aliens | Mandy Eve-Barnett's Blog for Readers & Writers

Author Interview – J.E. McKnight – New Book Launch – Virtual Age

May 16, 2020
mandyevebarnett

Joe photo

1. Please tell us about your new YA novel – Virtual Age

A- Virtual Age takes place in a distant future. Our world is no longer able to support life so, in preparation for this, indoor cities were built where air and water is purified. The technology of virtual reality was adapted so people can work, play, travel, and enjoy a version of the outside world within the system. When you live your lives within a computer, you become susceptible to hacking – which could drain you of all your money as all money is accessed through computers – and your whole world could be altered and flipped upside down.

My main character is a thirteen year-old boy by the name of Aiden Murphy. He enjoyed the simple life of a teen – going to birthday parties, occasionally standing up to the school bully, and going with his family on vacations or trips to the beach. It was on one of these outings where Aiden finds himself trapped in the system, lost and all alone; unable to get home. He doesn’t know who to trust. He doesn’t know where to go. He doesn’t know what he is going to encounter within someone else’s program. He will be tested every step of the way.

Virtual Age

2. How did you come up with the idea?

A- I’ve always been fascinated with the idea of virtual reality and wanted to come up with a story centres around that concept. Actually, I remember when I came up with the idea and some points within the plot while at work. I was working for a commercial insulating company a few years ago. One day I was sent to a job and there was no material there for me to do any work so I spent 3 hours waiting around for the material and while I did, I came up with the concept and title of my book.

Did you decide on writing a YA from the start?

A- I have had ideas for YA novels that I still want to write, however, this wasn’t one of them. I started it off as any of my other novels but then realized as I was writing that it was better suited as a YA.

Of the characters you have created or envisioned, which is your favorite & why?

A- There are so many but one that stands out is Dimlyn – an inhabitant of the planet Seledania – she is strong, determined, stubbourn, kind, and generous. Her loyalty to her society is put to the test when she encounters a visitor from beyond the stars –a human – who is feared and hated by the whole of the society besides Dimlyn. She is willing to overlook his outer appearance despite the backlash she receives from the rest of the society. She was probably the most fun to write because she isn’t human.

Arrival

When did you write the manuscript?

A- I wrote the manuscript in November of 2018. I participate in NaNoWriMo every year. November is National Novel Writing Month and authors who sign up are challenged with writing 50,000 words of a novel in 30 days.

How many books have you written?

A- I have published 8 books so far. Book #9 is in editing and book #10 is ready to be edited.

Which genre interests you the most?

A- I mostly write in the sci-fi/supernatural genres.

Have you written more than one genre?

A- Aside from sci-fi/supernatural I have also written a psychological thriller, a superhero story and a collection of Christmas stories.

STOCKING

Do your books have a specific message for your readers?

A- I don’t often think in terms of messages within the story but when I thought about my stories I began to realize most of them did carry a similar message- that being of tolerance. We need to treat each other with the love and compassion we want for ourselves. And don’t be too quick to judge.

How many other writing projects do you have in progress?

A- Like I said I have two books in various stages of the editing process as well I have a prequel for my first novel – Time’s Hostage – I’m working on.

hostage

Where can readers connect with you?

A- They can connect with me on my Facebook page: J E McKnight – author

Twitter: @jemcknight1975

And they can check out all my books on my website: jemcknight.com

E-books available on all sites.

ebook-sites

Bio:

Joe McKnight was born in Fort Saskatchewan and raised in the small Alberta farming community of Partridge Hill. He started his schooling in Ardrossan, where he developed a love of story-telling. His love of writing continued to grow throughout his school years. In 2004, while upgrading his English 30, Joe’s passion increased. It was during that same year he stumbled upon a writer’s circle (offered by the Writers Foundation of Strathcona County) that provided the support and encouragement he needed. He continues to grow in his writing and looks forward to many future literary ventures.

Joe has published several books: Time’s Hostage, Fly on the Wall, The Arrival, Powerless, The Other Secret, Stocking Stuffers, Unnatural Selection, and Virtual Age. He is currently working on a new manuscript.

Joe is also an accomplished artist and his artwork also appears on the cover of From a Solitary Drop – he was commissioned to design the illustration featured on the cover.

Solitary Drop

New Book

Bibliophiles Collective Tuesday – Character Interview – Lenni from Creature Hunt on Planet Toaria (YA novella)

April 28, 2020
mandyevebarnett

Chapter 5 Mandy 52_preview

Today I am ‘interviewing’ one of the main character’s from Creature Hunt on Planet Toaria, a YA novella. Lenni is the main instigator in persuading her three friends to seek out the invading alien monster on their planet.

Hi Lenni,

Can you tell us about why you live on another planet instead of Earth?

I can tell you what I know from history lessons. The human race suffered multiple pandemics over decades, which decimated the world population. In an effort to save the human species, one hundred generation ships were built and several space stations. These were built to offer a temporary home above the planet until the virus’ could be controlled or eliminated.

So how did you get here?

The expected term for being on the ships was extended over and over for years until each generation ship struggled to sustain its population. As the remaining human population on Earth died, a decision was made to head out in as many different directions as possible. The hope was that one or more of the generation ships would find a suitable planet to populate. After many years my ancestors ship found Toaria.

So then they landed and built all the domes?

It took another generation to build the domes and establish the growing pods. Several new technologies were created so that ‘soil’ was artificially grown from agar, molds and vermiculite and then seeds regenerated from capsules that had been frozen in transit.

Can you describe Planet Toaria?

It is mainly rock and dust but there are frackist trees and whickety vines. We have two moons and when they align, the sky becomes magenta then burgundy before total darkness. That’s our curfew time – we must be home by then. All the other plants are from germination of seeds brought here and cultivated in the home dome’s central gardens or in the growth pods. We have metal paths in-between the home domes and the community domes. Apart from the living areas, there is a complex of industry domes restricted to only workers and the military. Most of the planet is uninhabited still but as our population grows we expand with more sections.

Can you describe frackist trees and whickety vines, they sound fascinating?

The trees have thick trunks, which are topped with branches that look like an upside-down scalene triangle. They have sticky buds, which you mustn’t touch as the sap causes instant numbing to anything it touches. Climbing them is discouraged because of that. The vines have a natural luminescence in the leaves and they are planted along the main paths to grow along them and climb the metal columns.

I noticed that you do not have ‘normal’ pets, like dogs and cats. What do you have instead?

No, we do not have animals as such on Toaria, they were not allowed on the first ships from Earth. We have robotic ‘pets’ or bots as we call them. Each child is assigned a bot when they are born. It is a protector as well as a companion. They are made up of a series of metal intersecting plates, have compartments for supplies and technology and power up overnight as we sleep.

Can you tell us a little about the alien invader?

Initially, no one knew there was an invader but then my bot, Bubble chased off something and did not return for a long time. This is unheard of as they are to stay with their owner no matter what. When Bubble was found, his recording data did not identify what the thing was and that’s when I began to wonder.

Why did you decide to find the alien with your friends?

At first I thought it would be a fun thing to do with Troon, Braze and Nevis. You know to explore a little further than we are allowed. There are sections to the habitat only open to the military. I didn’t really think we would find it! As our search continued it got more serious and we all thought it would be an excellent way to be considered for a position within the security force.

Thank you for being with us today, Lenni and telling us about your life on Planet Toaria.

If you want to know more of the story the e-book is available here, on Smashwords, Kindle, Kobo and Barnes & Noble.

Genres of Literature – Science Fiction

January 15, 2018
mandyevebarnett

scifi-genre

Science Fiction is a story based on the impact of potential science, either actual or imagined. It is one of the genres of literature that is set in the future or on other planets. The title is often shortened to SF or sci-fi. This genre typically deals with imaginative concepts, such as futuristic science and technology, space and time travel, even faster than light travel but also parallel universes and extraterrestrial life. The narrative can explore the potential consequences of scientific and innovation ideas developed to extremes.

Science fiction elements can include:

A temporal setting in the future with alternative timelines or in a historical past that contradicts the known facts of actual history
A spatial setting or scenes in outer space, on other worlds or even subterranean earth.
Characters do included aliens, mutants, robots and other imagined or predicted beings.
Technology can be futuristic or plausible. Examples being teleportation, mind control, ray guns and super-intelligent computers.
Scientific principles that contradict accepted physical laws, such as time travel.
New and different political or social systems.
Imagined future history of humans on earth or other planets.
Characters with paranormal abilities, such as telekinesis or telepathy.
Other universes or dimensions and travel between them.

Sub-genres include:

Space opera, which is an adventure science fiction set mainly or entirely in outer space or on sometimes distant planets.

Utopian fiction, which portrays a setting that agrees with an ethos believed by the author of another reality.

Dystopia fiction, a portrayal opposed by the authors ethos.

wormhole716a

Time Travel fiction where by utilizing a vehicle of some kind an operator can select a time period and purposefully travel there.

Military science fiction, where there is a conflict between national, interplanetary or interstellar armed forces.

Superhuman stories reflect the emergence of humans with abilities beyond the norm.

Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic

Apocalyptic fiction covers the end of civilization through war, while post-apocalyptic deals with the near aftermath of such a war.

Steampunk and dieselpunk, this genres are based on a futuristic technology existing in the past (usually the 19th century) and often set in the English Victorian era. They do contain prominent elements of science fiction through the use of fictional technological inventions.

Cyberpunk and biopunk. This is a reasonably ‘new’ genre emerging in the early 1980’s. It combines cybernetics and punk with a time frame usually in the near-future with dystopian settings.

Have you written a science fiction story/novel? Care to share?

I have a YA novella, Clickety Click that deals with aliens living in secret on Earth. https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/679515 https://www.amazon.ca/Clickety-Click-Mandy-Eve-Barnett/dp/1927510856

Clickety Click

And my latest YA novella, Creature Hunt on Planet Toaria is set on another planet. Launch early 2018.

I also have a steampunk inspired, The Toymaker (7K words) that may become a novella in the future. Time will tell.

Do you try writing in different genres? What has been your experience?

Writing Prompt Contest – Aliens…

April 16, 2016
mandyevebarnett

Aliens

Join in and enter for the quarterly prize for the top voted response to these weekly prompts – so make sure you comment below to enter the contest. 1000 word maximum.

Also I need your help with this: We have three entries that require your votes: Stone Car Prompt

The concrete holds me to the road
As I take the curve into the rain
It’s not the destination but the mode
Let go the nerves and go again.

Can our stories written deep in stone
Change despite apparent plan?
All life’s paths go same direction
Can’t change the fates – no one can. by Wildhorse

***

What difference does perception make?
Parked here, alone but not beside
the road. Enfolded in leaves and green.
Can I be heard?

I shouldn’t be. Let me be clear:
I’m a car made from stones, scraps of metal, used tires.
That’s no metaphor. That’s what I am.
Literally.

And yet—there’s a consciousness in things
Inanimate. Like the other day.
A boy came out to this place in the woods.
He sat down across from me.

I can’t move, of course.
But he can and he came out to me.
And in his mind, a story formed
Of how I came to be—stuck here

By some unseen hand.
Is that not existence? A man made me.
And this boy saw me. Does it matter that
I can’t see him, feel him, hear him?

What difference does perception make? By Eric James-Olson

***

“I don’t know about this, man.”

“Trust me, Benny. The cops will never spot it this way. We’ll just leave the loot in the car. Give it a couple of days and we can dig it out and drive into the night.” By ColdhandBoyack

Please vote so I can allot a prize for the winner! Thank you

Who, or What, Built the Pyramids..?

October 24, 2013
mandyevebarnett

Ziggurat – definition : an ancient structure built by the peoples of Mesopotamia in the form of a pyramidal tower.

Why is it that these ancient relics are all the same basic shape? A pyramid. As you can see from the list below, they are found all over the globe. Built by ancient civilizations, who were mainly unaware of the others existence, whether because of time period or geographical distance. So who, or what, influenced the shape? Of course there are as many theories as pyramids and you are free to investigate for yourselves. Although, I would love the instigators to be visitors from outer space, I don’t really think that is what happened. I would like to share my own theory (such as it is).

Saqqara, Egypt – Pyramid of Djoser, Giza, Egypt – Great Pyramid of Khufu and Pyramid of Khafre, Chavin de Huantar, Peru – Chavin Temple Complex, Teotihuacan, Mexico – The Pyramid of the Sun, Meroe, Sudan – The Nubian Pyramids, Puebla, Mexico – Great Pyramid of Cholula, Ur, Irag – Ziggurat of Ur, Peten, Guatemala – Mayan Pyramids of Tikal and Rome, Italy -Pyramid of Cestius.

Each civilization wanted to be closer to their gods in the sky, so what is the easiest way to do that? Build a structure that many people can ascend and reach toward the sky. Cube or tower shaped structures would be too difficult to ascend but a gradually tapering shape would be the simplest. Thus a pyramid.

What are your thoughts on the instigators?

Have you ever visited a pyramid?