Science Fiction Geek from the Beginning

By Alex J. Cavanaugh


It stands to reason that a science fiction writer would grow up loving the genre. My name is Alex, and I have been a certified Science Fiction Geek my entire life!

Of course, all ‘geeks’ around my age grew up devouring Star Trek, Lost in Space, The Twilight Zone, Battlestar Galactica, Buck Rogers (I was in love with Erin Gray), The Six Million Dollar Man, and every other show that had the slight aroma of the fantastic. I spent a good deal of my formative years sitting in a darkened theater soaking up Star Wars, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Close Encounters and others. These films took me to places that had my imagination soaring.

Even the bad science fiction films had me at hello. Do you remember Ice Pirates, MetalStorm: The Destruction of Jared Syn, Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone, and Krull? I do. I even recall one special Christmas Eve when my parents dropped my brother and I off at the theater to watch what we all thought was just an animated kid’s movie. Wrong! The movie was Fantastic Planet and the experience akin to a fever dream. Fortunately, I was too young to understand the story, but the weird images stayed with me.

My interest in science fiction continued through my reading material. A big fan of DC comics, I devoured all things JLA, Teen Titans, and The Legion of Superheroes. I also discovered Monster Magazine and was fascinated by Godzilla and other creature features. I know I’m showing my age here, but remember Dynamite magazine? They featured books for kids to order, and I still have my copy of a Buck Rogers seminal novel, now dog-eared and worn.

My imagination was sparked in my youth and I began creating my own space adventures. I wrote about new worlds, strange races, and heroes who would save the universe. I took inspiration from any source, and my interest spilled over into fantasy and D&D. Most of those stories and quests were lost over time—lucky for all of you.


One story survived, though. And almost thirty years later, I completely rewrote it as a tale of war, adventure, and friendship. Only the main two characters and the title survived. That story became my first published book, CassaStar. Next March, the sequel, CassaFire, will be released.

My point is that even children with the weirdest dreams and fantasies can find an outlet for their creativity. It has certainly found its place in my life. Sometimes, it’s good to be the science fiction geek!

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Alex J. Cavanaugh has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and works in web design and graphics. He is experienced in technical editing and has worked with an adult literacy program for several years. A fan of all things science fiction, his interests range from books and movies to music and games, and he covers those topics on his blog. His first book, CassaStar, was released last fall and is available in trade paperback and all eBook formats. The sequel, CassaFire, comes out next March.

http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/AlexJCavananugh