Tag Archives: Blaine Colton Trilogy

Character Confabulation

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I was recently reflecting on an email I received some years back from “Blaine Colton”. Ha, ha, bots. Good one. Like I’m falling for that. Designate message to <spam>. Awkward moment when a month or two later I was checking the junk box and accidentally clicked on this email, only to realise it actually WAS from Blaine Colton! Whoops.

This Blaine Colton had discovered their namesake as the hero of my trilogy and written to share this fun fact. Red-faced and sheepish, I replied with profuse apologies for the misdirected assumption and consequential delay in reciprocating their email contact. Thankfully, they took it in goodwill and we were able to laugh it off. But this got me thinking …

How would an email from my fictional characters read?

Take Blaine. Do you think he rocks his curly hair or is he like most of us and thinks any other hair would be better than his own? His lithe form? Would he rather the sculpted muscle bulk of his best mate, Jett? (I am NOT having the Jett conversation here!) There’s mitochondrial disease and the cure that nearly killed him—before a bunch of nasty folk from the nether regions of an international crime syndicate wanted to kill him too, and had a pretty good go at it … What about his love life? Didn’t make that easy on him or Sophie, did I? And the whole adoption and family complications …

Hmmm, maybe a message from Blaine could be … erm … emotionally intense … Another character perhaps?

I mean, there’s Blaine’s half-brother, Rennie. He kind of clams up in new situations, but he’s a pretty cool guy. And it makes sense, after those run-ins with the law and his family not doing great—like, totally dysfunctional. Then there were those cyborg creeps that kidnapped him and stripped his mind, mining memories like files from a digital database. Sure he’s got some rejection and trauma baggage, but he’s … he’s … yeah, he’s got a heap to sort through … Maybe an email from him wouldn’t be so straightforward either … At least, not until Anna gets involved.

Anna! Of course. Her voice is out of this world! Gives me goosebumps every time. Mind, she’s not one-hundred-percent happy with her body image, but which of us are? All she’s got to figure out is that Chase, the risk-taking American hunk in her senior class, isn’t the only guy on the planet. That goes for her bestie, Cassidy, too. (That girl can dance.) I think a letter from Anna would be pretty upbeat. And hey, she gets to wear a gorgeous bridesmaid dress for most of the book. Nothing to complain about there. So long as she doesn’t get uptight about being retraumatised and ruining her perfect night out, and then literally smudging her out of existence … Yeeeah … Moving on.

Thinking I’ll leave Vivia and Kyal, with their dystopian realities, out of this. (You’ll get to meet Kyal soon. 😉) So maybe the safest communication would be a good old-fashioned letter from Patrick and Kitty—our favourite steampunk adventurers … Yes, that would do.

I have many other characters I could defer to, but you’ve not met all of them yet. I suppose the advice given to writers on character development really does ring true. Create engaging, well-loved characters, then do mean things to them! The truth is, whatever my characters have faced, I always want their stories to be hopeful. Were they to ever write me a message, it would me my hope they are walking towards the light of an ever-brightening future, irrespective of whatever challenges they’ve faced.

What about you? Have you written a character that might have a few things to say about your handling of their life, if they could send you a message? Maybe you’re a reader, not a writer. What might your favourite character say if they were to write you a letter about the author who created them? Which character would you like to hear from most? I would love for you to let me know in the comments below. 😊

Copy That

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This week I was preparing for another out-of-town event. As I sorted stock, I realised I was opening my last box of Replicate paperbacks. (Apologies for the terrible post title pun … but, hey, replicate … copy … Ahhh, how about we move on … lol.) For those who aren’t familiar with the Blaine Colton trilogy, I’ll drop a Replicate marketing tile below as a refresher. 🙂

The day was warm, but as I packed books and loaded the car for my trip, it didn’t take long for me to start sweating uncomfortably. While travelling to the city where that event was being held, I watched the external temperature climb on the car thermometer through some regions, hitting the Queensland-typical heights our state is known for during this spring to summer transition season. That’s when we usually see our most spectacular storms, which you’ll also read about in Replicate, given it’s set in the lead up to Christmas and through into the New Year.

In that moment I had a flash back to a day in late December, all but ten years ago. It had been a hot season and I was at the midpoint of the Replicate manuscript, pressing towards a completion deadline. I was sitting in a chair, sweat beading down my body, wetting my clothing and chair seat. The temperature was hovering around 43/44 degrees Celsius (109.4 to 111.2 Fahrenheit for the Americans out there). There was no air-conditioning where I was writing, and barely a breeze. I’d spent some days wrangling with Blaine and Jett, writing out their ‘bromance adventure’ to the Sunshine Coast. Five thousand words later, after letting them lead the related scenes, we were no closer to the pivot point that would catalyse the next part of the story.

I tried many different versions of that scene sequence until, finally, I realised there was only one thing that would back Blaine into such a tight a corner to make him resolved enough to enact the plan critical to hitting the remaining plots points and reaching the story resolution, within my target word count. And it was not an option I really wanted to entertain. (Many of you know what I’m talking about …)

This leads me to an exciting (and considerably more uplifting, for those who have read the trilogy) announcement. As you may remember, I have been chipping away at Jett’s story over the past few years. I refer to it as book 1.5 in relation to the trilogy, as it sits between Integrate (book one) and into the first half of Replicate. Well, that manuscript is completed and I’m finally at a point where I feel like this novella might become a reality in the coming period.

So, keep you ears tuned for more news on this, and like Blaine in Replicate I hope you’re starting to get in a festive spirit leading up to Christmas 2024. It won’t be long before we’re singing carols and stringing up tinsel. Enjoy! 🙂

Integrate Re-Release

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Yesterday was an exciting day. With the focus on the release of Immortal Mistake, this date kind of slipped by without much accolade, but it was the re-release (second edition) of my debut novel Integrate. Yay!

Now, I love Blaine as a character and I loved writing his adventures the first time around. However, what people may not realise is when I first wrote Integrate, it was not planned as a trilogy. Replicate only happened right before the first release of this novel. I managed to get out a draft of Replicate before Integrate was published, but I would have liked to go back and draw out certain elements for some characters, foreshadowing, and logistical-legislative aspects.

I never thought I would get the chance, but then … Second edition!!!! 😊

This was like the ultimate redo. As I reworked the novel, I realized I still loved it and the characters, but I was being given an opportunity to make it even better. As I said at a recent function, Integrate first edition was “good”, but the second edition is “gooderer”.

If you’ve not yet read this story and would like to purchase a copy of Integrate, 2nd Edn, it’s available from many bricks and mortar stores and e-book sellers:

And if your country or favourite bookstore isn’t in this list, grab the ISBN number and search for Integrate 2nd Edn in a store near you. 😊

Finally, you can also purchase my novels direct from Rhiza Edge Press. I know you’ll love this re-release as much as I enjoyed revisiting Blaine’s beginnings. ❤️

Book Baby Due

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We’re on the count down for the release of new novel Immortal Mistake. It’s been a long wait, but I think you’ll agree it’s worth it. You’ll see a page with order information coming soon, which I’ll also put on socials.

Time to introduce new hero, Rennie (Rennard) Parker. Remember him? Yep, it’s time for Blaine’s little brother to have his moment in the sun … only it doesn’t really work out as a glowing epoch in his life. This story goes to some dark and difficult places and was, honestly, a hard story to write.

Initially I was aiming for younger readership (that went well …). Instead, I followed where the story led. So here we are …

But I promise you, though this story is difficult in parts, it’s also hopeful. Ultimately. I truly hope you enjoy it. Here’s a teaser below:

Rennie Parker’s life is plagued by domestic upheaval. Now his memories of the past 24 hours have been erased and he’s pursued by a bionic man in his dreams. Left with nightmares of misused children, a video of glowing hands, and part of a dead scientist’s lecture on immortality, can he free those caught in this dark world of forced experimentation?

Link to my author profile on Amazon[dot]com

Link to order from Amazon[dot]com[dot]au

Link to order direct from Rhiza

Alternatively, for Australian residents, there’s a form you can download for pre-order below:

July-Aug-23-Sell-In

So, Tell Me?

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“You write near science fiction? What’s that mean?”

This question often comes up in relation to the genre of my stories. In response, I explain these stories are based on current and/or theorised science pushed just beyond the bounds of what’s actually (or in some cases, ethically) possible. You may have seen a previous post on the challenge of when science catches up? In ten years, it has.

Photo Credit: swiftsciencewriting, Pixabay

Remember how the Blaine Colton trilogy is founded on “revolutionary gene therapy”? To find a balance between “over science-ing” the story whilst leaving space for the imagination, the specifics and risks of this gene-modifying technology were not laid out in detail. Being new technology, many of the longer-term risks were extrapolated based on known problems of various delivery systems (for example, problematic levels of inflammation, immune interactions), but many remain unknown to this day. Instead I offer a hint here, a reference there. For this reason people sometimes ask for more.

Previously I had to explain types of delivery systems and mechanisms, the potential problems of integrating new genetic material into an organism, and more. Fast track to now, and I can simply say, “You know these experimental shots people are eagerly receiving for the current virus of interest …? Yeah, the fundamental concept is pretty much that.” And something I’ve recently learnt, not only can people develop allergies to GMO products (I knew that already, BUT), some individuals develop sensitivities to people who’ve taken these shots! (Keep an eye out for my soon-to-be released short story inspired by this scenario. 😉)

Against this rapidly changing backdrop, my stories have increasingly leaned towards fringe or even dystopian scenarios to stay a little ahead of the crush. In my “Crossed Spaces” short story Over and Out, I reference PICs—Personal Identification Chips—for the tracking and control of the population by the GG (Global Government), along with intrusive facial recognition technology that can see a person located and swiftly arrested within minutes of identification. I knew identification chips were a thing in some European countries, but not a widely accepted concept. As for facial recognition software, well, anyone been watching China lately …? However …

Photo Credit: Geralt, Pixabay

Little over a year since writing that story, we see Sweden implanting tracking/status chips into flocking recipients in the name of “safety”. (Really???) Not only is this the type of technology on which social credit systems are built and enforced, but intrusive facial recognition monitoring has even been proposed here in Australia by our leaders, with early reports by news outlets suggesting uses could include “enforcing social distancing, mask wearing etc”. Add to this the latest Digital ID legislation that’s being pushed through our parliament and the governing leaders would have capacity to identify, track and punish anyone who is deemed to have breached government-dictated behaviours through technology that allows citizen connectivity and biometrics monitoring for access to community services, travel and financial “credits”. If adopted, “Division 8, Northwest GG Quadrant” from Over and Out may not seem quite so farfetched. (It’s a fun story. If you haven’t read it yet, you should.)

I could detail other fiction I’ve penned that has become reality, from harvesting human embryonic organs to behaviour-modifying technology. No doubt I’m not the only science fiction author witnessing this trend. Like anything in science, just because we can, doesn’t mean we ought. And like any decision, convenience and fear should never be the driving determinants, but awareness should, and the capacity to see where seemingly beneficial technologies could lead without appropriate regulation.

I’ve a hunch we’ve only seen the tip of “near science fiction” proposed for our societies by certain well-resourced entities. No doubt more reveals will come. Hopefully most of us have our ears and eyes open so we can recognise when bounds are being overstepped, and can thus respond with future generations in mind to foster the good and question what is not.