Singular (Self-Published)
by Larry Buenafe, Visalia, California, US
Fiction
Tell us about your book.
Technology can save us. It can also kill us all if we’re not careful. How far will a parent go to save their child? If you’re John Taylor, you’ll go as far as it takes. The year is 2051. Due to a devastating natural disaster and a regime oppressive to any technological advances that are not military in nature, most progress has been slowed to a standstill. Scientists and inventors must hide their work to avoid having it usurped by the government for military use. Some people just have a knack for overcoming the odds, though; for example, there’s Lucas Taylor, tech miracle.
What inspired you to write this book?
Several things. I wanted a way to reflect on some of the issues that women face in society, but but didn’t want to presume that I knew exactly what that felt like, so I made a hero who is a literal innocent: a highly functioning autistic boy who was in a coma from age nine to fourteen, so has no understanding of issues related to sexuality. When he and his group must go into hiding to avoid being snatched up by the government for military purposes, he is disguised as a girl for a portion of that time, and experiences some of the issues with no prior context, so has to try to make some sense of it. I also wanted to explore some of the philosophical issues related to the merging of humans and tech, and the ethics of tech enhancements. Where I come down on that issue will be clear in the story, but it is a concept fraught with conflict nonetheless. And, on top of it all, I wanted to tell an entertaining, thrill a minute kind of story in a near-future, high-tech milieu.
What’s next for you as an author?
I’m working on a medical thriller, and I think this one will be my best work yet. It more adult in nature, and features a highly flawed female main character. Think DaVinci Code with a female lead, a medical milieu, and a bit of a sense of humor.
Learn more about Larry Buenafe’s literary talent on his website and follow his hilarious humor on Instagram!
45 Magazine Women's Literary Journal 