Oklahoma Writer Earl Perkins Sees Dream Come True with Published Novel

What seemed like a distant dream for many years has finally become a reality for Earl Perkins. A few months ago, he published his debut novel titled “Rocket Man” (Xlibris, 2017) to rave reviews.
 
“I had always dreamed of being a published author one day,” said the debut science fiction author. “But having graduated high school in 1970, that seemed to be a distant dream that might have to remain just that — a distant dream.”
 
Perkins’ dream of becoming a published novelist would not have been possible if it were not for self-publishing, which removes the barriers of distance and over-expensive costs of publication.


“In the 1960s, for a simple Oklahoma kid, being a published novelist was something only someone on the coast did since all the publishing houses were far away on the East Coast, and it cost a great deal of money to ever be published, and ‘someday’ wasn’t on the calendar,” said the new author. ‘Self-publishing made it happen for me.”
 
Perkins began writing “Rocket Man” in January 2017; he was done with the transcript in early August and by mid-October, he held the first copy of his first novel.
 
“Rocket Man” is a science fiction novel with a political overture to it. The story links two eras in the Space Age through the protagonist, a Marine pilot-turned-astronaut named Pete Allen, and his father, a disgraced Marine officer who alleged that his superiors cooperated with the Russians who infiltrated America’s high-level intelligence program. Pete goes on a “moon race” with a two-fold mission to save his country and the world from Soviet evil and to restore his father’s honor.
 
Perkins had the concept of a space flight to the moon for his novel but wanted to explore a different premise.
 
“I wanted to add an element of espionage to create a life-like scenario that posed a real threat to America and the world at the hands of our old Cold War nemesis, the Soviet Union,” said the author who as a young boy in 1961 watched Alan Shepard crawling into the Freedom 7 spacecraft to lift off on America’s first manned space flight.
 
The debut author’s debut novel could not have come at a better time as President Trump suggested America may need to create a ‘space force’ to fight wars in space and Russia is in the news for meddling in the 2016 elections.
 
Perkins hopes readers will love “Rocket Man,” which abounds with themes of patriotism, national pride, romance, and personal redemption.
 
Earl Perkins’ “Rocket Man” will soon be displayed at the inaugural New York Rights Fair, which will take place on May 30 through June 1, 2018, at the Metropolitan Pavilion in Manhattan, New York City.
 
To purchase Earl Perkins’ “Rocket Man,” go to Xlibris (https://www.xlibris.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?Book=768027), Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Rocket-Man-Earl-Perkins/dp/1543453783/), or Barnes & Noble (https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rocket-man-earl-perkins/1127210987?ean=9781543453782)
 
Readers are also encouraged to visit the author’s website http://www.earlperkinsbooks.com/
 
 
Rocket Man
Written by Earl Perkins
Published by Xlibris
Published date: October 6, 2017
Paperback price: $19.99
 
About the Author
 
Earl Perkins always wanted to be a sports writer but the allure of writing a novel with a great story to tell has always been a dream for him. With no formal training or education other than graduating from U.S Grant High School in his native Oklahoma nearly fifty years ago, Perkins is a retired electrician from the University of Oklahoma and shares a country home with his wife of nearly 25 years, Kathy, in Newcastle, Oklahoma. Earl and Kathy have a son, Ryan, and two daughters, Shannon and Amy, and two grandsons, Micah and Seth.
 

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