Ah, the allure of a robot on a book cover in one's formative years. How well I recall that feeling! Kevin Hopson, whose science fiction novel Shifting Alliances was recently released, muses on his introduction to that glorious genre.
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Discovering
Science Fiction
by
Kevin Hopson
I
was in middle school…I think. I visited the B. Dalton bookstore at my local
mall and perused the Science Fiction & Fantasy section. Dungeons &
Dragons game sets lined the shelves. I always wanted to play but could never
afford to buy one, at least not on a weekly allowance of only a few bucks. You
have to understand that a kid of my age and mentality never saved. Maybe my
generation was to blame, or perhaps it was due to my impatience, which I still
have problems dealing with to this day. Either way, money burned a hole in my
pocket, so it had to be spent immediately or my parents would be forced to buy
me new pants on a regular basis.
What
was the alternative? Buying a paperback book? No way! Honestly, I hated to read
in my adolescent years. The only thing worse than reading was having to write
something. Yeah, seriously. It’s funny how times change. Anyway, I was drawn to
art, and a cool cover was the one thing that might actually make me open a
book…and it did. I don’t recall the title, but it was a story by Isaac Asimov,
one of our greatest pioneers in the science fiction genre. A child and robot
graced the cover, instantly luring me in. I’m amazed at how intelligent kids
are today. Unfortunately, I was never a book worm, so some of the material
proved to be cumbersome. However, seeing that cover always brought me back to
the book. It was my first real taste of science fiction, and little did I know
it would lead to a long-term desire.
I
can’t remember if I said something to my mom or if it was the other way around,
but we both recollect a time when there was mention of me writing a science
fiction novel one day. I might have broached the subject as a kid, or maybe she
saw something in me (an interest in the genre and a later appreciation for
writing) that made her believe it. Regardless, it’s been nearly thirty years in
the making, and that day has finally come. Though my book, Shifting Alliances,
is technically a novella, I figure it’s close enough to the real thing, and
it’s dedicated to my mom for all of her support. Coincidentally, the story
touches on a woman’s motherly instinct to do the right thing, so it’s the
perfect way to honor her.
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Learn more about Kevin Hopson on his blog and his MuseItUp author page.
Buy Shifting Alliances directly from MuseItUp Publishing, on Amazon, and elsewhere.
