I met with a therapist, and he was a very nice person. He suggested that I submit a manuscript even if I’M not ready.
So I’ve been thinking, and I’m releasing a book–“Paradigm Shift: Gregor”.
It is not the completed version of “Paradigm Shift” that I imagine in my head, and there will be a follow-up “Paradigm Shift: Dylan” at some point, but I feel that I have to get it out there. Otherwise there will never be a version of “Paradigm Shift” in a store, abridged or otherwise.
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If you’ve read any part of “Paradigm Shift”, you know that it’s set on a post-zombie apocalypse Earth where the cure created a Third childbearing gender via gamete mutation(?1). A hundred years later, Thirds rise to prominence and importance when a pandemic renders every living female sterile. Yet female Thirds are still able to impregnate women and male Thirds are still able to bear children, resulting in strict procreation laws.
The story focuses on Gregor Tierney, a Third that has been hiding his sexual organs and controlling his hormones with suppressants. Caught in a mandatory medical sweep, Gregor finds himself offered to the Duadenora Family as the mother of their next generation.
No non-con, though Gregor goes through some serious angst and his biology gets the best of him. He’s also very self-sufficient, which results in times where he might not seem very likable–especially in the face of Dylan Park’s awkward charm.
(?1. I’m not completely sure if this is the route I wanna take. I don’t know if I want to tie the mutation to sex chromosomes or anything like that. I’ve left it a bit open-ended for now. Though eventually I’m going to have to come up with some explanations. Which seems really painful.)
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I think I’m currently having an epiphany.
“Paradigm Shift” is NOT the start of a new series. It’s just another standalone novel in an expanding universe.
I mean, I’ve got this scene in my head of scientists switching on their gate machine, and being sucked through to the other side. Where they are made to face the consequences of their actions and the devastation they’ve wreaked on this alternate reality.
–
Yeah. Basically every story I’ve written has somehow become part of one sprawling multiverse.
And Melissa Kim is chasing Damien Prince while alternate versions of herself and Variants of Vereint are ruthlessly murdered.
