Greta van der Rol, Author at Greta van der Rol Books

Where science meets story

Searching for a suitable location in the Milky Way for my Dryden stories led me to look at science

This detailed Hubble view of Messier 24 captures a huge number of stars in only a tiny portion of the region, which is also known as the Small Sagittarius Star Cloud.

I was a science fiction reader before I dipped my toe into the vast ocean of romance. More than that, I like space opera. Yes, I’m a Star Wars fan, despite the rather ordinary science. What attracts me is the aliens and the space ships and the amazing different worlds out there. And after all, with current estimates for the number of habitable worlds in the Milky Way – those with liquid water – at up to five billion (New Scientist Nov 2020), why not?

The Search for the Crimson Lady

the Crimson Lady was a pirate ship that preyed on the shipping lanes for seven years or so, when she disappeared without a trace

An old fashioned pirate ship floats in space against a starry backdrop

Apart from reading books, I also write them. My science fiction books tend to involve a lot of made-up history and some sort of mystery (with a romance chucked in). That’s how The Search for the Crimson Lady developed. I suppose it’s a little bit like the legend of the Flying Dutchman, a legendary ghost ship which was said to never be able to make port, doomed to sail the oceans forever (except in a space setting with a few tweaks).

White Tigers: The Tragic Truth Behind the White Coat

White tigers are an aberration artificially bred and proliferated by some zoos, private breeders and a few circuses who do so for economic rather than conservation reasons.

White tigers seem to be very popular around the world. I suppose it’s because they look unusual, like a hairless cat. Some (many) people think white tigers are polar creatures. It sounds reasonable. After all, polar bears are white, Arctic foxes are white, snowy owls are white. But the truth behind that glorious white coat is very, very different.

When Magic Meets Extinction: The Real Story Behind Black Tiger.

When I learned India had fewer than two thousand wild tigers left, it floored me. That shock became the spark for Black Tiger, a paranormal story rooted in real-world conservation and the fight to keep these magnificent animals alive.

How my love for tigers—and frustration at their plight—led me to write a paranormal adventure with purpose

Tiger, head lowered, stalks through the jungle

You might wonder what caused me, a writer of space opera, to diverge into the paranormal and write Black Tiger.

I’ve always been an animal lover. And like many of you, I’ve got a soft spot for the big cats—especially that magnificent, solitary hunter, the tiger.

Welcome Back Morgan Selwood

Morgan Selwood has just been recaptured after an abortive escape attempt. Now she meets the man in charge. Her first encounter with Admiral Ravindra sets the tone for everything that follows: defiance, attraction, and a battle of wills that neither intends to lose.

Morgan Selwood has just been recaptured after an abortive escape attempt. Now she meets the man in charge — and he’s not what she expected.

Her first encounter with Admiral Ravindra sets the tone for everything that follows: defiance, attraction, and a battle of wills that neither intends to lose.

After the night with Ravindra

Morgan’s been an idiot. She’s gone and had sex with Ravindra. Stupid. He’s gone to work on the planet Electra. With him out of the way, Morgan concentrates on work — until the mission goes terribly wrong.

stairs descend into a bombed out building holding computer equipment

So… Where Did That Tattoo Come From?

Ink is so fully realized for so short a story. Which came first? This or the novel? Did you always know why the Admiral had a tattoo?

Someone just read my short story, Ink, and asked me this.

“Ink is so fully realized for so short a story. Which came first? This or the novel? Did you always know why the Admiral had a tattoo? ͏” ͏ ͏ ͏

The berzhani of Validor

At the heart of Crisis at Validor is conflict over a chain of islands. The planet has two continents. Between the two continents lies a chain of disputed volcanic islands which is home to the Berzhani.

A giant dragon-like creature emerges form the rocks of a cave and looms over a man

Wars have happened throughout human history. They’re usually the result of one country invading another – much as is happening in Europe at the moment. Russia has invaded Ukraine and the Ukrainians are resisting. But sometimes wars can start over silly things.

Maahes: The Dual Role of Egypt’s God of War

As the Egyptian God of War, Maahes has deep ties to both warfare and protection. He embodies the ferocity and strength of a lion, which also symbolizes his role as a guardian.

A lion-headed warrior carrying a sword in an Egyptian temple

One aspect of writing a story that is often underestimated is coming up with suitable names for the characters. I could ask ChatGPT to come up with suggestions but I have a tendency to prefer names that mean something. After a dig around, I decided my new feline character would be called Maahes, after the Egyptian God of War. I’d never heard of him before – and it turns out the real Maahes is fascinating, albeit lesser known than Isis, Osiris, Anubis and the like.

Meet the Yrmaks

The Yrmaks aren’t just scaly brutes. They’re a matriarchal, clan based, star-spanning species with their own faith, politics, rivalries, and traditions, from ceremonial spears to blood feuds that cross worlds.

An Yrmak matriarch sitting on her throne. She is reptilian and favours the colour green — Drarkghon, ancient Yrmak matriarch

It’s very easy to dream up a weird name and a sketch of an alien monster for a science fiction story. But if the creatures are going to be part of the story, not just some throw-away excuse for a battle, they need to be placed in a setting, with a culture. Otherwise they’re simply cardboard cut-outs.