NEW SERIAL: Empire of Stars!
So as some of you already know a new serial is going to be starting on March 8, 2020. It's call Empire of Stars! Just click on the title to look at the novel page! Now what is Empire of Stars about? Well, let me tell you...
A HUMAN HERO AND AN ALIEN COMMANDER MUST WORK TOGETHER TO SAVE THE UNIVERSE.
Jace Parker never thought he would be able to drive a car let alone a spaceship, until one day Earth is attacked by the alien Swarm. Jace has the unique ability to access ancient Precursor technology that can destroy them. This special trait draws the attention of haughty, alien Commander Khoth Voor of the Illumen Alliance, the Swarm's only match. Now Jace is humanity's representative to the stars and, potentially, the universe's only hope as the Swarm is intent on destroying all sentient life.
But that's only the surface level. I want to tell you what inspired it and the "feeling" of the serial you should expect.
More Information Will Be Coming Out This Week!
For those of you who have been Members during a new serial launch will know that it's an exciting time and also a crucial one in how the story, characters and world go. The first three chapters will be posted in a row and your voices will matter more than ever. I've been known to go back to the beginning of a story and add tons of stuff based upon feedback. I cannot wait to hear what you have to say!
Comments
I loved the abyss. Looking forward to this one!
I hope my increased experience in world building will make this even better.
I'm so excited for this!!! I absolutely love the sci-fi genre and even more when there is an exploration of culture element to the story! Some of my favorite books that follow this line of exploration are R. Cooper's Taji from beyond the Rings and Lyn Gala's Claiming's series. Both stories have linguists as the main character and I love this as there are so many elements of culture that we have in our way of speaking, traditions, and even subtle things like the clothes we wear and colors we're driven toward. Really hope you skip the 'universal translator' route and allow Jace to explore each new alien culture as something new and exciting to learn and immerse himself within. Why use a cheat when you can hop in with both feet and wing it? I know if I'd been curtailed like he's been with his illness that I'd want to throw myself into life like that!
I can't wait to see what fun and hilarious miscommunications arise! I recently got back into writing and was discussing world building with my brother over a similar type of book (it's my favorite after all!). Like imagine if you're a translator and you're trying to explain to a coronal why his shipment of ship grade ore arrived from the Lumian's (random alien name hehe) on planet A but hasn't yet from planet b when they both gave you the same delivery date. Like:
"Yes sir... well as you know the Lumian's are worshipers of the sun. When they both told you that they would get you the materials after 3 turns of Rauw they meant it literally. You see plant a's orbit around it's sun is much quicker than planet b's.... so while 3 turns of Rauw has occurred on planet A, hence the delivery of your materials from that group, it's still only been 1 turn of Rauw on planet b."
"So what you're saying Sargent is that those materials aren't coming!?"
"Not for at least another..." *looks at watch* "6 days and 7 hours."
"You have got to be kidding me!"
"Sorry sir. If you want your materials sooner I suggest you look for Lumians on planets with a faster rotation cycle."
Also what about cultures that highly prize things that are different than what our own cultures do? You find a species that is immortal... how do they understand death? Were they never taught how to mourn because they've never lost anyone? How will they react when they lose a teammate for the very first time? What about a culture that values cunning and deceptiveness but holds the truth even higher than that? Are they just evil backstabbers or are they the most amazing benders of the truth to ever be seen? Are they like the fae of old? Silver tongued and suave, tricking others into doing as they please? Are they the universes more coveted lawyers as their contracts are airtight to the point of making the paper gasp for breath?
Obviously I'm rambling because of my excitement but I can't wait to see what this series will bring to the table! Thanks so much for putting out such great material!
The "universal translator" is important because I can't create languages. I've tried. Can't do it. Plus having him learn those languages fast enough is same as universal translator. Besides, I think what you really mean is that you want the cultures to not be the same. Just because you THINK you understand what someone is saying doesn't mean you are. Google translate shows the limitations of one to one translations. So just because you understand the words, those are only an approximation of what they are saying and so much will be lost. But yes, it's going to be fun with so many aliens!
Yes! That's exactly what I meant! Just because you can talk doesn't mean you know the language.
Almost forgot... You should totally take the time to look up the 'humans are space orcs' threads on Pinterest and tumbler. Even if none of the ideas those threads bring ever show up in the series it will still give you several hours of entertainment as you fall down the internet rabbit hole.
I'll check it out! Sounds awesome and accurate!
This is going to be a total epic. And I think that giving Jace his own ship should also feature a couple logistics hurtles to really pump the breaks on the "Cool" rush and let the reality of leading an isolated environment sink in and let Khoth and his steadiness show their value.
What happens to the waste made on the ship?
How much food do they have before they need provisions?
How advanced are we talking? Star trek replicators? Or is there a galley with a cook who has an alien pallet?
The daily needs of a ship are something I have a lot of experience with, being enlisted in the Navy, and conservation of resources is important when you can't pop down the street for X. A minor crisis like a leak or a broken bolt can become huge quickly.
The swarm doesn't always have to be the enemy of the week, and ancient ruins don't have to be the only mystery. In the whole ship there is a short somewhere that interfering with the Nav computer. Now we just have to find it.
Khoth and Jace can have an adorable moment while Khoth deliberately and meticulously trains Jace in the emergency space suit and putting it on quickly, in case of breaches. All that closeness, all that touching and fiddling with a suit that was made especially for Jace, seeing as how his human anatomy is unique. There are so many things I'd love to see that could make my daily ship life adorable.
"These are the quench cans. They are in the event of small fires, and release smothering agent."
"Cool, fire extinguishers are a universal constant."
"How odd, the word chosen was the one with fewest syllables, for faster communication in an emergency. Why does your people use such a lengthy word like extinguish with equipment needed in a time sensitive environment?"
"Hey man, I just speak English, I didn't make it."
"Regardless, we are going to run through some basic fire drills tomorrow."
"MORE drills? How many more kinds of drills can we run?"
"I will review the fast response book with you later."
Because when you only have you in a tin can and everything else outside it is inhospitable? You ARE the fire department.
Wow I rambled, but if you ever wanna pick my brain on ship living and isolated environment logistics and hurdles? Just ask.
I love these practical problems. This stuff I might not even have considered but its what makes scifi so cool! The different alien species. The sheer complexity of alien technology. Your idea of them just having difficulties that are "small" but LARGE in reality is awesome. LOL about the drills. This is making it in.
*reads comment*
*Deep breath in*
*Unrepentant and prolonged squealing!!!!!!!*
You mean my ship life woes have a place in the newest Raythe story??? I'm so thrilled I might re-enlist!
So exciting! The Abyss is probably my favorite of all of your stores. I read it a couple times a year. I literally clear out like three days and do nothing but read the Abyss series until I'm all the way through it. IT'S SO GOOD. I'm really excited to see more Sci-fi!!
The Abyss was so fun and different, but I feel I've learned so much more in world building since then that I hope I can create the fun of that with more good stuff too.
So normally sifi is not my thing but since I love all your storys I'm really excited for a new one!!! Lets see where we will go with this one^^
You are awesome to check it out. That's why I'm glad that with the site we always have different genres for different members versus book series where its one flavor until its done.
Mass Effect is literally my favorite video game series, so I'm THRILLED to see you write this. I can't wait! 🖤
Sweet! It is one of mine as well so I'm more than excited to write this.
I'm excited to read this! Yay to new stories!!!!!
Seriously!
You're writing another sci-fi!? *Squee * I can't wait! If you're interested in reading sci-fi, here's a good one for you: A Starship Called Starsong by CrystalSherer on Wattpad. It focuses more on friendship and adventure. You can also try out her other books they are also good. 😁
Yeah, I am way excited to write it. Thanks for suggestion!