After retirement and what led me to start writing.

On September 3, 2023, I was diagnosed with Leukemia. Due to my chemotherapy treatments I had a compromised immune system and I was a bleeding risk. I couldn't paint, due to the solvents. I couldn't play in my woodshop due to some of the wood dust being toxic to breathe. I've been in total remission since October 2023. I am continuing to improve and my outlook is extremely positive! I thank the Lord everyday for how He has watched over me. I also thank my wife for all of the sacrifices she has had to make. I've also had many friends who have stepped up and given us a hand in my care needs.

A shout out to you, Joe, Cat, Bob, Nora Anne, David, Karen, Cody.

I spent from September 2023 to February ,2024 reading a lot. I've always been an avid reader of science fiction. When I was still working I would read 100 books a year while traveling. When I couldn't do anything but read after I got sick, I was probably reading at about a 150+ books a year rate. It became boring, because it was all that I was permitted to do. 

I came home on February 6, 2024  after a 5 day stay in the hospital for chemotherapy. It was supposed to be a good thing, since the next time I would go into the hospital was two months later in April for a bone marrow transplant to hopefully cure me. However, I received a phone call the next morning, informing me that one of my brothers had lost his life a few hours early in a traffic accident. It was an awful time in our families lives. I couldn't even travel to the funeral, due to my immuno-compromised condition. I have dedicated my first book to my brother, Timothy Lloyd Ickes.

My wife, God bless her, noticed and said, you've always thought that you could write a book, so why don't you give it a try. So, here I am, thanks to her, about to publish my first three novels. I hope you enjoy reading them, as much as I enjoyed writing them.

What I like to write!

I'm sure you have probably figured out that I'm fascinated with space, based on the theme of my website. I have probably read thousands of science fiction books. I am writing what I know, which is space opera, first contact, galactic battles, etc. 

My first three books are about humans unexpectedly making first contact with a sentient alien species, called the Lemurians. We had been traveling our area of the galaxy for 1400 years and had found no evidence of aliens. We were beginning to believe we were alone. Unfortunately, the first ship to make contact with aliens was a research ship. It was on a voyage of discovery, seeking habitable planets that humans could colonize. 

The Lemurians were not happy to see us. They had known about us for over three hundred years from our radio broadcasts. However, their knowledge of us was based on our 20th and 21st century history. They considered us a belligerent, war-like species with no honor. The Lemurians blamed us for the near destruction of their planet. Our research ship was forced to become a reluctant ship of war, in order to just survive. Far from home, with an explorer for a captain and a VAIL (Virtual Artificial Intelligent Lifeform), as his guide and moral compass. Our captain is forced to become a military leader and make life and death decisions on a constant basis. 

The novels delve into his doubts, fears and feelings of inadequacy, as he has successes and failures. He hates killing, but he's contantly being forced to make life and death decisions. Will he keep his santity. Will he live through the trials, tribulations and nightmares that keep on coming. 

The series is tentatively intended to be 10 books in length. It deals with the beginnings of an Alliance with other species. Then the growth of the Alliance as it becomes a threat to the evil, belligerent species that are out there, waiting for us. Eventually, it might grow into a force that brings peace to the galaxy, or will it continue to keep meeting greater and more evil opponents?

So, that is what I like writing. 

I also enjoy designing the graphics for my book covers. Which lead to me designing journals and notebooks. the first ones will be my Nebula Series of journals. Click on the 'Journals' tab to see my offerings!

Once I've developed a bunch of those, I'll then start creating some wonderful designs in a science fiction themes. You can see some of my future ideas on my journal page of the website too. 

One last shout out to my little brother Christopher Robert Ickes, who I used as the basis for my hero. Captain Robert Chris!

To my daughter in Ohio, I love you babydoll !

Lastly and very importantly, I miss my brother Timothy Lloyd Ickes deeply. 

God Bless all of you, 

Scott Ickes