SKY CITY: THE RISE OF AN ORPHAN. RD Hale’s debut novel. I’ve just finished reading this 492 page epic. Lots of labels have been attached to it by others: cyberpunk, biopunk, dystopian, sci-fi, manga, young adult, as well as a touch of fantasy. I agree with all of them, but add another one: coming of age.

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There’s not much you can find out about RD on the internet, perhaps because he’s a private kind of person and likes to keep to himself, or perhaps he prefers to let his writing and characters talk for him. Whatever the reason, I aim to tease something from him today to make the day for his growing number of fans.

Alana: G’day RD, am I allowed to know what the R in RD stands for, or do you use the initials to maintain a certain mystique?

RD: The initials help to maintain a mystique and create the impression I’m smarter than I actually am! However, my friends call me Ricky (among other things!)

Alana: How about I help maintain the mystique and stick with RD then.  Your bio says little is known about you other than tidbits, rumours and hearsay. I’m going to do my best to squeeze a bit of detail from you today because, let’s face it, you’ve got a lot of fans out there in book land. I think they’d like an inside peek. Your bio says you’re married and have one young child. I take it that’s fact, yes? As to your age, I’m hazarding a guess that you’re still wrinkle-free.

RD: I’m rapidly starting to accumulate grey hairs thanks in no part to my son, but I’m doing pretty well on the wrinkle side. However, I’m sure my second child will help contribute towards those when he/she arrives.

Alana: Oh, does that mean another baby is on the way? Are congratulations in order?

RD: The second boy is due in early April and already I am having sleepless nights!

Alana: There’s nothing like a new baby! You’ll look back on it as totally worth it. As you’re going for a second I guess you already know that though. Where in the UK do you call home?

RD: A lively place called Newcastle upon Tyne where beer is known as ‘breakfast’ and religion is called ‘football’.

Newcastle upon Tyne pics: Angel of the North, fireworks over the city, Tynemouth Priory.

Alana: Sounds like a tough place! Is it where you want to be, or is there somewhere you’d rather be if money were no object? Does the grittiness of SKY CITY stem from there or do I have completely the wrong impression of your home town?

RD: Medio city is a (greatly exaggerated) representation of the council estate where I grew up. Sky City represents the sights and sounds that were out of reach to a jobless, disenfranchised youth.

My home town has its qualities, but unemployment has been a problem for many. And then there is the perma-grey sky which only adds to the misery! I understand your part of the world is lit by a golden disc called “the sun”. We’ve never seen it!

Alana: Yes, we’re blessed here in Australia. It’s the best place on the planet. I was born in the UK but wouldn’t live anywhere else but here.

RD: Maybe one day we’ll get to move somewhere warm and cheerful like Australia.

Alana: You’d be very welcome. Let’s talk about your writing. It sounds as though the genre you write in is the one that’s always appealed to you. Is that right, and why?

RD: I’ve always liked sci-fi for many reasons, not least because once interstellar travel is invented I plan to become a space pirate! I spent my childhood preparing for this role by playing videogames, and now I fill the waiting time by writing books!

Sci-fi is a great tool for self-expression because you have more creative freedom than in other genres. The aspect that most appeals is the world building. With SKY CITY I wanted to create a microcosm of the world in which we live, where the problems are amplified so we can take a closer look at poverty, inequality and indoctrination. My aim was to give a voice to the voiceless and to challenge pre-conceived ideas.

Alana: I’d say you’ve well and truly succeeded in that. And Arturo Basilides, SKY CITY’s young hero you’ve built that world around; what brought about his creation? He’s an immensely charismatic character.

RD: He’s a combination of many factors; he has some of my traits but I was conscious about making him fit into his awful world. He had to be highly intelligent and physically adept for the rebellion to take an interest in him, but he also had to be reckless. He could not have emerged from his childhood untainted so he is a very flawed protagonist. I wanted to get away from the heroic stereotype and create a character who was complex and unpredictable.

Alana: You originally published the book as a series of six smaller books but have now removed them from sale. What’s the thinking behind that?

RD: The book was originally serialised on Wattpad and I wanted readers to experience the instalments as they were initially intended, but their removal from Amazon was ultimately a commercial decision. It was confusing my readership as Amazon kept listing the complete edition as part of the series. I didn’t want people to mistakenly purchase twice in the belief they were buying the latest instalment. Plus the complete edition has a reasonable price so there’s no need to break it up.

Alana: I commented in my review of SKY CITY that there are several aspects of the story that were unfinished. I speculated that more is to come of Arturo. Am I right? And if so, do you have a release date in mind? Perhaps you might also like to whet our appetite for where you will be taking Arturo and his mates in it.

RD: I have a couple of spin-offs in the works starring other characters which are available on Wattpad. Both are in their early stages so everything, including the titles may change.

The Formation of the Rebellion stars Leo Jardine and is a prequel explaining how the rebellion came to be. It’s intended to be hard sci-fi—darker and more complex than The Rise of an Orphan with a similar feel to Gibson’s Neuromancer.

The Sister of a Rebel Soldier stars Emmi Basilides and continues on from events at the end of The Rise of an Orphan. It’s intended to be a more accessible addition to the series. The rebellion really gets under way in this one and you’ll discover what the more interesting characters are capable of.

Alana: And Arturo?

RD: I haven’t started the next part of Arturo’s story just yet, but it’s definitely coming. I’ll likely serialise it on Wattpad and then release six instalments as one book on Amazon as I did with The Rise of an Orphan. I expect Arturo’s saga will become a trilogy at the very least.

Alana: What about after SKY CITY is completed, do you have any other stories in mind and are they in the same genre?

RD: I would love to write in another genre, maybe fantasy but I can’t see myself doing this for a long time!

Alana: RD, thank you so much for talking with me today. It’s been a real pleasure getting to know the writer behind the book.

RD: Thank you, Alana.

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Take this link to my review of SKY CITY: THE RISE OF AN ORPHAN