Fantasy, for me, is where belief runs out. It’s on the other side of the demarcation line from reality, that line we draw between what we accept as real and what we don’t. In other words, it’s subjective. We each have our own levels of belief on a wide array of topics. We each have our own demarcation lines.

The Khekarian Series is very much a work of science fiction as far as I am concerned. I base every aspect of my work on realism, on science and on areas of the unknown we are still exploring.

To me, fantasy means talking horses or sponge monsters that show the intelligence equal to our own and whiz around in spaceships they cannot possibly manipulate. I’m sorry, I enjoy realism too much to write that way, it has to be feasible (even if it challenges our acceptances – the glory of discovery is often the surprise it carries in).

While many may agree on my definition of fantasy, some people do not agree with my definition of science fiction. Primarily this is because I have included psychics and a multidimensional alien species in my sci-fi series.

Why do I call these inclusions science fiction?

Psychics, just like witches and shamans, have been recognized, on and off, down through the ages. Their acceptance in society is real and documented, no matter what they can do and whatever your own acceptances are. They are part of human history in all parts of the world. There is no reason to suppose supporting belief will not rise and fall again in the future.

That doesn’t mean I make it easy for my character. Aleisha is more clairsentient (feels touch) than clairvoyant (seeing). That means she picks up trauma in the now, and not future events, so she’s really not the sort of psychic Sturn wants to aid him back into power. In the story, I hit her with every objection a reader might have against psychics. Namely, just about every character who hears of her talent, says the same thing: “Some psychic, right? If she didn’t see them coming, she’s no psychic.”

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