Rick Just is a writer from Boise, Idaho. The name of his latest work is Anjel. He has been writing professionally for about thirty years in the genre of general fiction and science fiction.
Anjel is speculative fiction, a genre often enjoyed by readers of fantasy and science fiction. It is about a pre-technological society of female aerial predators with a deep belief in reincarnation. Their faith is shaken when Lasa discovers the secret of their existence.
In the author’s words, “We follow Lasa from her appearing to womanhood. She is, at every age, inventive, skeptical, and self-confident. My innate skepticism and love of science is reflected in this character. She is curious and wants to learn things for herself. This gets her sideways with the elders.”
As for what inspires him, Just states, “I often relax and put myself into that magical half-awake state where dreams are almost within reach. I let my mind wander. As minds will, it connects images with ideas that have been floating around in my head for some time. Most often little comes from this, but on the good days, I open my eyes with the bones of a plot ready to put on paper.
I’m inspired by everyday life. For Anjel, I looked to the strong women I have known and admired. They are often under-appreciated in our culture. I was inspired, too, by the apparent certainty some people have about religion. What would happen if they were suddenly confronted with a different proof?”
Regarding authors, Just states that he reads so many books, it’s hard to choose a favorite author. “The author who has most influenced me, though, is Harlan Ellison. I read him as a teenager and young adult. I appreciated his raw honesty and his experimentation.”
Some interesting details of Just’s life include “People are often surprised to learn that I was in the Marine Corps. They are further surprised when I tell them I was drafted. About 1,000 men a month were drafted into the Marines during the height of the Viet Nam War. I stayed stateside, serving as a newspaper editor on a helicopter base.
“I guess the second surprising thing might be that I was a key player in saving and restoring author Tristan Jones’ famous boat, Sea Dart. This, though I am not a sailor. In fact, the only boat I’ve ever sailed was Sea Dart.
Just gives some fabulous advice to aspiring writers. “Love and respect your editors.”
Links to Just’s work include:
Rick Just’s author page at https://www.amazon.com/author/
Or, his website: www.rickjust.com
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