ED ROSS an Interview with the author of THE TRANSPLANTS

Ed Ross has a fascinating book trailer at the bottom of the interview, be sure to watch. Visit YouTube and ask him questions.

1. What is THE TRANSPLANTS, BY ED ROSS   about?

 

 Of the potentially billions of planets in the Universe that could support intelligent life like that on Earth, is it not reasonable to assume that at least one of them contains life that very much resembles humans. If so, would they share our beliefs in God, religion and human love?

"The Transplants" is a science fiction novel about Rion and Sena, two refugees from just such a planet who travel across the galaxy to Earth to save their species from extinction. Arriving on Earth, they are separated at sea in a hurricane. He washes up on the coast of Georgia. An Australian billionaire on his yacht rescues her and takes her to Australia. Pursued by an obsessed NASA scientist, an FBI agent and multiple foreign intelligence services, they must find each other, survive, evade and escape capture. It's a science fiction story, an action adventure story, a love story and the eternal story of intelligent life's relationship with the Universe.

2. What inspired you to write this particular story (and/or series)? 

 

Since childhood I have been fascinated by stories of intelligent life like us on other planets. Now we know that hundreds of millions if not billions of planets throughout the Universe likely are rocky planets neither too close or too far from their stars with oceans of water. Among all these planets, at least one of them contains intelligent life that looks very much like us. If so, this gives rise to numerous questions. Foremost among them, do they worship a supreme deity like most of us do? Are their moral and ethical principles similar to ours? Are their ideas of war and peace like ours? Do they share our emotions of love and hate? Rion and Sena certainly are extraordinary and attractive representatives of their species, but they have no superpowers beyond memory chips in their brains. All they desire is to survive and lead peaceful, anonymous lives and raise children. As you might expect, however, if space aliens like them showed up on Earth’s doorstep, the U.S. government wouldn’t let them to that.

3. Describe your writing in three words. 

 

I write because I think, I believe, and I feel.

 

 

4. Are your characters in the book based on anyone you know? 

 

Rion and Sena are composite, idealized characters, imbued with heroic personalities. What makes them different from other protagonists is their unique extraterrestrial nature. They didn’t come to save the world like so many sci-fi Earth-like aliens have. They’ve come to save themselves and their species. In the process they discover that in order to save themselves the have to make earth a better place. FBI Special Agent Noel Smith is based on a real master American counterespionage operative. He’s a close friend I’ve known and worked with for over 35 years. Like the character in the book, he had to deal with the moral dilemmas and bureaucratic challenges inherent in his profession. Do ends justify the means? Can he trust other government agencies not to stab him in the back. Father Ed Harris is patterned after my favorite high school teacher, Father William Wetzel.  He’s a down-to-earth priest with his own interests that go beyond the Church. Finally as a kidney transplant recipient thirty years out I have encountered literally hundreds of doctors. Emma Harris is a composite of many of them.

5. What project(s) are you working on now? 

 

I’m writing the sequel, working title “The Transplants: Errant Dragons.” Most of the action takes place in China. “The Transplants,” was well received and I thought there was much life still left in the main characters. The challenge in writing all squeals is making them fresh and new and not a retread of the original.

6. Is there anything else you would like to say to your readers?

 

Every reader trends toward certain genres of books. Not everyone likes sci-fi because it is such a diverse genre. Paraphrasing Forest Gump, it’s like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re going to get. “The Transplants” falls into the sci-fi genre by definition because Rion and Sena come from outer space. Once on earth, there’s very little sci-fi involved in the stories. It becomes and action adventure novel and a love story. No superheroes, no aliens trying to take over the world or force us to mend our errant ways. It’s a story about two people like us who must survive, evade and escape their pursuers.

7. Where can readers find you and your book online? 

 

amazon.com

 

 

Ed Ross is President  EWRoss International, a global consulting company. His previous positions include Principal Director, Security Co-operation Operations in the Defense Security Co-operation Agency; Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for POW/MIA Affairs; and Senior Director for China and Taiwan, in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy.  

His military service includes two tours of duty in Vietnam as an artillery observer with the 9th Inf Division and a mil intel detachment commander with the 525th MI Group; Chief, Counterespionage-Counterintelligence, 500th MI Group; a senior political-military analyst in the Defense Intelligence Agency; and Asst. Army Attaché to the People's Republic of China.

Ed has traveled extensively throughout Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.

He is the author of numerous professional articles on national security issues

 

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