From Under the Sun was the winner of the Science Fiction category of the 2022 IndieReader Discovery Awards, where undiscovered talent meets people with the power to make a difference.
Following find an interview with author Kordel Lentine.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
My book is called From Under the Sun, and it was published February 1st, 2021.
What’s the book’s first line?
“Terrance stared himself in the eyes and realized with a sinking feeling in both of his stomachs that something had gone wrong.”
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
You cannot be a science fiction enthusiast for very long without crossing paths with the concept of time travel. From books like H.G. Wells’ Time Machine to blockbuster films like Back to the Future, tales of time travel have made a lasting mark on our literary and cinematic worlds.
However, they often use mechanics that have great entertainment value but frequently employ disappointing logic. Sure, Marty McFly’s fading family photo gives the audience a concrete countdown to his impending demise, but is that how it would work if time travel existed? Of course not. Was H. G. Wells right that you could never use time travel to change the events that inspired you to invent time travel? Absolutely not. And was the Doctor correct when he claimed that the universe arbitrarily chooses some events to be fixed points in time, and that it will throw a temporal temper tantrum if anyone dares to alter them? Not likely.
Are there any stories that let us enjoy the geeky thrills of time travel without demanding that we check our brains at the door? There is now. Let me introduce you to Terrance Brown, a bullied high schooler who one day has a bowling ball almost dropped on his head from high inside the atmosphere. This event is dubbed the “bowling ball bombing” in the media frenzy that follows. The greatest scientific minds in the world cannot explain how the bowling ball got there, but a closet genius named Stanley knows that time travel lies at the heart of this mystery, and he devises a plan to bring Terrance face-to-face with the shocking truth.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
It was time for lights out in a bunk room with 20 junior high boys, and as one of the faculty, I wasn’t ready to go to sleep yet. So, with a flashlight and notebook under my sleeping bag, I tried to write the next page in what I hoped would be my first published book. But there is nothing like spending a week at camp away from life’s everyday distractions to put you in tune with God’s leading. And I felt as though God were saying, “Not that book. Not yet. Write this one first.” That’s how a one-sentence scribble on my “future book ideas” list trumped the book I’d been planning for years and became three handwritten notebook pages that went on to become a 634-page hardcover book (or a paperback and eBook trilogy, depending on which format you choose).
What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character? Who-real or fictional-would you say the character reminds you of?
The main character, Terrance, is described as having “a below-average physique with an above-average intellect” with nothing particularly extraordinary about him. He brings many flaws to the table, that sometimes leaves us cringing for him, but he somehow goes from underdog to overcomer in a series of exceptional events that showcase a rare heart of empathy that sympathizes even with the people who wish him harm. It is this character trait that sets him apart as a truly good person and makes him easy to cheer for.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
I was told by a 69-year-old that she reads three books per week and is therefore not easily impressed but loved this book so much she read it twice. And the 13-year-olds that I read it to while it was being written liked it so much that they started rereading it as soon as we finished. And another reader who described herself as a “non-sci-fi reader” said she couldn’t put it down and finished the entire story in just three days. So regardless of age or typical genre preference, From Under the Sun has shown broad appeal for anyone in the market for a good clean story.
If they made your book into a movie, who would you like to see play the main character(s)?
Tom Holland would be a fantastic choice for the main character, Terrance, who is portrayed first as a 17-year-old underdog and later, in the final battle scenes, as a physically fit 25-year-old ex-marine. Tom Holland’s age, physique, and acting experiences make him an ideal actor to bring both roles to life in dynamic and believable ways.
When did you first decide to become an author?
I dreamed about writing for so many years that I can’t say for sure when I first decided that I wanted to be an author. But I do know that on my 40th birthday, I had a midlife crisis moment where I thought, “Oh no, I’m already 40 years old and I haven’t written my first book yet—If I don’t start writing soon, I never will!” So I sat down that evening and wrote the first page of what I hoped would become my first book, with a goal of writing at least one page per day.
Is this the first you’ve written?
Yes, From Under the Sun is the first book I’ve written and published.
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
I am a full-time Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and part-time author who dreams of one day being a full-time author and part-time CPA!
How much time do you generally spend on your writing?
Since my full-time job and family take up most of my waking hours, my time for writing is delegated to the cracks and crevices of my schedule, usually late nights or early mornings when the rest of the world is asleep. This ranges from maybe 0 to 10 hours per week.
What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie?
The best part of being an indie author is having complete control over the final product. And the hardest part of being an indie author is having complete control over the final product! I did outsource the cover art to an experienced graphic designer, and paid for professional editing and proofreading, but otherwise the rest of the book represents mountains of minutes wearing oodles of hats, learning how to do everything else from scratch.
Would you go traditional if a publisher came calling? If so, why?
A year ago, I would have answered, “Absolutely not.” Self-publishing was not a fallback option that I settled on because I couldn’t make it in the “real” publishing world. After much research, it was the option that I felt was best for me as an author, as it is for many authors in today’s modern publishing environment. However, after over a year of pouring large amounts of time and money into marketing my book, only to find numerous ways that DON’T work, I would probably be tempted to reconsider my position on traditional publishing if it allowed me to partner with a company that had already cracked the code on effective ways to promote and market my book.
Is there something in particular that motivates you (fame? fortune?)
The Bible says that genuine religion in God’s sight is to take care of orphans and widows in their times of need, and to remain uncorrupted by the world (James 1:27). It’s a succinct two-point list of what really matters that motivates me in two ways: First, 10% of all my book sales go toward assisting orphans or widows, which helps to keep everything else in the correct perspective. Second, I named my publishing company Aspilos Books, LLC since “aspilos” is the Greek word translated “uncorrupted” in that verse. It is my stated goal that everything I write be super squeaky clean (no bad language, gratuitous sex, etc.), but still able to be enjoyed by youth and adults alike without feeling like something is missing.
Which writer, living or dead, do you most admire?
CS Lewis is my favorite author. The Chronicles of Narnia was the first book series I ever read as a child, and his Space Trilogy took my mind places from which it has never returned. Yet he also had the rare talent for writing on the other side of the fiction line, with nonfictional works of equal importance. I admire his versality and depth as a writer, and the enduring impact he continues to have on our world.
Which book do you wish you could have written?
It would be a dream come true if I had written The Lord of the Rings. Then again, if I had the creation of Middle Earth under my belt, I would probably be impossible to live with!