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Guest Post with Author Susan English

11/11/2020

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Edited by Vaishali
Title: Callisto 2.0 (A Novel of the Future)
Author: Susan English
Genre/Themes: Sci-Fi, Hard Science Fiction, Lesbian fiction, LGBTQIA+
Publication Date: November 6th 2020
Publisher: Self Published

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G U E S T  P O S T  W I T H  A U T H O R  S U S A N  E N G L I S H

As much as Fantasy has tenaciously proven itself a wanted, hospitable disturbance, it's purpose, I'd always believed, is not just to flee our ever-changing, real-life predicaments, but to face them; we belittle the mastery of fantasy, its metamorphosis, its influence, its reshaping, reshuffling quality when we say 'oh, is it not the best distraction?'...Of course it is, we can visit an imaginative infinity, but what we collect from those delicate pages when we return to Earth is where challenge comes into play; a conceptual spread of self-reflection, of lifestyle reflection, of eyes that can scour and excavate our condition. 

If fantasy capitalises desire, potential, possibly’s and maybe’s, then real minds can pocket the dream as a likely, perhaps radical way of looking at our own condition. If fantasy is the looking glass, then we, the readers, are the subjects of a reflective goldmine.

Fantasy is an ultimate offering and Susan English, author of ‘Callisto 2.0’ (A Novel of the Future), a new release in the pool of Sci-fi Fiction, channels an offering of her own as she pens a story born at the heart of a pandemic, proposing a charitable, visionary future with values that we might think to adopt. Gravitate into an interstellar cosmic crusade that wholesomely considers feminine unity, that encouragingly, attentively plots a story tied up in the beams of open-handed, open-hearted magnanimity.

If we're looking for Fantasy to save us from the persistent strife and calamitous distress that has labelled this year as one of highly-strung apprehension and brittle expectation, now is the time to rely on fiction to whisk us away to a trustworthy land of promise!

Without further ado, I pass you onto Susan for a post takeover as she writes fondly of ‘Callisto 2.0’s inception, its dawn intimating her motivation for writing this futuristic fantasy and why she thinks the important values of goodwill might be our graceful asset. Perhaps, like Susan explains, we might learn from sighting versatile visions of a hereafter…
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Love in the Time of COVID


Disclaimer: Despite the title of this guest post, I have yet to read any books by
Gabriel García Márquez, even though I now reside in his home country of Colombia.  

Here we are, a year into the world pandemic. We live in interesting times, as the saying goes, and indeed, it is true. This pandemic has brought about a lot of changes for all of us here on Planet Earth, both on global and personal levels, and it’s hard to know when, or even if, our lives will get back to normal.

Hearing often shocking reports over the past year from my own home country, the United States, under the “leadership” of the (soon-to-be ex) president, I have felt even more grateful to be living in Márquez’s beautiful land, where community, generosity of spirit, and common courtesy are valued, and wearing a face mask to help prevent the spread of the virus is not met with scorn, derision, or violence.

Medellin, Colombia, where I live with my partner Ximena, is an incredible city. After almost four years here, I know that, like anywhere else, Medellin has its faults, but the Antioquian culture is one of the sweetest, kindest, and most hospitable I have ever experienced.

And it is here, in this magical city, where Callisto 2.0 was born.

Like many around the world fortunate enough to be able to work remotely, I embraced the “stay home” mantra, and have used my time to complete book one of my Shambhala Saga series. Though this is a futuristic sci-fi novel, it is, in essence, a love story, a story about the connections women make with each other, and the incredible transformative power of unconditional support and love.

I wrote Callisto 2.0 because I wanted to create a better world, or at minimum, a microcosm of kindness and compassion, even in the face of the brutality of the world at large. My book describes a female-centered community where women are encouraged to reach their full potential.

Although, as one reviewer pointed out, “Callisto 2.0 envisions a wondrous utopia, but it does not deny reality. It is heart-wrenching to have such a clear vision of a peaceful world and then be reminded so vividly that mine, ours, might not ever reach that state.” [Independent Book Reviews] So no, this is not a utopian novel, but my humble hope is that it can, in some small part, serve as an alternative vision for a better future.

Now, in this time of COVID, Callisto 2.0 is complete, and I, for one, am looking forward to traveling with the quirky, brilliant, and powerful women found within its pages across the universe.
I’ll leave you with the book description.

Take care, everyone, and stay safe!

Thanks again, Vaishali, for this opportunity!


THE BACK OF THE BOOK


She had to travel beyond the planet to discover her true self. Will she find the courage to walk through the doorway to a new future?

Shambhala Space Station, 2097. Solitary physicist Callisto (physics, after all, is a jealous mistress) never accepted conventional wisdom. So when she’s recruited to work on faster-than-light technology by a beautiful and mysterious older woman, she eagerly accepts the career opportunity at the women-only research station orbiting Earth’s moon. But her enthusiasm suffers when her first discovery is unexpected heartbreak.
Throwing herself into work on a problematic warp drive prototype, Calli blossoms in the utopian female community that shows her love and acceptance for the first time in her life. But when a twisted conspiracy, a disingenuous affair, and a disastrous betrayal test her place in this unique environment, the brilliant scientist must dig deep to find her moment of truth.
Will Calli embrace her destiny in an unexplored cosmos?
Callisto 2.0 is the transformative first book in the Shambhala Saga feminist science fiction series. If you like compassionate characters, deep-space intrigue, and hopeful visions of the future, then you’ll adore Susan English’s cosmic adventure.

*********


C A L L I S T O  2 . 0 - A  N O V E L  O F  T H E  F U T U R E 
-  B Y  S U S A N  E N G L I S H

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A huge thank you to Susan English for getting in touch to share the details of her new release, Callisto 2.0 and offering up a guest post to share the excitement of this new Sci-Fi Interstellar Fantasy!

It was truly a pleasure talking with you Susan!
Get your Amazon copy here!
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W H E R E  Y O U  C A N  F I N D  S U S A N  E N G L I S H  &  H E R  W O R K

● Website: https://www.shambhalasaga.com/
● Twitter: @SusanEnglish001
● Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Susan-English-Author-125502412687187
● Goodreads author page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20596038.Susan_English

● Author Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.com/...
● YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel...



I love interacting with fellow readers, reviewers and hearing about reader opinion, so get in touch and comment below!

H A P P Y  R E A D I N G


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    Vaishali

    Born in the UK
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    ​But whose truest homeland lies between the pages of an indulgent book.

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