Featured Interview With Benjamin M. Weilert
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Benjamin M. Weilert . . . What does the ‘M’ stand for?
Mountain Climber, Movie Connoisseur, Master of Science, and (of course) Multi-novel Writer.
Benjamin M. Weilert was born in Colorado in 1985.
While he went to school for Mechanical Engineering (eventually earning a Master’s Degree), he has found science to be interesting enough to write fiction about it. He likes to classify his novels as “science fantasy,” wherein the science is real and (semi) accurate, but portrayed in a fantasy setting to make it accessible to non-scientific readers. If you want stories that are surreptitiously educational, he’s your man.
He has written in a number of genres and styles, including a science fantasy trilogy, a memoir about climbing all of Colorado’s 14,000-ft. mountains with his father, and a guidebook to cinema. He has had short stories published in at least seven anthologies.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I read a lot as a child, but didn’t really get back into it until after college. I definitely remember having my parents read to me as I was growing up. Currently, I love listening to audiobooks, as they allow me to multitask (like while driving).
In preparing for my collection of short stories titled “The Ascent of the Writer,” I found a bunch of stories I wrote while I was in first grade. Some of these stories aren’t that bad (they won’t be in the collection, though). I’ve definitely improved since then. I started writing short stories in college for fun and wrote my first novel in 2010. Since then, I’ve continued to expand my written works, writing at least one novel and one short story each year and self-publishing one of these novels each year.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I enjoy fiction that’s really thought-out. If it’s fantasy, the magic system has to make sense and have plenty of complexity and nuance. If it’s science fiction, how is the science being used to advance the story? Consequently, some of my favorite authors are Andy Weir, Brandon Sanderson, Daniel H. Wilson, H.G. Wells, and Jules Verne.
I also appreciate the humor of Dave Barry, as well as the personable and convicting writing of Donald Miller.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is “Buried Colony,” and it was inspired by a short story I wrote for a “Science in Literature” course in college.
With my background in science as a Mechanical Engineer, I started to think about what technologies are currently present or are cutting edge right now that could be developed in 20 years to send humans out of our solar system. I believe this unique combination of technologies is plausible and overcomes a lot of the challenges involved with long interstellar journeys.
The biggest issue that I see about colonizing extra-solar planets is the relationships between the crew members. While some current technologies can help these people survive a new environment, the human condition still remains. Despite our best efforts, people will always have negative traits like selfishness and jealousy. How long can someone be offended and hold onto a grudge when the survival of the species is at stake? “Buried Colony” examines the lives of the six international individuals chosen to start a new colony on a new planet. Unfortunately, they landed on the wrong planet 11 million years in the future. Now their survival hinges on their ability to work together and overcome their personal differences.
Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles
Benjamin M. Weilert’s Website