How Far Is Far?

I’m writing a short story. (Well, duh, I’m a writer. I’m ALWAYS writing a something.) It’s a science fiction short story. Science fiction is an interesting genre. We have to provide enough difference to excite the reader. They have to believe in space travel or aliens, or time travel. It also has to be familiar enough that the reader can relate. (Have you ever noticed that almost all aliens speak English?)

In my story, I need to discuss time and space. It is, after all, a story set in space and the story has to move from the beginning to the middle to the end.

I had to decide how to inform the reader about time. I didn’t want to use earth measurements. I came up with several in-universe measurements. As my hero is waiting to see if he was going to be rescued, he counted the time in heartbeats and breaths. The dangerous unpredictable spaceship was rotating around the planet. Time could be measured in orbits.

Sizes were another issue. The two ships were an arms length apart. The hallway was wide enough for five people to walk side-by-side. The lock was two hand widths wide. The alien captain’s chair was up to his shoulder.

The story is called “The Curse Of The Crazies.” I just sent it to the editor. It should be available in October. When you read it, hopefully it will be entertaining, maybe a little scary, and certainly will sound foreign.

Stay safe

Rodney M Bliss is an author, columnist and IT Consultant. His blog updates every weekday. He lives in Pleasant Grove, UT with his lovely wife, thirteen children and grandchildren. Order Miscellany III A Collection of Holiday Short Stories, an anthology including his latest short story, “You Can Call Me Dan” here

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