Five Fun Facts about Alien People
A selection of trivia related to the first book in the Alien People Chronicles
Many readers are getting their first introduction to Alien People today. BookBub selected the first novel in my Alien People Chronicles series as today’s featured deal for the science fiction genre. It is another exciting milestone for me as an author and hopefully a sign of good things ahead.
If you haven’t read Alien People yet, this is the perfect time to start the series. The eBook is available for only 99 cents through mid-September at these booksellers:
Since Alien People is in the spotlight today, I decided to share a few fun facts about my sci-fi adventure novel with the readers of this newsletter. (Warning: some minor spoilers follow.)
I wrote the original rough draft at 18 years old
My debut novel, Pandora Reborn, is the first novel I published. It isn’t the first novel I wrote. Alien People holds that distinction. I wrote the original 400-page rough draft during the summer following my high school graduation. I completed it in only three months before heading off to college. The original rough draft, locked away at my Dad’s house, varies wildly from the finished novel. Notably, it features a completely different third act and many characters with much different roles and personalities.
Lathos orbits 61 Cygni A
The Earth Defense Bureau leader discusses with another character at one point how the bureau sent two probes powered by reverse-engineered alien technology salvaged from would-be invaders years earlier to a pair of nearby stars thought to have Earth-like exoplanets. Proxima Centauri and 61 Cygni A were selected as targets. Both are real-life stars. 61 Cygni A is an orange dwarf star located approximately 11.4 light years or 3.495 parsecs from Earth. It is the home sun for Lathos — the homeworld of Calandra and Xttra.
Under a Fallen Sun acts as a semi-prequel to Alien People
Astute readers who read Under a Fallen Sun before reading Alien People will see plot threads and characters from that earlier novel exerting a strong influence on how US government and military officials react when the Lathoan explorers make first contact with Earth. A key Earthian antagonist was also a major character in Under a Fallen Sun and their traumatic experiences in that novel drove their questionable actions in Alien People. Aliens from Rubrum — primary antagonists in Under a Fallen Sun — also functioned in a background antagonistic role near the end of the Separatist War on Lathos. They became larger-than-life monsters on the planet as rumors concerning their nightmarish genetic experimentation on other intelligent alien races spread from one generation to the next.
Calandra and Xttra originally hailed from a powerful alien race with centuries-long lifespans.
One concept I jotted down in my early backstory notes is that time moved slower on Lathos than on Earth. I originally envisioned 20 to 25 Earth years equaling a single Lathoan year. For this reason, my early conception of Calandra and Xttra varied substantially from how my two protagonists are now written. I originally envisioned Lathoans as a distant alien race that possessed mystical powers and enjoyed expansive lifespans mirroring the antediluvian patriarchs in the Bible.
I discarded that early story concept in the world-building phase for two reasons:
Making Lathoans a humanoid race similar to Earthians aligned better with the main theme and plot concepts in my novel. Showing Earth’s violent reaction to peaceful first contact from human-like aliens felt so much more horrifying.
Giving Lathoans mystical powers and long lifespans sent my story into Star Wars or Dune territory. I wanted to create something original, rather than hash out a retread of other popular sci-fi stories.
The Luma cityscape is modeled after Rome, Athens, and Salt Lake City
Early in Alien People, I describe the Luma cityscape through Calandra’s eyes. I wanted to evoke a sense of an ancient alien city blended with futuristic technology. To that end, I visualized a city with ancient buildings similar to what you would find in an ancient metropolis like Athens or Rome. I also partially modeled parts of the city and the surrounding landscape after Salt Lake City. Similar to the Utah capital city, Luma has a central temple and it also borders a mountain chain.
If you want to know anything else about Alien People, feel free to leave a question or share a comment below. Also, if you’ve read and enjoyed my novel, please leave a review wherever you purchased it. Let other readers know about this thrilling and captivating sci-fi adventure tale.
