Tri-County Graduate Publishes Science Fiction Novel

CONTACT: MICHAEL KEATON, 886-8742

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 6/22/2001
(By Lisa Garrett)

SENECA --- Michael Keaton didn't see himself as a writer for a long time. "I was a teacher who wrote," said the Clemson University history graduate assistant who published his first science fiction novel, All Hail the Emperor, last October.

His professional writer status didn't hit him until he searched for his name and novel's title on the Barnes and Noble web site. "The day my name popped up, I knew then it was for real," said Keaton, a Seneca native who began his college education at Tri-County Technical College.

The reviews for "Emperor" are beginning to appear on Amazon.com, and they are favorable:

Says one reader: "Fast-paced adventure, clever dialogue, and lots of special effects make it a fun read and appropriate for anyone. Also, no profanity, blood and guts, or sex--and you won't miss it! I hope Mr. Keaton will write again soon!"

Another from Norfolk, VA, says, "This book is wonderful, even for myself who isn't into any kind of science fiction. The characters are great, and my roommates and I sat around in our dorm room and read out loud to each other. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants memorable characters, a great plot line and a wonderful read!"

A science fiction fan since his childhood, Keaton didn't begin writing until he was a student at Southern Wesleyan University (SWU) in the early 1990's working as a member of its yearbook staff. It was there that he and college friend, Grant Skellenger, collaborated on a screenplay. "Grant had the basic idea, and we ran from there. The first draft took nine months. We worked every day," recalled Keaton. They sent the screenplay to Disney's fellowship program but got the standard rejection letter about six months later. "It was the first thing we did – we expected it," added Keaton.

But it was excellent preparation for when he decided to pursue a novel of his own. He was standing in Wal-Mart in Seneca when he got the idea for Emperor. "I was looking at the computer games -- specifically one where you play the part of the emperor and build your empire. I began thinking 'novel.' I vowed to finish it even if it was computer paper on a shelf." That was back in 1994.

"For four years, I wrote longhand, and I took my notebook everywhere. I would write, let it sit for a week and or so and reread it. If I hit a wall, I took a break," he said. Writing the screenplay was great training, he said. He also armed himself with books on how to write and took several classes from author Michael Garrett through the Continuing Education Division at Tri-County. "I even read Physics for Dummies," he added.

"I read a book that said science fiction writing should convey a firm idea of how your universe works so I kept the basic law of physics in the book. But I had to bend the laws severely and invent a couple of new ones. But I remembered to work within my proscribed rules," he said.

After years of writing and rewriting, Keaton decided to pitch his novel. "It's scary to let go of the novel. The characters had been mine for so long. I received the standard rejections and later investigated Writers Club Press (an imprint of iUniverse)." The Press prints trade paperbacks which are printed as needed.

Keaton downloaded a form and submitted it online. "I felt good about it," he said. Soon after, he received an e-mail accepting his novel. Two months later, the first copy was printed. It was six to eight weeks before he could order online or in a bookstore. You can find All Hail the Emperor locally at the Clemson Campus Bookstore and the Clemson Newsstand, or you can order online from Amazon.

"I saw the book for the first time on the shelf at Clemson Campus Bookstore. It was a scary feeling. I thought, 'after all these years, people will read this now.' You've introduced a friend to the world, and you hope they will like your friend as much as you do. I think of my characters as real people. After all, I lived with them for eight years" he said.

He says Emperor is classified as science fiction but "I feel it is more of an adventure story set within a science fiction framework. It's a story for science fiction and adventure fans of all ages. It contains no foul language, no sexual situations, and while some violence is present, it is not gory or random."

Although writing is a passion, it's teaching that drives Keaton.

After graduating from Immanuel Christian School, he began college at Tri-County where he earned a Management degree in 1989. "I wasn't sure what wanted to do after graduating from high school. I looked at various colleges but chose Tri-County because it seemed like a good place to start. I loved it there. I received a great education and I really appreciated the small classes," he said.

He transferred to SWU where he double majored in History and Business Administration. After graduating in 1993, he worked in SWU's admissions office for three years. It was at his alma mater that he met his wife, Jenny. Later, he taught middle and high school at Oconee Christian Academy in Seneca before entering graduate school. "I truly enjoy teaching – making the connection with students," he said.

After receiving his master's degree, Keaton would like to teach at the college level and to pursue a doctorate and his writing.

"While graduate school is a priority, a sequel to Emperor is planned. Not everybody died," said Keaton.
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