Kaydee Konvos

1.     Discovery’s Origin Story

Discovery, my first novel, began as a short story writing assignment in a sci-fi lit course I took in college. Great class! Got to read some amazing stories I probably never would have read otherwise, like A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, and A Rose for Ecclesiastes by Roger Zelasny.

Anyway, back to what I was saying. My professor assigned a mid-term requiring us to write a sci-fi story of our own. After lengthy debates with myself, I came up with the idea for “Girl’s Night Out,” about an unidentified girl who, as part of a psychological experiment, is forced into deep sleep states while the scientists studied her brain. She escapes through astral projection, going out to party much like Xana does at !X-ta-See! Learning of her trick, one of the scientists goes in after her astrally, dragging her back to the lab. The professor enjoyed the story, calling it a “spooky little tale,” and gave me an A.

Like all my college papers, the story got stuffed away in my closet for a while. I took it out a little over six years ago, figuring I’d polish it up a bit, maybe submit it to a writing contest. Well, Discovery had other plans. It took over, growing until it became a full-length novel. It became my first, but hardly last, experience with the fact that stories and characters often have their own agendas, insisting on being told their way. Who knew?

Discovery was well underway when a friend told me about The Jacket, by Jack London. Yes, that Jack London. Back in 1915 he wrote a story about a prisoner being confined in a strait jacket by a warden determined to break him. The prisoner discovers astral projection as a means of mentally escaping his torture. Unlike my characters, not only does the prisoner leave his body, he time- travels, entering the bodies of people from the past as well. I got some inspiration on how astral projection might work from his story.

Six years is one loooong gestation period, but Discovery finally arrived in February 2026. Those of you who enjoyed the book—I hope that’s everyone!—will be pleased to know you won’t have to wait that long for the sequel. Alliance: Book Two of the Tav-Yah Chronicles is in its last revision stages. It should be coming out the end of the year or the very beginning of 2027.