Perhaps I'd Better Start at the Beginning

I've been writing since I was in school, but it was sporadic at the very least. I was one of those kids in high school who had the teacher read his assignments aloud in class or was directed to do it myself. Was I ever humiliated by this? Sure. Once. But, that is another story. The bottom line is this: I'm a late bloomer that decided one day that I wouldn't be happy until I had my name on the front of a book that I had written. So I did it.

I liked it. So, I did it again. I liked that one, too. So, I kept on doing it.

Anyway, all of my books published since 2010, beginning with The Dregs of Exodus and rolling right on through to the upcoming release, Minuteman Merlin share the same origin. They all revolve around the futuristic and fictitious event I called, "The Great Exodus".

In our near future, we discover a "Super-Earth" and call the planet, "Alethea". This is the Greek word for "Truth". It is a jewel hiding behind a rather large star and is discovered by a commercially created and launched deep space probe. As data is sent back to Earth, it is found that the planet can support life and countries all over the world scramble to begin colonization.

It's a mad scramble for technologies in the manufacturing of starships and cryogenics and computers and whatever else is required  to get 100,000 people at a time to "Alethea" which is about 30 light years away. So, having not achieved the speed of light, what does this tell you?

Anyone?

Yes, that's right my friends. It takes longer than the 30 years to get there. But, as the ships become more and more advanced, each one gets faster and closer to the speed of light depending on how well it was built and tuned here in orbit over Earth or the moon. A good ship will have achieved about 95 to 96% of the speed of light by the time its ion drive engines push the ship to its maximum speed.

What does that mean for the passengers? Well, they don't have to worry about their tray tables not being in the full and upright position upon landing for one thing. They are put inside a little tube and thrown into a giant donut-shaped compartment and put into a chemically induced long-term sleep. By the time they reach Alethea, it is like they just appeared on the surface of the planet, having not aged a bit.

Attractive idea, no? YES, it is, trust me. Because once on Alethea, everything is a new adventure for these colonists. Life is wonderful despite the longer days and the higher gravity and thicker air and... well, why am I telling you all this?

Go buy a book!

So, that is "The Great Exodus" that is mentioned in the author's foreword of my stories. Yes, it's different as it is a rather positive thing for Mankind to do. There's nothing so awkward and inconvenient as an Armageddon or some terribly horrific apocalypse brought on by an asteroid smacking into the Earth or some global war killing billions. We just see something shinier in the sky and go for it.

What could possibly go wrong? I'm glad I pretended you were still reading this blog and asked. All of the stories that I write deal with those that have not gone to Alethea. There are some that decide to stay. However, since the best and brightest of humanity is busy building civilization on Alethea, guess what happens here.

Again, you're right! Technology does snap back like a rubber band and the quality of life here dwindles. People forget how to maintain communications satellites, therefore, no satellite provided services. The cure for cancer and influenza is forgotten, so the billion or so remaining on Earth start to suffer again from illness. Governments collapse, frontier justice re-emerges, 'dogs & cats begin living together', but WAIT! Don't SAY it! There is no 'mass hysteria' why?

Anyone? Anyone?

There is no mass hysteria because there are no masses.

So! Each of my stories are snapshots of what happens after this mass migration to Alethea happens. I hope that cleared up the questions that you didn't have in mind before not reading this.

Thanks guys! See you real soon for another installment of my ramblings.