Ilyn Ross adheres to Objectivism. Her novels project the axioms and principles of this philosophy.
In the following interview, Ms. Ross discussed her writing and novels: Reason Reigns and Royal Serf:
Emerge – New Authors
By Jennifer Prado
February 8, 2009
Q: Hello, Ilyn. How do you categorize your writing style? The term that comes to mind is metafiction or modern mythology, but I'd be curious to hear how you describe your work.
A: My writing style is Aristotelian. I endeavor to write novels that represent things “as they might be and ought to be.” A Romantic writer, I portray man having volition, choosing values, setting goals, and engaging in purposeful action to achieve them. My novel, Reason Reigns, has a theme (i.e. purpose) and a plot: a purposeful progression of logically connected events leading to the resolution of a climax. I recognize that nothing is outside the province of reason - I am a Romantic Realist.
I choose heroic subjects. The content of my work is serious, but I depict events in a way that even youngsters would enjoy and understand. It is my goal to write using the reality-oriented literary style: to present facts instead of arbitrary assertions or emotion-oriented adjectives, and to show the motivations of the characters through action and dialogue.
Q: On your website, you seem to have created a manifesto in favor of the freedom of independent publishing:
"To the glory of the print-on-demand (POD) technology: Reason Reigns glorifies independent thinkers and technology. Thanks to the POD technology, the judgment of whether or not a book is worthy to be read now rests with individual readers."
Can you talk a bit about your journey to become a published author and the decisions you made along the way?
A: I am a self-taught novelist. For almost two years while having a day job, I wrote on weekends, in the early mornings, and on the train between work and home. I worked late into the nights. I had almost zero rest and relaxation, but I thoroughly enjoyed the mental challenge.
My Reason-Reigns-journey is filled with hard work and exciting first-time experiences. Every lesson learned in writing, editing, and marketing has paved the way to much higher goals for my second novel, Royal Serf.
Unable to land a literary agent, I self-published Reason Reigns. I hope to land one for Royal Serf.
Q: I follow your digest on GoodReads and you seem to have built a following of readers who are looking to incorporate faith, and/or the belief in intelligent life forms, in their daily lives and actions.
One passage that seems to summarize this philosophy is:
“Heaven and Earth – they are one and the same.”
Think of a miracle. Believe that God has given the means to achieve it. Think, and find out the facts. Think, with the clarity of purpose. Let the vision of a miracle be a beacon to guide your actions. Think, and then act. Act with the confidence that miracles do happen to doers who strive to actualize them.
Rejoice! Angels do exist in our midst, though it takes the highest of virtues to recognize them.
Heaven on Earth can be achieved when reason reigns.”
What books, philosophers, artists, and/or life experiences, brought you to this conclusion?
A: I revere Ayn Rand, the creator of the philosophy of Objectivism and the author of The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged. She admired Aristotle and St. Thomas Aquinas. By definition, an Objectivist is an atheist. I love everything about Ayn Rand, but I couldn't make the leap to atheism. I am a deist, an Objectivist-Thomist.
It is of utmost importance that faith remains a PRIVATE choice for each individual because the worst scourge of mankind is theocracy. Galileo was convicted of heresy because he proclaimed the Earth revolves around the sun. The use of anesthesia as well as the power loom was considered sinful.
Religious leaders desirous of political power are evil. They glorify self-sacrifice, representing God as a sadist. Their original sin creed portrays God as unjust. It destroys self-love and self-respect, paving the way to enslavement.
I believe in a benevolent God. One who does not punish, who wants man to use his mind and body, who has given man the means to achieve happiness here on Earth. God gifted us with reason which is incompatible with commandments - I follow reason. God gifted us with sexual capacities - I think sex is clean, wonderful, and sacred. God respects natural laws - manna will not appear from nowhere - one needs to think and work in order to have food.
Q: Can you tell us more about your life outside of writing? I read online that you made a choice to reinvent your career and went from being an accountant to an IT specialist. What brought about this need to change?
A: I switched from accountancy to information technology to learn something new.
Ilyn Ross is my pen name. I use one to maintain my privacy, to separate my private life from a public one. The "Ro" in Ross is from the first two letters of my sons' middle name, Roark; the first s is for my firstborn and the second is for my lastborn. They are named after Howard Roark, the hero in The Fountainhead. Long before I became an author, my firstborn requested me to respect his privacy. I accord the same to his brother.
Q: I read a very interesting entry in your GoodReads digest about the decision to write or not write about sexuality and violence. Can you summarize your conclusion about these themes in publishing?
A: Anyone should be free to write about anything. I depict sex and violence in my novels having in mind my aim and wish to have young readers. More importantly, since an artist bares his soul in his work and since sex is a very private matter, my sex scenes will always be limited to essentials. I project sex as a wonderful private celebration.
The struggle against violence is a worthy theme. It is interesting to read about ingenious devices and plans to thwart or defeat violence.
Q: Can you describe your current writing project?
A:
To free wealth and job creators rendered royal serfs, US Presidential Candidate Apollo Marianto and British Prime Minister Ian Washington shine light on the camouflage used by statists to enslave job creators: Business’s Goliath image. Having a monopoly on coercive power, only the government can become a Goliath.
Government-Goliath has terrorized job creators for over a century. Corporate
Apollo and Ian fight for equal inherent inalienable rights, but they are in the crosshairs of a powerful quartet and a perfect assassin.
The quartet unleashes terror to stop Apollo and Ian, using the British Crown Prince desirous of freeing a royal serf of tradition, duty, and public opinion: himself.
Set in the
