Work in Progress: A.I. Human

I've finished the first draft of the second novel in the Lietvia Galaxy series, A.I. Human. I am loving how this story has unfolded!

Lyssa, a trafficked human from Earth is sold to a trio of aliens looking for a [cough] companion android. She’s forced to play the role of an android or be liquidated by the shady dealer who wants to make room for new inventory. At first, the aliens who buy her believe their new toy is defective. It can’t communicate and resists their commands. But the moment they realize she’s a live being, everything changes.

Many stories surrounding androids, from I, Robot to Westworld, to Bicentennial Man, or even Data from Star Trek focus on what it means for an artificial intelligence to gain self-awareness. At what point do we consider them to be alive? 

I wanted to instead focus on the reverse. With advances in technology and artificial intelligence, it won’t be long before androids are so realistic, that we won’t, at first glance, be able to distinguish them from living beings. When that happens, how would you prove that you’re a human being? How would you convince an alien race you can’t communicate with that you “aren’t the droid they’re looking for?”

How it compares to Ahelno

A.I. Human is set in the same universe as Ahelno, but starts on a different planet. It is a standalone, so you don’t have to read Ahelno to follow the story. Some of the characters from Ahelno do make a brief appearance, but prior knowledge isn’t necessary to follow their interactions with this novel’s characters.

At this point in the universe, Andie has created a human sanctuary on the planet of Ptekennan, and Lyssa has the option of living in Lumanelis, as it is called, or on the planet of Gildnaria where she was purchased.

Unlike Ahelno, this is a reverse harem/why choose romance, and it’s pretty spicy out of the gate! It is a bit lighter than Ahelno (which we can all admit is pretty dark, right?).

Like Andie, Lyssa goes through a lot, but she is a survivor and a pragmatist. Lyssa accepts the things that are within her control and those that are not. She actively evaluates her (often shitty) options and makes the best choices she can. Because she retains this agency, she is not crushed under the weight of her circumstances and doesn’t carry the same emotional baggage. She refuses to see herself as anyone’s victim.

I’m excited to refine the story, work on edits with beta readers, and publish in September as planned. If you’re interested in serving as an ARC reader in August or you want a sneak peek at the first chapter, sign up for my newsletter. I’ll send out more info to subscribers in a couple of weeks.

Happy reading!