Jump Onboard the Journey to Kyron
What would it take for humans to actually go to another planet? Imagine we find somewhere to go. An exoplanet within a few light years’ distance that had breathable air, a magnetic field, and liquid water.
Imagine it had life on it already.
Would we go there with the intention of taking over and colonising the new territory? Or would we keep to the edges, observing, experimenting, and staying out of sight? Would we, in fact, behave like ‘aliens’ from the conspiracy theories that abound on Earth? Build pyramids, collect specimens and give them anal probes, make crop circles, fly above their heads in unidentified flying objects?
That is the thought that popped into my head one fine day as I was walking down a busy Melbourne street in 2008 or so.
What a great idea for a book! I thought to myself.
And so, Journey to Kyron was born.
Humanity’s greatest adventure.
This book is currently in its third rewrite as I try to do justice to the idea and tackle the enormous complexity it entails.
It begins here.
Journey to Kyron - The Journey Begins
In the vastness of space, a tiny rock made of silicates, carbon, and trace amounts of iron was swept along by its own inertia. It had maintained the same speed for several thousand years, ever since it broke off a larger rock when it collided with an even larger one. With nothing to slow it down, it hurled along until
I’m also using this space to practice the craft of writing. I’ve experimented with short stories, tales from my travels, essays, and musings on my writing and other topics.
Here’s a selection of highlights:
Short Stories:
The Extra - Imagine not being the protagonist in your own life. This one is populated with borrowings from some recognisable modern stories.
Aggy & the Asterocket - In an AGI-enabled world, an asteroid pulls into orbit around the Earth. What is it hiding? And will we uncover the truth before it’s too late?
Sex on the Beach - A woman strolling along a pristine tropical beach runs into some trouble. But all is not as it seems.
Tales from my Travels:
That Time I Was A Thai Prostitute For a Night
The Time I Climbed America’s Tallest Mountain (or tried to)
The Time I Lost $60k in an Indian Jewelry Scam
Essays and Musings:
Dad and Mum - About the different lives of my parents.
1000 True Fans is Bullsh*t - How it’s more important to focus on creating great content than attracting megafans.
I’m the Monster, it’s me and its surprising follow-up How One Conversation Can Change Everything - where I confront my childhood demons.
Please explore and if you feel like this is a journey you want to be a part of, well, you know what to do.
Thanks for reading, and let’s head to the stars and planets!
In case you’re wondering, I’m a mother of two who works in research admin at a university. I have a PhD in molecular biology but I came to postgraduate study late, after spending a decade traveling, living and working in different continents and countries and learning languages.
I believe that my experience living around the world has equipped me to write about what we might find in a new one, and what we would take with us, both physically and culturally.
I also believe that everyone has something to contribute to a story like this, and I’m so interested in feedback and commentary from readers, so don’t be shy to hit that Comment button!
A word from Substack
For a spam-free, ad-free reading experience, plus audio and community features, get the Substack app.
To learn more about the tech platform that powers this publication, visit Substack.com.
