Author Profile: Preston Dennett

Something Or Other Publishing is proud to introduce Preston Dennett, a creative writer and winner of the 1st Prize in the Science Fiction category of our 1st Annual Short Story Contest.

Preston Dennett, Author.

Preston Dennett became a voracious reader of speculative fiction at age thirteen after discovering the books of Clifford Simak. Before he could drive, his bedroom walls became an A-Z library of sci-fi and fantasy. Since then, Dennett has worked as a carpet cleaner, fast-food worker, data entry clerk, bookkeeper, landscaper, singer, actor, writer, radio host, television consultant, teacher, UFO researcher, ghost hunter, and more. In addition to writing about UFOs and the paranormal, he has sold dozens of speculative fiction stories to venues such as Cast of Wonders, Daily Science Fiction, Pulphouse, and more. In 2019, after submitting 46 times, he won second place in the Writers of the Future Contest, Volume 35.

Greetings from Earth is about a strange alien artifact that appears on Earth, and scientists converge to study it. Still, they are unable to discern its origin or purpose. After years of study, the artifact finally became open to the public. And when Michelle, a young artist, comes to take a look, she becomes involved in an adventure that will have consequences that span the entire galaxy.

Jesus E. Bracho, SOOP’s Director of Marketing, sat down with Preston to learn more about his journey: 

J.B: What inspired you to write your short story?

P.D: I am a huge fan of speculative fiction and have always been intrigued by the “alien artifact” trope. This is a well-traveled trope that most major SF writers have explored and is something I’ve always wanted to tackle myself.

J.B: What was the most challenging part of writing your story?

P.D: Writing fiction presents many challenges. Describing a vivid setting, making believable characters, creating suspense, and the million other undefinable things make a story a story. Ultimately, I think the most challenging parts are two-fold. One is making your story interesting, fun to read, and accessible. But even more important is originality. I wanted to explore an idea that had never been seen before. I can only help that I succeeded.

J.B: What genres do you personally like to read?

Winner of the 1st Prize in the Science Fiction Category of SOOP’s 1st Annual Short Story Contest. (SOOP)

P.D: I am a fan of many genres. I love UFOs and the paranormal. Any books about shipwrecks or wilderness survival. But my great love is speculative fiction. I love fantasy and primarily classic science fiction adventure stories.

J.B: Do you have any other writing projects in the works? 

P.D: Oh, yes! I think most successful writers have multiple projects and works in various genres. I have several speculative stories in the works and a few novels, and I am also working on non-fiction books about UFOs. 

J.B: Who is your target audience?

P.D: My target is hopefully anyone who enjoys reading speculative fiction. I particularly love it when new readers come into the field and find that there are many great adventures just waiting to be taken.

J.B: What do you hope readers take away from your story?

P.D: I hope that readers of my story will be left with a sense of awe and wonder.

J.B: Do you have any advice for aspiring authors? 

P.D: Oh, do I! Yes! The most important advice I can give is to love what you write. If you love it, so will your readers. Also, make your story as polished and professional as you possibly can. Tell a story! Forget the rules, just tell your story as nobody else can. And above all: don’t give up! Becoming a writer is filled with brick walls, pitfalls, and rejections. Develop a thick skin and keep writing. Don’t give up! And have fun!

Greetings from Earth is part of SOOP’s upcoming anthology “Winners: A Compilation of Award-Winning Short Stories“, available for pre-order through Preston’s customized product page right here.

Learn more about Preston Dennett through the links below:

YouTube: Preston Dennett

Facebook: Preston Dennett

Twitter:  @PrestonEDennett

Instagram: PrestonEDennett

Website: https://prestondennett.weebly.com/