A gripping, dark science fiction romance by International Bestseller, Travis Simmons.
Cass is a robot with a past. A past she can’t remember.
When her current owner, Natalia starts taking out her frustration on Cass her memories come back little by little.
What she wants more than anything is to be like humans; an android. To be loved and to feel and to be treated as an equal. Not an automaton like she is.
She finds that in Brandon.
Brandon is Natalia’s boyfriend, and couldn’t be any different from Natalia if he tried. He treats Cass like an equal, like a human, and more importantly like a woman.
Cass just wants a normal human life like Brandon promises, but as more and more of her memories come flooding back, she learns that she might play a bigger part in the android equal rights movement than she wants. Her future is uncertain. Becoming an android, becoming more human, will mean going against her programming. Can she do that? Will her struggle to become an android ultimately be her undoing?
"In this standalone dark romance, International Bestselling author, Travis Simmons makes his debut into science fiction. Travis has reached the top of charts in new adult fiction with his love of dystopian fantasy."
Amazon
Hi Travis! Can you tell us a little about your latest book?
When her current owner, Natalia starts taking out her frustration on Cass her memories come back little by little.
What she wants more than anything is to be like humans; an android. To be loved and to feel and to be treated as an equal. Not an automaton like she is.
She finds that in Brandon.
Brandon is Natalia’s boyfriend, and couldn’t be any different from Natalia if he tried. He treats Cass like an equal, like a human, and more importantly like a woman.
Cass just wants a normal human life like Brandon promises, but as more and more of her memories come flooding back, she learns that she might play a bigger part in the android equal rights movement than she wants. Her future is uncertain. Becoming an android, becoming more human, will mean going against her programming. Can she do that? Will her struggle to become an android ultimately be her undoing?
"In this standalone dark romance, International Bestselling author, Travis Simmons makes his debut into science fiction. Travis has reached the top of charts in new adult fiction with his love of dystopian fantasy."
Amazon
Hi Travis! Can you tell us a little about your latest book?
What Lies Behind is about a robot becoming self-aware. While Cass is learning things about her surroundings and about her newly emerging emotions, she realizes the bigger fight isn’t with her abusive owner, but with her own programming and her budding romance with Brandon.
What inspired you to write it?
What inspired you to write it?
I was riding around with my ex one day and daydreaming because I really didn’t want to listen to him, and wondered what it would be like for a robot to fall in love. It reminded me slightly of Pinnochio with the theme of wanting to be human, but the romance was going to be something different. It wasn’t until I saw the cover that I started getting the bones of the story on paper.
How did you come up with the idea for the cover?
How did you come up with the idea for the cover?
The cover was actually a premade that I saw and loved.
If it was made into a movie, who would you like to play the main characters?
If it was made into a movie, who would you like to play the main characters?
I’ve always kind of pictured Natalia as Charisma Carpenter (she played Cordelia on Buffy and in Angel). Cass I see as a younger Julie Benz (she played Rita in Dexter and Darla in Buffy/Angel). Brandon kind of stumps me. I have an image in my mind for him, but no real idea of who could play him. If anyone has read What Lies Behind, I’d love to hear what you think about cast!
Is it part of a series or is it a stand-alone novel?
Is it part of a series or is it a stand-alone novel?
What Lies Behind is a stand-alone but it’s also the first book in a series of stand-alone novels that follow a specific timeline, but not a specific genre or group of characters. Cass may make cameo appearances in other novels though.
Where is the novel set and why did you choose to set it there?
Where is the novel set and why did you choose to set it there?
It is set about 60 years in the future. Where we are right now with science and technology is an amazing time. I really don’t think I had to plan an android story for hundreds of years in the future when we can already 3d print replacement bones and grow organs in labs. BUT, 60 years did seem the perfect length of time to have hover cars, and I love them!
What is it about this genre that appeals to you so much?
What is it about this genre that appeals to you so much?
I’m not really sure. It was super hard for me to write the romance of the story because I’m normally more focused on the adventure and the telling of the story rather than the romance. With this novel though, the romance was the story, so I really had to ask my Facebook followers for some advice on date ideas. Science fiction on the other hand really terrifies me because I’m not really techy. I know what I want to have happen, but knowing the technology and science behind it is far beyond me. I had to ask a few people about robotics and my brother-in-law really helped me with some more technical things. He did get a little irritated when I couldn’t answer all of the tech questions, but I reminded him this wasn’t a hard sci-fi. He sighed in resignation at that.
What made you want to become an author?
What made you want to become an author?
I don’t think I could be anything else. It’s what I’m good at and what I love. I’m also stubborn enough to not take no for an answer.
How do you come up with character names?
How do you come up with character names?
Well, Brandon came from a fitness model that I have a crush on. Cass came from Star Trek Voyager’s character Kess, I just changed it a little. Natalia kind of just popped into my head.
Name one of your all-time favourite books?
Name one of your all-time favourite books?
A Wrinkle in Time. It was the first book I read and a favorite that I return to frequently.
Who, or what, inspires you?
Who, or what, inspires you?
I love listening to music. I get a lot of inspiration when I’m calm and my mind is kind of still.
Where is your favourite place to write?
Where is your favourite place to write?
I write in my bedroom. My window looks out onto a large forest and right now I can hears birds calling to one another. It’s very zen.
What is your favourite movie that was based on a book?
What is your favourite movie that was based on a book?
The Wizard of Oz. The book is so different, but I love them both as separate entities.
Name two of your favourite authors.
Name two of your favourite authors.
Mercedes Lackey and David Eddings.
Tell us a random fact about yourself.
Tell us a random fact about yourself.
I like animals more than I like most people. I’m the kind of person that will avoid other people in public, but will go out of my way to pet a dog I see.
Who would play you in the movie about your life?
Who would play you in the movie about your life?
I could kind of picture Zack Galifianakis. Not sure why, maybe his sarcastic, dry humor?
Tell us an interesting fact about where you live.
Tell us an interesting fact about where you live.
I don’t live in town, but the town that I live near has a large lifesaver statue in the town square. If you google Gouverneur, NY, you can probably see the statue in the image results.
What are your (writing) plans for the future?
What are your (writing) plans for the future?
I have a vampire hunter serial that I’m really excited to start working on. Other than that, a lot of plans but no idea which one will demand my attention the soonest.
Tell us one thing that's on your bucket list.
Tell us one thing that's on your bucket list.
I have a reading bucket list and one of the items on that is Dune. I don’t have a hard and fast bucket list for my life, but I would love to live for a while in a bus converted into a home and just drive around the states.
Favourite myth / fairytale?
Favourite myth / fairytale?
I love the myth of Pandora’s Box. I also enjoy a lot of fairytales by the Brother’s Grimm. I think my favorite by them is Cinderella.
Who/What did you want to be when you were a kid?
Who/What did you want to be when you were a kid?
I actually wanted to be a standup comedian. And then I wanted to be a heart surgeon. Kind of weird ideas for a kid.
Travis Simmons was kicked out of magic school for his refusal to study and his penchant for mundane activities like cooking. While selling his sword he stumbled upon dogs that he wrongly thought were magical and imagined he could commune with them. After a vicious zombie attack in which witches helped him push back the undead horde, Travis found himself apprenticed to a necromancer.
Afraid that winter was coming, Travis tucked into his magical studies, but always chased his dreams of writing tales science fiction tales and fantasy stories where he could explore his wild imagination about life on other planets. Adamant that Travis learn the esoteric ways of the occult his master made his life a horror of practice and studies. But no matter how he tried, he could never conquer Travis' questing mind.Website
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I think it is always good when artwork inspires a story, and this case it was a premade cover! And the idea of a robot becoming aware and falling in love is an interesting one. She might even worry about being accepted because she isn't quite human as well. Great interview!
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