Rod, tell us about your novel, The King of America.

It is a story of an America 500 years in the future which is now ruled by a Monarchy. The King is betrayed which sparks off a revolution. Although, as a science fiction it is set in the future, it is a very grounded and realistic story with a collision of old and new. Behind the war, it is essentially a voyage of self discovery for an extremely disillusioned man.

What inspired you to write this novel?

It all started from a very simple question I asked myself as a young lad of 18. What if the USA was ruled by a Monarchy?

How long did it take to write?

It truly has been a labour of love. I first started it when I was 18 years old and now, finally, aged 34, it has been published! Over the years, I have re-written it many times and it has changed and evolved considerably along the way. It was certainly no piece of cake to get published either – I have dozens of rejection letters that I have collected over the years.

Do you identify with any of the characters, if so who and why?

The character I most identify with is Major Yeoville. Without giving too much away, he is a man caught between duty and love. The courage and nobility of his actions is a constant inspiration to me, but he has his flaws too, which makes him very human.

Which other writers inspire you?

I have been hugely inspired by Stephen King for his conflicts of good against evil (especially The Stand and The Dark Tower series), Terry Pratchett for his brilliant humour, James Herbert for the amazing foreboding atmosphere he can portray, J R R Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings (the ultimate fantasy epic) and Frank Herbert’s Dune (the ultimate science fiction epic).

Any advice for other budding North East writers?

The best advice I can give is to write and write regularly and often. You need to train yourself to write no matter what your mood or what other life issues try to get in your way. Set yourself writing targets, which can be either daily or weekly, but you must stick to them. As well as that, you also need to be able to accept rejection. Every single writer that has EVER been has been rejected at some point in their career, including the most successful writers of today. It’s all part of the developing process.

What’s next for Rod D Glenn?

Well, I have several projects planned. The next novel is a bit of a change to The King of America. It’s a thriller set in Northumberland about a serial killer stalking a remote village. After that, I return to science fiction with a post apocalyptic vision of Britain after a man-made virus is released, devastating the world population. The ideas are coming thick and fast, it’s just a case of finding the time to put them all down on paper!