Source: Doug Souza

I’m here with Doug Souza, my fellow Writers of the Future writer-winner from Modesto, California. He very graciously volunteered to answer the following questions:

Tell me about yourself. Where are you from? What’s your background?

I’m Doug C. Souza a speculative fiction writer who teaches second grade during the day. I have lived in Modesto, California for most my life, but spent first through sixth grade in Los Banos, California—which makes it seem like half my life was growing up in the country versus the city life. I was a terrible student, except for my last year in high school, and then college really worked well for me. My ups and downs as a kid in school helped prepare me for the rejections-to-acceptances ratio in the writing world.

What kinds of stories do you write? Why?

Mostly I stick to science fiction, but I love to visit fantastical universes as well. A common theme in my stories is that I’m a sucker for a happy ending—which is weird because I don’t write with the plot in mind, so my characters are left to struggle through whatever situations they land in.

Star Trek or Star Wars? Why?

If it wasn’t for Picard the answer would be easy. I grew up loving Star Wars and was a young adult when the rerelease happened, and that only fueled the fire…but, there was a time in my late teens when I grabbed my dad’s TNG VHS recordings and went through the series in a couple of days. Then I went back and watched them again. Family and friends had to deal with me speaking in a low voice and answering, “Make it so,” for a good six months.

Complete the following sentence: In my cold country…

In my cold country our healthcare plan is “Borders Without Doctors.”

If you were a D&D character, what would your class be (e.g., fighter, magic user, barbarian, etc.)? Why?

“Arcane Tricksters” because they are rogues who weave larceny with magical ability—that’s just dope. It is said that they can utilize skills such as picking locks and illusions from a great distance. Even well-prepared enemies are subject to sneak attacks by the fiend Dugo Cara deBurla.

To read Doug’s story, “The Armor Embrace”, please buy your copy today of Writers of the Future: Volume 33. If you already have a copy and have read it, please take a few moments to click this link and place your review: http://amzn.to/2kNE5eh If you haven’t gotten your copy yet, then still click this link, get your book, read it, and review it!