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MEET PJ HAARSMA
by Bonnie O'Brian

What books influenced you most when you were growing up?

PJ Haarsma

When I was growing up I started reading horror novels. We’re not talking fifteen or sixteen-years-old, we’re talking eight and nine-years-old. My parents didn’t have a clue. I stole them from my babysitter. These books scared me so much I use to hide the paperbacks at the bottom of my toy chest and then pile everything I could on the top of the wooden box before I went to sleep.

Then I read ENDER’S GAME by Orson Scott Card. That was it for me. I only read science fiction after that. Heinlein, Asimov, Baxter… I couldn’t get enough of it.

When you were a child did you ever have moments when you decided that you were going to be a writer when you grew up?

Never. I was going to be a doctor. I was science all the way for me. The moment I was allowed to drop English I did. I was always arguing with my English teachers anyway. I could not understand why the green light on Daisy’s dock symbolized Gatsby’s hopes and dreams. It was just a green light. I think a little differently now and I’m particular about what color I choose for my lights.

Was your first book accepted immediately or did you experience a number of rejections?

I was very, very lucky. Ninety days after I finished my first manuscript I had a check in my hand and a four-book deal. I though getting published was the easiest thing in the world to do. “What was everyone talking about?” I remember saying. Boy, did I get a rude awakening to the publishing world. It’s tough out there, really, really tough. I feel extremely fortunate.

What kinds of things inspire you to write?

Images. I have a huge collection of sci-fi art that I have been gathering since before I was writing. My wife is a sci-fi artist as well. There are so many unbelievable artists in the sci-fi fantasy world. All you have to do is sit in front of an image and ask yourself, “What would it be like if I lived there?”

Have any of your books earned special recognition?

The first book in the SOFTWIRE was selected by the New York Public Library as one of its Books for the Teen Age. It was also nominated for a Cybil and recently nominated by the ALA for one of its Quick Picks for reluctant readers. Arizona State University is also doing a study based on the book and the online game I created around the story, www.ringsoforbis.com. The university is examining the power of online games to help promote literacy. I’m very excited about that.

Do you write every day and do you have set hours that you work?

I write every day, maybe for an hour or two. If I don’t, I’m a very grumpy person. Even when I’m not writing though, I’m thinking about the story line and since I work on the game every day I am always immersed in The Softwire universe.

When is your next book going to be in bookstores?

The paperback for book one, THE SOFTWIRE: VIRUS ON ORBIS 1 comes out Feb 26th and the second book in the series, THE SOFTWIRE: BETRAYAL ON ORBIS 2 will be in stores on March 25th, 2008.

When you do school visits, what question do children ask you most?

I love school visits. I do them whenever I can. During my multi-media presentation I illustrate our position in the universe and demonstrate just how big it is. Then I discuss the condition of the earth and where we are headed, using these issues as the launching point to discuss my book. From there I show how books become movies, discuss the creation of the alien art and how the game was built - using the kids as participants, of course. My presentation concludes with an "alien ghost story" and a real live alien artifact. It's a lot of fun and very informative. The 50-minute event encourages children to explore their imaginations, dream about outer space and discover that reading can be fun again. After all this is said and done the most common question is, “Are you rich?”

Has anyone ever written you a fan letter that you’d like to share?

I’ve always loved videogames. I knew it was a gamble to build a videogame around my book but some games truly makes kids think at a very complicated level. These games also engage kids better than anything I’ve ever seen. When I built the Rings of Orbis (www.ringsoforbis.com), I made a point to lock parts of the game so kids would have to read the book in order to unlock them and get ahead. I’ve received more than one email from parents sharing, “I may not be fond of my boy playing videogames but at least when he’s playing yours there’s a book in his hand.”

I love that.