Forstchen Moving Away From Science Fiction & Fantasy

Popular Wing Commander novel author William Forstchen has posted a minor update to the fans at his message board. He has been very busy these last year or two finishing up his Gettysburg Trilogy and caring for his ailing parents. Sadly, both of his parents passed away during that time. Lately he has moved away from science fiction and fantasy and has chosen to focus his writing on a more recent timeframe.

I will confess to a tad of disenchantment with the SF & F field these last few years. I feel we’ve or maybe now its they, have lost a sense of vision that the old masters such as Clarke, Heinlein, Sprague de Camp and others carried. Positive or cautionary tales of the future, independent works, not driven by the latest craze or media phenomena, and a field wherein a wide variety of political views were accepted, as it should be accepted by all Americans. It seems that political correctness and deconstruction have crept in and far too much formula writing. I think there are far too many book #xxx in too many series, rather than new and original ideas. My friend Sprague de Camp use to tell me no series should go for more than four books, unless you radically shift characters and POVs...

My many thanks for your kind thoughts and speculations. It stuns me at times and really means the world to me. . .honestly, it really does. In fact I’m stunned to the point of not even being able to reply. I hope that what comes next will not disappoint and know that your kindness really strikes to my heart and is deeply appreciated.