In addition to being a nuclear engineer, E. A. Smiroldo is also a musician and writer.
She also has a sense of humor and from the theme of her writing, seems to be very concerned about the environment. With such a varied mix of talents, and with an obvious message to deliver to the world, we decided to talk to E. A. Smiroldo.
In her first work of fiction, The Silent Count, she uses real possible scenarios based on actual science. Her book creates a harsh and caustic caricature of bureaucratic immobility by blending drama inspired by credible scenarios with her academic knowledge. As a resident of the District of Columbia, she has firsthand knowledge of how politics taints and distorts people’s notions of right and wrong.
Q. What is the storyline and the description of the new book?
A. Dara Bouldin devises a method to counteract climate change’s impacts. It demands the removal of certain mountain ranges. The only issue is that no one in her government department is interested enough in her proposal to read it.
She is employed by a government agency, however she is young and most people are ignorant of her presence. Except for a mysterious someone at the CIA. It seems they have indeed been paying attention.
When her long-term relationship unexpectedly ends, she becomes devastated, though.She has student loan debt, is struggling to take care of her gambling-addicted father, and her ex-boyfriend is suddenly becoming a star with a hit song climbing the charts.
Before she knows it, Dara finds herself amid a possibly lethal situation.What will happen when she finally hears the silent count? Will she convince the leaders who have the power that they need to save the world? Read the book by E. A. Smiroldo to find out.
Q. When did you first decide to write The Silent Count, and what were the key driving factors?
A. On the opening page of my undergraduate textbook on nuclear engineering, the authors mentioned that some mountain ranges might be obliterated with nuclear weapons to create more favorable weather patterns. I was studying to become a nuclear engineer at the time, so this was of interest to me. When that happened, my immediate reaction was, “Wow, this would be a fantastic premise for a climate change-themed science fiction novel.”
I continue to believe it is an excellent concept. I don’t think anybody else has written a cli-fi thriller like this one, so I decided to give it a go myself.
Q. Are there any reviews written by another author about your book that has excited you?
A. There is a novelist who I greatly respect, Kathryn Johnson. She is the author of many books including “The Gentleman Poet”. She was kind enough to beta read The Silent Count and afterward she claimed she “L-O-V-E-D” it!
Q. What discoveries did you make while researching and writing The Silent Count?
A. It just so happens that I learned patience while authoring The Silent Count. It was a stroke of luck that I found Solstice Publishing. Even after finding them, it still took many years and countless edits to get my book ready for prime-time and ready for publishing.
You can check out The Silent Count on Amazon.
For more information about E.A. Smiroldo, you can visit her website or find her on Facebook and Instagram.