T. A. Bruno grew up in a suburb south of Chicago and moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the film industry. Since then, he has brought stories to life for over a decade as a previz artist. At home, he is the proud father of two boys and a husband to a wonderful wife. He wrote his first trilogy of novels in the early 2020’s, the Song of Kamaria. (In the Orbit of Sirens, On the Winds of Quasars, and At the Threshold of the Universe.) The forthcoming Down Below Beyond, out July 31st, will see him expand on the universe introduced in his first series.
I had the opportunity to chat with T.A. briefly about his highly anticipated next book.
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Hi Kavin! Thank you for the interview. I love chatting about Down Below Beyond!
Can you tell us a little about Down Below Beyond?
Down Below Beyond follows a prospector named Levort Aatra, who is tasked with harvesting a ruined planet named Tayoxe. Scavenging the ruined wastes has been less and less lucrative as prospectors picked it clean over the cycles, and he is a desperate man looking for a big score to keep him from going destitute. One day, he makes the discovery of the lifetime, but by staking his claim to it, he’s just started a series of events that will change Lodespace forever.
How does Down Below Beyond differ from The Song of Kamaria series?
Although Down Below Beyond is a stand-alone, it takes place hundreds of cycles into the future after the Song of Kamaria series. In the Song of Kamaria, we followed the last remnants of humanity as they struggled to adapt to a mysterious new world. Down Below Beyond exists in a much more open playground, where humans are scarce, and multiple alien races live their lives. Lodespace is a collection of planets overseen by the Fessenog Fleet trade empire. Levort and Bayfo, our two main characters, aren’t locked to one planet like the Castus family in SoK. Their adventure will take them to many planets! It’s a more sprawling journey.
What kind of things should fans be on the lookout for while reading Down Below Beyond?
In Down Below Beyond, you’ll get to meet many new alien races, each with their own quirks and abilities. You will also see many different planets, both inside and out of Lodespace, some wild, some only partially inhabited, some with gigantic cities, and even one with only two living residents. The universe Lodespace exists in is varied and large!
Where did the idea for this book come from?
I have always wanted to write a sprawling sci-fi that encompasses many different alien species and worlds, and one day I finally had an idea that clicked it all into place! I wanted to do something fresh after finishing the Song of Kamaria trilogy, and Down Below Beyond represented a new start in writing for me, even if it does technically exist in the same universe.
After Down Below Beyond releases, what’s next for you?
A much-needed break! I kid. I am actually seeing how the reception to Down Below Beyond goes before making new decisions on what to do next. Lodespace is a great playground, and I have a few ideas, but I’m waiting for the right time to leap at them. I like to focus all my energy on one novel at a time to make sure it gets all the energy it needs to spring out into the world. So to answer the question, we shall see!
Down Below Beyond is available to preorder at Silverstones Books. Signed Hardcovers are available to preorder until June 28th. Thank you to T.A. Bruno for chatting with me and being so great to work with!
