ANK on 'Science in Fiction' or science-fiction?

For me, it's the characters who drive the story - not the setting, not fancy wording and certainly not the fancy science.

Although - I have to admit, I like science! Can't help it - it is an occupational hazard as much as a lifelong passion.

I can't resist a good scientific discovery! It draws me, it sparks my imagination, it occupies my mind.

There is a cornucopia of scientific discoveries begging to be picked up and released into the domain of fiction.
As sci-fi writer I need science - it is my kernel of truth around which I can weave my story and my worlds without completely cutting adrift from reality.

A flimsy tether it is sometimes - I admit that much! No matter how many cycles of 'genetic modification' the initial seed undergoes as the story develops, I will still try to stay linked to reality... somehow... in a loose sense.
'Science - in - Fiction' and sci-fi more often than not overlap. Being involved in both science and fiction, I know how difficult it can be to keep the two apart. As a scientist, I feel obliged, to stay true to the facts, but as a writer, I feel the need allow my imagination to run with it and push the boundaries.

I don't think there is an intrinsic need to keep science and fiction apart. Admittedly, the extend to which the boundaries between science and fiction need to be drawn depends on the scope and purpose of the book.
Personally, I love reading both 'genres': books deeply anchored in science, as well as the classic, imaginative sci-fi reads. 
 I think Science and Fiction are a marriage made in heaven - and like in any relationship, one of them will have the upper hand/ be the dominant partner/ wearing the pants ... it depends on the story, the characters, and on the author, because at the end of the day only you know what works best for your book!

A great source for the 'science in fiction' aficionados is http://www.lablit.com

Have a nice weekend
Happy reading!

ANK on The Sphere

The Sphere is novel of mixed genres, consisting of mainly sci-fi adventure and romance. It contains dystopian elements and hints at the fantasy-to-come as the Sphere-World series develops.
Mix, shake well and enjoy the ride - ah, sorry - read!

I wanted to create an environment, where a pocket of humankind survived for thousands of years without any contact to Earth, without input from the outside world, without even the possibility to go back, where they came from!
I wanted to explore the challenges they have to face, and their ways to deal with them.

I wanted to get into the mind of people, who learned to live with claustrophobia, stagnancy, boredom, and the cramped conditions on a space station, where there are no secrets, no surprises and nothing out of the usual.

I wanted to see how a society would develop when faced with a situation, where ‘leaving for pastures greener’ is just not an option.

What would happen? How long would they be content to live like animals in the artificial confines of a zoo? What needs to happen to shake them up and get their backside off the settee so to speak?

And what would they be doing?
Where would they be going to?
Would you like to know? If the answer is 'yes', get a copy from #Amazon worldwide.
The ebook is available to download for free for #kindleunlimited subscribers. I will also run some 'freedays' and keep you updated on those!

Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon DE

ANK on the Kindle Scout campaign

Day one is over, and I am looking forward to seeing the stats for the first time!

They are updated on a daily basis and so for the first 24 hours, I was flying blind.

Nervewrecking!

Not that I have high expectations, but one can always hope – right?

Oh well – what will it be then? 

Not that it matters much since I don’t have any benchmarks – either negative or positive. I think the scientist in me is trying to break to the surface and ‘make sense’ of it all. Yeah… so not going to happen!

Anyway: Logged on, stats checked, data acquired, mulled over and?

... looks like I was a bit over-eager and checked in too early! No updates ... so more coffee and waiting game. Took the dog out for a walk, had some more coffee ...
Finally! Stats update
51 total page views so far.
That's all right with me :-) That's much, much better than nothing!

If you haven't had the chance to read the excerpt yet, please have a look on Kindle Scout <The Sphere>

And if you like, please nominate.

On an endnote: I am actually glad that the stats only get updated once per day. I would be sitting glued to my campaign page otherwise.

The Sphere is loose!

Can't believe I did it!
My first ever novel is out for scrutiny and I am so thrilled!
It is called "The Sphere". For the curious, an excerpt is available on Kindle Scout The Sphere. If you think it is for you, please read the excerpt, and if you like it, consider nominating it for publication.
The campaign will run from August 12, 2017, 12:00 AM EDT and will end on September 11, 2017, 12:00 AM EDT.

The Sphere is a sci-fi novel in essence, but it would be nothing without the characters, who live and evolve inside its fictional world!
... and because I am a hopeless romantic, there is a lot of it going on in this book - but don't expect your standard Happily Ever After scenario, because you might be disappointed.
I think emotions and feelings, are brilliant hooks to create tension and suspense. Strong emotions force us to do things, they propel us forwards, they drive, they have the power to bring us to our knees, and make us get up again.

The Sphere is part sci-fi, part romance, part dystopia.

Mix, shake well and enjoy the read!