The Lampert Letter
“Please Allow Me to Introduce Myself…”
My name is Chuck Lampert, and I publish under Charles W. Lampert, which is also my legal name. Fun fact: the “W” doesn’t actually stand for anything! It’s just an initial passed down from my great-grandfather. It’s caused a bit of confusion with official documents over the years, but that’s a story for another time. What really matters is that I’m a lifelong science fiction fan who finally made the leap from reader to writer.
“A Lifelong Love of Sci-Fi”
My journey into sci-fi started in third grade when my dad, himself a big sci-fi fan, handed me Tom Swift and his Atomic Earth Blaster. I was hooked. I’d impatiently wait for the next book in the series, hungry for more. By fifth grade, I stumbled upon By His Bootstraps, a time travel story written by Robert Heinlein under the pseudonym Anson MacDonald. I didn’t fully grasp it at the time (no pun intended!), so I asked my dad to explain it. (Not the last time I’d need his help. He deciphered 2001: A Space Odyssey which also left me with plenty of questions!) From there, I was off to the races. Heinlein’s The Door into Summer cemented my love for time travel. Asimov, Clarke, and van Vogt expanded my imagination. Edmond Hamilton and Jack Williamson fueled my fascination with cosmic adventure and Roger Zelazny’s Amber books with their beautiful, lyric writing and mind-blowing universe creation, left a lasting impression. Those influences stuck with me, and now, they shape the stories I write.
My Sci-Fi Debut:
The Time Engineers, my first novel, The Time Engineers, is a love letter to the kind of sci-fi that first captivated me. It’s a high-stakes adventure about time travel, alternate realities, and ancient, benevolent aliens, that pays homage to Isaac Asimov and Robert Heinlein, in particular. Sentient AIs grapple with what it means to be “human,” as they battle a ruthless artificial intelligence seeks to wipe out all sentient life across the multiverse. If you enjoy epic sci-fi with fierce military action, mind-bending twists and cosmic-scale stakes, check it out on Amazon: [https://a.co/d/cXHQN4o]. It’s also the first book in The Engineers Trilogy, and the next installment will expand the universe even further.
What’s Next?
My next book, Infinity’s Avatar, is coming along nicely, and I should have the first draft of the cover in the next few weeks. I’ll be sharing updates soon including chapter previews! In the meantime, my official website will be launching shortly, where you’ll find news, behind-the-scenes insights, and more about my upcoming projects. Let’s Connect! I’d love to hear from fellow sci-fi fans! You can find me on: X/Twitter | TikTok | Instagram | Threads | LinkedIn Until next time, as a certain Vulcan once said, Live Long and Prosper!