OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF TRENT WHIPPLER

1. When and why did you begin writing?

I write because I have a vivid imagination and I’ve loved science fiction ever since I saw the original Star Wars movie when I was four years old. I’ve read a ton of novels and comic books and watched a lot of movies. As I grew older, I felt a need to create my own characters and stories. 

2. Tell us your latest news.

Well, Champagne Books is publishing Resolver, my first novel. That’s pretty big news for me. 

3. When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I think when I attended the When Words Collide festival in Calgary for the first time in 2017. I talked with a couple editors, did my first pitches to publishers, chatted with peers, and felt like I belonged in that community. 

4. Do you have a specific writing style?

I try to tell as much as I can through dialogue. I get the big ideas of a particular scene out first, then add in the little but important details later. 

5. How did you come up with the title?

My original title just didn’t fit the major topics and themes of the story, so I looked for websites with IT terms, specifically those dealing with fighting computer viruses. I narrowed it down to four or five options, and liked Resolver the best. It looks and sounds like the word Revolver, and has a decisive, action-y (not a real word, I know!) feel to it. 

6. Is there a message in your novel you want readers to grasp?

A lot of the issues present in Resolver don’t have easy solutions, but I would like readers to realize that we don’t have to live in a world in which technology dominates us. It comes down to choices we make or don’t make. 

7. Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

I find descriptive writing challenging. I have very clear pictures in my head, but it’s not always easy putting them down in words. 

8. What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Finishing it. Not in the sense of coming up with an ending, but I have a hard time signing off on a final copy. I always seem to think up another little detail to add or a better way to phrase something, a line or two to add to a conversation. I can’t stop tinkering!

9. Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

I have to credit school for that. I always liked creative writing assignments in English class, and took creative writing classes in university. 

10. Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

I learned so much, but I think the most important lesson is that the little details are the key to creating authentic characters and an authentic world. The big plot points and overall character types are always there, but the little things count just as much. 

11. Do you have any advice for other writers?

Writing is a craft, so I’d say be aware of the process. There’s a lot of advice out there, but it’s rarely universal, so writers need to be aware of what works for them. More than anything, be confident in yourself and your product. 

12. Do you have anything specific you want to say to your readers?

Thank you for reading my book, I hope you enjoyed it. 

13. What inspired you to write your first book?

I originated the basic idea for Resolver quite a while ago, but it didn’t have much substance. It was a pretty generic anti-corporation, early-90s comic book vigilante concept. Then a few years ago, the news came out about how governments in democratic countries were spying on their own citizens using digital technology that we all take for granted, and they did so with the full cooperation of the corporations that provide our cell phones and e-mail and social media. All without our knowledge or consent. Then I watch the news and see the police shooting unarmed suspects dead in the streets and being applauded for it in some circles, and Google agreeing to censor itself in China, because profits. I had been writing a fantasy book at the time, but I realized that the real world was reviving an old concept. Add in the rise of enormous tech companies and the Uber-economy and increasing inequality, and the issue of climate change- all that comes together in Resolver. 

14. Can you share a little of your current work with us?

I have completed a fantasy book I’m hoping to get published, but currently, I’m writing the sequel to Resolver (yes, I’m optimistic!)

15. Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

To an extent, yes. Some of the main characters have a little piece of either myself or someone I know.