My new book has launched! Transient Phenomena, part one in the Syzygy novella series, is now available on Amazon. Appropriately, it’s not the only thing blasting off today. At 10:05 EST, NASA will test a powerful new rocket called the Space Launch System (SLS) intended to propel astronauts to Mars. It’s an eerie confluence: like the SLS engineers at NASA, the protagonists of Syzygy dream of a voyage to Mars. But for them, it’s more than an exploration dream: it’s their last chance at survival.
Writing the primary episode of Syzygy has been a wild rocket ride in itself. Like Blue Karma, the story has roots in an idea that’s loitered in my brain for more than a decade. But unlike my debut, it evolved far beyond its initial scope. Originally a short story, it expanded into first a trilogy, then a novella hexalogy. A tangled web of relationships links the characters.The plot weaves complex layers of appearance and reality. Themes of genetic engineering and space colonization demanded intensive research (and subsequent revision) to maintain scientific fidelity. The sophomore project I’d planned as a simple sci-fi romp developed depths, challenges, and nuances I never anticipated.
And it’s not over yet. Transient Phenomena offers plenty of action and character drama, but it also sets the stage for everything to come. I hope the subsequent installments will be a bit easier to write now that I’ve established the foundation, but I’m still expecting a lot of hard work and head-banging on the keyboard before its over. Nevertheless, the thought experiment is a rewarding one. Until the SLS rockets are ready, we can still explore other planets in our minds.
Wild Type 