Gregory Russ
Gregory Russ has spent a lifetime asking questions.
Some questions have been practical. Others have been impossible. Together they've fueled a lifelong fascination with science, imagination, and the remarkable ways people make sense of the universe.
Although his professional career spanned more than five decades, Gregory has always considered curiosity his true vocation. An avid reader, researcher, and lifelong learner, he has long been drawn to astronomy, quantum physics, history, and the mysteries that lie just beyond the limits of our understanding. Those interests—and a healthy respect for the emotional complexity of being human—form the foundation of his fiction.
Writing did not come easily.
As a child, even composing a single paragraph felt daunting. His parents patiently encouraged every attempt, often spending hours helping him find the right words. His mother typed many of his early poems and manuscripts, while teachers and mentors later helped him discover that imagination could become narrative. Today, he still hears his parents' encouragement whenever he sits down to write.
Gregory began writing his debut novel in 1981. Over the next four decades, the manuscript grew and evolved alongside advances in astronomy, physics, and technology. New discoveries challenged old assumptions, characters found their own voices, and the story became richer with every return to the page. The result is an expansive science fiction adventure that explores not only the possibilities of distant galaxies, but also the relationships that define intelligent life—human and otherwise.
His literary influences range from Italo Calvino and Gabriel García Márquez to J.R.R. Tolkien, Arthur C. Clarke, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and Mick Herron. As a young reader, he eagerly devoured the Tom Swift Jr. adventures, where scientific invention and boundless imagination first sparked his love of speculative fiction.
Gregory and his wife, Laura, raised five children and are now grandparents. He credits his family with keeping him connected to both the present and the future.
He continues to write every day and is currently at work on his second novel, Caves of Mars, where research and imagination once again travel hand in hand.
What Inspired you to become a writer?
Imagination is one of humanity's greatest gifts. Whether you're a mathematician, an artist, or a skilled tradesperson, you're drawing from the same creative well. My parents encouraged my writing from an early age—even when it was difficult—and I still hear their voices whenever I sit down to write. Today, my greatest inspirations are my family, especially my wife, Laura, and our children and grandchildren.it well.
How would you describe your novel?
It's an epic science fiction story set in humanity's distant future, where ancient technologies, alien civilizations, and interstellar exploration exist alongside timeless questions about love, identity, sacrifice, and what truly connects intelligent life across the galaxy.
How long did it take to write?
I began writing the novel in 1981. Over the decades I set it aside and returned to it many times as both I and the science behind the story evolved. During my years in New York—and especially throughout the COVID pandemic—I finally committed to bringing it to completion.
What makes a great story?
Characters you believe in. Readers have to feel the people in the story. When characters become genuine, every conflict and every discovery carries greater weight.
What advice would you give aspiring writers?
Write often. Read widely. Edit relentlessly. Learn to write believable dialogue, and never stop studying authors who do it well.