Blog Archives
Aliens as a Metaphor
Little Green Man follows a seventeen-year-old girl living in a small town who, with the help of the new boy at school, tries to find out if there are aliens living in their town. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
While I’ve written about aliens before, I wanted to write something that shined a different light on the concept. I incorporated the high school experience to create a young adult book that readers could find both exciting and relatable. I played around a lot with the dynamic of Birdie and Sol early on, as well as the rest of the characters present in the story. Overall, my primary inspiration for writing a book so centered around high school was the fact that, at the time of writing this book, I was about a month from starting high school. While I was sixteen when the novel was published, I was fourteen when I wrote it!
I enjoyed the character of Birdie. Is there anything about Birdie that came from yourself or your life experiences?
Birdie was, in many ways, a manifestation of myself at the time. Although she was several years older than I was at the time of writing this book, there are a lot of things about her that were derived from myself: Her awkwardness when it comes to talking to boys, her tendency to obsess over what fascinates her, and even her love for beautiful views – just to name a few.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
It was essential to, inevitably, explore aliens – not only as little green men but also as creatures that may be very similar to humans. I strived to capture experiences that would be relatable to the audience of the book, using the concept of aliens as a metaphor for being left out and excluded from society.
Where does the story go in the next book, and where do you see it going in the future?
A sequel (and perhaps more) is in the works for Little Green Man. While I cannot say much about where the story goes, I explore the alien species that the first book focuses on, as well as the relationship between Earth and this species. Birdie and Sol are also reunited – for better or for worse.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Website | Amazon
“I’m not going to parties or practicing underage drinking. I’m not sneaking out to see my secret boyfriend. I’m literally searching for aliens.”
Meet seventeen-year-old Birdie Buckley. She’s an alien enthusiast from a small town in Colorado called Mount Pifork, a miserable place where everyone knows everyone, anything that deviates from the norm is looked down upon and, to top it off, there may or may not be aliens lurking. At least, that’s what Birdie thinks.
Ever since she was young, she has been searching for proof that humans are not alone in the universe—and so far, that research has not taken her very far. Until, one night she captures her boldest piece of evidence yet. This sends her on a spiraling journey that opens up a million harrowing questions, because she may not be the only one aware of the anomaly.
Joining forces with Sol, the mysterious new boy at her high school and the one person who shares her interests, Birdie looks deeper into bizarre occurrences, her community’s hidden history, and even a strange observatory on the outskirts of town that she swears was never there before. The more she investigates, the more her findings begin to make sense and the more the truth becomes clear—and that truth may be her dream come true, or her biggest fall from grace.
Perfect for fans of E.T. and the X-Files, Little Green Man takes readers on an eccentric investigation that challenges the definition of alien and explores the overshadowed side of the high school experience.
Deliverance or Justice
Dissonance Volume II: Reckoning follows a man living through an alien invasion who is given a mission to train recruits and track down an AWOL Captain set on vengeance. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I needed to pick up right where I left off at the end of Dissonance Volume I: Reality. I’m a big believer in the continuity of story. I love how The Hunger Games movies literally pickup almost right where you left off. I wanted that for my books as well. There is a cruelty in play, and it is directly affecting Jet Shipley, but he’s consumed by desire for revenge, that he’s swinging at a lot of things and making mistakes in so doing. He needs time alone with his thoughts first, to refocus, to get centered with the help of Pastor Rosie, and to allow justice to happen rather than pursue revenge. But as he proceeds forward in trust, he just discovers that some people are silver tongues and cannot be trusted…and he gets fooled again. At this point that deception starts costing more lives and trauma, and he gets further galvanized for action as he goes along. I knew that as he was going into dark places, that I needed to take the story in dark places by introducing more sinister back story, plunging our protagonists into the depths of Mammoth Cave, showing them the aftermath of the 2026 invasion (in this case, by passing through Bowling Green KY), and learning what darkness the human heart can harbor.
With so many great characters in your novel, what character did you enjoy writing for? Was there one that was more challenging to write for?
I have to say that I LOVE Pastor Rosie. I do. She is so wonderful and so sinister, haha! Sinister in that she knows what people need to do, but she’s maniacally devious in how she lets them get to their answers, guiding them along the way to the truth. I love her personality, her wisdom, her desire to guide Cameron toward justice instead of revenge, and I love her wit. She’s sort of a mix between the Oracle in “The Matrix”, God in “The Shack”, and the prayer warrior in “War Room.” Powerful combination. I had a harder time writing the ancillary characters like Armstrong. I also very much enjoyed writing Cardona, and the big reveal there.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Justice vs. revenge, certainly. But also snarkiness to maturity, as well as cynicism to trust. All of those are evolutions of growth that we need to experience if we’re to mature. Undergirding all of that, however, there’s the persistent and indispensable refrain of hope…that’s what keeps us going forward. Whether it’s hope for deliverance or justice, Cameron and company are pushing forward to see the good end of bad things.
Can you tell us where the book goes and where we’ll see the characters in the next book?
Yes! Dissonance Volume II: Reckoning leads right into Dissonance Volume III: Renegade and there is a massive conclusion to the series in store for you there. The book has several climactic battles, further character reveals, intense plot lines, incredible attention to military detail, and the aforementioned good end, not to spoil things. We need a happy ending. We all do. It’s good for the soul. The human race, in the Dissonance series at least, has already lost so much. In this series, 85% of humanity has been killed off. They need and deserve a happy ending. In Dissonance Volume III: Renegade, they get a happy and tremendously powerful ending.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Website | Amazon
They say there’s nothing more dangerous than a man with nothing to lose. Sergeant Cameron “Jet” Shipley is that man.
Jet is hellbent on revenge for the death of his younger brother, and that thirst for vengeance extends all the way up to the President herself. But some people are silver-tongues, and Cameron is swayed back to trust. Promoted to Lieutenant, Cameron is issued a new mission and is on the hunt for answers. He must figure out who his military allies and enemies are, before he winds up with a knife in his own back.
The alien invasion is still a threat, and Cameron is torn between duty and doubt while just trying to survive. His next military assignment takes him to the post-apocalyptic Blockade at Mammoth Cave, Kentucky. He’s needed to train recruits, strengthen defenses, and plan a strike against the gorgons that have taken over a post apocalyptic Planet Earth.
Love was never part of the plan, but surviving side-by-side with Allison Trudy, Cameron finds himself falling for her. Little do they know they’re walking into a trap: one that might just destroy everything they’ve built. Failure isn’t an option: the survival of mankind hinges on their success.
The final battle looms, and redemption awaits…for better or worse.
Read all six installments in this bestselling series, in this order:
- Dissonance Volume I: Reality (released 1.1.24)
- Dissonance Volume II: Reckoning (released 3.20.24)
- Dissonance Volume III: Renegade (released 5.18.24)
- Dissonance Volume IV: Relentless (coming November 2024!)
- Prequel #1: Dissonance Volume Zero: Revelation (released 6.6.24)
- Prequel #2: Dissonance Volume Up: Rising (released 9.3.24)
Dissonance Volume II: Reckoning is the second installment in Aaron Ryan’s post-apocalyptic alien invasion military science fiction books series. It’s perfect for readers who enjoy thrilling, dystopian, futuristic military warfare and gritty stories of betrayal, love, revenge, and justice. Order your copy now and experience true tension and terror where the stakes are even higher than in Dissonance Volume I: Reality!
Cynicism vs. Trust
In Dissonance Volume I: Reality, two brothers fight to protect an amulet that could be the key to saving what is left of humanity in a dangerous dystopian world. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Honestly, at first, they were just friends. But I needed a stronger bond, and it just made sense that they were the last remnant of their family unit left. That bond was strong before; now that they both are survivors, the bond grows stronger. And in truth, the amulet is not what they’re fighting to protect. That’s just the opening scene. They’re out on daily recon operations to forage for food, ammo, and any survivors. That’s the grind of their daily lives right now: the monotony and drudgery that has become life in 2042. Just staying alive. My wife and I had just watched I Am Legend the night before, and the overrun world is unmaintained and unmanaged. The rabies strain killed off nearly everyone. As a result, we see a world where 6’ tall weeds have grown up through the cracks, and the earth is a ghost town. I wanted that, but the catalyst in my scenario being an alien invasion that wiped out 85% of all mankind, and the survivors are living underground in fortified bunkers called blockades, hiding from a deadly species that possesses a terrifying telepathic paralytic. An enemy you couldn’t even look at, much less shoot at and draw in more of them. The notion truly terrified me.
Did you plan the tone and direction of the novel before writing, or did it come out organically as you were writing?
I’m so much more of a panther than a planner. Yes, I had some mileposts that I knew my characters needed to get to, but overall, I really appreciate the way that organic writing affords me the opportunity to let the characters lead me, as opposed to vice versa. Organic writing really allows me the ability to let them thread their way through wherever I set them down, and then, just as in life, “life happens to them”. From there, you get to see what happens to them as they face adversity. When monkey wrenches get thrown in. When they run out of gas or their computer crashes or the kid has just thrown up. Art imitates life, just as the other way around, and everything isn’t always hunky-dory. There are things that happen to our protagonists, and you get to see how they would handle them. Just as Vladimir Nabokov said, “The writer’s job is to get the main character up a tree, and then once they are up there, throw rocks at them.”
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Faith. Justice vs. revenge. Cynicism vs. trust. Snarkiness vs. maturity. There’s a lot of this that I personally went through as well, and I very much relate to them.
What can fans look forward to seeing in volume 2 of the Dissonance series?
An incredible adventure awaits Cameron Shipley. A very trying one. A journey of trust, adversity, questioning, answers, anger, betrayal, love, gain, loss, hysteria, incredibly colossal battles, victory, defeat, hiding, and re-emergence. I’ve never written anything more powerful than the Dissonance series. It’s truly loaded with thematic depth, and each book pushes you further along those tracks. You’re in for a fantastic ride!
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Author’s Blog | Website | Amazon
*** CURRENTLY ADAPTED FOR THE SCREEN AND BEING PITCHED TO MAJOR STREAMING NETWORKS! ***
===
Sergeant Cameron “Jet” Shipley was only six years old when the aliens silently drifted down through Earth’s skies in 2026. 16 years later, humanity is painfully familiar with one simple, agonizing, and inescapable truth:
One look, and it’s all over.
Terror lurks around every corner, and the rules of survival are simple: stay quiet, move quickly, and don’t ever look. It’s a post-apocalyptic Earth in 2042, and 85% of humanity has been annihilated by “gorgons”: horrific aliens with the ability to telepathically paralyze and then consume their prey, leaving the victims to feel every agonizing bite. Mostly impervious and nearly impossible to kill, the best defense against them is simply to run. One look, and it’s all over.
Brothers Jet and Rutty are part of an underground military bunker in Clarksville, Tennessee that provides shelter, training, and solace to those willing to fight back. But when a new recruit joins their ranks and reveals a secret that could change everything, Jet is faced with a difficult decision: follow orders, or fight for the truth? As the brothers navigate a dangerous dystopian world filled with gorgons and treachery, they must confront the ultimate question – who can they trust?
Read all six installments in this bestselling series, in this order:
- Dissonance Volume I: Reality (released 1.1.24)
- Dissonance Volume II: Reckoning (released 3.20.24)
- Dissonance Volume III: Renegade (released 5.18.24)
- Dissonance Volume IV: Relentless (coming November 2024!)
- Prequel #1: Dissonance Volume Zero: Revelation (released 6.6.24)
- Prequel #2: Dissonance Volume Up: Rising (released 9.3.24)
Bestselling 2024 fantasy fiction new releases author Aaron Ryan presents Dissonance Volume I: Reality in the first installment of his dystopian apocalyptic ebooks. It’s perfect for top new military science fiction readers who enjoy tense, thrilling and gritty post apocalyptic stories about resistance, complex characters, and the intrinsic truths of humanity. With a screen adaption underway for streaming networks, now is the perfect time to order your copy and delve into a gripping tale of survival and sacrifice in this top new sci-fi military thriller novel!
Little Green Man
In Little Green Man, author Shanti Hershensen transports readers to the small, conventional town of Mount Pifork, Colorado, where seventeen-year-old Birdie Buckley feels stifled by the town’s rigid norms. Birdie craves adventure, but in a place where individuality is unwelcome, finding it seems impossible. Yet, her curiosity is piqued when she begins to suspect something strange—perhaps even extraterrestrial—lurking in her town. With the help of Sol, the intriguing new arrival at her high school, Birdie embarks on a quest to uncover the mysteries surrounding a recently appeared observatory on the town’s outskirts. What they discover changes everything, leaving Birdie questioning whether normalcy might be preferable after all.
Drawing comparisons to the eerie intrigue of shows like The X-Files, Hershensen crafts a teen-centered narrative that explores the timeless theme of searching for one’s place in the world. Though the idea of seeking proof of alien life isn’t new, the novel taps into this well-worn concept with a fresh twist, intertwining it with the relatable struggles of adolescence. Birdie’s journey is driven not just by her search for extraterrestrial life, but by her deeper, more personal quest to belong. In her high school, she feels torn between wanting to fit in with her peers and resenting them for their dull conformity. This internal conflict fuels her determination to uncover something extraordinary. Perhaps, if she doesn’t belong on Earth, her destiny lies among beings as alien as she sometimes feels herself to be. Grounding the story is Birdie’s evolving relationship with Sol. Their bond provides a heartwarming reminder that connection can be found in the most unexpected places. As Birdie searches for the unusual and mysterious, her life becomes increasingly complex, even without the discovery of any actual “little green men.” The turbulence of adolescence, with its inherent challenges, mirrors the very strangeness she longs for. Yet, Birdie remains blind to the fact that growing up is an adventure all on its own, full of twists and uncertainties she never anticipated.
Little Green Man offers a clever and engaging literary escape driven by a spirited protagonist and a plot full of surprises. Hershensen’s story is not just about extraterrestrial mysteries but about the equally baffling journey of self-discovery in the midst of teenage life. With its suspenseful twists and thoughtful exploration of identity, this book will keep readers hooked and thinking long after the final page.
Pages: 436 | ASIN : B0CRTKLFGK
Proof of Alien Intelligence
In Journey to Antares, two teens become pioneers in space exploration when drawn together by a mysterious radio message from a distant star. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I’ve presented educational programs for nearly 10,000 elementary students in schools, libraries, planetariums, and at the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum to teach them about space science and history. The most common question I get from the students is, “Are aliens real?” To address this possibility, I wrote Journey to Antares as a science fiction story about how people might respond someday if we ever found proof of alien intelligence in the form of a radio message from space.
What character did you enjoy writing for? Was there one that was more challenging to write for?
My favorite character to write for was VISTA the robot. She’s the most logical and intelligent, but she also enjoys writing songs and speaks in musical tones as she did in my TV series, Space Quest with Dr. Jim. VISTA cares very deeply about PIPER, the other robot, but she is careful not to let him know her feelings as she chides him for his silly jokes. The most challenging character to write was PIPER the robot who was learning about humor, since it wasn’t easy to come up with so many space-related jokes for him to test out on the other characters.
I find that, while writing, you sometimes ask questions and have the characters answer them. Do you find that to be true? What questions did you ask yourself while writing this story?
The biggest question I had was how to justify the selection of teenagers Tommy Cosmo and Laura Starr to be the most qualified researchers to design the new technologies for the Aurora space-time ship to reach the star Antares. It would be too easy for them to become “Mary Sue” characters, so I had them answer that question themselves in flashback scenes set five years earlier in the story. Through their actions at an earlier age, both Tommy and Laura proved their intellectual qualifications and I’ve received positive feedback for clearly addressing that issue.
Can fans look forward to more books from you soon? What are you currently working on?
I have a full set of notes for a sequel about how the characters help to save the aliens who sent the message from Antares since it turns out to be a distress call. Before I write the next book, I’m currently recording the audiobook version of Journey to Antares which will include twelve original songs that are in the text. This way, the audiobook readers will get to hear the melodies of the songs as well as the lyrics that are in the printed book. I’m also working on some animated video shorts for key scenes in the story.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Website | Amazon
In the captivating space adventure novel Journey to Antares, we follow the remarkable tale of two young scientists, Tommy Cosmo and Laura Starr, along with their trusty companion robots, Piper and Vista. Their mission: to design and construct the spacetime ship Aurora, enabling them to journey to the past of an alien planet within the Antares star system. This extraordinary odyssey takes them to the very heart of the mystery surrounding the alien message and humanity’s response to it.
Journey to Antares is a thrilling narrative inspired by the award-winning Space Quest with Dr. Jim public-access and YouTube TV series. To aid readers in delving into the depths of space and science, the book includes a helpful glossary of scientific terms used throughout the story.
LITERARY TITAN 