Interview with Author Gene P. Abel
Author Gene P. Abel is set to conclude his Defenders of Time trilogy with The Aliens Step In, releasing July 18. The series, which has quickly secured the attention and praise of many avid sci-fi fans, follows Agent Lou Hessman and his team as they discover parts of their time travel facility are disappearing.The Chinese spies behind this event have successfully altered the past—and they are using means beyond current human technology that could prove disastrous for the time and space continuum.
With only a small window of opportunity before their time travel operation is completely erased, the U. S. team visits the past to try and erase the Chinese attack in the first place. The impacts of interfering with time go far beyond anything Agent Hessman and his intrepid team of time defenders could have imagined—worlds beyond, in fact. Their efforts bring them face-to-face with an alien being, Sonsa Tabbak, who arrives to stop human time travel before a universal catastrophe can occur.
Abel has a fascinating background in Military service, completing the Army War College, being promoted to Colonel and even being nominated for General. His 30 years of service as a commissioned officer in the Army and additional experience in business and finance may not be the typical background of a successful writer, but Gene proves to have a unique perspective and distinct voice in all of his writing. The Aliens Step In has already won the hearts of early readers scoring a 4.8 out of 5 stars on the popular reading site Goodreads.com. With intense action, real-world historical stakes, and engaging characters, readers can’t get enough of the Defenders of Time series and are hoping right along with Abel that the series will receive the small screen treatment very soon.
Q. You’ve tackled a variety of genres from romance to sci-fi to politics. Are there other genres you’d like to experiment with in the future?
A. No. I like sci-fi, politics, and space study. The romance novel was a storyline that just came into my head after I retired in 1999. I do not know where it came from as I am not a reader of the genre.
Q. Even though your books are all very different do you find there to be similarities in how you develop your characters? For example, Jackie from The Inn of Destiny and Samantha from Kidnappers of the Future are strong, confident female characters that really capture an audience’s attention.
Jackie and that storyline was just there and I had to write it down to get it out of my head. The sci-fi books were a determined effort. My late wife Carol and my wife Susan are strong confident women. Too many men seem to be afraid of that rather than embrace it and encourage them.
My late wife Carol was strong for the 20 years I was with her before she got cancer and the 11 years after she was diagnosed. She edited the first version of The Inn of Destiny, especially some of the romantic elements. She told me, “You men do not understand women.”
Susan is also very strong and she also made changes to some of the romantic sections. She has said the same thing about the lack of understanding by men of what women need and want. Susan also likes the growth of Claire, Samantha, and Sue Harris in the sci-fi series.
Gene and his wife Susan
Q. Sci-fi is a genre that can get very political. Do you find residues of your political writing making its way into your sci-fi novels?
A. I do not think so. I really separate the two. There is some connection between my UFO documentary and the third sci-fi Book.
Q. You’ve received raving reviews for The Aliens Step In one calling it an “electrifying installment” and another saying “Abel’s prose dances on the page, enchanting readers with its lyrical beauty and evocative descriptions.” What is it like to obtain such praise?
A. It is flattering and I am very pleased readers like my books. I write for the enjoyment of the readers and am glad to receive such positive comments.
Q. You’ve had a multiplicity of careers with experience in business, military service, and now writing. To what do you owe your success in these various fields?
A. I have always had a variety of interests. I love to travel, I collect antique cars, stamps, and coins. I’ve carved carousel houses and have created stained glass windows. I have also been active in my church and have served as president of the church council. I also was president of a non-profit agency in Florida that helped lower-income homeowners repair their homes.
Q. You’re trying to use your novels as a gateway into the film and television world. What can you tell us about a possible movie or TV adaptation for any of your works?
A. We hope to see if we can interest a streaming company like Netflix into a series adaptation from the Defenders of Time series. I also hope we can turn my romance novel into a movie or movie for TV. I am talking with a video game producer to make a game based on The Aliens Step In.
Q. You’re 82 and a retired veteran and businessman yet you’re still creating and working. Do you think you’ll ever slow down or are you meant to produce new content indefinitely?
A. I would like my books to have a wider reach and I am looking at other options such as TV series from my Sci-Fi books, a Movie from The Inn of Destiny and a few other spin-offs from my writing.
Q. The Aliens Step In is releasing July 18th. What are you doing to prepare for this massive release as it is the end of the DOT story?
A. Articles about my book and my writing, expanding my website with my new book, social media ads, podcasts, and book signings.