Ask Robin Vale

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Have questions about my novels? Reach out to me for insights, discussions, or feedback. I love engaging with my readers!

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Q & A

Anna: Why did you chose Mars as a location for your crime novel?

Robin: There are several reasons for that. First of all, I wanted to take it all place at a location with limited resources, and kind of a secluded setting. Just like many whodunit writer it always did. Another reason is the high degree of freedom I gain an author. I can let my imagination run wild without need to drift into anything supernatural. Mars is within reach, and at least in theory might be inhabitable, but only with huge technical efforts. So, while the big boys still work on it, I as a writer can send my imagination up there to reserve a nice plot. The third reason, well, you can find out yourself when staying with me and read the whole series of Reeva Naan's adventures that will evolve from it.

Dylan: Your Martians drink some strange stuff?

Robin: Well, Dylan. I had to soften the language of the question a bit. If you refer to Profol, that's kind of substitute for Alcohol. The first settlers on Mars were supposed to stay sober all the time. Some people can do that easily, but most need some kind of recreational drug once in a while. Products from proper brewing was not really feasible on Mars because grapes, malt and grains are unavailable. So after a while people started drinking synthetic alcoholic beverages, not tasty, and also even more dangerous than on Earth. So it was banned but tolerated in certain limits to keep the social peace. That changed with a deadly accident clearly attributable to the booze, and to solve the dilemma, they searched for a proper substitute which became available with Profol. Profol is better suitable since it bears similar relaxing traits like Alcohol but people snap out of its intoxication quickly under stress. So if something goes wrong, or they are summoned to action, they can perform.
So, you may ask, where the hell you can by that Martian drug? You will need a little patience until some day after 2136 when Profol will be invented. Until then, don't drink and drive!