Adam Torres and Michael Bland discuss Michael’s books.
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Show Notes:
New book alert! In this episode, Adam Torres and Michael C. Bland, Science Fiction Author & Editor, explore Michael’s new books, The Price of Trilogy.
About Michael Bland
Experienced SBA-focused professional with a demonstrated history of leadership and performance in the lending industry. Skilled in Commercial Banking, Credit, Small Business Lending, and Commercial Lending. Skilled professional with a B.S. focused in Finance from Indiana University Bloomington.
Full Unedited Transcript
Hey, I’d like to welcome you to another episode of Mission Matters. My name is Adam Torres, and if you’d like to apply to be a guest on the show, just head on over to missionmatters. com and click on Be Our Guest to apply. All right, so today’s guest is Michael Bland, and he is A, science fiction author and editor, and also he’s written many books and one of them is that we’re going to be talking about today as a trilogy called the price of safety.
Michael, welcome to the show. Adam, thank you for having me. Good to be here. All right, so excited to get into the price of safety and really talk , about the work and what the readers can expect. For all my long term listeners, you know I love supporting authors, you know I love getting out great stories and great books, so good to have Michael on the line.
And I guess just getting us, , even before we go into the books, Michael, just in general, , like, how’d you get started writing? Were you always a writer? Sure. No, actually first job out of college was in collections, which included repoing cars for a living. And I’m only 5’9 and I’m not very imposing.
Hold on, from repo man to editor, is that another title? That’s a biography. No, hold on. It might be a future book. So, it definitely made you made me reconsider what I wanted to do with my life. And so, that’s what started me down the path, and I’ve always enjoyed stories. I Yeah, that was a science fiction nerd growing up and So you were a reader?
A big reader then? A big reader? Huge reader. Huge reader. My father was going to be an astrophysicist and so he had science fiction books all throughout the house. The, you know, the old Isaac Asimov and Robert Heinlein and all that. So that, that was what I grew up on. And so when I wanted to start writing, it was a natural progression.
Wow, always curious about this, was there, like, was it a progression or was it just this moment in time where you’re like, I have to do this book, or I have to do a book, , like, how did that happen? How did this thing stick to where you’re like, cause, and the reason I ask this, by the way, is so many people have an idea, or this or that, but it doesn’t mean they get to actually the point of publication.
So, how did that happen for you? What was your turning point?, It was a long, Long drawn out process, and I truly will not bore your readers, but simply, I first wanted to try. I wanted to try to see if I could do it. And so I found a, I have a stubborn streak that once I started it, I really wanted to finish it.
But I also, it was one of those where I just wrote, , by the seat of my pants, like, not sure where the story was going, just a general direction. The thing was a train wreck. So that will never be, see the light of day. But by the end of the book I knew that I loved writing and that’s, that’s when I got hooked.
And from then on, it was a part of me. How did you, and I’m going to use your words. I’m obviously not saying it. I respect all authors and their attempts. Okay. Like there’s not that type of show, but how’d you save the train wreck? , how’d you upscale? Like, how did you take it to the next level to where you were like, cause obviously that was a process that wasn’t just like overnight.
Correct. I, I started by purchasing books on writing and characters and plotting and all of that, but what really took it to the next level my now wife suggested that I take classes at the University of Iowa, their summer writing workshop. It was a fascinating, fascinating process because I was able to not only take these classes that really elevated and helped me understand the mechanics behind the writing and, and what you should do and what you should not do, but also I obtained some good relationships, including one, a fellow writer who he and I edit each other’s books, and that helps elevate it and to find it.
Someone who will not only do that, take the time to edit your books, but give you blunt, honest editing comments, that’s what helps. And you have to have a thick skin, because trust me, some of those comments can be very painful, but it’s all in the service of the story. Yeah, and I, I feel like especially for those that are first like first going down that path and first time authors, like sometimes that, that feedback is, it’s tricky, especially when you’re dealing with professionals, like , how’d you get over that?
Like, how’d you stay in the game? Cause some people, that’s what breaks them right there. Like that, in my opinion, I admit some bourbon helped the first few times but it was really joking, but really it was, it made me step back and what do I want to do? I want to go through this process. It is, it’s a business of course, and it is, you’re creating a product.
And of course you want it the best they’re going to possibly be. But I know very few people that just wake up and they’re a professional level. It takes a ton of time. It takes so much work. And frankly, if someone can read my book, fly through it in two days, I’ve done my job because I’ve made it so smooth that you don’t.
See the mechanics of the writing. You don’t get tripped up by the way I freeze something or the, or something like the one that characters does that you stop and go, well, that makes no sense. Why would they do that? I’ve already fixed all those things. No, I haven’t. Then I’ve not done my job. Yeah. That’s great.
And I feel like there’s a lot of writers that have been, let’s just say in the, in the fiction space that have always dreamt about. Going into non fiction side of things and otherwise, and , that’s obviously different writing, different things, forming characters, like all these things are different and matters.
and since you had that big breadth of knowledge, at least from the reading standpoint, and being, having been in, grown up an avid reader in that space as you kind of look and, hindsight being 2020, let me preface it that way. Is there anything, I don’t mean in the writing or the book, I mean, more so for the publishing or the process specifically, is there anything you would have done differently , now that you can look back , , at your work.
And I don’t mean again for the writing part, I just mean like the process of getting to a publication. Probably not only because I had to suffer all those setbacks and I had to get, The rejections in order to continue to push it, because clearly that meant it wasn’t good enough. Literary agents, publishers, they want to put a good product they make money on it.
It helps elevate the craft and hopefully bring some more readers, but you can’t put out something that isn’t good enough. Yeah. That rejection on writing Stephen King, every time I think about it, his nail or his spike and all the rejection letters that we put up there. Oh my gosh. I always think about that and I’m like, wow, but, but look what he became, you know, and that’s just such a interesting story in general.
So I, I do feel, I agree with you by the way, like I think rejection is a big piece of what, Allows you to build into the point to where you have a product that people, actually want to read and it’s worth their time as well. And , I see you have , quite a few things that you’ve already, as I look in on Amazon 2020 Indie Book awards finalists.
Indie Book Awards finalists, National Indie Excellence Awards finalists. So you’ve gotten some, , some acclaim for this. , let’s start going a little bit into the book. , and for everybody listening, we’re not going to spoiler everything. I definitely, so this is on Amazon and I want everybody to pick up a copy.
And also I noticed that you have an audio book as well, so audio book component to it. So I think that makes it super helpful and for the, for individuals that prefer that. That. Type of content myself included. So let’s just get into the book. So let’s talk about it. So the price of safety.
So what inspired this? So. What inspired it is, , I’m fascinated by the future, I think, probably growing up with all those science fiction books and my dad’s own fascination. And I’m specifically, for me, the technology that both is going to help us, help us, and potentially hurt us, and either way is going to greatly influence our lives.
We’ve already accepted so much technology in our lives, and what’s going to affect that long term impact? So I wanted to Explore that. I wanted to see what a potential future could be, and I focused on surveillance. I mean, I know that climate change and AI are, of course, on a lot of people’s minds, but to me, surveillance, I think, is a big key.
We’re already being monitored to a level that previous generations never experienced. And maybe wouldn’t have allowed either. Maybe wouldn’t have allowed either. Not to get political, but maybe not even allowed. Right. And, you know, the newer generations, , in general, I hate saying bad things, but in general seem to have accepted it.
From day one, it’s an easier, okay, this is just, you know, you’re tracked, then your phone hears you, all those things. And it kind of makes sense though, because especially when you think about babies or kids, like if your parents have been posting photos of you on Facebook and all your life’s been public since you were a kid and you didn’t have a choice, you’re a baby, right, a kid, then it makes sense that we’re getting to that point.
Go ahead, I don’t want to derail this, but I get it. I agree with you too, but. Perfect, great. No and, and for me, I wanted, my novels, I wanted to explore how do you protect people that you love in a world where there’s almost nowhere left to hide? So, my novels envision a world 25 years from now, or our world, 25 years from now, where technology becomes so integrated into our daily lives that no crime goes unsolved anymore.
Well, in The Price of Safety, the main character’s 19 year old daughter commits a crime. He covers it up to save her life, and that starts them down this rabbit hole where he discovers that technology he’s devised has been used against the population, and what was supposed to protect everyone is being used to control them.
Hmm. Man, that premise , and I may be reaching here by the way, Michael. So if I am, you can say, nah, Adam, you’re wrong. This is my Sherlock Holman at all. But I had like in your previous career, when you’re out there doing what you’re doing, you’re thinking about surveillance and safety and like all these things.
Is this kind of like a culmination of some of the ideas you’ve had like through the years too? Like did that kind of, is it expressed a little in the writing? It had a little influence. Yes, because going down certain areas in the city that I lived in, not the safest areas, and you have to become aware. I also, I spent a little time overseas, and the areas that I was in, you also had to be very hyper aware.
And of course, their laws are different than the laws in the US. And so if you do something inadvertently, you don’t realize, you just have to be focused on what you are doing in a way you don’t normally do. Hmm. Are aware and trying to be aware of what other people do because you’re far from home. Yeah.
Yeah. And I know I might’ve been reaching, but I can’t help but think that there could be some connection there. So, all right. I like it. Let’s talk a little bit about the technology that you’ve imagined in the book. So you’re not just, of course it’s fiction. You’re not just taking present day, like what we’re seeing and otherwise you’re, you’re also kind of imagining what the future of this might be like, right?
Correct. Yeah. Yeah. Correct. And I did a ton of research. So I’ve done a ton of research, because I really wanted to make sure this felt as real as possible. , at least as plausible as possible. And if all the technology that I’ve imagined in both the first book and then the second book, The Price of Rebellion, it could really impact our future in a number of ways, both good and bad.
And it’s already started. I imagine that the neural net implant before Elon Musk pursued that technology. I imagine implants that everyone has, which can provide an incredible level of access, but it can be used to manipulate us, especially if they’re tied to our optical nerves or our lenses. But they could also help people innovate, could help those with disabilities lead more normal lives, could help those with very technical careers, retain volumes of data in their heads with perfect recall, all those things.
Another technology I imagined also has become real. So in the books, I have this device, what I refer to as DNA sniffers. So everyone, we all shed dead skin, dead skin cells and hair follicles. Well, in the book, there were devices that the bad guys used that would pull those dead skin cells or dead hair follicles from out of the air, run the DNA and identify it.
Well, it’s real. So a company in California developed it last year. I write an article on my job. Right? And that technology can be used to track us without our consent, but it could also help, for example, like finding missing hikers, which is the reason the company in California said that they created it.
So the future is going to be really fascinating, but I mean, there are going to be dangers out there, things we aren’t even aware of. Yeah. , was it a fun rabbit hole to go down when you were thinking about like technologies that you would implement and ultimately put in the book and you were kind of doing the research, as you mentioned, was that fun?
Like, I can’t even imagine like going on that expedition. It’s endless, but it’s been a creative, like amazing thing. Go ahead. Absolutely. And I was able to take, like, there’s another thing they developed at least in the lab to resonate. If I’m remembering it correctly, resonating water to a degree that it turns into this super hard ice, what they called X 12 ice.
And right now it’s just in the laboratory, but I stole that, and in the book, it’s used actually in the scene as a weapon. So, to be able to take these things and how to implement them in the story and in an organic way. It was a blast. I love doing it. Yeah, it sounds, it sounds so much fun. And getting back to it and just the way you even explain this, like, it’s kind of like both sides, like some things are to help, but then also can be used and not maybe be what it was initially intended for.
So like your goal with the book, ultimately, is it, , entertainment? Are you looking to warn readers? , like what’s kind of that theme , you’re aiming to get out of that? It’s primarily to entertain. I mean, I’m, I’m an author. That’s what I’m trying to do. But also, at the same time, it is to warn.
And, and, trust me, I’m not a preachy type of person. I don’t like being preached to. So that’s not what it is, right? But what I’m, I’m trying to just highlight the risks in an entertaining way that can also, I hope, , resonate. Such as, like I said, the, how do you protect someone you love? In this kind of world, , fiction is the art of consequences.
So I wanted to show the consequences of what could be waiting for us. So if people in general, just stop really kind of being aware of what’s going on around them, except the growth of just every single technology, technological wonder, because it’s easier and made them feel safer because they accepted the surrendering of their freedom.
Then this is what the future could be. I mean, don’t get me wrong, it’s, it’s, again, entertainment. It’s a fast paced story about a man, you know, loves his kids, unique character setting, has love and hope and danger and loss, but it’s within this world that could be a tragedy. possible reality and one that frankly, I don’t really, I would not personally want to live in.
Yeah. Yeah. And I, I get it. And , , some of even just our conversation, just kind of like remnants of 1984, like thinking about like some of these other books in the past that have been part of , my life as well. and reading, and I think this is just a really interesting take on some of the things that are that are even happening, like, nowadays, like, going back to the technologies and some of the things that you’ve said, how you’ve imagined, and what’s happened, what’s not, you know what I mean?
Like, this is going to be interesting to continue to, to follow this book as time flies, or as time proceeds, and you see more and more technologies come out. That’s going to be fun. So what’s your goal for the book now? I know you’re out promoting, I know you’re getting out different audiences.
Like, what’s your goal for the book right now? What are you working on? So right now I’m working on the third book. So the price of rebellion came up just over a year ago and the third book is done. , it’s written. I’m just working on doing those edits, I, as I mentioned earlier, the sentences that, , flow smoothly, the characters, everything they do make sense, just fine tuning all that.
I expect to get that to my publisher this early fall. So it’ll probably be, I would say the first part of next year is when then the 3rd book will be released. Oh, man, that’s awesome. That’s it’s exciting stuff. And one, one other quick note here. I do, I do want to work into this is , the audio book version.
, what was that like, like getting the audio book version of it done and whatnot? Cause I know some authors go for audio books, some don’t, and I’m a big fan of audio books personally. I don’t, I just, I just love them. I’m a big fan. So what were your thoughts on that and going that direction? So at first I didn’t only because I’m not as big of a audio.
Yeah, a lot of people aren’t. That’s why I brought it up. That’s why I brought it up. Yeah, yeah. Absolutely. Even though my wife’s turned me on to them more and more. And especially for long drives, they’re, they’re fantastic. However, I was introduced to a a vocal actor. Who has done an amazing job with the first book and he’s hard at work on the second one right now.
The goal is to have the second one, The Price of Rebellion, come out in early August and then he’s going to work on the third one so that that will come out right at the same time that the third book is released. Amazing. Michael, if somebody is listening to this or watching this, and if they want to follow up, follow your work and of course, , grab some books, how do they do that?
Easiest way if they want to get in contact with me or find out the latest or also links to the books and audible book, it’s go to my website, which is www. mcbland. com. You can also find the books Amazon, Barnes and Noble. Indie bound, of course, audible for the audio book. They can also, I’m on Facebook, Instagram, X, and try to be everywhere.
Amazing. And the listeners, just so you know, we’ll put the links in the show notes so you can just click on the links and head right on over. And speaking of the listeners, if this is your first time with Mission Matters hit that subscribe button yet, then definitely hit the subscribe button because we have many more mission based individuals that we’re bringing on the line and we don’t want you to miss a thing.
This is a daily show, so each and every day we’re bringing you New content, new authors, new thought leaders, new business owners, new executives. I mean, we’ve got a whole lot more programming up for you. So again, hit that subscribe button and Michael, Hey man, , I’m looking forward to third part of this trilogy being released.
Congrats again on all the accolades you received for this, and I wish you a much more continued success. So thanks again for coming on. Thank you, Adam, and thank you for having me on. It was a blast.