Melody by David Hoffer

First of all, thank you to J.C. Gemmel for boosting independent authors. I appreciate the spirit and time you put into this. Here’s a little bit about my debut novel, Melody, along with some other tidbits that readers may find of interest.

About Melody
A melody from the stars can save humanity, but only if Stephen can awaken the alien within…

Childhood therapy cured Stephen Fisher of disturbing visions and the delusion of having come from another world. But when his daughter obsesses over a star in the night sky, he fears that his genetic legacy may have burdened her with the same illness. His sanity is then shattered when he loses his child and the military abducts him claiming that she recorded a song broadcast from another world.

A voice inside Stephen’s head convinces him that he can bring his daughter back to life. What he discovers instead is a stunning truth about himself, his child’s destiny, and fate of the entire human race.

Winner, 2021 San Diego Book Award for Magical Fiction
Finalist, 2022 Self-Published Sci-Fi Competition (the SPSFC)

The Inspiration
When I read the 14th Dalai Lama’s claim that if rebirth were true for one, then it must be true for all, I recall thinking, “Well, if that’s the case, then it has to occur throughout the universe.” Shortly afterward, I began writing a tale about a little girl taking a picture of the night sky with her father.

Lots of people believe in some sort of heaven or hell. Buddhists call it a continuity of consciousness. I called it the “conscious plane”. I imagined such a place existing in a separate universe governed by different physical laws, one that interacts and runs parallel to this universe.

There are hard science elements to the book, from detecting gravitational waves (inspired by the European Space Agency's Laser Interferometer Space Antenna project) to deciphering an alien message using a ‘virtual machine’. From a socio-political perspective, the events unfold in the way I believe society would deal with the challenge of first contact (spoiler – not well).

I love stories that explore the human condition through the prism of science and an ever-expanding understanding of the universe(s). The more I learn, the more I wonder, and I try to bring that feeling into my writing.

Sagan put it best: “When we recognize our place in an immensity of light years and in the passage of ages, when we grasp the intricacy, beauty and subtlety of life, then that soaring feeling, that sense of elation and humility combined, is surely spiritual.”

What’s next?
I’m currently revising the sequel to MELODY, tentatively titled “The Prophet”. Fingers crossed, this will be released in 2024. Thank you to the readers who left kind reviews or otherwise reached. The sequel wouldn’t have happened without your support and encouragement.

About the Author
Once upon a time, I was a columnist for a popular publication covering the Information Technology industry. Nowadays, I indulge my love for science fiction by writing, being a judge for the Self-Published Sci-Fi Competition (As far as I’m concerned, this is the Nebula for indies), and reading everything under the sun. If I’m not tapping away at a keyboard, I can be found surfing off the coast of Del Mar, California.

I encourage every author and reader to speak out against the growing threats to our freedoms. Read what you want, love who you want, and use whatever pronouns you care to use. It’s nobody’s business but your own. Intolerance and hatred need to be confronted and defeated.

You can contact me at david-hoffer.com.

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