One of my favorite (re)discoveries about getting back into fiction after a long foray into nonfiction and biography, is how you can twist and tweak the truth just enough to make it more fun, more interesting, and often better than the real world we all live in.
For my science fiction book, "At Fault," the first in my five-book Fault Lines Series of books (releases 4.14.2022), I tapped into two editors, six beta readers, three creative consultants, three designers (whose work absolutely led to creative decisions), AND . . . SIX NICHE EXPERTS. I discussed electricity with an electrical engineer; energy with a NASA physics intern; disaster relief with a lifelong firefighter; geology and climate science with a geology grad student; and--for culture--separately tapped into two individuals--a professional musician and an executive chef.
Not only did each of these experts provide really cool (admittedly sometimes stranger than fiction) insights into their various fields of study, but when I would then research the topics they shared, read the articles they recommended, or follow up on other knowledgeable connections they shared, my news feed would become flooded with even more research and information. I know. I know; artificial intelligence is everywhere at work filling our feeds. This book series isn't about that. I actually loved the newsfeeds as it led to hundreds of articles and stories filled with super cool things I would never have even imagined and that struck sparks of imagination for building a better world; the kind of world that can only live on the pages of a fictional book.
For "At Fault," I greatly enjoyed creating the Tsunamic Defense System - incredible technology that helps to push back against the enormous force of these deadly waves. The technology uses a series of physical barriers and those that take a different form, as well as several counter-force measures. As with any new technology or device, it can be used just as maliciously and dangerously as it can for human good. Isn't that always the case with advancements?
I cannot wait to tell you more about this cool tech in the book! You can press into some of the exciting research done for "At Fault" and the coming books in the series by following Fault Lines Books on TikTok.
In the meantime, tell me about something interesting you either enjoyed from science fiction or something you created, based on twisting and tweaking the real world into something fictional!
Be Gloriously Human!
JS
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