One on One with Shari Lopatin
An interview with the publisher of Rogue Writer and author of The Apollo Illusion
Welcome to the first in a series of interviews with my fellow indie authors! This new recurring feature allows me to introduce other authors worth reading and their works to the readers of this newsletter.
My first interview is with Shari Lopatin, author of The Apollo Illusion.
Shari Lopatin writes serialized fiction, essays, poetry, and occasional TV/movie/book reviews in her Substack newsletter, Rogue Writer. As a culturally Jewish, nature-loving, bigotry-hating, ADHD-surviving former journalist living in Arizona, her writings are personal, sometimes political, and often fictional — and always worth reading.
What's a weird talent you have that's completely useless in life or work?
Shari: Interpreting dreams. I’ve been told I’m good at this. Too bad it’s not a career path.
Have you ever encountered aliens, and if so, what happened?
Shari: No (unfortunately), but I do live in Phoenix, Ariz., which is where the Phoenix Lights happened back in the 90s! Does that count? Oh, and I guess I was also driving home from my boyfriend’s place once, and it was late, and I saw these weird lights hovering in the clouds. They just glared; no blinking or anything. And then they disappeared!
Who was one of your favorite authors growing up and why?
Shari: Edgar Allan Poe. Because he was dark. And mysterious. My favorite short story in high school was The Masque of the Red Death. As a kid, my favorite author was Judy Blume (just to cheat). I guess her stories were my first brush with representation—quirky Jewish girls. I related to her stuff like I couldn’t relate to anything. I must’ve read Hello God, It’s Me, Margaret, like five times.
Which of your fictional characters would you want to spend a day with and why?
Shari: I know this is going to sound wrong, but Agent Jackson (from my novel, The Apollo Illusion), who is my book’s primary antagonist. Some might even call him the villain. But the man is obsessed with protecting the walled off “utopian” society in the (former) Arizona high country at the expense of some knowledge and certain human rights. The intellectual side of me would want to know why? Even though I wrote him, I don’t completely understand his psychology, and I’m obsessed with psychological drivers of changing societies. What would scare a man into maintaining his version of safety, equity, and prosperity at all costs? What happened, a long time ago, on The Other Side?
What activity/adventure tops your bucket list?
Shari: It used to be going on safari in Africa (not the sort where people kill those beautiful animals, but where you get a Jeep and take photos with a telephoto lens). However, as I’ve gotten older, my top item has changed. Now, it’s finally seeing The Promised Land: New York, and watching a Broadway show ON BROADWAY. My whole family—including my parents—is from New York. I want to visit the places I heard about growing up in Arizona and find my great-grandparents’ signatures at Ellis Island. Also, I spent my childhood on the stage. I love Broadway. I want to experience a show there.
If you find a genie, what are your three wishes?
Shari: The real ones, or the ones appropriate for the public? (kidding, kidding) All joking aside though, great question. Here they are:
Financial stability for me, all my loved ones, and my friends. I know this might sound selfish, but I’ve been through two bouts of unemployment in my life, and it’s scary. Also exhausting. I don’t wish it on anyone, especially those I love.
For COVID to go away. Just—disappear, into nothing. I have some immunocompromised loved ones in my circle, so for us, COVID is still part of our lives, albeit not as severe as 2020. I wish this plague would leave all of humanity alone, for good.
My own personal chef and cleaning service. Because I love to eat healthy meals, but I don’t love cooking. And because I suck at cleaning, but I want a comfy house. The 1950s would have hated me, but I would have hated it right back. So yeah.
Thank you so much Shari for taking time out to introduce yourself to readers at Strange New Worlds. Sign up for her newsletter, Rogue Writer, to enjoy compelling original fiction, poetry, and essays.
Check out Shari’s debut novel, The Apollo Illusion, which is available at major booksellers everywhere. It’s a riveting science fiction dystopian tale about a future society’s frightening overdependence on technology. I’ve read The Apollo Illusion and enjoyed the story. I highly recommend you all read it as well.