by Eliza Taye
This was going to be a fun summer.
The End
Review Request Page
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Acknowledgements
Several people have helped me on my journey to becoming an author and I’d like to take the time to thank them. First, to my mom and dad, thank you for allowing me to spend copious amounts of time growing up reading book after book (even if that meant you had to constantly tell me to go to bed instead of reading late at night). I also want to thank my other family and friends who’ve read my stories over the years and encouraged me to keep writing. To all my beta readers, thank you for the comments, suggestions, and advice that made Oceania: The Underwater City so much better than it was originally. Your input was invaluable and I cannot thank you enough. Thanks to my editor, Frankie Sutton, who polished my novel into the best it could be and helped me put my best work out there. To my cover designer, Amy, thank you for designing such a beautiful and fitting cover for the novel. Thanks to my fellow indie (independent) authors for sharing your advice to help others take the plunge into independent publishing. I wouldn’t have had the courage to do it without your advice. Also, to you, the reader, thank you for giving a new author a chance. Lastly, and most importantly, I wish to thank God for giving me a passion for both reading and writing.
Author’s Note
As a longtime fan of sci-fi, I’ve always been puzzled at science fiction authors who predict that society’s technological advancements will happen in a blink of an eye. On the flipside, I’ve found it odd how some scientists predict those same advancements will take longer to achieve than they do. So, in Oceania: The Underwater City, I decided to blend both together and find a middle ground.
In researching for Oceania: The Underwater City (or Oceania as I like to call it for short), I researched life support systems used on submarines and on the ISS (International Space Station) to devise how an underwater city could be self-sustaining. You’ll notice that some of the same systems used on the ISS are mentioned in this novel. I also looked at past trends of how long it took for advancements in science, engineering, and medicine to become a reality. I even examined inflation rates over time to see how much things might cost in the year 2276. Of course, I’m sure that I wasn’t exact about most (if any) of my predictions. But then again, who will know since both I and all of you reading this will be dead before 2276?
As for all of the sea creatures in the novel, every single one of them is real except for the eyeless monster Allie encounters during her first SCUBAPS swim. I tried to be as realistic and descriptive as I could on all the animals, but each one is fascinating and worth a Google search to see what they look like if you don’t already know.
A few of the inventions I created in Oceania are ones I hope we have in the near future, like the scanner to diagnose illnesses or the SCUBAPS. I mean, who wouldn’t want to explore the ocean depths without a submersible at 12,000 feet? Okay, I know there are some people that wouldn’t. Anyways, however improbable many of the inventions in Oceania (not to mention the city itself), I spent weeks researching what would be needed to sustain an underwater city with millions of people to make the novel as realistic as possible.
In a world that spends hundreds of millions more on space science than on ocean science, I hope I have inspired some of you to consider a future where part of humanity may live under the sea than in the far reaches of outer space. It’s a shame that we know more about space than our own oceans, which make up over seventy percent of our entire planet. Hopefully, our world will reach a consensus that researching our own planet is just as important as researching the galaxy.
About the Author
Eliza Taye has always had an insatiable desire for stories of any kind, whether they be books, audiobooks, video games, films, or plays. If it has a story element to it, she enjoys it. After obtaining a marine science degree, she became inspired to write sci-fi in addition to the fantasy stories she wrote growing up. Two material things Eliza could never live without: books and music. She never leaves the house without at least one book and a way to listen to music. Music fuels her passion for storytelling, allowing her to daydream that she’s defeating bad guys, exploring unknown worlds, or wielding swords of destiny, when in reality, she’s just writing about it. She writes sci-fi, fantasy, and action adventure novels for young adults.
Eliza loves to hear from her readers! You can visit her at elizataye.com, email her at [email protected], or connect with her on Goodreads and Twitter.
More Books by Eliza Taye
Oceania: The Underwater City Series
Prequel: The Plague Council
Book 1: Oceania: The Underwater City
Book 2: Allie’s Return
Book 3: Shark Station
Book 4: Terra Sea Merge
Box Set: Oceania: The Underwater City Series Box Set: Books 1-3 of the Series
The Final Oceania: The Underwater City Series Book to Come Soon!
Life Plan Series
Book 1: Life Designed
For up-to-date news on these book releases (including full synopses) visit elizataye.com/news and subscribe to be the first to hear about them.
Can’t wait until then? Visit me at my blog, elizataye.blogspot.com, to read exclusive extras on Oceania: The Underwater City. All of the blog posts regarding this novel have already been posted such as my inspiration for the inventions in the novel, how the novel relates to current scientific research, sea creature profiles, character interviews, and more. There are over 15 exclusive blog posts in all, so go check them out! Click here to read from the beginning.