Brandon Twp.- Ken Bliss mixes supernatural elements in the future along with the age-old battle of good versus evil in his debut novel.
The former Ortonville resident and 1984 Goodrich High School graduate will sign copies of his book, ‘Eric’s War: The Cougar and the Lamb? from noon-3 p.m., Dec. 10, at the township library, 304 South St.
The science fiction novel is the first in a planned trilogy. According to a synopsis on the back cover: ‘The year is 2075. God has sprinkled his powers on Man, turning the extraordinary into? heroes. Eric D’Tra’val and Michelle Johnson are two such extraordinary people with incredible mental abilities called psionics. Eric has the ability to move objects using his mind and Michelle hears the thoughts of others. Eric’s conscious is pricked during a near-death experience, forcing him to question his life. As angels work to help him, devils strive to confuse.?
‘It’s about the conflict one person goes through, really about his soul and what people around him will do to get him away from God and what the devil will do to keep him from going toward God,? said Bliss. ‘If you like action-oriented books, you will definitely enjoy this.?
Now living in Lansing and working as a senior statistical analyst with an insurance company, Bliss spent more than two years writing the 324-page book. A fan of ‘Star Wars? and ‘Star Trek,? as well as the X-Men comic books, he drew inspiration from these sources.
‘I’ve always had the imagination and thought I would give it a try,? Bliss said. ‘Initially, writing was a bit of a struggle, but once I was familiar with characters, the second half of the book wrote itself. I knew where I wanted to go, but couldn’t quite get there. Once I got past a certain point, it flowed. It was enjoyable.?
Bliss was working with an editor and conventional publisher, but ultimately decided to go with self-publishing to retain creative control over his work. He will soon begin work on the second book in the trilogy, tentatively titled ‘The Rise of the Bear.?
‘Eric’s War: The Cougar and the Lamb,? can be purchased at the book signing event for $15, with $5 from the sale of each book going to benefit the library. For more information, visit www.ericswar.com.