Earth and Beyond

Science Fiction & Fantasy

synopsis

Synopsis

A utopian future is disrupted by the arrival of mysterious aliens. After a bizarre robot occupation and all-out war, humanity is threatened by an alien mutagen. Headed by clever Ambassador Karen O’Bien, the world’s top scientists must venture into deep space on a pulse-pounding medical mission to cure the pandemic sweeping the Earth.

bio

Author Biography

My fiction writing brings together years of science studies, work in heath care, and training and assistant teaching as a black belt in karate. After reading stacks of science fiction in my youth, I was inspired by space adventures such as Star Trek and medical thrillers by Dr. Robin Cook. Before publishing Earth and Beyond, I had articles on art and science fiction published in print and on-line magazines and served as editor for a newsletter/magazine for several years. Selling fantasy art and approved paintings and products related to the Canadian Musical Ride prepared me for doing some graphic design for fellow visual artists and for my own novel cover and ads. In my town in New Brunswick, Canada, I run a writing group, am a literacy volunteer at school, and enjoys gardening, creative cooking, yoga, photography, kicking back to good movies and shows, and, of course, my family.

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Author Insight

Future or Past Gardening is a Present

Seeing small sprouts packed with nutrition emerge from bare soil gives me a feeling of peace and security. If the trucks stopped rolling at least there would be that. In the past, it was vital to grow food locally. Later, ships brought spices from far lands. Then came the age of luxury for those living in the right locations. Gleefully, people left the toil of the fields as convenience food was delivered daily. Food production turned from each household’s manure fed crops to massive fields enriched with chemical fertilizers. Food aplenty for the fortunate came with a cost. Today with droughts, floods, fires, pandemics, and wars around the world, fear has grown about a break-down in the system we’ve grown to depend on. We diligently back up our computer files, perhaps a back up for food is now in order. A great back up for food can be the back yard. In the future, on Earth or a spaceship, an efficient hydroponic garden might be essential back up to recycling and synthesizing. Maintaining the ability to grow food the old-fashioned way from seeds brings more benefits than just security. It can also bring a place of beauty and restoration for bodies and minds. In the future, producing food from emptiness will be a vital present to the world.

Book Excerpt

Earth and Beyond

In the hydroponic garden, Chief of Surgery and Medicine Dr. Lopez stepped through the door with Assistant Chief Dr. Green. The surprising assault of scents and sights made her pause. She wasn’t sure what she wanted to do first. A bush full of deep red roses beckoned, quite literally. She looked around to see where wind could be coming from inside a ship. It wasn’t obvious so she made a note to ask someone. Meanwhile, she gave in to the summons and made for the shrub. The perfume that wafted into her nostrils was heavenly. She was tempted to linger but the thought of what other wonders awaited made her move on.

“Wow,” she said as she walked, “it’s more beautiful than its pictures—and it’s all useful. I see why this was a favourite to splash on magazine covers.”

Time had been taken to make a masterful design that painted an edible and medicinal landscape, making it double as a peaceful retreat. Lopez and her slightly grey-haired companion meandered through a slalom course of brightly coloured stems of chard set against dark, marbled boulders. They came upon a hidden circle where blue kale edged purple peppers, and within, a soft foot path availed users of an inner ring of red lettuce punctuated by a dot of golden, peppery nasturtiums. Beyond, a yellow carpet of tansy buttons footed an arched trellis entwined with Scarlet Runner beans. Brushing through the crunchy edibles, they found a courtyard of cucumbers climbing corn stalks presenting silky promise. She started as a drone came buzzing over her head.

“Sorry, ma’am,” a familiar man said as he followed it. “Didn’t mean to startle you.”

She squinted at him. “Aren’t you Joe from the ECC? The sani-tech who got Pandora?”

“Aye,” he said as she studied him more closely. “I’m hunky-dory though. I was allowed to take head sani-tech job on the ship.” He laughed. “Head of two of us. I guess they wanted a spare in case I croak.”

She didn’t smile at the joke. “You’re not hunky-dory. I’m glad you can work, though.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll get regular poking and prodding in my deluxe guinea pig cage right in the hospital wing. They gave us lots of toys, everything but a running wheel, but I plan to spend as much time as I can up and about with my bot buddies.” He brought the drone in and fiddled with controls.

“You know guinea pigs aren’t used for experiments anymore, right?” Green piped up.

“Oh, Aye, but they were when I was a wee one.