FAQs:
Below are some of the more commonly asked questions with answers from the author. They may contain SPOILERS. Read at your own risk...
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I'm thinking of writing a novel. Any advice?
Yes. I have lots of advice. First of all, many people want to write a novel. Most never do. Of those that do, most of them don't have the patience/desire to work at it. They think the book is great and that all it needs is spell check.
I took a storytelling course at BYU not too long before I graduated and started dental school. I fell in love with making up stories, and had the idea for Psion Beta, in its infant form. I plotted out characters, a basic outline, and several scenes that excited me, then I started writing. It helped that I have the personality type where if I get something in my head, chances are it's not going away. So I finished the novel.
The first person I showed my stuff to was my brother-in-law, a writer. He basically told me it was crap. So I kept working on it. I listened to his advice and kept going. I took a course from Brandon Sanderson. He read the first few chapters of Psion Beta. Then he told me it was basically crap. So I kept working on it. In the meantime, I was writing more books. Before I self-published Psion Beta, I wrote 4 other novels and started three more. This is the kind of work you have to be willing to do. You need to accept the fact that your first book is going to suck, and you're going to have to really work at your craft.
That doesn't just mean writing more. It also means editing. Write a book. Then edit it. Then set it aside and write something new. Then come back and edit your first book. Then edit your second. Then write a third book. Then edit. I must have edited Psion Beta a dozen times, no kidding. It took that much work to get it right. I still don't think it's perfect, but it was the best I could do, and I can't edit forever. That is the kind of patience you need to write a book.
As far as the mechanics go, should you start with characters, plot, world building, or write backwards? That's up to you. All I can say is, you'll figure out what works best for you. And that stuff really won't matter as long as you're excited about what you're writing. Best of luck if you choose to write your own novel.
I took a storytelling course at BYU not too long before I graduated and started dental school. I fell in love with making up stories, and had the idea for Psion Beta, in its infant form. I plotted out characters, a basic outline, and several scenes that excited me, then I started writing. It helped that I have the personality type where if I get something in my head, chances are it's not going away. So I finished the novel.
The first person I showed my stuff to was my brother-in-law, a writer. He basically told me it was crap. So I kept working on it. I listened to his advice and kept going. I took a course from Brandon Sanderson. He read the first few chapters of Psion Beta. Then he told me it was basically crap. So I kept working on it. In the meantime, I was writing more books. Before I self-published Psion Beta, I wrote 4 other novels and started three more. This is the kind of work you have to be willing to do. You need to accept the fact that your first book is going to suck, and you're going to have to really work at your craft.
That doesn't just mean writing more. It also means editing. Write a book. Then edit it. Then set it aside and write something new. Then come back and edit your first book. Then edit your second. Then write a third book. Then edit. I must have edited Psion Beta a dozen times, no kidding. It took that much work to get it right. I still don't think it's perfect, but it was the best I could do, and I can't edit forever. That is the kind of patience you need to write a book.
As far as the mechanics go, should you start with characters, plot, world building, or write backwards? That's up to you. All I can say is, you'll figure out what works best for you. And that stuff really won't matter as long as you're excited about what you're writing. Best of luck if you choose to write your own novel.
Is Psion pronounced Sigh-on or Zi-on?
Sigh-on. If you need help pronouncing some other characters' names, see the Characters page.
Why did you choose the Americans to be the "bad guys?"
Psion Beta is definitely a multi-cultural book. Sammy is from South Africa, Jeffie from Norway, Brickert from the UK. The only characters from America are Commander Byron and the Reynolds brothers.
I don't hate America, in fact, I'm deeply patriotic. Perhaps by seeing America as the "bad guys," American and non-American readers can ask themselves questions about how and why politics affect our past, present, and future. This novel isn't intended to contain a specific political message or reinforce an ideology. No matter which government is the villain, truths are always the same.
I don't hate America, in fact, I'm deeply patriotic. Perhaps by seeing America as the "bad guys," American and non-American readers can ask themselves questions about how and why politics affect our past, present, and future. This novel isn't intended to contain a specific political message or reinforce an ideology. No matter which government is the villain, truths are always the same.
What exactly is the Scourge?
The Scourge was a disease that destroyed hundreds of millions of people. In my notes, the Scourge happened in 2036, with the first anomalies being seen in early 2038. The anomalies were a result of the earliest vaccines that were given to stop the Scourge's spread. One of the original beginnings to Psion Beta was a prologue detailing information about the Scourge, but it was quickly abandoned because prologues, in general, are terrible ideas.
Does Sammy have an Oedipus Complex?
Nope. Sammy's comment to Kobe in the bathroom near the end of the book was indicative of the strength of his friendship with his mother, to be sure, but it doesn't go any farther than that.
Do Psions carry weapons?
Yes. If you remember in Sammy's training, he went through an intensive weapons training unit. It is common for Alphas to carry and use weapons on missions. The reason Al's team didn't have weapons was because Psion Command didn't anticipate conflict on the covert mission.
Do Betas wear shoes?
Yes, they do. Just like you can jump with shoes on, their blasts still are effective while wearing normal shoes. Now landing, on the other hand, that requires a type of shoe allowing the energy to pass through unimpeded. It's not mentioned specifically in Psion Beta, but the Psions do wear a special shoe around headquarters.
Who was your cover artist?
All my cover art has been done by Britta Peterson. She and I collaborate on several ideas, then she creates the cover, the special fonts, and the blast progressions through the chapter headings. Her blog is found here.
Why does Psion Beta end with a cliffhanger?
Most people assume I did this to sell a sequel. I wrote this book while I was heavily into the TV show Lost. I loved the cliffhanger endings. I find that when it's used effectively, it can take a story to a whole new level. I didn't set out to write a story that ends on such a note, but as the book developed, I came to the point where I said, "This is how it's supposed to end." After I finished, I sat down the next day and started the next book (at least, I think I did). Why? Because I, too, was excited to see where it would go. I know some people will be turned off by the ending, and I'm okay with that. I think most people will tune in. I can't promise there won't be any more cliffhangers, though. I only promise to try to keep delivering a story you want to read.
Did Sammy and Jeffie survive the final battle in Psion Omega?
Before I answer that question, if you don't know the answer, it's actually quite easy to tell if you read the first paragraph of Psion Beta, and then go back and reread the Epilogue of Psion Omega. If you still have questions, read the following paragraph:
Sammy and Jeffie did not survive. Just kidding! They survived. However, they both decided to keep their survival a secret after they were rescued. Sammy's name had been broadcast around the world in infamy as the symbol of NWG terrorism by the CAG and the Council. He decided to retire his name and assume the name of Jared Smith. Jared, if you will recall, was the name he used when he introduced himself to Vitoria in the hotel in Mexico City. Jeffie followed suit and changed her identity as well, knowing that it would be suspicious if she did not. She chose the name Rachel due to its Biblical origins and its significance to her. Only a select few know about their true identities, most of them being the Psions who survived the war.
Sammy and Jeffie did not survive. Just kidding! They survived. However, they both decided to keep their survival a secret after they were rescued. Sammy's name had been broadcast around the world in infamy as the symbol of NWG terrorism by the CAG and the Council. He decided to retire his name and assume the name of Jared Smith. Jared, if you will recall, was the name he used when he introduced himself to Vitoria in the hotel in Mexico City. Jeffie followed suit and changed her identity as well, knowing that it would be suspicious if she did not. She chose the name Rachel due to its Biblical origins and its significance to her. Only a select few know about their true identities, most of them being the Psions who survived the war.
What happened to Kawai?
Kawai survived the war and struggled for several months with depression and posttraumatic stress disorder. More so than the other Psions. Her friendship with Nikotai Wang, Natalia Plack, and Jared (formerly Sammy) helped her recover. Eight years after the war, she helped Nikotai deal with the death of his wife from cancer. Nikotai and Kawai's friendship grew into something more. Eleven years after the war, they married and had two kids together.
What are the meanings of the different cover symbols?
As you probably guessed, the swirling symbol present in all the books is the Psion symbol. The razor disk symbol (inspired by the blitzer used by the Queen in Psion Gamma) symbolizes the Anomaly Thirteen. The triangular symbol represents the Tensai, and the three-footed symbol represents the Ultras. All were created by the brilliant Britta Peterson, who provided the covers for the first four books. She also invented the Elite symbol of the flaming skull.
Did you know how the Psion series would end all along?
I knew Sammy would survive. I knew he would face off with the Queen in the end. I had planned to have Jeffie survive. However, for a time, I waivered on each character's survival, even Sammy's. In the end, him surviving was the right thing to do, and I killed him in Alpha instead. Of course, he didn't stay dead. Many thought the fox would end up being the final fight and be the big bad. I chose to have him see the light in some ways, and end up saving Al.
Speaking of the fox, what happened to him?
The answer here is also in the book, but a little harder to find than the truth behind Sammy and Jeffie's fate. The fox, whose real name is Diego Newblood, transformed himself into Daniel Newsome, and became President of the Continental American Government. No one knows about this because the only person who recognized him died (Commander Byron.)
Why was religion a part of the books?
I am a religious person, but I do not believe in preaching my religion in my stories. However, I do believe in telling stories that reinforce positive principles. Sammy embraced the belief in a higher power during the series, but never committed to an organized faith. I think faith and belief is an important part of characterization. Many books explore this struggle or journey, particularly the Harry Potter series, one of my inspirations. Like me, the Byron family practices the Mormon faith, though that was never mentioned or discussed. Jeffie grew up Lutheran, though not practicing. Kawai is also a Christian. Maad Rosmir is Seikh. And Katie Carpenter grew up Catholic.
What was the meaning behind the Anomaly Thirteen and the dreams?
I had to emphasize that the Anomaly Thirteen was ultimately a choice. A temptation. All of us have our struggles, our demons, our weaknesses, or thorns of the flesh. The Anomaly Thirteen was not something that couldn't be controlled. It came down, for each and every person who suffered from it, to a decision. A dream. And for most people, if they had already been giving into the bloodlust and the urges to commit violence, the dream choice was not hard. For others, it was beaten. Their stories are never told because they never suffered from it once they beat it. So of course, no one ever knew about them.
Why did you end up following so many points of view?
Psion Beta was easy to tell as a one-person POV (point of view). Sammy's world was simple and confined. Then, at the end of the story, I broke into Al's POV so we could see what was happening where Sammy wasn't. In Gamma, we saw the world through Byron, the Queen, Jeffie, and Sammy, all so we could see different parts of the story where Sammy couldn't be. Then it expanded a little more to include Brickert. Finally in Omega, we jumped around a little more during the Battle of Washington, so we could feel the full effects of the battle on its fighters.
Now that you're done, what would you change?
The thing that surprised me the most after the first two books was that people didn't really like Jeffie. I loved Jeffie. I thought she was real and genuine and feisty. Not perfect, but sympathetic enough that people could relate. Perhaps I failed in that regard because I got some feedback that some wanted her to die. That kind of surprised me. So I might go back and make her a little more sympathetic in the first two books. Hopefully people liked her more after Alpha and Omega.
