A Week with Y. Correa: Blog Takeover Day 5

Hello, one and all! Welcome back!

Today is the big day … the official book release day of “Earth 8-8-2: Armageddon’s Rise”. I’m so glad you could join.

If you’ve been following the last week you’ve discovered many behind the scenes information regarding The Earth 8-8-2 Saga. You’ve also seen the new covers for the 1st 2 books in the collection. In case you missed it, here they are:

Here are the blurbs …

Book 1: The Genesis Project

Could Science Serve as Salvation?

One-fourth Human.

One-fourth God.

One-fourth Superhuman.

One-fourth Vampire.

For Dr. Scott, the combined strengths of each life form represent the answer to the onslaught of malice and tyranny plaguing his Earth. When his creation—Genesis—begins developing, the lines between scientist and father become blurred. Soon the time approaches where Genesis is expected to fulfill her purpose. Does she go along willingly, or will her rapid evolution obliterate everyone’s best laid plans?

Book 2: Genesis’ Rebellion

What happens when Science’s Instrument of Salvation blazes her own path?

In the second installment of the Earth 8-8-2 saga, Genesis is heartbroken, disillusioned, but most of all … angry: angry that she has no say-so in the narrative of her own purpose. In the absence of choice, the only response that makes sense is rebellion.

As Genesis elicits the intensity of her powers, General Townsen must act quickly to develop a counterbalance to this previous experiment gone askew. Will the General’s army rise effectively against this unlikely nemesis, or will all see the literal overtures of what occurs when powers that be attempt to regulate true evolution?

These are NOT a standalone books. You must read them in order to get the full story.

Now that you’ve been caught up, let’s take a look at book three. First, the blurb.

In the midst of Genesis' emotional Armageddon comes an Armageddon ... of a different kind.

From the residual carnage arises Experiment-8-8-2.1, Project Armageddon. He desperately seeks the answers to his own existence. Upon searching, Armageddon is confronted by the blinding fury of Genesis, which serves as an unwelcome hindrance until the timely interjection of Dr. Anicom Zenit.

When Experiment-8-8-2.1's origins and purpose is divulged, will Armageddon continue to rise?

Or will the exquisite apex of scientific rebellion known as Genesis remain a formidable deterrent of progress?

A Week with Y. Correa: Blog Takeover Day 4

Nature VS Nurture

And Revised Cover Reveal

It’s the age-old psychological question … 

What makes a person evil, is it nature or nurture?

For many years psychologists, psychiatrists, scientists of all kinds and the like have been trying to answer this question without a definitive consensus. Some say it’s nature, others argue that it’s nurture. Then there are those who blur the lines and say that perhaps it’s both. So, is the answer black, white or grey?

Genesis, the main character of the Earth 8-8-2 saga also blurs the lines. You see, due to her makeup it’s nearly impossible to know if she was created that way, or if her upbringing turned the tide.

In my eyes this debate boils down to science versus tenet.

Let’s take a look-see and see what you think.

First, The Facts

1. Genesis was made, not born.
2. Genesis shares DNA from 4 different entities which makes up her own unique DNA.
3. Genesis has feelings but can also be emotionless.
4. Genesis was raised by a scientist, a soldier and 2 women (1 old, 1 young).
5. Genesis had never really experienced heartbreak until she did.
6. The 4 beings that makeup Genesis’ DNA have their own independent characteristics and in many ways those traits contradict one another.
7. Genesis is all-powerful and singularly so.

What does all of this mean? Let’s see if we can figure it out.

Second, Pros VS Cons

Bullet Number	Pro	Con
1 (Nature)	Can enhance the negatives and reduce the positives by bioengineering.	Cannot guarantee that all negative traits have been removed.
2 (Nature)	This can make the being incredibly powerful because knowing from what something is made of, one can predict the overall outcome..	However, it can also make the being unpredictable because when mixing things that were never meant to be unified, the risk is run that it can fail horribly.
3 (Nature)	Being human, we use feeling to help make moralistic and/or intrapersonal decisions.	Being emotionless equals being sociopathic, which can lead to violent behavior by choice.
4 (Nurture)	Having had different human influences in her life growing up could have taught her about the complexities of the human condition. Having been given love could have softened a potentially eroded heart.	Being that she is only ¼ human it may be hard for her to understand and properly process these complexities.
5 (Nurture)	Heartbreak is a common and natural part of being human but the way you are raised can greatly affect the manner in which you deal with heartache. A good upbringing means better coping skills.	If not given the proper tools for emotional stability then when heartache comes, instability can rule your emotional response.
6 (Nature)	Think about attempting to mix the DNA of a bird, a fish, an insect and a flower. This is how contradictory Genesis’ double helix is. These elements were never meant to be intertwined by nature. However, the successful combination of such makes Genesis’ nature extremely volatile.	If effectively combined, the mixture of these sources can make for an incredible creation that could launch humanity into an even grander evolution.
7 (Nature)	Being all powerful can be a great benefit to mankind if the individual is emotionally well prepared for the complications of life.	Being all powerful can be a curse if the individual is ill prepared for the intricacies of the human condition.

Third, Conjectures

In Genesis’ case, Nature weighs a far greater amount in the makeup of her person. The only counterbalance to her Nature are the binary elements of Nurture (Bullets #s 4 & 5). She carries within her a whopping 72% Nature against a miniscule 28% Nurture.

Which one can win the battle of her mind? Is the greatness of her Nature unremarkable against the strength of Nurturing? Or is it the other way round?

You know what? I’ll let you decide. 😉

Now, without further ado, I will present to you the revamped cover of “Earth 8-8-2: Genesis’ Rebellion”. Before I can do that, however, let’s take a quick look at the old cover.

BLURB:

What happens when Science’s Instrument of Salvation blazes her own path?

In the second installment of the Earth 8-8-2 saga, Genesis is heartbroken, disillusioned, but most of all … angry: angry that she has no say-so in the narrative of her own purpose. In the absence of choice, the only response that makes sense is rebellion.

As Genesis elicits the intensity of her powers, General Townsen must act quickly to develop a counterbalance to this previous experiment gone askew. Will the General’s army rise effectively against this unlikely nemesis, or will all see the literal overtures of what occurs when powers that be attempt to regulate true evolution?

This is NOT a standalone book, but the 2nd installment in a continuing saga.

Alrighty, y’all! Welp, tomorrow is the big day! Stay tuned for the “Earth 8-8-2: Armageddon’s Rise” book release post. You’re gonna love all the surprises I have for you!

Toodles,

A Week with Y. Correa: Blog Takeover Day 3

The Science Behind Genesis

And Revised Cover Reveal

If you’re an Earth 8-8-2 Saga fan, you already know the gist of the science behind Genesis, the main character. But today I’d like to go into a bit more detail.

To do this we have to start with the 4 main elements; human, vampire, goddess and superhuman.

However, before I get into that, let me go back and share an excerpt from “Earth 8-8-2: The Genesis Project” just to help you catch up a bit if you’re not familiar.

Tyranny and malice swept through Earth 8-8-2 and people like Dr. Scott—or maybe not exactly like him—were looking for the means of freeing themselves from the brutality. Unbeknownst to their oppressors, several of The Rebellion had embarked on a mission to visit other earths in order to collect DNA. Many of the earths that had been visited had various types of living beings. All with their weaknesses, but a vast amount with breathtaking strengths. Capabilities far beyond that which 8-8-2 Earthlings, and any like them, could ever imagine.

Earth 7-0-1 was the residential abyss of vampires. These beings lived on a dark earth, and fed on animals—beasts that were a hybrid of human and ape, although actual humans did not exist there. Dr. Scott surmised that if they had, they'd never survive. No blood on any earth was as good or as nutritious as human blood.

Earth 2-5-4 was the home to superhumans. Everyone was extraordinary, bestowed with supreme gifts therefore everyone was the same. It was an average day on Earth 2-5-4 when someone used their laser vision, or atomic breath.

Earth 9-9-1 was the dwelling of the Gods. It was Mount Olympus and Asgard all rolled up into one. Yet no one had an appreciation for one another's gifts as they were all the same.

Earth 8-8-2's Rebellion shipped scientists specializing in intragalactic travels to as many alternate earths as they could. The mission was to obtain DNA from all of the earths that were inhabited by supreme beings. As such, DNA was eventually gathered from Earths 7-0-1, 2-5-4 and 9-9-1. Albeit an extremely difficult mission, it was in the end, successful.

Now that you have a little bit of backstory, we can move forward.

Why, you may ask, these 4 strands of DNA specifically?

Today I will give you the answer.

The answer, as you could imagine, is derived from yesterday’s blog post, “All About Earth 8-8-2, The Planet”.

Let’s take a deeper look, shall we?

If you were a human with abundant knowledge who’d been besieged by other humans with extreme knowledge then you would perhaps look for a way to outsmart your fo. At the end it would be the proverbial “battle of the fittest”.

Who could outsmart whom?

Now, given the technology at hand it would be wise to use what is at your disposal, right? Right.

What did Dr. Scott and The Rebellion have at their fingertips? Intragalactic travel.

This job wouldn’t be the easiest to execute, of course. I mean, think about it … regular humans having to gather DNA from the likes of vampires, superhumans and gods …? It’s damn right ludicrous. But, in the end, worth the trouble. Especially if you could use that DNA to create a being that would vanquish the tyranny and free your planet.

In my mind’s eye I imagine that the soldier-slash-chrononauts that went on this mission perhaps came to the conclusion that if they could garner DNA from children and babies, they may have some chance of executing their mission successfully. I envision them going on some sort of top secret, super spy, resurgence mission to break into the homes of the hosts and swab the mouths of the tots. Then, DNA in hand, they go zooming back to Earth 8-8-2 and hand the treasures over to the right parties.

SIDE NOTE: Honestly, what I just wrote above (↑↑↑) is giving me a huge spin-off story idea.

Wait for it y’all … it may just happen. LOL

Anyways, before I interrupted myself so rudely ... 

So the question remains, why these 4 strands specifically? Well, the answer is simple …

THEY NEEDED SOMETHING THAT COULD NOT BE DESTROYED!

All right, now that I’ve made you wait long enough it’s time to show you the revised cover to “Earth 8-8-2: The Genesis Project”, the Earth 8-8-2 Saga’s first book.

I wouldn’t do the new book cover justice unless I first shared the old cover. So, here is it:

Blurb:

Could Science Serve as Salvation?

One-fourth Human.

One-fourth God.

One-fourth Superhuman.

One-fourth Vampire.

For Dr. Scott, the combined strengths of each life form represent the answer to the onslaught of malice and tyranny plaguing his Earth. When his creation—Genesis—begins developing, the lines between scientist and father become blurred. Soon the time approaches where Genesis is expected to fulfill her purpose. Does she go along willingly, or will her rapid evolution obliterate everyone’s best-laid plans?

Presenting the new cover to “Earth 8-8-2: The Genesis Project”!

Okie dokie, smokie … Hasta la mañana! 😉

A Week with Y. Correa: Blog Takeover Day 2

The imagination is a powerful thing. Like for real, for real.

Whether you’re a painter, a sketcher, a musician or an artist of any kind, the imagination is what makes the wheels of that engine roar. And any artist will tell you, roar they must. One can’t be still until the art is purged from your system and made tangible. Believe me, it’s a thing. Every artist has his/her process. For me the process varies contingent on the story.

In this, Earth 8-8-2 was no different. 

World creating, in this case was imperative. I had to make a world that was feasible, somewhat factual, fanciful and believable. Not easy when you’re writing a science fiction story of any kind, let alone a sci-fi mashup.

That’s when the premise of Earth 8-8-2 was born.

Let me extract a small excerpt from book one so that you have a better understanding of how the foundation of Earth 8-8-2 was established. The excerpt will speak for itself.

Earth 8-8-2 was the 882nd earth discovered by the scientists that ascertained alternate universes. One thousand had been found to date. The Multiverse Theory had been proven and finally accepted by most earths.

Whilst there were some earths that refused to accept the findings, nothing could be done about them. Those earths would stamp and seal their individual fates. Moreover, they would remain

banal. Nothing is more upsetting than those who chose to remain ignorant. Yet, that was an entirely different matter than the problem at hand.

What scientists proved was the theory which implies our universe is not alone, that there are many universes existing parallel to each other, was correct. Each distinct universe within the

Multiverse Theory were called parallel universes—this thesis was distantly derived from String Theory and The Theory of Everything, which were the fundamental beliefs that implied that

all things are connected. There had been a variety of different conjectures that lent themselves to a multiverse viewpoint, however, one remained solid; there were more earths, universes and living beings that spread out to an innumerable amount of macrocosms. More than could be counted.

Each group of people from their own respective earth was referred to as their earth's number and the term 'Earthling'. In Dr. Scott's case, he was an 8-8-2 Earthling.

Alright, now that you can see how the theory was laced together in order to form a believable, feasible, and somewhat scientifically accurate foundation let’s talk about Earth 8-8-2 itself.

Today I’ll address the following questions.

1. What is the makeup, climate and characteristic weather like on Earth 8-8-2?
2. What do the people look like and/or what are they?
3. Why is the planet terrorized and by whom?
4. How is this relevant to the storyline?

Let’s begin.

What is the makeup, climate and characteristic weather like on Earth 8-8-2?

Imagine for a moment, if you will, a desert land. A dry place where life is scant. A planet where life has to fight to survive. Imagine a sort of Venus plus Earth situation and you’ll have a better understanding of what Earth 8-8-2 is like.

On the other end of that, Earth 8-8-2 is also an exceedingly scientifically progressive place when science rules and religion is nonexistent. Their systemic, cutting edge civilization whose methods are unparalleled.

In a nutshell, Earth 8-8-2 is …

Dry, torrid, nearly barren, hard to find sustenance, highly technological, incredibly advanced, dystopia where humans strive but just barely survive.

What do the people look like and/or what are they?

Are you a person with light skin and have you ever been out in the sun for too long? If so, you know exactly what happens …

Tah-dah!

Now imagine for a second, if you can, a civilization that through millions of years of evolution have adapted to the calefaction and viscosity of a planet summerced in desiccation. What would that person look like? Well, the answer that most makes sense is red. That person would have evolved to a point where their skin is made up of a thick, cardinal sheath. Where the dermis is twice as thick as ours and the epidermis can absorb temperatures well into the 100s. This, of course, would resonate throughout their entire makeup. It would cause them to have darker eyes so as to absorb the brighter daylight and adjust to the darker night. It would also tinge their hair follicles in a similar coloring so that the hair would not burn in the sunlight.

Long story short, Earth 8-8-2 Earthlings are red. Other than that, they’re basically exactly like us—just human. They have feelings, thoughts, likes, dislikes and all that other good stuff.

Why is the planet terrorized and by whom?

Terrorists can be found anywhere. Even on Earth 8-8-2. Put yourself in the mind of being in the Democratic Republic of Congo for a moment.

Imagine if possible all of the people who are tortured, abused, tormented and killed daily just because of a difference in opinion.

This too was the case on Earth 8-8-2, only on a global scale. It seems to me that the smarter some people are, the more they think they have the right to rule over everything and everyone. On a planet where the average IQ is well over 120, you’re going to be confronted by myriad individuals who think they can do a better job at governing things. So they try to take it by force. Hence the birth of the tyrants on Earth 8-8-2. The counterbalance to which is The Rebellion which is comprised of several branches of the military, some scientists and the like.

How is this relevant to the storyline?

Long story short, in order for there to be reason for drastic forward movement in the story there must first be a driving force with the conflict. What better force than a world at odds? None that I can think of.

After all, there had to be a reason for intragalactic earthlings to scavenge the multiverse for the DNAs that could be combined to create the ultimate creation.

So there you have it folks, all about Earth 8-8-2. Chat with you again tomorrow.

Peace,

A Week with Y. Correa: Blog Takeover Day 1

Greeting, one and all.

This week I am giving way to author Y. Correa. I've permitted her to do a 1 week Blog Takeover in order to spread the word about her upcoming book, "Earth 8-8-2: Armageddon's Rise" the 3rd book in The Earth 8-8-2 Saga.

Let's all welcome Y. Correa.

I know I’ve talked about this before. But honestly, it never gets old. Now I love talking about this. In the past, not so much. That’s mostly because of how much I disliked the story after I first finished writing it.

I’m reminded of this meme …

Me in a picture. At least at the time I first wrote Earth 8-8-2: The Genesis Project.

Follow me on a trip through the creation of the Earth 8-8-2 Saga.

The first story in the Earth 8-8-2 Saga started off as a potential short story idea for the very first “Concordant Vibrancy” anthology. Since the theme was unity, I thought to myself, how cool would it be to create a science fiction story that unified science fiction with dark drama and fantasy? Perhaps taking elements of both and intertwining them into one creation …? Thus, “The Genesis Project” was born.

Immediately the story took shape in my head. I saw the scientist, Dr. Scott, in his laboratory getting busy with his experiment. But, since Dr. Scott was not from this earth, rather from a parallel earth, he didn’t look like us. At least not completely. That was when the concept of the multiverse theory was incorporated into the story. Soon there was this entire universe of meshed theories and ideas compacted into a novelette sized story. Like a whirlwind, “Earth 8-8-2: The Genesis Project” was written. I finished the whole thing in a day because the idea was burning in my cerebra like a soldering iron.

Here is the funny part.

We’ll call is “#TheWritingRollercoaster”.

At first I was super excited about the Earth 8-8-2. I mean, it fit the subject matter, was a cool idea, had some powerful characters and some awesome diction. I was honestly all in.

↓↓ My Face.

Then I read it. I don’t know what happened but after I read the whole thing I suddenly hated the entire story. I was unimpressed with my own writing, couldn’t stand the characters, hated the whole notion. I felt crushed and defeated. The words that reverberated in my mind were, “This is utter shit!”

↓↓ My Face.

I was a hop, skip and a jump away from trashing the whole thing. Then my best friend and I talked about it. She was all, “Y, I think you’re being too hard on yourself. I am sure it’s a great story. Send it to me. Let me read it.” My reply was cut and dry, “Okay, fine. But you’re gonna hate it too. It’s a piece of shit.”

↓↓ My Face.

In less than an hour she was done reading the story so she calls me. She’s all, “It’s great. I loved it.” My immediate thought was that she was just being nice. I wasn’t all too convinced and told her so. She was like, “Look, just give it a day or two and re-read it. In the meantime, just write a different story for the anthology. Besides, this one is too rich a story to be in an anthology anyway. I can see this being something extensive.”

“Sure, if you say so.” I replied, not completely convinced.

↓↓ My Face.

Regardless, I took her advice. I wrote the other story, which I did actually really like for the anthology and submitted it, then went back to “Earth 8-8-2” to re-read it.

New day, fresh perspective, I guess. Because when I was done reading the story I was suddenly shocked at how good it was.

↓↓ My Face.

Just like that the fervor was reignited and I was like, “Hooooly shit! This could really BE SOMETHING!” In that moment everything changed. I was overcome with enthusiasm for the story and how great it could be. Just like that I planned out the entire saga, the titles, the content, the outlines, the whole bit.

↓↓ My Face.

Several years later I am now about to release the 3rd book in the saga and I couldn’t be more thrilled.

I’m all like, “3 down and 4 to go!”

↓↓ My Face.

Okie dokie, smokie … I’ll catch up with you all again tomorrow.