Author Steve Rogan lives with his wife in Silang, Cavite on the island of Luzon, Philippines. He retired early from a successful and colorful job-life, in 2015. In 1975, when in 6th grade, Steve entered a 6th grade poetry competition and won. His first book, The Seed Keeper, was commenced in 1992 and published to KDP in late 2017. He also began writing song lyrics in 1981, after returning home one Saturday morning with his first broken heart. He took up guitar in 1984 – never really became a musician – and published Skeletal Remains, the song lyrics of his, last year, purely as a means by which to stamp his ownership upon the pieces the book contains. He belongs to no author group or association apart from some Facebook writers’ groups, “most of which I didn’t see much benefit coming from.” When Steve isn’t writing, he can be found in his woodcraft workshop, where he has been making things from trinket boxes, candle boats, clothes valets, a makeup station for one of his daughters, to a twin set of high-stand hallway tables and a seat to be placed at the foot of a bed.
Which genres do you cover?
Steve Rogan: I currently have 19 works of fiction published, and oddly enough, I’ve never given genre any thought at all. If a story idea came to me, and I could see a good chunk of the story within the idea, I’d pursue it. I have a societal collapse/claw-back trilogy with a stand-alone novel set within that world construct, two detective/serial killer books, an undercover/underworld/rogue agent/ cat and mouse chase, with a revenge-based sequel. I’ve explored the ancient artefact hunt and chase theme, a peek into a not so pretty future with Option 7, a 4-book trilogy that isn’t comedy set, which sits upon the author involvement concept. I have a 3-book series of inter-related short stories which are set on another planet. They’re not space stories; it’s just not earth. Then there’s another book which sits alongside a series written by an author friend in Ireland. I pitched a proposal to him about my story, set in Detroit, that would occur at the same time as his three books (Reliance, Dr. Death, and Control) the story of which is set in Ireland. The CME in Paul’s book is the same CME in mine, and one of my primary characters interacts with one of Paul’s secondary characters via shortwave radio here and there throughout my book – Shelter. Eternally grateful to Paul McMurrough for allowing me to do it. I have also touched on the supernatural – yet couldn’t do so without it being comedic – in The Haunting of Maddy McKenzie, which concerns itself with a female detective who buys an old house in which a 1969 murder occurred. Her eventual interaction with Delphine Morgan’s ghost is comedic, while the cold-case investigation side of things keeps it all grounded.
Which is the latest book you had published, and what is about?
Steve Rogan: It’s the 3rd and final book in The Adrantha Chronicles series. It contains 46 short stories that are inter-related in one way or another. Some are direct follow-ons from the previous, whereas others explore some fringe areas of Adranthan society, yet will tie back into the underpinning theme of that particular book. Adranthan society is loosely based in the Victorian England era, while the other prominent country – the Zorgin States – is loosely based on old Arabia. Book one’s base theme is In Times of Tyranny. Book two, In Times of Conflict, and book three is In Times of International Deceit and Manipulation.
At which book events can readers find you?
Steve Rogan: I live in the Philippines, and such events are not feasible, for the most part.
Which book event connecting you with readers is your favorite and why?
Steve Rogan: Having never attended one, I couldn’t say.
Do(es) your book(s) have any specific messages to your readers and, if so, which are they?
Steve Rogan: I guess the underlying message could be ‘Are we advancing towards a societal utopia, or an Orwellian existence?’. For most of the other titles, I’m not too sure there’s any message at all, apart from ‘contain this madman at all costs’ which might be what a reader gets out of the four-book Borty Bittles trilogy that isn’t. All fun and games, though.
Which writer(s) keep(s) inspiring you and why?
Steve Rogan: Michael Crichton, and more so because when you look at his titles, it appears he went out of his way to ensure he wasn’t genre specific. Douglas Adams, simply due to his genius wit in conceiving things which could only work in a literary form. Jean M Auel, for her incredible ability in painting the prehistoric world so well. Patrick Tilley; the Amtrak Wars were amazing. Robyn Hobb confirmed her genius for me in The Liveship Traders trilogy with the way she went about detailing the life-span of dragons. There are others as well, but what it comes down to for me is the application of the imagination firmly embedded in a sound sense of plausibility.
Do you have any specific writing habits?
Steve Rogan: I have never once sat down and brainstormed book ideas. It was the same across the four or so decades when I wasted my time writing songs. The story idea has to come to me; I’m never going to find it if I go looking. Some call it writer’s block, while I refer to it as getting a little ahead of myself and having to go do something else while the story catches up. I have found, and this might sound rather distasteful, that many insights and ‘Ah-hah, of course!’ moments come to me while I tend to personal needs on the loo. Hey, whatever works, huh?
What are you currently working on?
Steve Rogan: I’m not entirely sure I’m going to write another book. For me, the achievement ends at publishing, and my personal satisfaction level, in terms of what I’ve produced, is at its highest. I’m unsure whether it’s necessary for me to write another book. That being said, I’m currently having a ball while playing with ChatGPT, getting it to write the weirdest stories. I’ve no intention of publishing any of it, and nor have I ever used such a program for any of my books. I’m just having a bit of fun with it.
Which book are you currently reading simply for entertainment?
Steve Rogan: I’m currently reading The Drift by an indie author by the name of Cassie Aufenthie.
What advice would you give any aspiring author?
Steve Rogan: You are the first reader you need to please. You must be able to split yourself into two distinct people (while also maintaining your sanity): the dream-filled author, who will disappear to run and jump and skip and sing and play in literary meadows of charm and wonder, and the ever-strict disciplinarian proofreader and editor who keeps a locked cupboard full of unpleasant implements of literary torture. If an author can’t cope with being hard on themselves with their own work, then they’ll surely struggle when others are. Never see your books as your little darlings or your babies. They must be seen as undisciplined, rebellious, and anarchistic barbarians, and the proofreader/editor side of you must tame them. In terms of the craft itself, I will say this: by means of the narrative, the author demonstrates an understanding of the language; by means of the dialogue and actions tags, the author demonstrates an understanding of people.
You can find Steve Rogan’s books through online stores and on Amazon.
What a great interview. Love the expat vibe.
Thank you, Ricardo – I found the answers exciting, as well.