The Star Wars Influence
 

And – here – we - go! 

When I started writing The Rose Vol. 1 I had no idea where it was going other than I was writing the original as a short story, a kind of prequel to another book I was writing at the time. But as the story started to unfold I had to come to a complete understanding and gear up for a long ride. It had become apparent that the characters wouldn’t relent to being a simple short story, they wanted more and it was more they received. About twenty pages in I understood I had to draw from multiple influences and obsessions. I gathered together about ten years of stories that had been swarming through my brain. These stories (at first three different books) kept looping back and smacking me in the face wanting to be written. Although I drew from multiple influences during the cultivating and writing process (vampires, ancient alien theories, Star Trek, John Carpenter movies, and during the writing journey books like Vicious and Vengeful by VE Schwab and Recursion and Dark Matter by Blake Crouch, George RR Martin too) one influence stood out the most: Star Wars and most specifically The Empire Strikes Back.

I was two years old when the first movie premiered in theatres and kicked off the sci-fi saga that continues to have us talking and debating today. My father took me to see the original film; I was two years old at the time so sorry not a memory exists in that respect, although I do remember the continued effort of friends reenacting specific scenes for years after. Flash-forward a few years later (I was five years old) with the release of The Empire Strikes Back. I remember the hype that existed behind the movie leading up to what continues to be my all time go to best sequel of all time. I still get excited when Luke and Vader battle for the first time leading up to the climactic “I am your father,” revelation. The one line made the movie and catapulted the Star Wars franchise into movie history IMO. Of course the obsession continued throughout the years and the Star Wars adventure continued to manifest in new and exciting ways, although, I must admit, none of the movies came close to the Empire Strikes Back mystique and allure.

So what is it about Star Wars that influenced the creative process while writing The Rose Vol. 1? Well, let’s delve into a few bit points that has made Star Wars the mega movie franchise it has become.

First, the mythology: The lore, the backstory, the incessant need to learn more with a thirst drenched in mystery that only the truth will satisfy. The featured characters in The Rose are a sophisticated species of Alien Vampires who reside in middle earth and have conspired with elite humans to take over the planet in an effort to achieve interstellar domination. Since the story’s setting is in an underground medical complex, in this first volume the reader is introduced to the military arm of the alien vampires whose history is shrouded in mystery and ancient alien lore. But we get a glimpse into the characters and their history, although this is why the book is written in multiple points of view as I enjoy getting into the heads and psychology of each character, helping to explore these myths with a newfound curiosity where the only way to satisfy this itch is to read on and want more.

Second, the cliffhangers: Going back to Empire Strikes Back I remember the impact that one line (I am your father) had on all the fans and viewers. It came out of nowhere, completely unexpected, and left everyone begging for more, biting their nails for Return of the Jedi. Why? Because they had to know the truth, great storytelling corrals the reader or viewer to invest in the characters and plot. I chalk this up to great storytelling, thank you George Lucas. Not that I’m reporting A New Hope wasn’t absolutely spectacular, but what would have happened if Empire failed? I probably wouldn’t be writing this blog. With this being said, I looked for ways to end the story of The Rose in the most fashionable and cliffhanging way possible because the essence of a great series is the need for the reader to want to know and learn more with a die-hard attitude to continue on to the next book.

Lastly, the classic lightsaber battles: Which battle is your favorite? Sooo many to choose from. Obi Wan vs Vader, Luke vs Vader (twice), Darth Maul, Attack of the clones, Obi Wan vs. Anakin, and then jump forward to Rey vs. Kylo Ren. Incredible. As viewers we wait with bated breath to witness a spectacular lightsaber battle, a large part of the reason we packed the movie theatres hoping for another epic battle. This is why I created The Blades in The Rose, to contribute to epic one-on-one battle scenes where fans can cheer for their favorites, get into the action and feel every moving part. The Blades are an ancient alien martial arts weapon I developed from what is called in Karate as Tonfas. Best way to describe the weapon is to think of a policeman’s nightstick, which is made of wood, has a handle to hold in the palm and cascades across the arm down to the elbow. But I gave it an upgrade. Instead of wood The Blades are made of alien steel. Not an elegant weapon I’ll admit but definitely a primal bloodthirsty weapon. Not to mention the one on one battle scenes are absolutely epic. Sorry I get a bit excited when writing about those scenes.

And let’s just be honest, Star Wars is just plain and simply put, good fun, which, as an author, was the most important aspect I wanted to shine through for The Rose. I wrote the book for readers like myself, readers who indulge in the wicked and the nasty, the rebellion and the lore. The fights and epic battles. The thrills, chills, and WTF’s that ignite a holy cow that was awesome response. A story that truly gets the gut with a complete and satisfactory appeasement of the senses and psyche. As you can probably tell I’m not only the author, I’m also a fan. 

~PD Alleva

July 16, 2020

P.S. The Rose is on preorder but there is an opportunity to receive an advanced ebook copy. If you’re interested in reading and leaving a review, check the book out here: https://storyoriginapp.com/reviewcopies/

And now its time for another PD raffle. Don’t forget to enter the Secret Quote: Alien Vampires. Those who don’t add the secret quote will, unfortunately, be disqualified.