M.K. Weaving was born and raised in Finland in a very small village with no street lights. She now lives in Florida with her husband. She collects seashells and takes photos of the tropical beaches in Southern Florida. M.K. loves sci-fi and classic films, and has always loved writing and all things creative. Many of her story ideas originate from dreams. Her favorite sci-fi heroes are Ellen Ripley and Sarah Connor. M.K.’s special skill is driving on crazy freeways.
Today I have the pleasure of sitting down with author M. K. Weaving. Thanks for dropping by.
Thank you, Leon! Glad to be here.
I try to do some research on my guests, but you have a very limited online footprint. Is this on purpose?
Yes. I do spend a lot of time online and I guess that’s why I want to limit my footprint. I was there when the internet was a baby and quickly realised that everything online is forever, but I’ve always loved technology, and I had the great fortune of being there when the Internet became a thing!
Seeing that I can only base my questions on rumors and hearsay, let’s begin.
Fun!
What was the first book you remember reading on your own?
Nils Karlsson Pyssling by Astrid Lindgren (who also wrote the Pippi Longstocking books). I grew up speaking Swedish, so all my childhood books were in Swedish. This book is about a boy who discovers a tiny boy under his bed. This tiny boy lives in the wall of the house and through a magical word he helps the larger boy become small so they can play together. There is a wonderful scene where they share a gigantic meat ball! I loved the feeling of magic mixed with reality, and the fact that the little boy still was a human being. Just smaller, but still human.
The only thing I remember about the Pippi Longstocking books was that her pigtails stuck straight out.
I always wondered how the pigtails were able to stay that way!
What got you into science fiction?
The original TV series Battlestar Galactica! I was still too young to understand English, but loved watching Apollo and Starbuck fight the Cylons. I loved the space ships! I also have an extremely vivid memory of seeing “The Planet of the Apes” on TV at an early age, and was blown away by the ending! I still love the movie and watch it every time it is on TV. Strange coincidence, but I got married on the cliffs above the exact location of that last famous scene which was filmed on Point Dume in Malibu, California!
Hmm. So it wasn’t New York after all … Damn them all to hell.
Maybe some serious plate tectonic movements occurred!
What authors influenced you?
Enid Blyton, Tove Jansson, Stephen King, Arthur C Clarke, Jack Vance, Isaac Asimov, Dan Simmons, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens.
That’s a good list. Do you have a favorite book?
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. And – if I may break the rule, one more, The Compleat Dying Earth by Jack Vance.
I was going to say you can’t but, you snuck it in, so … Anyway, one fact I do know is, according to Goodreads, that you were born in Finland. What made you move to Florida— Wait. Because of the cold, right? It’s got to be because of the cold.
I grew up in Finland. Yes, it was very cold there in the winters! I once got stuck in a snowstorm on a bridge and we had to dig ourselves out until finally a truck driver pulled us out of the snow! I first moved from Finland to California, where I lived several years before moving to Florida. My husband and I drove across the entire United States in the middle of the pandemic from California to Florida!
I always like to talk about music. Are there any famous Finnish bands?
Yes! I love music and there are indeed famous Finnish bands. Let’s see…
- Eppu Normaali (great Finnish vibes!)
- Ismo Alanko (legend as far as I’m concerned)
- Nightwish (I don’t listen to them. Can’t handle metal but lots of people swear by them!)
- Darude (played in every American sports stadium every single game)
Who do you like to listen to?
I’ve been on a Belle & Sebastian and Tame Impala binge. I also love Elton John, the ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ soundtrack, and Jungle. Oh, and DJEdit! There’s no rhyme or reason to my music taste. I love Bing Crosby, Fever Ray, and Fleetwood Mac.
Are you ready for the lightning round? Wait. I guess we should talk about your book, No End Code.
Yes!
So. In 10 words or less, what’s No End Code about?
It’s about us humans in the near future…
OK. You can have a few more.
… and where the human ends and the machine begins.
How did your book ‘No End Code’ come to be? Where did you get the ideas for your stories?
Many details in the stories are directly generated through dreams I’ve had. I’ve always found dreams incredibly helpful in my creative life. Moods, details, and scenarios unlike anything I could generate by daydreaming. No End Code came about as I was going through my collected writings and noticed that four of them belong together. An anthology format seemed suitable as I remember absolutely loving sci-fi anthologies, and still do. I subscribed to The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction for many years. There’s something uniquely satisfying in reading sci-fi short stories. I hope you’ll get a kick out of reading my sci-fi collection.
My first sci-fi book is a short story collection, so I understand the allure.
Now are you ready for the lightning round?
I’m in that starting position 100 meter sprinters take before they run!
Ready, set, go! Last binged TV show?
Oak Island. I’ve followed the Lagina brothers and their treasure hunt since the beginning!
Oh, we could have a whole other conversation about that show, but let’s continue.
Weirdest food you’ve eaten?
A Finnish Easter delicacy called ‘mämmi’ – a molasses and rye flour dessert which has the unfortunate look of… well, poop.
Time travel. Possible?
I say yes. I really really want it to be possible, at least on some level. I love time travel stories and movies!
Favorite city?
L.A.
Analog or Digital?
Analog
What does M.K stand for?
Minna and K is a secret!
Scariest animal you have encountered?
Rattlesnake.
This has been a pleasure. Thanks for chatting. Any links you want to share?
Thanks so much! My pleasure as well! Love chatting with a fellow sci-fi writer! If anyone’s curious to see more of me they can head over to Substack for my written work, and to Instagram for my photos. And, if you want to listen to my voice you can head over to Stream moterdiggladjen music | Listen to songs, albums, playlists for free on SoundCloud.
The story behind Free Book Friday:
I’ve met many authors and readers during my time marketing, cross-promoting, and blogging. I think writers have a responsibility to inform readers about all the indie authors out there in the very crowded world of book publishing. You can’t do it alone, and why would you when you have a supportive group available?
Readers don’t just read one author – they stick with their favorite genres. There lies the power in cross-promotion. If one of my readers buys a book from an author I promote, then chances are there will be a reciprocal effect, or so is the hope. Do I want to boost sales? Of course I do. Do I want to boost other’s sales? Why not. It’s called karma.
Some free book offers require a newsletter sign-up, which is a small non-monetary price to pay to try out a new indie author.
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Leon Stevens is a multi-genre author, composer, guitarist, songwriter, and an artist, with a Bachelor of Music and Education. He published his first book of poetry, Lines by Leon: Poems, Prose, and Pictures in January 2020, followed by a book of original classical guitar compositions, Journeys, and a short story collection of science fiction/post-apocalyptic tales called The Knot at the End of the Rope and Other Short Stories. His newest publications are the novella trilogy, The View from Here, which is a continuation of one of his short stories, and a new collection of poetry titled, A Wonder of Words.
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