And now, take it away, Michael!
**********
If you follow Eagle’s blog and are reading these words, you
are most likely a person who is scientifically minded. Eagle has probably one
of the best blogs that I visit for posting scientific thought amidst
smatterings of book reviews and other things.
Anyone that knows me or visits my blog knows that I’m in the
least, agnostic and at the most, atheist. I read Richard Dawkins, I post quotes from Sam Harris, and my heroes are
Stephen Hawking, Neil deGrasse Tyson,
and Dr. Michio Kaku. I also love
the teachings of the late Carl Sagan.
When I’m not working at the day job, I write
science-fiction. For my book, I combine
real-world science with the idea of an intelligently designed universe. This doesn’t mean I believe in intelligent
design. Rather, it means that I think intelligent design belongs in
science-fiction. And this idea really rubs some people wrong. If I wrote a fantasy novel and made up gods
and gave them all names like Aburajj the Destroyer and Makeleh the Bringer of
Light, no one would get upset. But
because the spirituality I choose to embrace in my book has (in part) to do
with Christian lore, I've had some people be very vocal in how much they
dislike that.
One person hinted in a review that spirituality should not
belong in science-fiction. Fine. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.
But where does it belong? Given my background, it makes perfect sense for me to talk about it the
way that I do and in the format that I do.
In the end, I think that people who want a science-fiction
view of what could be actual reality in twenty years or so will not like what I
write. I'm not here to predict the
future and give you a glimpse of things I see in a crystal ball at the end of
the 21st century.
SLIPSTREAM and the series A Crisis of Two Worlds is about a
designer universe and what I hope is a new spin on angels and demons. The "spin" is I’m using real-world science
and quantum mechanics. And the final
product…It’s all fiction folks! It's all
make-believe and (in my mind) just as valid as a world that’s flat, filled with
gods and hobbits, and an all-powerful ring to rule them all. To play the
devil's advocate…aren't there already enough science-fiction books with
spaceships and aliens? I wanted something different. I wanted a story based in
present-day earth that combines some of the things that a lot of the people I
know actually believe in. I think the
result is going to be people will either love it, or they’ll despise it.
I have a contest for the release of my book. I will pick one random person who comments on
this post to win a $5 Amazon Gift Card and a SLIPSTREAM jeweled spider (the
same person wins both prizes). The jeweled spider really sparkles in the
sunlight. I hope whoever wins it really likes it. Also, please make sure that
your email is linked to your signature in some way. :) And yes, the crystal spiders
play an important role in my book.
Rules:
1) Mark my book “To Read” on
Goodreads.
2) Comment on this post.
3) Tweet this post if you have
twitter. You don’t have to sign-up for twitter. It’s the "honor" system. :)
That’s it. I will choose a winner on Saturday, May 19th. And thank you, Eagle, for having me on your
fine blog.
Slipstream on:
So, what do you think about combining religion with Science Fiction?
-----The Golden Eagle
