Beth Martin is a science fiction writer and author of eight books exploring post-apocalyptic and near-future worlds. She entered the sci-fi literary scene in 2017 with her first book, The End of Refuge, a post-apocalyptic thriller. She’s followed up with five more riveting action novels. Her latest books are Puzzling Escapes in which readers must solve puzzles to continue, similar to an escape room.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from the Georgia Institute of Technology and loves all things numbers.
I recently met Beth Martin at the Great Allentown Con and got to talk with her. We’re very happy that she agreed to do an interview with us. Let’s start off with a ballpark question.
When did you realize you wanted to write sci-fi novels?
As a kid, I never had the dream to become a writer. I didn’t even think about it being my career until I was 30.
I wrote The End of Refuge when an idea for a story wouldn’t leave me alone. Since I enjoyed the whole writing process, I wrote a fantasy novel (which was terrible) and another contemporary sci-fi. Then I wrote Quality DNA. It’s set in the future with weird governmental control and cool new technology. I felt so at home writing that book, and from then on, I knew sci-fi was my genre.
What authors have influenced your writing the most?
So many! I’m a huge fan of Michael Crichton, John Shirley, and Jodi Picoult. They’re each really different, and they have unique strengths that all inspire my own writing. I also follow a number of indie authors including Jenna Moreci and Derek Murphy.
You first started writing books in 2015. What were you doing before that?
I was—and still am—a stay-at-home mom. When I started drafting my first novel, I had to sneak in writing sessions during my son’s nap while bouncing the baby in my lap. Once my youngest starts Kindergarten in the fall, I’ll be able to transition from writing part-time to full-time.
As mentioned earlier, you have a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics. How has this helped you as a science fiction author?
It has given me a different perspective than other creators. My style is very clear and concise which I attribute to my mathematical background. It’s also drawn me to the more technical science themes I’ve included in my stories.
A lot of your books focus on apocalyptic or dystopian futures. What drew you to this sub-genre of sci-fi?
The scenarios in post-apocalyptic fiction really bring out the resilience of the human spirit. We can overcome anything–including the end of the world. There’s also a social commentary in most dystopian fiction. You can pull something mildly troublesome from today and blow it out of proportion in a future setting, and I like turning things up to eleven. Also, using something familiar to modern readers–like engineering DNA–can elicit a sense of discomfort which keeps them engaged with the story.
You call your latest books “puzzling escapes.” Tell us how you came up with the concept and how the books work.
I love escape rooms and logic puzzles. After playing a number of escape room board games, I wanted to try creating something similar. Since I already had experience publishing books, I decided to make an escape room book. Reading through these books feels a bit like doing a choose-your-own-adventure book where you have to solve puzzles in order to advance the story.
If you were going on a long space voyage and could only pick three books or movies to take with you, which would you choose?
My all-time favorite movies are The Matrix and Surrogates. I’ve watched them so many times and could watch them a million more. Both movies show people living a counterfeit existence, and they really get you thinking about how we experience the world around us. As for books, I absolutely love Jurassic Park and The Lost World. I have a book containing both, so I’ll count them as one.
I read on your website that you like board games. What are your three favorite board games and why?
My favorite game is Pandemic. The players work together to try and eradicate diseases spreading across the world. I really like cooperative games since everyone either wins or loses together. I love the card game Dominion and all of its expansions. My favorite expansion is Dark Ages, where a lot of the cards are derelict versions of cards from other sets. I’m also a huge fan of escape room style board games. Exit the Game is my favorite series of escape room board games since the puzzles are thoughtfully crafted and challenging.
Last question. Are you working on a new book? If so, can you give us a preview of what it’s about?
I’m always working on a book! Currently, I’m writing a companion novel to Quality DNA. It takes place in the past and will show how the DNA database got started along with the history of some of the characters. It won’t require prior knowledge of Quality DNA to enjoy, so people can read them in whatever order they’d like.
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Beth, it’s been a pleasure getting to know you better. Thanks so much for sharing with our readers.
You can learn more about Beth Martin and buy her books on her website: www.BethMartinBooks.com. Her books are also available on Amazon. If you see her at a con, make sure to ask her about her books.
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