random moments. Like babies
and tablets. During Rosh Hashanah dinner.
That’s how it happened for me, with The Apollo Illusion.
Let me rewind for a moment. I used to be a daily newspaper reporter, like a serious journalist.
Journalism is a mission to me, so when I had to leave the profession in 2007 as the economy crashed, I
promised myself I’d return one day.
I never did.
Instead, I worked in public relations and watched the rise of social media stump traditional journalism’s
return. I started wondering how this change would affect the information filtering to the public, and one
day, possibly the outcome of elections.
Then came Rosh Hashanah dinner in September 2013. While munching on noodle pudding and rotisserie
chicken, my mom mentioned a news story she’d seen about babies learning the swiping motion of
tablets before learning to talk.
“What will that mean for the future of our society?” she asked, and my writer’s brain had a conniption.
That week, I started the frenzied first draft of my dystopian suspense novel, The Apollo Illusion. I
couldn’t wait to bleed all the issues floating through my brain onto the page:
Control of information
Sociological effects of over-digitalization
The power of propaganda
Loss of privacy
The thirst for truth
I’m excited to say that The Apollo Illusion is publishing this month, on May 19, 2018. It evolved into a
story for the hackers, the techies, the seekers, and the rebels of the world.
Music and the Writing Process
I didn’t work from an outline, never could. I had a general story arc in my head, knew the direction I
wanted to run, but the I’m the sort who needs creative space to roam.
I allowed my characters to develop organically, and sometimes they surprised me. Actions they took,
secrets they discovered. Music helped everything unfold. When I wrote The Apollo Illusion, I listened to
dark, gritty songs like “Dangerous” by Big Data, “Paint it Black” by The Rolling Stones, or “Howlin’ for
You” and “I Got Mine” by The Black Keys.
I sometimes struggled with details of getting from Point A to Point B. I’d get burnt out, or start writing
stale, but then I’d watch some documentary or read a stimulating dystopia, and the creative mania
returned.
My Favorite Scene
I often get asked, “Shari, what was your favorite scene to write from The Apollo Illusion?” My answer is
this: it’s a surprise plot point, so I can’t discuss it, but I can talk about the why.
This scene is an emotional discovery in the book, one that I cried while writing. It deals with a theme I
value deeply: family. In a way, I was writing a “wish” that I have for a loved one in my life, and this was
my way of waving my magic wand and giving this person something I know will not happen in real life.
Babies and Tablets
At the end of the day, it all boils down to babies and tablets. Who would’ve thought? A weird way to
accomplish my dream of publishing a book, but hey—I’ll take what I can get.
Shari Lopatin tells stories that matter. An award-winning journalist, she writes complex and stimulating
suspense novels that tie into modern-day social issues. Her debut novel, “The Apollo Illusion,” is releasing
May 19, 2018. Learn more at www.sharilopatin.com/books, or pre-order your digital copy for just $2.99
from Kindle, iBooks, Kobo, Barnes and Noble (Nook), or Smashwords. Want a print copy? Sign up for The
Readers Club to be notified the moment they become available!
Shari's new book will be released May 19th 2018. So support an Indie author and purchase!
Title: The Apollo Illusion
Catalog line (tagline): Nothing is ever what it seems.
Publisher: BookBooks Publishing LLC
Genre: Dystopian suspense, science fiction, young adult (YA), speculative fiction
Specs: 96,589 words, 68 chapters, 3 parts
Price: $2.99 (e-book); $10.99 (paperback)
Book website: www.sharilopatin.com/books
ISBN-13: (E-book) ………. 978-0-9997827-0-5
(Paperback) …. 978-0-9997827-1-2
Book synopsis: The year is 2150, and bullied nineteen-year-old Flora can no longer ignore the burning curiosity to learn what’s behind the towering Wall surrounding her home state of Apollo. Citizens still read books, discuss philosophy, and send text messages, but questioning The Other Side is forbidden.
When Flora’s naïveté accidentally reveals a dark secret about Apollo, she’s forced into an isolated web of truth, lies, and survival. Fearing for her life, she leaves behind a clue for her childhood friend, Andrew, placing her last hope in their special bond.
Author: Shari Lopatin
author bio: Shari Lopatin tells stories that matter. An award-winning journalist in her earlier years, she now writes complex and stimulating suspense novels that tie into modern-day social issues. Shari has worked as a newspaper reporter, magazine writer, public relations professional, social media manager, and earned the title of “Cat Mom of the Year.” www.ShariLopatin.com
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