Hello again, dreamers. It’s been a wild few months for me, but I’ve been hard at work. My writing has taken me in some interesting directions, and while I haven’t been posting regularly, it’s been due to my focus on writing itself. Much to my discredit, I’ll admit I’d forgotten the sheer joy of not simply writing off the cuff, but taking the time to craft a world for my writing to exist in. Worldbuilding, safe to say, is the core of science fiction. And it’s a lot of fun.

Amid my flurry of notes and research, my writing has taken a completely new direction, one I’d been mulling over for some time now. Starting this month, in preparation for querying Pioneers, I will be refocusing on my core storyline. I’m devoting my time to writing exclusively within this framework, which I’ve dubbed the “Dotiverse” (in reference to Carl Sagan’s famous “Pale Blue Dot” speech). Thus, for the foreseeable future, most if not all of my writing will be based firmly within the Dotiverse, including short fiction. I also plan to make periodic posts introducing my readers to this world.

So, with that in mind, here’s what’s coming:

New Content

While I hope my readers enjoyed The Envoy as much as I enjoyed writing it, that story will likely be the last such offering on this site for the time being. Instead, upcoming content will take place within the Dotiverse framework established for Pioneers. The first batch of stories will begin in 2094. Here are a few of the pieces I’m working on, which will be appearing on this site in the coming months:

Poseidon

Set in 2094, Poseidon follows Commander Todd Helfrich, an Earth Space Administration astronaut in command of the DSV Endeavor. The Endeavor is a solar sail spacecraft, propelled through space by solar pressure exerted across a photosail ten kilometers in diameter. The story revolves around Commander Helfrich, and his life aboard Endeavor as it makes a two-year trip from the orbit of Earth to Callisto, the center of humanity’s exploration of the Jovian moons. It explores the ups and downs, twists and turns of one man’s life as he spends two years traveling through space, all for a fleeting glimpse of one of our star system’s most awesome sights: the gas giant Jupiter.

Ganymede

Also set in 2094, Ganymede follows the exploits of Paolo Denilson, a Brazilian scientist and ESA astronaut exploring the surface of the eponymous Jovian moon. Doctor Denilson must fight for his life after his floater crashes in the Memphis Facula, forcing him to trudge for a day to reach a nearby rover. But when he discovers the rover has been irradiated, he must once again brave the elements on the hostile moon.

Icebreaker

Set in 2100, Icebreaker follows Robi Novak, a mineralogist working on an M-ROC: a massive spaceborne refinery designed to facilitate mining in the asteroid belt. A middle-aged man, Robi is struggling to deal with the rapid changes in his line of work, most notably the use of M-ROCs. It’s a story about the passage of time, and how older scientists and engineers often have trouble adapting to the rapid pace of technological advancement.

Terrarium

Set in 2102, Terrarium follows the story of Wilbur Montoya, a United Nations inspector sent to report on efforts to evacuate the surface of Mars prior to terraforming. Wilbur is led around the Carson Geohabs on Mars by an elderly colonist, one of the first people to land on Mars with the intent to settle there. As his guide shows off everything they have build, Wilbur reflects on the fleeting nature of life, noting that everything the colony has built will ultimately be destroyed by terraforming. Despite this, he watches as the colonists carefully tend their doomed gardens.

Europa

Set in 2105, Europa follows ESA astronaut and exobiologist Renate Stark as she and a team of researchers explore the subsurface ocean of the eponymous Jovian moon. Though firmly dedicated to her work, Stark is distracted by the memory of her father, who was the commander of the Pathfinder 7 mission that is currently presumed lost. Her regrets regarding her relationship with her father serve as the backdrop for the wonders she and her team encounter beneath Europa’s icy crust.

All of these stories, while long planned, are very different from any other short fiction I’ve written before. They all take place within the framework of the Dotiverse, some even tying into Pathfinder and Pioneers. All will require extensive research, which has already begun. But I’m pleased to say I’ve begun writing in earnest on all of the aforementioned stories (though work on Poseidon is considerably further along than the others). And each will play a role in the vital process of filling out this world I’ve created, in preparation for delving back into it later this year, when I resume writing the next installment in the series, The Pioneer Era.

Querying Pioneers

I’ve been meaning to do this for some time now, and have hit snag after snag. But it’s now or never, so I’ve decided it’s now: I’ve begun work at last on my query for Pioneers. Included in this work will be updates to the story description here on this site, as well as an introductory piece regarding the story and its place in the larger Dotiverse, as well as a few posts regarding the process by which this story came to be. I’m looking forward to telling my readers more about this story, which for some time now I’ve been somewhat tight-lipped about.

Mailing List

If you are reading this post, or have read and enjoyed any other posts on this site, I strongly encourage you to sign up for my mailing list. My list is fairly small at present, which is why I’ve delayed releasing my first monthly newsletter. But currently I’m shooting for a release on May 1.

I’ve been working on my newsletter for some time now, and am pleased with what I’ve put together.

Each monthly news letter will consist of five main pieces:

From the Writer’s Desk

The opening piece will serve as a personal letter to my readers, essentially a longer, less segmented version of my weekly Writer’s Desk posts, like this one. In it, I’ll be telling my readers more about what I’m working on, not only in terms of content coming to the site but other stories and side projects I have going, ending with a preview of what’s to come in the coming month.

Free Preview

Each monthly newsletter will include a sneak peek at one of my works. It may be an excerpt from one of my novels, or a published or coming short story. Enjoy a glimpse into my work, presented exclusively to subscribers.

Of Interest

Each month, this piece will take a deep dive into current science fiction film, television, even video games, and how they are influencing the genre. I’ll look at worldbuilding, characterization, and the overall tone of modern sci-fi from the writer’s perspective.

Personal Note

Since rebranding my site a while back, I’ve kept my personal life off of it, choosing to focus entirely on my writing. In my Personal Note piece, each month subscribers will get a glimpse into who I am behind the pen. The first month’s piece will focus on the soundtrack of my life.

I’m looking forward to being able to connect more personally with my readers, letting them see into my craft and my life. If you’re one of my regular readers, or even if you’re a newcomer, I strongly suggest signing up for my mailing list. When you do, you’ll receive a free chapter of my novel Wide Horizon, on sale now on Amazon, just for signing up.

I have another busy week ahead of me, dreamers. But I’m looking forward to returning to the Dotiverse, and sharing it with the world. So keep reading, and as always, dare to dream. – MK