Project Genesis is a short prequel to my break-out series, Genesis Rising. I created it as a way for readers to learn more about the mysterious Project Genesis program mentioned in my first novel, The Cost of Survival but it ended up being much more than that.
This short story follows protagonist Belkis Finch on a journey he’ll never forget. He travels to Egypt at the request of the President of the United States, who has arranged for Finch to have first access to an incredible discovery.
This story takes place during a time of incredible turmoil in the world; an amplified version of what we’re seeing today. War and terrorism have spread far and wide by the end of the 21st century. Leaders around the world have been unable to create a united front against the hate raging across the planet. The President is hopeful that the new discovery in Egypt can provide his people with something they’ve nearly completely lost … hope.
The Project Genesis Characters
Belkis Finch is one of my favorite characters in the Genesis Rising series. I imagine him with a sort of Doc Brown vibe to him. I originally hadn’t planned on Finch playing a reoccurring role in the series, but the old fella’ just keeps coming back for more, and I’m happy to have him.
Cora Meyer is Belkis’ daughter and the mother of Caitlyn Meyer. These two strong, female characters each play two very different roles in the series. I don’t want to give too much away so I’ll leave it at that and let you get to know them yourself.
There are also a handful of supporting characters in this short. Some we won’t hear about again, and some we just might. 😉
Why is Project Genesis a Short Story?
I was recently asked why I made Project Genesis a short story rather than a full length novel. It’s a simple answer really… as much as I enjoyed my time with the characters; as an author I didn’t want to bore my readers. This science fiction short story gives readers the information they need and no more. The last thing I wanted to do was repeat the information already included in The Cost of Survival. No one wants to read the same thing over and over.
I really wanted to provide a quick read that introduces readers to my version of the future. However, now that I’ve incorporated a short story into the Genesis Rising series, some fans have asked for more. I’m currently toying with the idea of another short story to be released between The Cost of Survival and The Price of Freedom (book 2 in the series) that paints a clearer picture about the events leading up to the first book in Genesis Rising from another perspective. However, my first objective is completing The Price of Freedom and getting the sample chapters ready for my newsletter subscribers.
