Interview of David Batista

I decided to interview my friend David Batista. He is an aspiring writer and has already published some short stories. I've known him a long time and figured I would let you get to know him a little as well. He has a blog, The Bimillennial Man, which is an excellent introduction to his writing, his ideas, and himself. But first...here's David!

I know you are a writer. What kinds of things do you write?

I write mostly Speculative Fiction, the umbrella term which includes the genres of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror. My writing tends to lean more heavily toward the sci-fi end of that spectrum, but I’ve been known to shamelessly blend all three on occasion.

Have you published anything?

I’ve published 3 short stories in various token and semi-pro online magazines, or “e-zines.” I also publish a blog,The Bimillennial Man, since 2008. It covers a range of topics and personal interests, with a majority of the focus on popular SF literature, film, television, and gaming.

What did you study in college? Why?

I majored in Chinese Studies, which in addition to learning how to read, write, and speak Mandarin Chinese fluently, also included the study of Chinese literature, art, and history. I chose this area of focus due to a childhood affinity with East Asia, and my natural sociological interest in the culture of China specifically.

What are some of your favorite movies? Books? T.V. Shows?

Naturally, there are simply too many to narrow down. It’s safe to say, however, that anything with a strong story, excellent characterization, and a dynamic speculative fiction base has a great chance of attracting my attention.Star Trek: The Next Generation and the more recent reboot of the Battlestar Galactica series are two perfect examples of television shows which fit this bill.

How do you like blogging?

It’s great! I’ve met so many wonderful people through my blogging ventures: folks sharing my interests, and a few who are excellent writers and bloggers in their own right. Blogging also helps facilitate the writing process. I’ve actually seen an improvement in my professional writing simply by virtue of having a public venue in which to free write my daily musings.

What do you think about writing online?

It’s the wave of the future. In fact, it’s the wave of the present! I know very few professional freelancers today who are still employed to write for print publications. Most of the opportunities in the freelance writing market are increasingly online now. And with the advent and popularization of wi-fi enabled e-readers and smart phones, pretty soon all our reading needs will be supplied via online or digital publications.

Are you working on any projects now?

I’m currently researching and writing my fist novel, based on a 1990 video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System called Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse. The novel has taken me to the far corners of medieval Romania, where I have learned many interesting things about the history of the Ottoman Empire and Europe’s dread of an impending Muslim takeover. Not unlike today, I’m afraid. Oh, and I’ve also learned about that Dracula fellow--who was much more than just “the vulgar fictions of a demented Irishman.”

I know from reading your blog you have traveled quite extensively around the world. Where would you like to go next? Where is your dream destination? Why?

I would love to travel to Romania next, to put to first-hand experience all the research I’ve expended into my current novel. It’s such a fascinating place, when you avoid all the tourist trap destinations. But my dream destination would be China, simply because I’ve never been there. For all the studying I’ve done of its language and culture, you’d think I would’ve gone there by now!

If you've been following my blog you should be able to see why we're friends! Thanks a lot for the interview David! Good luck on your future writing endeavors and travels!