Sara Wright's Blog, page 6

What Would the World Be Like if Women Were in Charge?

Review of The 716 by S.J. Pratt

Synopsis:

A vivid coming of age story about the courage of everyday heroes.

Olivia is destined to be the future leader of Meliora. She’s smart, rich, and innovative, and she has a pink Identifeye light. Andy is destined to be a waiter and househusband. His blue Identifeye light prevents him from pursuing his dream of becoming an engineer. After all, who ever heard of a male engineer? But when Andy’s life becomes entangled with Olivia’s and he gets the chance to prove himself on the female stage, everything starts to change.

In a futuristic society where men are second-class citizens and only binary gender norms are acceptable, Andy and Olivia must confront their own beliefs and decide what kind of world they want to live in. Will they do what is expected or what is right? And will the wrong choice spell disaster?

Fans of Divergent and The Lunar Chronicles will enjoy this original and thought-provoking sci-fi adventure. Get ready for a touch of romance, smart heroes and an adorable robot bestie.

Review:

Back in early 2022, I watched a wonderful live stream on Bookstagram. S.J. Pratt talked about her gender role flipping book. She read a few excerpts from her book and I thought, that sounds like fun. I am happy to say, it was a fun read.

This wonderful sci-fi book is set in Meliora where woman rule the world because men messed it up. Men are not allow to become engineers or even get an education. Sound familiar?

Though I found the beginning a little slow for my taste, I think this book is an amazing start to the series. Readers are introduced to the protagonists as Olivia takes the REAL test that will decide her future, while Andy looks on longingly from the sidelines. This reversed gender role, rags-to-riches story, takes you through the daily life of these two characters as they come to terms with their own missed preconceptions of the world.

Pratt did a wonder job in placing her characters in their reversed stereotypical roles while maintaining their respective masculinity and femineity. I thoroughly enjoyed the part where Andy accidently showed a small portion of his ankle, and I laughed out loud when a female reprimanded him for it.

I know most people will love the cute little robot Ray. Don't get me wrong, I love Ray too. But my favorite character actually ended up being Hargreaves, Olivia's faithful bodyguard.

Overall I definitely recommend checking out this book. I can't wait until the next book comes out. And now I really want to take that REAL test.

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Time Crystal The Progenitor Chronicles

,Synopsis:

Time Crystals are forbidden for a reason, but King Oren must use one to save a civilization.

King Oren’s only goal was to be a peaceful caretaker of the galaxy. But when a girl falls through a portal into his courtyard clutching a forbidden Time Crystal, his life changes.

With a cataclysmic event imminent, he must lead a group from his home system to the opposite side of the galaxy. Everyone looks to their seemingly immortal race for aid, but even with their elemental powers, they are far from perfect.

Armed with the Time Crystal, they seek to stop an exploding star from decimating an entire population. The problem is, he doesn’t know how to use the crystal. Even worse, he might die trying.

Will King Oren stop the star from exploding? Or will time unravel?

How Do Authors Outline Their Novels?

Have you ever heard of the term pantser?

Well if you haven't let me explain. A pantser is writer who doesn't plot or outline their story at all. I've also heard the term discovery writer, which I like to use more. It's the same thing, you just like to discover the story while you write.

I used to love to fly by the seat of my pants when I wrote my novels. It was fantastic and fun. I just sat down and wrote whatever came to mind. Everyday was a new twist as the story took a new turn. It fueled my creative ideas.

But when it came to editing the novel, I was frustrated. I actually had to create a reverse outline and identify my major story milestones. It was awful.

Now if you're author like me and you're an pantser like I was, that's okay. I'm not saying that isn't a good method for you. It's just not a good method for me.

On the opposite side of the spectrum is the plotter. They plot everything from top to bottom of their story. I tried this method, but I found it too tedious and frustrating for me. It just took the fun out of discovering the story as I wrote.

If I couldn't be a pantser or a plotter, what could I be? What would work for me to outline my novels?

After months of searching for a hybrid method, I finally found one while studying with Ramy Vance.

Wall art became my method. I use five major mile stones as my outline. Then I fill in the rest with scenes that would work to get me from point A to point B. I pick up my major plots and my subplots along the way.

The first time I tried it was a bit rocky. I was like a child learning to walk. But the second time I tried it, was like running a marathon. Writing a book just became markedly easier. I was no longer lost in the middle of my bizarre ideas. I had direction and focus.

The bonus to the wall art method, is the pretty colors from the different sticky notes. With each story, comes a new wall art configuration.

Though I am in the midst of my rough draft of my third novel, I can't wait to finish the outline for the fourth. It's so much fun outlining my novels. I'm happy to become a plantser.

Remember, every author is different. The only method that is superior is the one the works best for you.

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A Few of My Favorite Books

Since I was a child, I loved reading. I forced my mom to read to me every night and won a few awards for reading the most books in my class. Life took away some of that tenacity, but I'm back to enjoying my favorite hobby, reading.

Here in this blog post, I am going to share with you a few of my favorite books of all time.

The Last Lumenian The Last Lumenian Series

,Synopsis:

MOST PRINCESSES NEED SAVING. THIS ONE WILL SAVE YOU.

She is a rebel. Lilla is fighting for the refugees's freedom from oppression. The king, her father, lost touch with reality ever since Lilla's mother died. Now everyone else is paying the price.

The arrival of Callum, a powerful Teryn general, complicates Lilla's life. His presence leads to conflicted feelings and friction with Arrov, a handsome pilot and fellow rebel.

Her life is not what she imagined it to be. Not by far. Meddling gods, love interests and sudden magical abilities have no room in Lilla's world, but that has become her new reality. No matter how hard she pushes them away, it's too late. They all seek to control her anyway.

Now the Era War between two ruling archgods forces Lilla to act: accept who she really is magic and all; find true love; fulfill her destiny by defeating the Archgod of Chaos and Destruction before He finds her. The Last Lumenian.

Why recommend this book?

I love Lilla. She's the perfect imperfect character. She struggles with debilitating anxiety, but she still manages to save the day.

When you mix fantasy, sci-fi, and clean romance you really can't go wrong. I love that this series takes you through space with fanciful aliens and magical god-like beings, but it still gives you that human element that we, as readers, crave. It's really Space Opera at it's finest.

If you are not a science fiction fan, this particular series may surprise you. It honestly has a little something for the speculative fiction reader.

I might be a little partial since I wrote a science fiction book with fantasy and romance elements too!

Pawn of Prophecy The Belgariad series

,Synopsis:

A fierce dispute among the Gods and the theft of a powerful Orb leaves the World divided into five kingdoms. Young Garion, with his "Aunt Pol" and an elderly man calling himself Wolf --a father and daughter granted near-immortality by one of the Gods -- set out on a complex mission. In the process, as Garion grows into his early teens, he learns to defend himself, grapples with a wild boar, uncovers spies at a king's palace, learns about sorcery and starts to gain a sense of what his own destiny may be.

Why recommend this book?

This is the book that encouraged me to love reading again. I loved the hero's journey of Garion finding the leader within. But it wasn't Garion who captured my imagination.

My favorite character is and has always been Ce'Nedra. I love her fiery personality. She is the inspiration for one of my own characters in The Progenitor Chronicles. Can you guess which one? Either way, this book will be the my favorite book from my childhood.

Pathways The Kingdom Chronicles

,Synopsis:

Eileen has never been interested in love. Ever since her father's abandonment, she's vowed to never experience such pain again. But the enchanted forest has different ideas. When the continuously shifting pathways lead her to a mysterious stranger, Eileen finds her promise to fiercely guard her heart increasingly difficult to keep.

One night when she becomes lost in a storm, the enchanted forest's pathways lead her to the castle, home to the kingdom's Dark Prince, where Eileen finds herself entangled in what many consider an opportunity but which Eileen believes to be a curse: competing for the Dark Prince’s hand through a series of tests that judge one’s royal worth. Eileen is neither royal nor interested in becoming a princess. But the mysterious stranger she met in the woods has his own reasons for helping her succeed, although the cost of his assistance may be too high: that of Eileen's heart, the one thing she's vowed never to give.

Inspired by “The Princess and the Pea” and "Rumpelstiltskin"

Why recommend this book?

Camille Peters is perhaps one of my favorite authors of all time. She combines the beauty of the life lessons typical in fairytales, but adapts them to our modern time.

In this particular book, she weaves Rumpelstiltskin and The Princess and the Pea as if they'd always belonged together. The world Peters creates is both familiarly, yet refreshingly new. While she doesn't always hit every typical fairytale expectation, she covers enough to know which retelling of the story she's referring too.

These are just a few of my recommendations. Stay tuned for more great books!

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Time Crystal The Progenitor Chronicles

,Synopsis:

Time Crystals are forbidden for a reason, but King Oren must use one to save a civilization.

King Oren’s only goal was to be a peaceful caretaker of the galaxy. But when a girl falls through a portal into his courtyard clutching a forbidden Time Crystal, his life changes.

With a cataclysmic event imminent, he must lead a group from his home system to the opposite side of the galaxy. Everyone looks to their seemingly immortal race for aid, but even with their elemental powers, they are far from perfect.

Armed with the Time Crystal, they seek to stop an exploding star from decimating an entire population. The problem is, he doesn’t know how to use the crystal. Even worse, he might die trying.

Will King Oren stop the star from exploding? Or will time unravel?

Ja'Frysta - Planet of the Six Systems

Background:

Ja'Frysta is pronounced Yah-free-s-ta. It is in homage to the Andorians of Star Trek. I loved the few appearances by these blue aliens in Star Trek so much, I decided to create my own version of these amazing creatures. Plus who doesn't love an planet made of ice.

Ja'Frysta

Second farthest planet from the two suns. Because of it's orbit it actually receives less sunlight than it's Desdemona cousin. This planet was terraformed shortly after Regvand. Sub Zero temperatures are the norm. If you plan to visit make sure you bring your coat. Their buildings are made of a mixture of ground and ice. Many homes on Ja'Frysta have a portion above ground and a portion below ground. Though Ja'Frystians love the cold, there are temperatures they can't handle. During the winter, they hibernate in specialized caves under the city that regulate their body temperatures. The palace is located in the middle of an icy lake. This was thought to a defensive position against the furry ice beasts that hunt during the winter. Ja'Frystans are an offshoot of the Regvand line. Ja'Frystans use their powers to reset polar ice caps, help generate atmospheres, and controls cold weather. Ja'Frystans skin is nearly white. They have poor eye site comparably to their Six System Cousins.

Ja'Frystans:

The Ja'Frystans are pragmatic about everything. While they don't show a great deal of emotion, one shouldn't think they lack emotion. They will defend the Six System's with their lives if provoked.

Most Ja'Frystans can't stand to leave the comforts of their own planet. They only do so if the circumstance calls for their special abilities. Because they are closely related to the water planet of Regvand, they only attend missions if their Regvand cousins cannot assist the planet.

They follow the teachings of their ancestors called the Ancients. They honor the fact that the Xardens were placed in charge of the Six Systems. Though the find the tropical climate of Xardenora unbearable, they still make time to visit the large sentient Golden Wood trees annually.

There have been a few reports of Ja'Frystans surviving on coldness of space in their hibernation mode. It's practice is frowned upon, but there are still some who test their abilities on the outside of their large sturdy ice run space ships.

If off world, you will always find these cold loving Ja'Fystans in their silver metallic climate controlled suits which sometimes alter their voice.

Ja'Frystan Characters featured in The Progenitor Chronicles

King Andar

Queen O'Flinga

Rasmus

Iglis

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Xardenora - Planet of the Six Systems

Background:

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live on a planet where sickness didn't exist?

From my youth until now, I have helped various family members through the pain of minor illnesses to to that of sever illness and even death. I'm not alone in this predicament Long before the pandemic that swept through our own planet, many of our brothers and sisters around the world experienced the pain of losing a loved one. I often wondered what it would be like if we didn't have that pain. Hence the birth of Xardenora.

Xardenora was the planet that healed my own pain after the death of my grandmother. It's place of advanced technology that could be balanced with nature. In my mind, it's the place I want to live and call home.

If I could travel to this amazing planet, I would visit the red moss cove and swing into the the crystal clear blue water that is the Eastern Sea.

Xardenora

Ruling planet of the Six Systems Xardenora is the 2nd closet terrestrial planet to the two suns. It’s a jungle like green and blue surface is like Earth. The difference is the vast variety of trees. There are two palaces.

-The Eastern Sea Palace that is made of rock in the shape of a step pyramid with

a young Golden Wood tree growing off the top. It is the summer vacation

home of the ruling monarchs

-The Tahra Palace is made out of several varieties of trees with the base of the

palace made of stone. King Oren grew this palace with help of his wife Queen

Krystallos. It serves as the primary home for the ruling monarchs and is located

just outside of the capital city.

Xardenora is the original planet of the Six Systems. All descendants of the other five planets originate from Xardenora. Xarden's powers are the most diverse. They are capable of healing, channeling the power of animals, growing any plant or tree, and are telepathic. Xardenora has the most variety of plants and animals than any planet in the known Universe. Xardenora means Ruling Garden

One of the most distinctive features of the planet is that the famous "Talking Trees" can be seen from outer space.

Main Tree types:

Golden Wood tree:

Bark that shimmers like gold in the sun. The base of the trees can reach several miles wide The male Golden Wood tree that lives in the middle of the capital city of Tahra is said to reach all the way up into the Stratosphere. These trees are semi-sentient and can telepathically speak to the people of the planet. They are connected like a network throughout the planet These telepathic trees are considered the protectors of the planet

Brown Wood tree:

These trees are taller than that found on earth. They are often used as the base for homes. The Brown Wood tree have a dark chocolate smooth bark texture The trees are the second largest trees found on Xardenora

Silver Wood trees:

These are very short trees There delicate silver branches are often used to outline the windows of homes and government buildings.

Purple Wood trees:

Medium sized trees Have purple bark Are often used an energy source on Xarden ships

Green Wood trees

The most prolific of all other trees Tall and slender similar to Earths pine trees

Yellow Wood trees

Small ornamental trees Used to decorated gardens and line roads

Red Wood trees

Similar to Earths Giant Sequoia trees Usually found in the high mountains

White Wood trees

Used for home decorations

Striped Wood trees:

Used for creating doors Has a district zebra like bark

There are many more types of trees located on Xardenora, including the flowering type like the Pluma trees. It would take several millennia to catalogue all of the trees.

Xardens:

While the people of Xardenora cannot get sick, they have the power to cure just about any illness, except one. I can't tell you what that illness is just yet because it will be revealed in a future book. However, know that they desire to use these powers to the benefit of others in the galaxy.

They follow the teachings of their ancestors called the Ancients. These Ancient progenitors are the architects of the Universe. With their vast power and wisdom, they set forth guidelines that their future descendants would follow. One of those edicts is to be a guide and example to the Universe. They also placed Xarden's in charge of the Six Systems.

Xarden's are known to be peaceful. They seek to resolve conflict and rehabilitate those who seek to harm others. While they will defend themselves, they do so with the aim to subdue the attackers, rather than harming them.

The Xarden's are the most welcoming species of the Six Systems. If you're going to visit this wonderful group of planets, this is a must see spot on any itinerary.

Progenitors:

Every seven thousand years, a person is born on Xardenora with the DNA of the ancient Progenitors. With these powers a Progenitor can manipulate any molecule in the Universe including time. They become the High King or Queen of the Six System sometime after their 200th year or whenever they choose to reveal themselves to the Planetary Council Their job is to guide the Six Systems back to the way of the Ancients and protect the Universe. They are capable of opening up portals that allow them to not only travel through space, but also time. Because of their unique physiology they can only bond with those who have the specific gene markers to be able to receive a portion of their powers. Golden Wood trees are said to play a role in the selection of the Progenitor and their future companion.Xarden Characters featured in The Progenitor Chronicles

King Oren

Queen Krystallos

Princess Xendara

Princess Madora

Princess Maylee

Princess Keeya

Prince Keva

Prince Riyad

Chancellor Oakwood (aka Oaky)

Lilly

Conium

Acacia

High Officer Thistle

Xandar - the previous Progenitor

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Desdemona - Planet of the Six Systems

In my youth I loved reading about how things worked and were built. I loved my books about volcanoes. When I had the opportunity to study some in my college days I was excited.

I know what you're thinking volcanoes are dangerous and I would agree with you on that point. However, volcanoes can also be beautiful.

Without volcanoes Earth might have been stuck in an ice age. Without volcanoes some of the rocks that decorate our kitchens would not exist. Without volcanoes some of our precious minerals would never have existed. Without volcanoes the ground would not be replenished with vital minerals for food.

The next time you pass by a volcano remember where there is destruction, beauty can exist. Always remember to have proper respect for them, because we do not know the day or hour they will activate their destructive power.

Through all this, my study of volcanoes inspired me to create a world that was beautifully destructive. That is how I came up with the planet of Desdemona.

Desdemona Desdemona is the furthest terrestrial planet from two suns. It’s red surface is like our own sister planet we call Mars. The only difference is that there is free flowing water and plant life on Desdemona (but not much). The Obsidian Castle is made of the smooth glass-like black rock. Desdemona does not sit naturally within the circumstellar habitable zone of the Six Systems. It was terraformed by the descendants of the Progenitors that specialized in fire and heat. While their powers are divergent, Desdemona and Rhyolite descended from the same Ancient progenitors. Desdemona has the most volcanos of the Six Systems.

Like volcanoes on Earth, Desdemona has beauty and destruction. The people of Desdemona are passionate about the arts. Where most people see only destruction, they see beauty.

The Desdemonan's are a hearty race. They can withstand high temperatures that humans would never be able to stand. The "fire race" of the Ancients can manipulate the molecules to cause a chemical fire reaction. The heat from their powers can be so intense they can melt rock. The Desdemonan's use their powers to melt rock to power their ships.

If you were to ever meet this powerful race, I wouldn't anger them in any way.

Desdemonan Characters featured in The Progenitor Chronicles

King Absalom

Queen Encantra

Prince Xalvador

Lord Volner

Copper

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What is Speculative Fiction?

The “What If?” genre that is speculative fiction has been around for thousands of years. The genre has entertained us, terrified us, and pushed the boundaries of our imagination.

Sometimes, it made our wildest fantasies come true. If you were to travel back in time a few hundred years and told a carriage maker that one day we’d be riding in a horseless carriage run by electricity, they likely would have laughed in your face.

Speculative fiction covers both fantasy and science fiction and their subgenres. Fantasy is where the implausible parts of our imagination can run wild. While Science Fiction gives credibility to an imaginative world.

Both science and fantasy fiction have many subgenres that have specific troupes and overall world characteristics. In fantasy, it is expected that there will be some sort of superhuman powers, mystical creatures, and a lot of things that don’t exist in the real world. Science Fiction or Sci-Fi, on the other hand, contains a lot of futuristic or alternative realities where science and technology are advanced and may or may not currently exist, but could exist at some point, time travel, and aliens.

It all comes back to the “What If?” question. What if there was an alternate reality where humans were telepathic? What if Unicorns were real?

It’s a fun genre that I have always loved as a reader and I love exploring as a writer. I love both subgenre’s of speculative fiction and I have found that I have difficultly staying on one side of the wall or the other. That is why I write science fantasy. I love to pull epic fantasy troupes, but include advanced technology. It’s great if you can give a science explanation for the power a character uses.

I like a little science with my fantasy and a brief fantasy with my sci-fi. It’s probably why I love the Space Opera and Epic Fantasy equally. The two subgenres’ can be blended together so well. It’s why I am a fan of Glynn Stewart and S.G. Blaise. Both authors do a spectacular job of blending science fiction and fantasy together.

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