THE Publishing initiative

This is an introduction to “Can Fiction Help Us Thrive?” — an initiative focused on using fiction for sustainability.

The Origin: “The Jacksons’ Debate”

It derives from my first fiction work, “The Jacksons’ Debate”. The book itself came from a thought experiment: what if an advanced alien race looked at humans the way we often look at other animals, and had to debate the ethics of consuming us? The story follows the Jacksons, a logical species, as they analyze human behavior — our environmental impact, our social contradictions — trying to fit us into their moral framework. It forces a perspective shift.

Endorsements & Recognition

The book has been endorsed by World Animal Justice, which provided the following view and has listed the book on their page:

It’s also listed on Sentientism.info’s reading recommendations, noted as a story that carries the notion that morality should follow evidence and reason in its path — I recommend checking out their site here: https://sentientism.info/sentientism-in-action/sentientist-development-goals.

The “Can Fiction Help Us Thrive?” Vision

Drawing upon this concept of advocacy through reader reflection, the “Can Fiction Help Us Thrive?” initiative has started. The plan is to create a platform (starting on Substack) for stories that challenge norms and encourage deeper thinking about our impact.

Podcasts will be shared, featuring authors who publish under this banner. We’ll discuss their work, exploring how they see their narratives contributing to an overall sustainable vision, using imagination to address real-world problems.

Next Steps: PHAIR Conference & Collaboration

I’ll be presenting the book and this broader concept at the PHAIR Animal Advocacy conference at the University of Edinburgh (July 2–5), where I’ve been invited to present. I’ll share updates on how that goes.

A Different Publishing Path

I envision “Can Fiction Help Us Thrive?” working through a collaborative publishing method. It’s meant to be for people who, like me, don’t necessarily see themselves as traditional authors but have some convoluted ideas they want to explore. I want to empower and help make those ideas into books.

I perceived that the publishing industry currently has problems. Traditional deals are hard to find for those without representation and often pay poorly. Vanity/hybrid publishers charge authors upfront for services that aren’t always necessary and take high royalties.

With “Can Fiction Help Us Thrive?”, I want to help promote, review, align content, and assist with cover design — building a sustainable business that promotes sustainability through fiction.

Join the Conversation

You are all welcome to join this initiative and reach out if you’re interested. More on the structure will be developed, and I’ll soon have an in-depth podcast published explaining it further.

There’s a lot of good, high-level breakdown and discussion about “The Jacksons’ Debate” already happening on its Goodreads page here:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/228994545-the-jacksons-debate

I would suggest checking it out. If the book and the discussions resonate, Goodreads will direct you to the Kindle version, and I’d appreciate anyone giving it a go.

This is the beginning of exploring how creative storytelling can play a role in building a more sustainable future.