Interestingly enough, last week, during my 5-day only giveaway of The Khekarian Threat on Kindle, I noticed many more people followed the links when I referred to the untrained and inexperienced young psychic (the main character) who is striving to escape the clutches of an exiled Khekarian prince desperate to return to power and with an axe to grind – okay, so I didn’t mention the axe, but the point is, the psychic grabbed attention to the extent that it prompted me to change the description of the book on Amazon and make me wish I’d done it earlier. Unfortunately, the change kicked in after the giveaway was over.

I like the change because it presents a more personal perspective, and will undoubtedly help prevent a repeat of the “this isn’t science fiction because it’s got a psychic in it” review (I say prevent because, presumably, people so opposed to the subject won’t pick up the book in the first place – I’m assuming here that folk actually read the description before deciding to download).

So, why is there a psychic in my science fiction?

*

Actually, for very practical reasons. I wanted to tie these two characters together (Aleisha and Sturn) and, while lust might do it, I could not see someone as high in the imperial hierarchy as Sturn wanting to cling to a pretty face only 17 years old. Let’s be brutal, he’d take her and move on, he’s not going to want to keep her. However, if I gave the character more to offer than her innocence, I could make her far more valuable to him and therefore more important to keep. He could save his lust for others (Jackie, for starters – in fiction lust is way too good to waste). 😛

I don’t actually see the anomaly of a psychic in a science fiction. Belief, trust and respect for psychics has ebbed and flowed down through the ages, so don’t expect it to be absent from our future. Experience beyond the physical never has disappeared and it won’t, it’s part of nature, understood or not. A science fiction with, say, a group of explorers coming across a primitive people who worship stones, pray for rain and dance to energize tomorrow’s hunt would not be dismissed as “unscientific” because such societies are part and parcel of our very own history. Well, so are psychics. The biggest objection seems to be that mainstream science scoffs (so psychics shouldn’t be in science fiction), yet there are very serious scientists studying psychic phenomenon and finding more evidence for than against. It’s a fascinating world we live in.

So, to me, it definitely fits in science fiction, but if you prefer to call is fantasy, go ahead, I won’t hold it against you.

Anyhow, I’m rambling. I won’t know if my changes to the description of The Khekarian Threat will make any difference. Sales are light, which is to be expected when it’s known I give it away for free every three months. So I shall have to wait another three months to find out if the difference attracts more takers or not.

Meanwhile, if you’ve just found me, or just found the book and you don’t want to wait three months, hey, it’s only $4.95 on Kindle (USD, $19.95 plus postage for the paperback). Yes, of course, I’m going to promote that – that’s a wonderful price for near on 600 pages of a good meaty, sexy, fast-paced, action-packed, explorer type science fiction that takes a peek beyond the physical plane.

Shoot, what do I have to say…?

To have a closer look at The Khekarian Threat on this blog, plus links to viewing the first four chapters and more, links to Amazon for paperback and Kindle, links to Amazon reviews – it’s all in one place, folks – click HERE. 😀

Cheers, all.

Allyson