Blog Posts

Introducing the Opus of the Dead Series

3/13/2016

Writing is a funny thing because you never know where it will take you. Sometimes a book you are expecting to be a full-length novel is actually a perfect novella, like Mechaniclism, and sometimes a stand-alone becomes a series. It was surprising to realize the Lullaby of the Dead was turning into the latter. It is exciting to see fascinating characters come to life (well, in this case, death). They are begging for more of their stories to be told. So, I am ready to announce that Lullaby of the Dead will now be the first book in the Opus of the Dead Series!
At this time, I’m uncertain if the fifth in the Survivor Diaries Series will be my next windmill to tilt at, or if I will continue with Book 2 in the Opus series, but I promise I will write the book that screams at me the loudest. I have learned I get the best results when I listen to my gut.
But SD fans, don’t worry! Thus far, Lullaby of the Dead has many of the aspects of SD you fell in love with! With strong character development and many twists and turns, it offers the drama that draws you to Laura Patton and the gang. Landry Sinclair, the female protagonist, might not start out as likable as Laura, but wait until you see the amazing transformation she makes in death.

I invite you to leave a comment on this or any other blog post I make. As fans, you are why I write, so let me know your thoughts!

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Future of the Survivor Diaries, Part 2

1/13/2016

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A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to have had some very good advice from friends and fans concerning the next book in the Survivor Diaries Series. After careful consideration, I have realized that it would be a disservice to the previous books and the characters I have given birth to, to push the next book forward before I am ready to do so. I want Wanderers on the Winds to be the best book I can write for my fans; therefore, I am putting it back on the shelf.
I am writing now, and I hope that each of you will read my next effort. Thanks to everyone who supplied me with such excellent input. You know who you are, and you are the best!

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The Future of the Survivor Diaries

12/26/2015

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I have been reluctant to share a piece of information publicly because I am not certain how my die-hard Villagers will take what I am about to reveal. I have been contemplating the future of the Survivor Diaries Series since the completion of Frozen Webs. Don’t fret, Wanderers on the Winds will definitely be my next novel; however, after that, there are several ways to move ahead. Each option would be an appropriate direction for the books I have spent the last two years submerged in writing. My inner-conversation has gone something like this:

I can continue with the series indefinitely, hoping that both the stories and characters remain fresh and engaging. After all, some of my favorite authors have done this successfully for years.
I might conclude the series with Wanderers on the Winds, if that is the trajectory the story organically follows. Often, my plots travel in a different direction than previously planned, and with better results when Laura or Jackson make the calls.
The series could continue, but at much longer release intervals. Most would agree that five lengthy books in two and a half years is a real accomplishment, but cannot be sustained forever.

It’s only fair to mention, I have not made up my mind yet. I should have a better idea of what is to come as I plow deeper into Book V. At this stage in my journey, I am interested in exploring new worlds and testing my reach. I have had that opportunity in the short story anthology, The Oxymoron of Still Life, and the Novella, Mechaniclism, but they were made shorter than I liked so that I could bring more SD stories to your bookshelves. No matter what I decide about the future of Laura Patton and Company, I must be true to myself and write what is begging to come out.

It’s an incredible feeling when fans eagerly ask about release dates for the Survivor Diaries books. But I also must admit that it makes me a bit anxious because it is so difficult to gauge. Sometimes story-lines take on a life of their own, and I have to follow where they lead. Other times, they present themselves and beg me not to over-write them. I still have my eye on a spring release date though.

So, what does all of this musing mean? I suppose it means that I have made no solid decisions, but that there are changes in store in the future of SD, and some yet to be titled adventures to explore. No matter what, I hope to continue to grow as an author and strengthen my voice.

Comments? I would love some feedback from anyone with opinions and/or questions.

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Is America a Self-destructing War Zone?

12/3/2015

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I write fiction about senseless war and mass destruction.

I write to quell my fear of a nuclear war. I write to make a difference—to help others see the senselessness of all war. Perhaps my fear is misguided.

Are we experiencing a foot-war by an invisible enemy, an enemy that comes in all shapes, sizes, ideologies, and creeds? Is this a war forged by humans with human victims?

Yesterday, we experienced another in a long string of violence at the hand of Americans, using weapons legally purchased in stores and weapons made at home. I am uncertain that it matters whether this latest mass murder was committed in the name or religion or by a man who hated his co-workers. They are dead, he is dead, his wife and accomplice is dead.

With no meaningful dialogue on how to solve these mass shooter attacks, will any of us ever be safe? Must it touch every single one of our lives through it victims before we say ENOUGH?

When I encounter the word humanity, I always experience a sensation a calm in both body and mind. Humanity is a goal, a concept, and a promise. I write about humanity, and I am indeed a Humanist. For those not acquainted with the terminology, a Humanist believes that our ethical guide is internal, not something you are endowed with by a deity. This scares some people, enrages others, and is rebuked as a faithless bunch destined to an eternity in hell. But, you see, I don’t need the threat of hell to scare me into not killing. For those who would judge me for my beliefs: I do not judge you on yours if you desire and work for a peaceful existence. But I ask you, have you ever heard of a Humanist committing the type of violence we are experiencing on a daily basis?

Excerpt from Moving Mountains: A Sermon By Reverend John Summerlyn

“I can’t say that I know who did this. Throughout the centuries, religious groups have fought each other in horrible wars under the pretext of their differences. ‘We don’t believe the same things about our deity, and therefore we must eliminate anyone who believes differently than we do,’ they reasoned. If they had only tried to find the similarities, perhaps we would not be living in a world with so much loss and suffering today. In this world, we are no longer able to rise in the morning without feeling the heaviness from our sadness and loss.”
I looked back at the stricken face of Carl Delgado. “Come on,” I whispered to Bailey and Jackson. They followed me as I made my way towards the back row and sat in the empty seat next to Delgado. Bailey sat on my lap, and Jackson took my left hand. I took Delgado’s hand in my right one and continued listening to Reverend John.
“If we could remember that each of the world’s recognized religions have the same fundamental values, perhaps we could hear God’s true message.
“Christianity: All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye so to them; for this is the law and the prophets. Matthew 7:1.
“Islam: No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself. Sunnah.
“Judaism: What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow man. This is the entire Law; all the rest is commentary. Talmud, Shabbat, three id.
“Confucianism: Do not do to others what you would not like yourself. Then there will be no resentment against you, either in the family or in the state. Analects 12:2.
“Buddhism: Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful. Udana-Varga five, one.
“Hinduism: This is the sum of duty; do naught onto others what you would not have them do unto you. Mahabharata five, 1517.
“Taoism: Regard your neighbor’s gain as your gain, and your neighbor’s loss as your own loss. Tai Shang Kan Yin P’ien.”
Reverend John paused, looked out over the small congregation, and smiled. “Maybe if we all closely follow this rule, the Golden Rule, you might recognize as ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,’ we can avoid the misunderstandings of the past.”
He looked up again, and his eyes settled on the last row of chairs. “And next week, I think that I would like to speak about forgiveness as it has been taught in these different faiths. And before we leave, please turn to your neighbor and offer peace, in whatever way you like.”

Resource Guide:
https://www.facebook.com/americanhumanist/info/?tab=overview
https://www.facebook.com/HumansRefusingToBeEnemies/?fref=ts
http://americanhumanist.org/

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#WomenWrite

10/5/2015

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Writing Books Isn’t Just Writing/When Will Wanderers on the Winds Be Released

9/25/2015

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I have been getting many questions about Book V of the Survivor Diaries, Wanderers on the Winds. This makes me both immensely happy and incredibly stressed at the same time. I have heard some authors freak-out at their readers when they are asked about the release date of their next book, and to this I ask, “Are you crazy? People care about your work. Be thankful!” And I am very thankful for the inquiries, but it comes along with a dichotomy of emotions. What causes the anxiety? I want to make my readers happy and make sure you don’t forget about me—and Laura!
It is difficult to explain the process of writing, but sometimes there is another book that calls out to be written immediately and won’t be quiet until you acquiesce. That is what happened with my new book, Mechaniclism. And let me tell you, when demonic automatons creep into your cerebral cortex, you listen!
Today’s indie-authors aren’t just authors, either. To survive, we have to become graphic designers, our own literary agents, marketers, video editors (okay, I was already one of those), social media experts, and that’s just touching the surface. It’s not easy to be seen in a saturated market of eBooks and digital media. With six books almost in the can, I could be a full-time self-marketer.
And that brings me to the burning question: when will Wanderers on the Winds be released? The truth is, I can only give a ballpark answer. Broadly, it would be safest to say, “Sometime in 2016.” Specifically, well, like I said, I can’t say—BUT—I hope to have it out in the winter of 2016. Realistically, it might be out in the spring. The Tribsters are at a critical juncture in their journey, and I owe it to them not to rush through their story.
Please don’t forget about Lynn Lamb and Laura Patton! The best news for fans of the Survivor Diaries Series is I think (hope, pray on bended knee), that you are going to love Mechaniclism just as much.

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Interview with Indie Author Julie Ann Hacker

5/26/2015

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I am excited to introduce you all to author Julie Ann Hacker. She has a number of titles being released this year that I am sure you will enjoy. And as you will see below, she is a true delight!

To start, shamelessly plug your books!

The Dead Dance Faster – Unsacred Awakening (Book #1 in a—at least!—3 book series). I was shooting for an end-of-May release, but may be June 1 or June 2.
The Dead Dance Faster - Book #2 due out in September 2016, Book #3 due out in Winter 2015/16
Literary Fiction Novel - Title TBA – But I will tell you, what goes on in the neighborhood, stays in the neighborhood J. Scheduled for release Winter 2015/16
Vindication Series - Non-fiction, real-life vindication series. Release dates? When you least expect it J

As a psychological-spiritual-metaphysical and mystical author, what scares you?
Nothing scares me but fear. LOL. I’m not kidding. Not your everyday fears like, death, car accident, getting sick, spiders, the dark, is there a God?, not the phobias or catastrophic type of fears; but the unexplainable fear kept hidden in the deep wells of our sub-conscious. Haunting qualms: Foreboding dread. Subtle torture that you don’t even feel—it’s just that slow. Unidentified, but caressing the soul deep inside, lulling us into subtle manipulation of reality. Those fears creep out all over the place without acknowledgement. The ones we can’t explain; scary and true.
FEAR of succumbing to the belief that another human being would willingly suck the soul right out of my mind and body is pretty scary. You know who I’m speaking of. Don’t you? The others who lurk; one in every 25 people. They espouse a psychopathic, narcissistic personality. I’ve personally known at least two. They can be very clever, unless you learn what to look for.

Who or what has influenced your writing, and in what way?
You know the psychopaths I mentioned above? They are the ones who influence me to write. And, I write to figure out what the heck I’m trying to say to myself. (I talk to myself constantly while I’m writing.) Come on now. I’m NOT a psychopath. Sheeeze.
Honestly, all the great books in the world made me want to do the same. Write and read.

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what three things would you have and why?
Ha, ha. This is one of funniest questions. Hmmm. I’m going to be careful here, Lynn!
Endless books, of ALL kinds.
Clothes to wear, to fight off sunburn.
Chocolate and wine for sustenance.
That’s all I’m sayin’!

What was the first book or story in your genre that you remember reading?
The Secret Garden…no joke, now. I believe it is/was genre-ized (I think I just made up that word) as a ‘coming of age’ novel, which is not what I write; but the mystical garden tweaked me deeply as a child. When I was a kid, it was one of the more serious books I’d read. And, The Secret Garden held gems of psychological mystery for me. I still enjoy the book to this day. Secrets lie at the heart of the best work.

Have you ever used contemporary events or stories “ripped from the headlines” in your work?
Only from the headlines of my own life.

What is the message in your book(s)?
You exist in time, but you belong in eternity’s loveliness. Find the fearful secrets that keep you from being free, then, don’t be afraid of releasing them and allowing the wind to carry them away, forever.

Julie Ann Hacker’s social media digits:
Everything about Screaming Ego Books, reviews, interviews, blog, and social media can be found here:
My author website: julieannhacker.com
Facebook: facebook/julieannhacker.com
Twitter: twitter.com/julieannhacker or @julieannhacker, if you’re already connected
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/julieannhacker
Pinterest: pinterest.com/jahacker
Goodreads: goodreads.com/julieannhackerscreamingegobooks

Please give us an excerpt from your upcoming release.
The Dead Dance Faster – Unsacred Awakening

Before God’s Word passes through any minster’s pursed lips, the table speaks to you in holy whispers. The altar stands alone. Through my eyes, filtering into my mind, the ornate, smooth wood lifts and heaves, bringing life to the etched illusion; the breath of Him still living. “How clever,” I mumble to myself as I run my right pointer and middle fingers across the silky edges. Intricate carvings of the Passion of Christ tell The Greatest Story Ever Told to each parishioner; the ones needing their guilt secured. An esteemed oration spurs my conscience just by passing in front of this shrine’s profound crevasses. The Passion follows you: No matter which direction you step in.
“Don’t touch the altar,” Pastor Jude pushes my hand away as if he’s a docent in a museum.
Not knowing what to say, I pretend I didn’t do it.
Flat rippled limestone sits atop the altar’s fancy base. There’s nothing subtle about it. Stiff, dried blood stains drip over its edges, left as an un-scrubbed reminder, I guess. Overwhelmed, the impulse to curl up inside myself spurs me to ask for forgiveness. As if the damn table already knows something. How the hell could that be?
Pastor Jude tells me, “They dug the stone out of the mountain in 1848. Some of the old timers had to hunt for their food and they offered it up to the Lord on this old rock.”
I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you; it’s freakin’ creepin’ me out.
He quickens the pace of our tour, taking about five steps before I notice he’s moving. I lift my face out of the notebook trying to complete my drawing without stumbling over the carpeted flooring. He stops. He turns his head and looks at me as if I need an introduction to this big box. Before us, a staunch confessional stands at the back of the sanctuary and to the left. It’s shiny too, just like the pews. I find myself tilting my head. It looks like something a child would use. I’m not Catholic, but it seems to me in the pictures I’ve seen, standard confessionals tower larger than this.
“People were smaller during that time. If you notice the door’s no larger than a foot and a half wide and five and a half feet tall. Men didn’t feel the need to confess. They didn’t worry about fitting through the eye of the confessional. Only the plump women would feel the heaviness—of their sins, I mean, as they squeezed through—mastering a psychological weakening of their souls, if you will,” he smiles.
But I don’t think it’s funny.
“These signs of sin continue on through the seed of women, according to early church beliefs,” Pastor Jude looks me straight in the eye.
I cringe then squelch my urge to run from this place by fixating on my pen and its movement across the page. My soul numbs and I consider the effort a success; I’ve quelled the anxiety squirming up my back and into my head.
“Jael, do you want to come close to God?”
My eyes entreat his, “Huh? Oh, I think I already am,” I offer a quick stammer.
He nods his head toward the confessional door. He expects me to go in.
And, for some unexplained reason I follow his nod, “Not sure if I even fit through this door.” But for the sake of acceptance, I step in, and, yes, I fit. Part of me wants to celebrate, as if I’m innocent or something. Why the hell did I do this? I think. This sacrosanct tomb of wood surrounds me. Grated holes relinquish a trickle of air.
“How do you like it in there?”
A peephole catches my eye. “It’s a little claustrophobic.” I slide my middle finger in. When I pull it out, a splinter pricks the thin skin underneath. Not having a bandage, I swipe the dot of blood on the corner of my page.
“It doesn’t matter. No one was usually in there too long,” he quips.
A room hides behind the confessional. I see it through the hole. “Weird,” I mutter. I take a deep breath and suck in my tummy squeezing back out the door.
“How’d it feel?” He asks as if I should know some kind of judgment he’s placed on me.  For what? I don’t know. Some people grasp on to judgement. “Ridiculously pointless,” I answer and let it drop, even though it felt so humbly strange.
He turns his back and walks a few steps over, pausing and contemplating my remark. Quickly I draw the peep hole and scribble a room around it. He didn’t say anything about the hidden room. I don’t think he knows I’m all about it
                                                                                                               ***
Thank you, Lynn, for graciously interviewing me. I’m a really big fan of your writing! ----Julie

I am humbled by your kind words and I love this excerpt of your work. I can’t wait until it comes out! Thanks, Julie Ann, for your time today!

                 Click this Screaming Ego icon to go to be magically transported to Julie Ann Hacker's Website

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What Would Atticus Do? Harper Lee’s To Go Set a Watchman Controversy

4/28/2015

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Call me a killjoy, a party pooper, or even a pessimist, but I stand firmly in camp doubtful when it comes to the release of the author Harper Lee’s Go Set a Watchman, the sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird. It was written prior to the iconic novel and is now slated to be released this summer.

Here it is: wrongly publishing Harper Lee’s work would be like the theft of a part of her soul.

Ask yourself—WWAD—What would Atticus do? I believe that anyone who has truly understood the lessons of To Kill a Mockingbird knows the answer to that question. In case you are unfamiliar with it, below is the history from Wikipedia as background. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_Set_a_Watchman.

I was ecstatic when I first heard that Lee was allowing the release of a book whose existence I had always questioned as fact or fiction. Like most fans, To Kill a Mockingbird is a deeply personal novel to me. That is what makes it such a remarkable piece of literature. As you age, you grow in your understanding of it, even if you first read it in your youth. A part of Atticus’ morality becomes your own. And the film remains one of my favorites, as well. Still, when I come across it on television while channel surfing, I always stop and watch, no matter how far along it is in the airing. This is one of the few films I will do this for. It is hard to wait for the scene when the African-Americans, in their separate gallery high above the court room, stand to honor Atticus as he exits. There are few film moments as powerful as that one. Inevitably, it brings me to tears.

Now that the novel is about to be released, I am deeply torn—as a filmmaker, a writer, and a loyal fan of Harper Lee. Once out, the damage is done, right? What would it hurt if I purchased a copy and devoured it from cover to cover, as I so desire to do?

But damn the morality that I developed at a young age, largely in part owed to Atticus Finch, who fights on the side of the wrongly accused victim, no matter the cost, to stand as an example to his own children (and myself). And now Ms. Lee is likely a victim herself—be it a victim of age, a victim of deteriorating mental capacity, and/or possibly a victim of financial hardship.

I have only been writing for a year and a half, and of course I would never put my own work in the class of Ms. Lee’s, but I have come to understand that every word a writer commits to type-set is deeply and inextricably a part of her being. As far as I know, there is no clear answer as to why she felt that Go Set a Watchman should not be released. Also, there is the question of why she has never released any other works. Ms. Lee has always been a very private person. That is her right as a human being.

I write of the human condition. Lee also wrote of the human condition. I know the answer to my question What Would Atticus Do, and unless someone comes up with convincing evidence that Harper Lee, with a complete understanding of her actions, has released the novel Go Set a Watchman for publication, I will stand and walk out of the court room, first sad and defeated, and then proudly, because that is what Atticus would do!

Wikipedia Entry:

Go Set a Watchman is a novel by Harper Lee which is slated to be published on July 14, 2015, by HarperCollins in the United States and William Heinemann in the United Kingdom. It was written before Lee's only published novel To Kill a Mockingbird (1960). The title comes from Isaiah 21:6: "For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth."[1] It alludes to Scout's view of her father, Atticus Finch, as the moral compass ("watchman") of Maycomb.[2]

Development History

Though the book has been characterized in media reports as a sequel to Lee's best-selling novel, Go Set a Watchman was written in the mid-1950s, before she wrote To Kill a Mockingbird, which was published in 1960. She set it aside when her editor suggested that she write another novel from the young Scout Finch's perspective.

Controversy

Some publications have called the timing of the book "suspicious", citing Lee's declining health, statements she had made over several decades that she would not write or release another novel, and the death of her sister (and caregiver) just two months before the announcement.[7][8] NPR reported on the news of her new book release, with circumstances "raising questions about whether she is being taken advantage of in her old age."[9] Some publications have even called for fans to boycott the work.[10] News sources, including NPR,[9] BBC News [11] and Jezebel,[12] have reported that the conditions surrounding the release of the book are unclear and posit that Lee may not have had full control of the decision. Investigators for the state of Alabama interviewed Lee in response to a suspicion of elder abuse in relation to the publication of the book.[13]

Conversely, historian and Lee's longtime friend Wayne Flynt told the Associated Press that the "narrative of senility, exploitation of this helpless little old lady is just hogwash. It's just complete bunk." Flynt said he found Lee capable of giving consent and believes no one will ever know for certain the terms of said consent.[14]

This is an interesting article from Mental Floss on Harper Lee’s contributions to society: http://mentalfloss.com/article/54752/4-awesome-things-harper-lee-did-after-mockingbird.

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MY TWO PHILLIP JACKSONS

4/2/2015

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Meet the Real Phillip Jackson and Learn Colonel Jackson’s Link to Autism

Naming characters in a novel is an interesting exercise. It is one of the first things you must contemplate when you set out to write fiction. Should you name your characters something simple to remember? How about after someone famous? Or maybe you should name them after a person in your real life—a person you have much admiration for. I chose a mixture of these techniques while naming the dozens of characters throughout the four books in the Survivor Diaries Series, but the name that meant the most to me personally was derived from someone I look up to, enjoy learning from, and respect greatly. His name is Phillip Jackson, and his dream was to become a soldier.

While Laura Patton was named for one of my favorite writers from childhood—Laura Ingles Wilder—and is the main character and the first person narrator of my novels, but Colonel Phillip Jackson’s moniker was the most personal to me. His name was inspired by a petite, blue-eyed, blonde-haired boy I was lucky enough to meet when he was just ten-years-old.

Our introduction was memorable. I was working from home when this little nymph walked into my house, and my life, through the garage door. He was all smiles. After I recovered from the surprise guest’s unannounced entry into my home, I recognized him from the neighborhood where he often played outside while his mother sat on the front stoop of their home, watching and smiling at her beautiful child.

Phillip has some speech impediments, and when he spoke with me that first day I wasn’t sure exactly what he was saying. I thought that he might be deaf, but I soon found out that he could hear me just fine. He spoke so emphatically and with such passion that I found myself nodding my head in agreement to whatever it was he was talking about.

Worrying that his family would be frantically searching for him, I tried to lure him out of my house and back to his own. But Phillip wanted to play with my dog, Hershey, and he was—to put it mildly and lovingly—stubborn! I tried everything, but he would not come. I finally opted on leaving him in my house and going to find someone to fetch him.

Phillip’s concerned step-father and I jetted back to my place quickly, only to find my living room empty. No child, no dog! We started to search anxiously for him, but he was nowhere—not in the closets, not under the beds, and not in the basement.

I was concerned both for the boy’s welfare and that—by the fact that I was the last person to have seen him—perhaps his father was beginning to think that I had done something to the missing child. The two of us stood befuddled in my living room when something caught my attention from the corner of my eye. I ran to the window, and sure enough, there was Phillip and Hershey, thick-as-thieves, playing in the backyard.

Our relief was palpable! We found him! And I soon learned that Phillip was a funny, creative, energetic child who happened to be autistic.

A few days later, early in the morning of September 11, 2011, I woke to find my husband watching the ten-year anniversary memorial of 9/11 on the news … not at all surprising. What was surprising was the small blonde head that sat next to him on the couch, petting Hershey as if his presence in our living room at 5:45 AM was the most natural thing in the world. A huge grin took over my husband’s face as he took in me, taking in them.

“He was here when I woke,” my husband informed me with a shrug.

I quickly dressed and went to fetch his mother. At this point, we had talked and she was more comfortable with us, but certainly not with the Harry Houdinis’ her son was pulling-off in order to visit our house.

Over the next months and years, Phillip became part of the family. He and my step-son played together and taught each other many lessons. My step-son—who has always been tall for his age (he is presently thirteen and stands at six-foot-one), and Phillip—always small—one child of mixed race, and the other as light as they come—came to play, fight, and laugh together like brothers.

So, how did this little man come to lend his name to one of the Survivor Diaries most beloved characters? When I sat down to write my first book, I knew I needed a military-man for the plot and the real Phillip Jackson had a love for all things military. The memory of how this boy would rush from his house and chase my husband’s car down when he returned from his Reserve Duty weekends, just to see him in his uniform and respectfully salute him, made the name selection easy.

Phillip Jackson’s dream, his mother once shared with me, was to become a US Army Soldier when he grew-up. It hurt us all deeply that Phillip would never be able to see his dream come true—but there was something small I could do. I could name the factious Army Colonel of my novels after this loving, lively, and caring boy who decided one day to become one of our family.

I have often said that Jackson, the colonel, was never intended to have such a major role in the series, but thankfully he was loud enough, not to mention tenacious and stubborn enough, to make sure that I could always hear his voice loud and clear! I like to think that it came from the seed planted from the true hero—the real Phillip Jackson.

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Science Fiction Genre

1/12/2015

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Have you ever asked yourself—what does #sciencefiction really mean?

Whenever forced to categorize the Survivor Diaries Series as Science Fiction in genre, a little part of my brain screams, “No, this isn’t Star Trek. There are no transporters, light sabers, big blue woman, or other fictional manifestations of the imagination.” I write about the backlash of Armageddon through weapons of mass destruction that actually exist.

It’s a real possibility based on actual technology!

But popular culture and art assign the genre a much broader definition. Wiki defines science fiction as “genre of fiction dealing with the impact of imagined innovations in science or technology, often in a futuristic setting. Exploring the consequences of such innovations is the traditional purpose of science fiction, making it a ‘literature of ideas.’”

Nuclear atoms, the a-bomb, actually exist and have been put into use; they are not imagined. And yet, we still categorize post-apocalyptic literature based on nuclear war as something of fantasy. Perhaps we try to comfort ourselves against the idea of the most catastrophic threat of mass genocide is inconceivable or, at best, make-believe.

So, the next time you search for a good global nuclear war story under science fiction, think about it.

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Lynn Lamb's

Introducing the Opus of the Dead Series

Future of the Survivor Diaries, Part 2

The Future of the Survivor Diaries

Is America a Self-destructing War Zone?

#WomenWrite

Writing Books Isn’t Just Writing/When Will Wanderers on the Winds Be Released

Interview with Indie Author Julie Ann Hacker

What Would Atticus Do? Harper Lee’s To Go Set a Watchman Controversy

MY TWO PHILLIP JACKSONS

Science Fiction Genre

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